The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-09 00:00:00

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signal for the British troops taking possession of Shikar-
poor—(Hear, hear)—and as much of the country as
Might he necessary for carrying on military operations.
There was a threat held out by Lord Auckland. to -take
Possession of the Ameers. He would follow those nego-
tiations step by step. He would now read to the House
tt letter from Sir Henry Pottinger to the Governor-Ge-
neral, in which that ": old friend" of the Ameers, as he
called himself, recommended the Governor-General to
take forcible possession of the territory of the Ameers.
The lion. and Learned Gentleman then proceeded to
read this letter, which advised the Indian Government to
Place a large body of troops in Sinde, for the purpose of
creating a " novel effect."--(Laughter.) That phrase
I"' a specimen of that "rhetoric called rigmarole." It
was the physical effect that was signified. And the
letter went on to say, that if the Ameers should seem
backward the-military preparations would probably in-
n,tleore them. Sir henry Pottinger charged the
Ameers of Sinde with writing to Shah Soo-
Jab; although at the time they 'Wrote they
they were an independent power, and had a right to
communicate with any foreign potentate. But yet the
fact of this communication with the Shah of Persia \vas
units a. pretext for usurpation and for tyranny. The
"`-nton• and Learned Member then referred to the Blue
"theoeork, 'Page
89,
a letter of Sir Henry Pottinger's, who
expressed his opinion that the British Govern•
ment should demand from the Ameers a cession of all
that territory lying on the right hank of the Indue, by
1111 imaginary line drawn to the Beloochistan territory.
-"e• further recommended that a large quantity of Native
and-British troops should be placed at Latta, thus
7feaking of the Sinde as if (said the Hon. and Learned
entleman) it had been already subjugated. Yet this
was the Sir Henry Pottinger who called the Ameers his
"old friends," and on whose communications the Noble
Lord
t, had placed so much reliance, and by which he had
eee n so much imposed upon.
Lord ASHLEY—I believe they are correct.
Mr. ROEBUCK—I have no doubt whatever that the
Voble Lord believes them, nor have I any doubt. that he
has been imposed upon.—(A laugh.) A great deal had
firesetn
by
yaiil about the communication of the Ameers with .
the Shah of Persia. That crime had been punished,
making them pay a large sum of money, and
ecnildly by Occupying their country with troops. But
Was this ace—was all their talked of deceit, tree-
illecn and misdeeds at all comparable to' the
ritish going up the Indus with an armed
t„ force, and telling them that if they did not give up cer-
-portions of their territory, they would annihilate
Weni•?—(Hear.) Why it would be comparing a mole-
ill to Mcomt•Ossa. Under the pretence of carrying on
negotiations with this defenceless people, the Indian Go 7,
.oc/curnent was, like one of the huge snakes of their own
• °Illttc)•• folding its mighty coils round its victim. The
Conduct of the Indian Government was most disgraceful,
f)nd iMprinted an everlasting stain upon this country.
1 PPressing a poor helpless, abandoned, people, Lord Auck-
.;lld..eommitted injustice—blunderieg injustice. Shah
flab was made the puppet, and the Ameers the victims.
1"1 e year 1841, we were at peace with Affghanistan,
,41t. the.:-tribute became due, and a mortality oc-
curred i our army, of which the Affghans took advan-
ofge• They rose and destroyed the miserable remnant
t 4
_ gthe army, and the example which was given was
Prly regarded by others of our Indian tributaries.
The Atueers of Sinde raid the Feringhece were thrust
°lit of Affghaniatan, and why should they not be thrust
°tit of Sinde ? (The Hon. and Learned Member
ae-
a read an extract from the Report, chiefly
consistin f • tion from Colonel Arthur; but,
fro g o communication
ea the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, it was utterly itn-
ljo.ssible to guess at the purport of the extract, or even
one persons who were mentioned in it. His running
;°_,nntentaries, as he proceeded, were, if possible more
tinn•l'itinet, and less intelligible, than the reading of the
ncument itself.) He proceeded to contend that, in
r.nsequenee of the position in which Lord Auckland had
borough
successor, t was impossible for Lord Ellen-
Of ",_tigh to adopt any other course than that complained
fiction, the Noble Lord who brought forward the
-r-nunn• The Hon. and Learned Member then
4i.‘we,eeded to read with the same rapidity and in-
,,",nietness a very long extract from the corres-
rndences interspersed with remarks -which were
unintelligible in the gallery.) 'With the excep-
✓" one cession by Lord Ellcnborough nothing more
ills proposed to be granted to the Ameers. Major Out-
eflll Proposed that Bukkur and the town and harbour
tn Kurachee shou:d be ceded to the British Govern-
beenent• Much had been said about the Ameers having
deprived of their hunting-grounds. There was a
instinct P.position made by Major Outram, that the
Ile, within 100 cubits of the river bank should be al-
.:‘3‘ted for. that purpose, and that beyond that limit the
Ltaeers should not trespass. Those propositions of Ma-
tie c Outrana were in effect adopted by the Governor-
(\f and carried out by Major Outram himself. He
c• and
was not tacking of the Ameers or their
nslastice. Ile did not mean to say 'that they had not
iPerfect right to drive us out of Sinde. His only
ele!,ticul was, inasmuch as they were in that position,
in was the proper conduct to be pursued by the com-
e Governor, at the time he found himself surrounded by
bi°3c enemies. He would now briefly give them the
story of those transactions which the Noble Lord had
ee• t given- Roostum Khan, a Prince of eighty-five years
tThe
and w under the control of a Minister.—
Learned Gentleman here detailed the
Areurnstances connected with the treaty which Major
1-I.llrtrani proposed, in case of his driving out Roostun-Cs
)▪
,uritQ Minister, to conclude with lloostum Khan,
then t sa that he could point out 20
1;:,_• %,ileages in the correspondence of Lord Ellenborough, in
out:, h his Lordship said he did not think that the treaty
iisel4 Possibly be carried out, and he (Mr. B.), now
• ned.the House, givin •every consideration to the mis-
t;ertttnes of those Princes, to look at the matter with
le4-ittiness, and tell him whether the consummation that
had happened was not the inevitable fate of Sinde as a
l:otected State ? Was it not the inevitable destiny of
trade, such as Lord Auckland had made it, to be ab-
sorbed in the Anglo-Indian empire ? And was it then
pot better that it should be done at once ?
been- done at once, Jong agony, If it had not
and confusion, constant disputes, riot
would be the consequence, and the end of
all would be as it was at present, namely, Sinde would
become what she now was,
part and parcel of the
enormous dominion which we—successful traders—had
created in India. Why at the present moment did they
110 see that another portion of territory would ac-
,,,t11_411)•• in spite of us, "become ours ? He knew it
4,"1i1d be said to be unjust.—(Hear.) Why did
I:_e.Y not then get out of India?—(CriesHof"
,vr°,llll both sides of the House.) Our possession it
• One great injustice from beginning to end. He
thebe a prophet.—(Laughter.) They would possess
vunj aub before two years would elapse, in spite of
"ecoselves Hon. Gentlemen might laugh ; but he re-
-11,410e.ru. bered.that two years ag.i he had said they would
ku'r3ierss Sinde, and Sinde they. now had; and let them
words, before two years should have passed the
that they would possess. He had no more doubt of
ti.4,,than he had of our whole Indian policy being a
I"ljustiee, as well as an unwise one. The Hon.
• arned Gentlemen then detailed the circumstances
and led to Sir C. Napier's advance upon Hyderabad,
procteoMmended that gallant officer's wisdom in not
ba,,n "bug to Hyderabad without his army, as be had
beii__ advised to do by Major Outram, who was led to
1.4.0•u;ve that at the time the Ameers had 20,000 men
their command, they had not one soldier under
tbo 5
Napier (he said) followed,
disns4tedice of Alajor Outram, a scene of the greatest
eepe is would have ensued, and terror and alarm from
t4„e ',ornorin to the Himalaya would have been the
Isields,34cY consequence. He CMr. Roebuck) gave the
tiles e Lord ever y credit for his humane feelings towards
c
Ilil'g th unhappy Princes, but he asked his countrymen to
e se juatgccat meed of praise to Sir C. Napier which
R,n just'
deserved; and that not scrupulously, but with
jueerui.rQuafdeeli for the heavy responsibility. which he
tnad• due c • Major Outram thought that his personal.
Pier_
_vt-:.'sVOUld stop the 20,000 men ; but Sir C. Na-
seWo:l4.er soldier and politician said, No ; arm your-
trekok and be aware, because you have to deal with
,here ';uerr_clu_s, foes. The lion. ad Learned Gentleman
doin 'leg round for a paper on the seat behind, and
which lig- so made some observations as to something
Re eoti,Kl ! alleged had fallen from Lord Ashley, which
Lord not catch.
unless
'lnaltk..
}!l,Ey begged to say, that what be had stated
~.%3 thee Production of those foot-notes was unjust,
f Rro3',„. 'lad been submitted to Maj
reaor Outram.
g• ra3UCK proceeded, and d a lengthy letter
i c.
,u".ea tier, or a.pier. to Ma•or Outram, giving an ex-
tl/4ked 114, (s;tru the eir.eumstjances and motives that influ-
en with C. apter
N ' ) conduct in the course he had
Yeah g respect to the march to Hyderabad, and also
thell nature of
• coulhis correspondence with Lord El-
d on the subject, and pointing out why it was
:nth eal remain silent while the newspapers were filled
tr. tousreports relative to his conduct in the mat-
`,n`tlharn,dnn had been made to the negotiations with Share
radin, o._ At the moment those negotiations were
eurceesi:'e_Arneers were gathering that army which
heard %k-diaries Napier to fight the battle.—(Heac,
baPier's
on Noble Lord had complained of Sir Charles
7t)'derouttndll,et to the Ameers after the conquest of
Kith
tittle 111 Su. Charles Napier durin, the whole of
id lived in a tent. He had newer interfered
;Vi•
e, ou,,t--,s-adm.eiers more than was necessary to insure. them
he 'cowl the moment of their capture until that
shenidTarture for Bombay. That was only what
zo"knewill'ave expected from the character of the man.
ei•()t kraluromn wells and he knew that as he was one of the
11411,e11.---(ces° was he one of the most kind-hearted_
Of and hisel's.) Nothing could exceed his fearless-
plan' Cluirages but then he had a heart like that
~ttled of (llear, hear.) The Noble Lord had corn-
'oncileneed e treatment which the Ameers had cx-
ha exceed gig deprived of their women. Nothing
luttylieed to the horrible cruelty- which the Ameers had
fretfuland, ‘_k_ards the women. They were luxurious,
er,M,,,
ttheir 'Ill& Many of these women had been torn
;, -_pfrents, and subjected to the most horrible
peuost"i_iiill General Napier had at this moment in
bid delivered
and w
fole ta4u nfr a, cruel instrument of torture which had
IT;int:d of brass zenana of the Ameers, which was
Of
bltwhich was used to beat the
S atisfactory to know that our conquest
i."11„46 had •
ad
ydsetlivered that country from one of' the
e ever begins- !cos of tyrannical government which
tPecies ofnflicted on a people. There were three
4a_en. siudianZoPle inhabiting Sinde—first, there were
114. ; who were recent converts to Mahomme-
eirdi ,
there were the llindoos ;
th a,tnere
rt;
noe
Nf.eit.hwe
e govo e ere ihe and,
orTuntry.
e oochees. The Beloochees were
The 13elooehees were
lhl/41.1 e.slaves to ' worked the kept slaves, and they
o hailed work for them. 0
s a blessing by • ur conquest
,had
xtrae... Learned g the inhabitants. (rile
the from Gentlenaa
a lette • n hero read several
(ell -41" which r, in which it was stated that
CIUNit 'ad fallen
prof
At
• cee shortly after the English
considered
‘ll t p • ,
er by the inhabitants as
th .'e Arn "Ice apnroved f
at the s• k'ers }designs n f o our proceedings, for ered the Colve- • '
it R S thus
'-u4113 t h
e t
e tonquest of the country

by the Ameers : no rain had fallen for six years, and
that the reduction of taxation which had taken place
had secured to us the affection of the people ; that five
months before our conquest every Beloorliee had
strutted about armed, but that now none except the
chiefs were armed.) Sir Charles Napier had been ac
cured of insulting the Ameers, while it appeared fron-
these letters that although he had disarmed the Beloo
chess generally, he had returned to the chieftains then
arias, because he did not wish to wound their honour.—
(Hear, hear.) The letter then went on to state that
Sir Charles Napier was endeavouring to get rid of the
military tenures ; to give the jaglievrilars a property in
their jagheers, which they did not possess under the
Ameers, and to turn the military chieftains into farmers.
The: body of the Sindian people were glad to escape
from the tyranny of the Ameers. Colonel Pottinger
bore evidence to the happy effects efour conquest of Sinde.
The inhabitants were becoming industrious, and labourers
from Kandahar were flocking into Sinde to ol,tain employ-
ment. Would it be just after all to the Sindian people to
bring back the Ameers ?—(Cheers.) He agreed with
the Noble Lord that every consideration should be paid
to them, that everything that could be done should be done
to alleviate their misfortunes—(Cheers)—but he could
not consent to the restoration.—(Cheers.) The Noble
Lord had spoken of the sons of Tippoo Saib. It should
be recollected that their father had been slain in battle,
and that they had lost a throne. The conquest of the
country was a fatal necessity, but the same kind treat-
ment which they as captives had received from the
Marquis of Cornwallis the Ameers, he doubted not,
had received from Lord Ellenborough.—(Cheers.)
He was convinced that they had not been subjected to
more restraint than was absolutely necessary to prevent
them from escaping and returning to Sinde.—(Hear.)
He believed that lie had travelled over most of the topics
which had been alluded to by the Noble Lord. He had
shown that the negotiations of Lord Auckland with the
Ameers had been conducted with unnecessary harsh-
ness and cruelty. Ile believed that the position of Lord
Ellenborough had been one of the greatest difficulty,
but that he had adopted the wisest course of policy that
he could have pursued. He believed that the steps which
Lord Ellenborough had taken were the fatal, but necessary,
consequences of the policy which had been pursued by
his predecessor.—(Cheers from the Ministerial benches.)
The people of Sinde were glad to escipe from the rule
of the 'f alpoore family ; and he believed that the people
of England would never consent to place the Sindians
again under the cruel tyranny of the Ameers. The
subject was one of immense importance, and he hoped it
would not go off without a vote. If the House nega-
tived the proposition of the Noble Lord, then Isis (Mr.
Roebuck's) resolutions could be submitted seriatim, and
the House would decide upon each step which had been
taken—they would decide first, whether the policy of
Lord Auckland was right or wrong ; secondly, whether
the policy of Lord Ellenborough was right or wrong ;
and thirdly, whether it would he right to restore these
unhappy Princes who had by force of arms been corn=
pelled to surrender their territories.—(Cheers from the
Ministerial benches )
Mr. EMERSON TENNENT considered the House aH
most unsatisfactory tribunal for the decision of questions of this
stature. In order to come to a proper judgment on the sub-
ject, Hon. Members should have given all the papers relating
to the case, nut only an attentive perusal, but a careful consi-
deration; and he thought the House was scarcely qualified to
decide, considering that those documents had scarcely been
one week before them. The Noble Lord and the Hon. and
Learned 'Member for Bath had both gone into a mass of details
to which he did not think it necessary to allude. There was
no necessity for alluding to the early policy of Lord Auckland.
The justification of the policy of the present Governor-
General rested not upon the condemnation or the acquittal
of Lord Auckland, but upon the circumstances which
had occurred since he had assumed the Government
of India.—(Cheers.) By those alone was Lord Ellen-
borough to be judged.—(Loud cheers.) With regard to the
policy of Lord Auckiand, that had been completed in 1839,
and the detheonement of the Ameers had been occasioned
by their conduct since that period. The Noble Lord had
alluded to what he called the previous meritorious conduct of
the Ameers in relation to this country—he could fol-
low the Noble Lord step by stilt, and could show that
throughout those negotiations the conduct of the Ameers
had been marked by the same treachery and false-
hood which had led to their ultimate downfal.
The Noble Lord alluded to the treaty of 1809, len this
country took every security to strengthen themselves against
the attempts of Napoleon. About this time Colonel Pottinger
appeared in connection with these negotiations, and he more
than once expressed his unwillingness to proceed in conse-
quence of the conduct of the Ameers. The presence of five
thousand men was necessary to compel the Ameers to observe
the provisions of the treaty. Then came the treaties of 1532
and 1834, which conferred mutual advantages on both sides,
but the Ameers were unwilling to permit, not only any English,.
but any European agent, to reside in the Intlus.—( Hear,
hear.) Then came the treaty of 1836, when Runject Singh
threatened to destroy the country, and when this country inter-
posed. Then they received a British Resident, but they entered
into negotiations with the Durbar of Lahore fur the purpose of
opposing British interests. The Noble Lord had referred to what
he believed was an apocryphal letter of Col. Pottinger's, for
there was nothing to show that Col. Pottinger ever published
such a document, and there was external evidence of all kinds
to show that he did not. No one living so well understood the
character of the Ameers as he did. He would be able to show,
from the correspondence of Col. Pottinger, that the Ameers
were a wicked and vicious race, and that they even predicted
the fate which overtook them in their destiny. (The Hon.
Gentleman then quoted several passages from the correspondence
of Col. Pottinger, to show that the Ameers were unworthy of
being trusted and full of perfidy.) With regard to the treaty
of 1839, there were circumstances to prove that it was not cal-
culated to be oppressive, and was not even unpopular in
Snide. For two years after the treaty, and when there
was time to consider its operation, Noor Mahomed, one of
the enemies of British connection, applied to have a similar
treaty and even submitted to be placed on a similar footing
with those who were parties to the treaty of 1839.—( Hear,
hear.) Sir Charles Napier, writing in 1842, says, that the
treaty, if rigidly adhered to, would render the Ameers more ;
rich and powerful, and even more happy than they were before
but it was rendered abortive by violence on the part of the one
and by bad faith on the part of the others. It was but
justice, not only to Lord edlenborough, but also to Lord Auck-
land, to insist upon those effects of the treaty of 1839. There
was nothing whatever in his correspondence to show that its
provisions had been set aside by the British Government,
whilst on the other hand the Ameers of Hyderabad entered
upon a persevering course of violence to violate the treaty. It
was but justice to the policy of Lord Ellenborough to
say that he was bound to defeat the machinations set
agoing to destroy British connections, which had been
put into more active motion in consequence of the reverses
they had met with in Caubul. The Noble Lord then referred
with great confidence to the testimony of ;Major Outram, who,
as a resident in the counrry, had every opportunity of observ-
ing the conduct of the Ameers. The Noble Lord had com-
mitted a most material error in supposing that some of the
Ameers only were guilty. He (Mr. E. Tennent) was pre-
pared to show that all of them hail been guilty, though there
might be some shade of difference in their conduct with regard
to this country, and that the conduct of the Government was in
every single instance approved by Majot Outram himself. It
was quite true that Major Outram mentioned that there was a
difference of feeling existing among the chiefs, but he says that
the entire family were promiscuously involved in the transaction
of which the British Government complained. He says that
at first the Meer Soojah professed open friendship for them, but
when the crisis arose, he became hostile to them, and was found
associated with the rest of their enemies.—( Hear, hear.)
Major Outram said that all the Khans of Hyderabad were con.
scions of their guilt, and that all of them were, more or less,
guilty of treasonable practices. The Hon. Gentleman then
referred to the correspondence of Major Outram, which
suggested the measures which the Government ought
to pursue with regard to the Ameers who had im-
peded the commerce on the Indus, and violated the
treaty which had been agreed upon between them.
These, then, were the facts of the case ; that not (as stated by
the Noble Lord) on a mere opinion, or a mere allegation of
treachery by the Ameers, but on proof of falsehood and of
crime, the Governor-General had taken such measures as at
once awarded punishment for the past and promised security for
the future. The integrity of the Ameers was an integrity in
appearance only—it was external but totally unsubstantial.
The treaty had been signed without any one of its prov;sions
being even objected to, and at the same time we were attacked
by ten thousand armed Beloochees, stirred ult, to do so
by the Ameers themselves, which led to that
action, than which a more brilliant or glorious one could not
be found in the annals of this or any other country. The
enemy was signally overthrown—those who had encouraged
and brought it into existence, were subjected, and properly
subjected, to imprisonment. Now one word with regard to
the transaction of depriving the families of the Ameers of
their possessions. his (Mr. Tennent) thought that
Major Outram was the last man in the world that ought
to make any complaint on that subject. Why he was
the very individual who started the idea of their
misconduct and merited chastisement. In passing, let
him say one word in regard to Sir Charles Napier. It was
obvious on the face of events that he was perfectly innocent of
the charges which had been attempted to be fastened on him,
and that he was called upon to act upon the exigency of the
moment.—(Hear, hear.) There was one point on which the
Noble Lord had strongly appealed to the feelings of the House.
It was in reference to Meer Soojah. Why, he (Mr. Tennent)
was prepared to prove that a foul murder of a British
officer had taken place, and that Meere Soojah was
a party to it. This Meere Soojah came insi-
diously to Major Outran, warned him and other British
officers of their danger, and next morning was found at the
head of the very assassins who had murdered this officer. It
had been asserted by the Noble Lord and the Hon. Member
for Bath, that treachery and design were ever at work by the
English in India, on purpose to get hold of more territory and
more power than that which we already possessed. Now he
denied this, and he most strongly asserted that the conquest of
Sinde, from first to last, had not been the result of any
scheme or preconcerted plan whatever, but the na-
tural consequence of events. On behalf of Lord Ellenborough
especially, he could &dare that he neither desired, approved,
nor practised any scheming whatever, and this was further
proved by his own declarations, made from time to time, that
with all the native chiefs who kept faith and honour with Eng-
land, every friendship should be exercised and every reason-
able concession made. With regard to the immediate ques-
tion before the House, and also to the amendment of the Hon.
Member for Bath, he was not prepared to give any support
to either of them.—( Hear.) He was authorised, however, to
state that in all the instructions sent out for the
guidance of Lord Ellenborough the strongest injunctions had
been given to treat the Ameers with every respect and con-
sideration consistent with their safe custody.—(Hear, hear.)
Every provision was made for their personal comfort, and every
regard was paid to their rank. Twenty-four thousand pounds
per annum was awarded for their maintenance, and no in-
terference was made in any way that might in the slightest
degree impair their comforts. As to their restoration
to liberty, he ceuld hold out no hope of that
—for it was wholly incompatible with the fu-
ture peace and tranquillity of India. The House might rest
assured that the Ameers would never be debarred from any
comfort er enjoyment they might desire to have, provided it
was compatible with their safe custody ; for it was not to be
supposed that the British authorities would permit them to re-
turn to the scene of their former treachery, intrigue, and
crime, only to repeat what it had cost us so much to struggle
with and suppress.—( Hear, hear.) (The Hon. Gentleman,
who turned his back on the reporters' gallery all the time he
was speaking, was most indistinctly heard throughout, and at
times was wholly inaudible. )
Sir JOHN HOBEIOUSE and Sir C. Napier rose to-
gether, but the
John Hothouselatterliono said, beforeurahleAle he addressedmberimmediately
gave way s
. •
ratohrer,Btaothth(emar.ssenrtoieobnus
,e
Roebuck), , thh eft
him-
selfH ont.o
and
de arguments,Learned
Member
,
fallen from that Hon. Gentleman as to his (Sir John's) being
must take the opportunity of referring to a remark which had
then in the House, and of making to him and to the House
an apology for notisbeisnsigon,
in
subject was under dnu
• he must be permitted to say for himself that, having in the
hip
But, placei n maklasting that apology,
year when this

previous session of Parliament made a long—he feared a too
long—defence of the Affghanistan expedition, and the
attempt which had been made by two Honourable
Members to impugn that policy having received so
cold a recep'ion from that House—he did not think it so
very likely that the subject would, in the last session of Par-
liament, have been again brought on. Ibis was his sincere
excuse for not being present, though he did not choose to admit
that a man was to be bound on a notice given by an Hon.
Member to attend, or, failing to do so, was to be looked upon,
or charged, with shrinking from taking part in the defence of
his friends or colleagues.—( Hear, hear.) For he found that
the Hon. Member for Bath, last session of Parliament, gave
notice that he would bring the subject before the House,
and he appeared somewhat to complain of the Noble Lord
the Member for Dorsetshire for taking up the subject, and pre-
suming to poach on his manor—( Laughter and cheers)—as if
he (Mr. Roebuck) had a sort of freehold in grievances—
( Laughter)—and as if it was a kind of offence in any one but
himself to address the House in regard to wrongs or to wrong-
doers—(Cheers and laughter)—and as if he, the lion. Member
for Bath, could manage all these sort of things with much more
force and dignity that► either the Noble Lord or any other
Member of that House.—(Loud cheers.) The Hon. Gentle-
man (Mr. Roebuck) must excuse him for stating that in
giving his notice the other day, it was impossible for him (Sir
John Hobhouse) or his colleagues to guess exactly what he
meant, for kis notice then was something to the effect—that
the House, while giving the due meed of praise to the skill of
the Generals and the valour of the troops by whom the terri-
tory of Sinde had been conquered, nevertheless deemed it
necessary to condemn that selfish and meddling policy which
forced upon our arms the necessity of such a conquest. Why,
that notice was in fact an implied attack and censure upon the
whole history and policy of the East India Company.
When he read the motion of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman

he had no idea that he intended to make a long, detailed, and
perhaps he might say able, charge against the late Governor-
General. In all his experience as a member of the House, and
it extended now over a space of twenty-five years, never was
that House, from a notice of 48 hours, called upon to decide
upon three questions of such importance as the present. The
Hon. and Learned Gentleman asserted that, whatever was

done by Lord Ellanborough was done in consequence of the
impolicy and injustice of his predecessors ; and he further
stated that to restore dominion to the Sindians was im-

possible. The Honourable Gentleman should not have said
so, for whatever is right is possible. By an ingenious—
he would not term it fraud—no, by an ingenious artifice— he
laid upon the table of the House three propositions, which, in
point of injustice, unfairness, and disingenuousness, were un-
paralleled in the history of Parliament.—( Hear, hear) And,
somehow or other, the House seemed to entertain the same
opinion.—( Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") The Hon. and
Learned Member had room enough for the race—he had no-
body to back him. The imputation of injustice, impolicy, or,
in the Hon. Gentleman's own language, of monstrosity against
Lord Auckland, he thought could hive scarcely entered into
the imagination even of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman.
The Hon. Gentleman was, at all events, singular in his opi-
nion, and (turning to the chair) you, Mr. Speaker,
will be freed frog► the trouble, the disgust, of
further listening to an accusation which has not
found in this House, and I believe would not find in this coun-
try, a seconder. The Hon. Gentleman made a variety of accu-
sations, but they were not founded on fact. Hardly any asser-
tions he made, except a just tribute to the character of the gal-
lant Napier, were just and well founded. The Hon. and
Learned Gentleman, after the fashion of a certain French au-
thor, said that he would begin at the beginning, and accord-
ingly he went into the history of our early intercourse with
Sinde, and mentioned some of the treaties, amongst other

treaties that of 1809. Up to that time he said our policy
towards Sinde was of a voluntary description, which signi-
fied that they might not do anything that they
did not wish. The Honourable and Learned Gentleman

further stated that our policy towards them was subsequently
of an involuntary character. But what was the treaty of
1609 ? What was the 4th article of that treaty ? It was to
the effect that no Frenchman should be allowed to settle in the
territory of Sinde. Was that voluntary? The Hon. and
Learned Gentleman said that we deprived Sinde of its inde-
pendence, and oppressed it because the Ameers wrote a
friendly letter to the Shah of Persia. A friendly letter it cer-
tainly was to the Shah of Persia, but most unfriendly to us.
Why what was that but the stronger imposing upon the
weaker ? Surely no country would voluntarily adopt such a
restraint. The fact was, that Sinde was not then an independent
nation. In 1820, at a suggestion of Shah Mahomed, a chnuse was
inserted in the treaty with the Indian Government, that
Europeans and Americans should not settle in the Sind° terri-
tory. This country had all along in their dealings with the
Sindian people, treated them not as an independent tribe, but as
subject to the King of Caubul, and they were subject to him
until we made them independent. They never were free from
the control of Shah Mahomed. The Honourable and Learned
Gentleman after going through the treaties of 1829, 1832, and
1834, came to the treaty of 1836, of which he gave
a most completed misrepresentation from beginning to
end.--( Hear, hear.) lie charged Lord Auckland with
trickery and treachery, which if his Lordship were guilty of, he
would deserve to be instantly impeached, and he pretended to
derive his information from garbled extracts from the Blue
Book. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman said that Lord
Auckland had conveyed to the Ameers, that Runjeet Singh
was about to invade them, and thereby induced them to sup-
plicate the aid of the British Government. That was not the
fact. Lord Wm. Bentinek, in 1831, had become acquainted
with the intention of Runjeet Singh to take the first opportu-
nity of invading Sinde. The Indian Government had endea-
voured to dissaude him from it, and in 1336 he marched upon
Sinde from the Punjaub, and encamped in the neigh-
bourhood of Caubul. Shah Mahomed sent a messenger
to Colonel Pottinger in Cutch to require his interference, and,
what was very singular in that communication, he did not
confine his request to Affghanistan, but requested that a British
force might be sent to Shikarpore. Was that baseness and
treachery ? In assisting the Ameers, did not the Indian
Government assist the weak against the strong ? Did they
.not
assist the Sindians, and save them from the grasp of Runjeet.
Singh ? The Hon. and Learned Gentleman said that in the
tripartite treaty the Indian Government had all at once die.
posed of Sinde by the sixteenth article of that treaty. Dis-
posed of Sinde ! Why that was the first acknowledgment of
the independence of Sinde—acknowledged to be a nation whose
influence was paramount in the east. They had been ele-
vated from dependence on Caubul into an ally of the British
nation. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman had asked what
reason was there to suppose that Lord Ellenborough could be
guilty of any baseness. He (Sir John Hobhouse) knew no
reason why Lord Ellenborough should be guilty of baseness,
and he knew no reason why Lord Auckland should be guilty
of it. He believed they were equally free from the charge of
baseness, and he believed Lord Auckland to be as honourable
and as upright as Lord Ellenborough, and at !east as well ac-
quainted with Indian affairs as the Hon. and Learned Gentle-
man. He said that Lord Auckland took money from the
Ameers of Sinde. Twenty-one lacs of rupees were received, but
it should not be forgotten that the Ameers obstructed
our march into Affghanistan, which was delayed five weeks by
them. Fifteen lace of rupees had been given to Shah Soojah,
and if Shah Soojah had remained upon the throne, as Lord
Auckland contemplated, that payment would effectually have
prevented future demands on the Ameers. He considered that
the independence of Sinde, and freedom from the control of
the Affghan Sovereign, was cheaply purchased by twenty-one
lacs of rupees. The other six lacy were paid to Runjeet
Singh, and were no more than sufficient to liquidate the ex-
penses of one regiment. The Learned Gentleman recapitu-
lated what he termed the horrors of the Affghan expedition,
and besprinkled himself and his Noble Friend Lord Auckland
with blood. The policy of that invasion had been already
fully discussed, and he would not revert to it further, than by
saying that it was then deemed judicious, and, having been
deemed so, Lord Auckland was perfectly justified in
marching his troops through the Sindian territory.
We had the same right to call for the assistance of the people of
Sinde as from the others of our allies ; and we were justified
in the course which we had taken. But the Learned Gentle-
man had said that Lord Auckland took the wrong route—that
thoer oughtieso f tao hparvien
epomws eid it
hintoh
oAmffg
thn
hae i a
British t h rGo uogeh the t e
rnm enetr -
in
India was in friendly relations. He (Sir J. H.) had a right
to say that Lord Auckland was bound to consider his Govern-
ment as being in as friendly relations with the
.Ameers of
Sinde as with Runjeet Singh—( Hear)—who, instead of
assisting us, was doing all he could to oppose us.—( Hear.)
The Learned Gentleman said that they ought to have taken
the way by Khyber Pass ; but he might as well have said that
they ought to have taken the way by the Gulf of Mexico.—
( A laugh.) At the time, Runjeet Singh had a large army,
and there was no more reason for relying upon his friendship
than upon that of the people of Sinde. Besides, the British
army took the route through the countries in which there was
the greatest prospect of a sufficient supply of provisions, and
they rejected the other route, because, in the words of the
Learned Gentlemen himself, it was impossible.—(Cheers and
laughter.) The course taken by Lord Auckland's Govern-
ment, and the measures taken by them, were forced upon
them by the exigency of the times.—( Hear, hear.) With
respect to Sir Henry Pottinger—he ( Sir J. Hobhouse)—mast
say that he had now heard, for the first time, the accusation
brought against him, that he was one of those Indian servants
who thought too much of their own importance.—( Hear.)
But he might remind the Hon. and Learned Gentleman that
Indian servants were not the only persons who thought too
much of their own importance.—(Laughter and cheers.) He
would undertake to say that the Gallant Officer was not more
likely to be led into hasty expressions or unconsidered state-
ments than the Hon. and Learned Member himself.—(Laugh-
ter and cries of " Hear, hear.") The Government, however,
had not acted upon that officer's communications, without well
considering the grounds upon which his suggestions were offered.
He ( Sir J. H.) had not distinctly heard all that the Hon.
Gentleman had said ; and, therefore, it might be that he was
obliged to pass over some of his assertions upon that part of
the question. He could, therefore, only say, that, what they
had really to look to, was what the Governor-General had done ?
In fact, he had not acted upon the suggestions of Sir H. Pot-
tinger; but, on the contrary, departed from them, as a refer-
ence to the Blue Book would show. Now, with reference to
the ,alleged aggressions of Lord Auckland in Sinde—the lion.
Gentleman seemed to think that they consisted not only in
forcing an army across the territory of the Ameers ; but in
his interference with the navigation of the Indus. Now, the
Honourable and Learned Gentleman would see, by re-
ferring to the papers (pages from 110 to 180), that
Lord Auckland did not ask anything, which the Ameers
were not bound to by treaty.--( Hear, hear.) And, further,
that they never objected to that treaty, or objected to carry out
its provisions. More than that, the Indian Government did
protect the interests of Noor Mohamed, and the people of
Sinde approved of all that had been done by the Government.
—( Hear, hear.) The Learned Gentleman was entirely mis--
taken as to what had been done in respect to the ports of Kura-
chee. We never did take possession of them. All that we
had done was by agreement with the Ameers that we should
not take possession of them, but that we should have troops there
during the period when they were necessary. The Ameers
never made the slightest objection to our having troops there. 'f he
Hon. Gentleman said that when Lord 'Ellenborough came into
possession of the Government of India, he had to contend
with great difficulties. Certainly he had, and he (Sir John
Hobhouse) did not feel called upon to say more in reference to
what was proposed by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman than
that what had been done by Lord Ellenborough was net the
necessary consequence of what had been done by Lord Auck-
land.---( Cheers.) The dates of the Hon. and Learned Gen-
tleman did not bear him out in his own statement that the
conduct of Lord Ellenborough was occasioned by the affair
of Caubul. He had received the news of the success in Aff-
ghanistan before he had taken those steps respecting Sinde
which the motion of the Noble Lord was intended to impugn.
Certainly the Governor-General had much to contend with.
There was the most unscrupulous Press that ever existed.
There were persons at home who were scarcely less scrupulous;
and he had also to contend with gentlemen in Parliament who
had thought proper, after four or five years, for their own
amusement, and that of the public, to bring forward charges
which might possibly be seconded..—(Cheers and laughter. )
He did not feel called upon to say more of Lord Ellenborough's
conduct than that it was not the same or continuous with Lord
Auckland's. Lord Ellenborough objected to the employment
of agents, even to that of such a distinguished man as Sir
Charles Napier, whose name could never be mentioned but
with respect, not only on account of his own merits, but on ac-
count of the associations with which that name was connected,
and no man in that House could deny that we owed more to
that officer, perhaps, than to any other in India.—( Cheers. )
In concluding what he had taken the liberty to say to the House
he might be allowed to state that he had risen to give an
unnecessary defence against unnecessary attack.—(Laughter.)
} He !could 'only put it to the House whether when justice was
required for the Ameers, they were to forget what • was