The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-24 00:00:00

bad been spoliated was not less than 180,0001., and a part
of this could not be better applied than in the production, in a
convenient form, of the vast mass of documents on which the
Indian authorities had professed to ground their decisions and
acts.—(Hear, hear.) lie (Mr. Thompson) would now refer
to the attack made upon the defenders of the Raja in the Bom-
'My Times, and he forewarned Honourable Proprietors that no
interruption which they might offer him would, in the least de-
. •gree, avail to prevent him from making the observations which
tie intended to submit to the Court. He was sorry thatan
Hon. and Gallant Friend ( General Lodwick) had been in-
.dueed, by repeated obstructions, to withhold the full exculpa-
tion of himself upon which he had entered.—(Hear.) •In
every well-conducted assembly, an individual who had been
assailed by misrepresentatron and calumny was permitted, even
when ho question was before the chair to clear himself ; but
such was not the custom in that Court. How stood the
fact ? On tha first of November last, an article extending
over thirteen columns appeared in the Bombay Times, con-
taining a gross and scandalous attack upon every individual
who had appeared in •favour of the Raja, during the debate of
July last excepting his friend Mr. Norris.—(Laughter, and
" Hear, hear.") Why that gentleman had enjoyed so dis-
tinguished an exemption, he (Mr. Thompson) would not pre •
tend to divine, ceratin it was, that his zeal and honesty in the
cause deserved as large a share of abuse as had been.
cast upon any one else; but, perhaps, the secret was that Mr.
Norris had been a Secretary to the Government of Bombay, and
being therefore in possession of the " Secrets of the prison-
house," was not to be attacked with impunity.—(Hear, hear.)
Now he (Mr. Thompson) would be bold enough to assert his
deliberate conviction that the article referred to, emanated
from the Bombay Government House. It contained internal
evidence of the fact.—( Hear.) In truth it was a demi-official
document, put forth to answer the dirty purpose of the prose-
cutors of the Raja. It bad done its work. It had been sent
to this country in large numbers to deceive the public and to
prop up the Government at home and abroad, and it was
natural enough for those whose ;base ends had been already
answered to get up and say, " What have we to do with news-
paper articles." But lie (Mr. Thompson) trusted he should be
able to produce proof amounting to moral certainty, that that same
libellous article was the offspring of those who had been the
most active participators in all the acts which had so deeply
disgraced the Government of India.—( Hear, hear.) One
word, continued Mr. Thompson, respecting the attack on my-
, self. It is- here asses ted that I was brought into this House to
defend the Raja, and am to be sold] out when this case is over.
Let me say that I am neither to be bought nor sold.-- (Cheers. )
That lam here by virtue of a qualification, purchased with my
own money, and shall remain as long as there exists any °per es-
elan to resist and that my part in the defence of the Raja, is.
undertaken from a simple and . pure conviction of the entire •
innocence of the man. I will say also that the information
which I have received since our protracted debate in
July, convinces me that the Raja has been the
victim of one of the most guilty conspiracies in
which a wicked and grasping Government ever en-
gaged for the downfall of an honourable and high-minded man.
--(Hear) Yes, Sir, if it be possible to bring a blush over
the cheek ofthose who have over and over again in this Court
stood forth as the champions
,of the enemies of the Raja, we
shall see that blush upon their cheek when, on another day, we
exhibit the proofs of the vile stratagems which have been
. reso. ted to to bring about the ruin of the Prince whose righteous
cause some of us have deemed it our duty to espouse.--( Hear,
hear.) It will be seen, Sir, that your own Government have
not hesitated to betake themselves to the use of forged docu-
ments—to the employment of perjured witnesses, and to the
evidence of parties paid to personate individuals about the per-
son of the Raja. The safety of certain parties requires that the
facts bearing upon these points'be for a time kept back ; but 1
indulge the hope that when the papers moved for are before
this Court. we shall be in circumstances to lay bare those scenes
which are now from necessity concealed. You know as well
as I do, that the most material witness against the itaja
was for three years imprisoned, and even threatened
with death, in order to extort from him sonic confession which
should help you to criminate the master to whom he was de-
voted), attached. You know', too, that this is but a specimen
of the vile arts employed to effect the destruction of a man
against whom you had taut the smallest amount of substantial
evidence. eir, if the Court of Directors are wise, they will
make haste to retrace their steps. Think not that you can
blind those who have lifted up their voices to demand justice.
—( Hear.) In your present circumstances you cannot afford
to leave this case unsettled.—(Cheers.) I, for one, tell you
that you shall hear my voice, feeble as it is, again and again.—
( near.) I will not cease to rebuke your unrighteousness until
the power .to do so is at at end, or the innocent victim of your
treachery is removed to that place " where the wicked cease
from troubling and the weary are at rest."—(Cheers.)
. Mr. Sanostows said it appeored that this subject was about
to be discussed again. He would merely say, that there was
no doubt that the conduct of all those who had taken a part in
the previous discussion had been severely criticised in the
papers ; he thought, therefore, that in the present discussion,
every gentleman should speak with calmness and moderation,
and they should not impute to the Government o
Bombay such dishonourable acts as bribery and per-
jury. He thought their characters were above it.—(Hear.)
and when the papers should be brought forward he hoped the
matter would be discussed in a moderate and calm manner,
becoming a deliberate assembly, and the character of that
Court. He did hope, therefore, that the Hon. Proprietor
would retract the harsh observations he had made use of.
Mr. WEEDING said that, from what he had read, he be-
lieved the Raja to be guilty—(Hear)—and considered that it
was due to the people of India to snake an example of him.
• He repelled with indignation any such charge as that the
Court was willing to do justice to one man and deny it to
another. With regard to the observation relative to bribery
having been made use of by the Bombay Government, he
thought the Honourable Proprietor must retract such a
statement as that, and as for the poverty of the Raja,
he (Mr. Weeding) would beg to remind the Honourable
Proprietor that he had now 12,0001. a year, and that he was
allowed to take 30,000/. away with him. He ( Mr. Weeding)
was not very sure that he was not now using that money in
machinations against the Government, and he would advise
the Government to keep their eye upon him.
Major-General ROBERTSON said that he trusted the
Honourable Proprietor, Mr. Thompson, would quality
his charge against the Government, that they had been
directly and immediately guilty of bribery and forgery fer the
purpose of dethroning the Raja. That such means had been
indirectly employed there was reason to believe.—( Hear.
Mr. Tuomesox said he was not. disposed to retract a word
that he had uttered.—(Cheers.) In July last he had preyed
from the minutes and letters of Sir Robert Grant, that bribes,
rewards, personal indemnity, and future promotion, were pro-
. mised to parties who would criminate the Raja; and since that
debate so much additional evidence had come to lightrespectiug
the base machinations of the servants of the Company, that he
felt fully authorised to state what he had said and to stand by
it. He would also remind Honourable Proprietors of the
charges against the Government contained in the Bom-
bay Gazette, respecting the offers of large sums for
the use of the Raja's seal, and blank papers for his
signet which had never yet, that he had seen, been attempted
to be answered. ( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Proprietor near
him (Mr. Weeding), had talked of the indignation with which
he had listened to his (Mr. Thompson's) charges against the
Directors and their servants. He begged to assure the Hon.
Proprietor that, had his indignation been ten times as fierce as
it was, he should have borne it unscathed. " Let the galled
jade wince, his withers were unwrung.' (Cheers.) The
lesson which that Hon. Proprietor was so anxious to inculcate,
he (Mr. Thompson) would commend to his own observance,
which was, to give every man a fair hearing. He had much
sympathy with Government functionaries when accused, let
him remember that, to the present hour, the Raja had had no
hearing. • While that was the case, let him be silent. As for
insinu.tions on his (Mr. Thompson's) part, let it be noted that
the, Hon. Proprietor had closed his own speech with a cruel
anti unwarrantable insinuation against the Raja. —( Hear, hear. )
Let him learn to do to others as he would be done unto, and
not be surprised that, if the measure which he meted to others,
was sometimes dealt out to his own friends.
After a few words from Mr. FIELDER, the motion was
carried.
Mr. SA LOMONS then moved that the Report of the Proceed-
ings of the Commission should be printed, together with the
papers now called for.—Carried.
CABOOL.
Mr. WEEDING was understood to ask, whether the forces in
the citadel, and those in the cantonments, had left Cabool.
The Cri.tamAN stated in reply as we understood, that Dr.
Grant had arrived in Jellalabad.
WAR IN AFFGHANISTAN.
Mr. Mosernoateay MARTIN said he held in his hand a mo-
tion of t he greatest importance,and of the most vital consequences
to India ; it was one also which excited the most painful
in • e,t in the United Kingdom. There was only one form in
which he was at liberty to bring this motion unaer the consi.
deration of the Court—it was in a financial point of view—the
expenses caused by the unfortunate war in Affghanistan. He
had arrived at an unpleasant conclusion as to what would bo
the result of this war, from the statements made by the Right
Hon. Gentleman who presided over the destinies of this coun-
try, and who expressed his regret that the vast expenditure of
money had not received that attention which it ought to have
done. It was even, in his (Mr. Martin's) opinion, the duty
of the Court to consider the immense expense which had been
incurred, to prevent, if possible, the continuance of a state of
things which must end in disappointment and vexation. The
motion which he had to present was to the following effect:---
" That it was the duty of the Court to watch the proceedings
in India, more Especially when there was a dectelase of income.
Resolved, therefore, that there be laid before the Court a
statement of the yearly expenses caused by the war in Affghan-
istan, from the year WS to 1841 inclusive, as nearly as could
be ascertained.' He thought unless means were taken to cheek
the expenditure, their revenue would be greatly decreased, and
the situation of Proprietors of East India stock might not be so
desirable as hitherto. Sir Robert Peel the other eight pointed
out the practical evils which must result to the revenue by this con.
Ritual drain on the Government. He (Sir R. Peel) said that they
might depend on it that the trade of India would be destroyed, and
the disorganization of Indian finances would be collaterally felt in
this country. He held in his hand a statement of Indian finance for
the last few years : from it would be seen that the year ending May,
1936, there was a surplus of 1.520,0001.; in the year ending May,
1837, the surplus was 1,100,00(1. In the year ending May, 1838,
the surplus was reduced to 628,0001. In the year ending May,
1839, it was only 9.9,0004 In the year 1840 sidt II changed, and
instead of being any sniplus, there was a debt of 2,414,0001.,
showing the expenditure of 5,000,000/. sterling during
those few years. In 1841 the debt was increased to 2,334,0001.,
making a deficit of upwards of 7,000,0001.; and if it had
been brought down to 1842. He believed they would have found
a deficit at the very lowest of between 10 and 14 millions sterling.
Was not that a serious position for the proprietors of East India
stock to be placed in ? and he believed that they could not find the
means in India to meet these demands. It was correctly stated
in the Bombay papers that 15,000,0001- had been spent in that
country, and the papers is this country stated it at 17.000,0091.,
he had even heard it called '20,000,0001., but at any rate, from
the statement of Sir It. Peel, there was a deficit of 10,000,009/. •
Mr. TwiNiNG wished to know if Sir It. Nei stated that.
Mr. MARTIN said that the statements he had made use
of he had taken from an article in the " Times"
purporting to be what had been said by Sir Robert reel,
but this subject involved another question, viz., the continuance
of the war. There was not a doubt but that they were at present
surrounded with difficulties, almost insurmountable. It was not
his intention, however, to say anything which might lead to an
unpleasentness of that House; his desire was that they should take
steps to arrest the progress of this war, unjust in its origin, cruel
In its progress, and disastrous in its results.--(Hear, hear.) It
Was not known who caused that war—it was not the Government
in India, and certainly it was not the Court of Directors at home.
. It was not known who caused it, but it must be ascertained who
were the authors of it.
Mr. Ss tomass here rose to order.
The Ow/Levi then rose amidst cries of " Discretion." Ile
said he believed the Hon. Gentleman was in order, but he would
leave it to his discretion whether be would go on in the course he
was pursuing.
Mr. Ma'am said this Was a subject which might be discussed in
Parliament at any time in stronger language than he should make
use of. There were periods whexpublic discussion would lead to
public good, and he thought this was one. This . was a war which
no British subject could look upon but with shame; and it would
bring shame and disgrace on Great Britain.
Mr. ‘VICIttAM said he thought the Hon. Gentleman's language
too strong—(Hear, hear)—and lie (Mr. Wigram), fully concurred
with the Chairman in his expressions relative to the impropriety of
this discussion. He thought it would be much better that the Hen.
Gentleman should withdraw his measure, arid rest satisfied with
haying called the attention of the Court to it. •
bir. MARTIN said the observations of the Hon; Director did not
street the question. The measure was in itself unjust. If the