The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-23 00:00:00

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on a different footing from that which Minis-
ters had held out to the free Africans
immigrating to the West Indies. He was in favour
of emigration. Ile was satisfied that agri-
culture could be conducted in the West Indies
and the Mauritius only by black labourers.
He, however, wished to understand whether there
were any restrictions imposed on the Coolies emigrating
to Mauritius, which were not imposed on the Africans in-
troduced into the \Vest Indies. He had conversed with
the President -of the United States and Members
of Congress, and alSo with the Governor-Ge-
neral Of Cuba on the subject, and all of them had oh.
jeeted to us, that though having abolished slavery nomi-
Liam-, we were obliged to have recourse to it under
another form ; that we were- introducing into the West
Indies front Africa a desceiption of persons whom we
:ailed free labourers, but. that we bound them to em-
ployers by a contract of live or seven years' duration,
and that that was but another description of slavery.
His reply - was, that they were totally mistaken, but
that he was nut then in a position to satisfy
either them or himself by any evidence on the subject—
howerer, that he was going to Jamaica, where he would
con' erse with the Governor-General, Sir C. Metcalfe, on
the matter. The information he had received from Sir
C. eseteelte was to the effete that no contract between the
labe:.irer and his employer could exceed one year in dura-
tion. He did beg and entreat that Court to hesitate before .
theelsanetioned any conditions upon which' her Majesty's
Ministers now proposed to favour the emigration of Hill
Coelies from India to the Mauritius. He could see no
reason why the Hill Coolies were to be treated worse
that others of their class.. The Government would not
dare to bind down the Africans who went from Jamaica
to serve for five years, but they tried the scheme upon
tilt' poor Hill Co+lies. It was another species of slavery.
—(Hess. hear.) He was one of those who advocated
voluntary, free, and uncontrolled emigration ; but the
emigrant should have the power to return to his own
country after the expiration of one or two years. He
bag!,ed that the Chairman would explain the points on
whien he had touched to the Court.
Tee CHAIRMAN said that all the contracts were not
for tire years ; but, if the emigrant remained five years,
the coluny was bound to pay his expenses home—(Hear,
hcar)--and he (the Chairman) had no doubt that many
of them would ..masa considerable sums of money.
tiir J. LAFF.AN still thought that the emigrants should
not, be bound for any term. Re thought it would be
desirable also that a proportionable number of females
shold be imported to give the men a liking for the
cotnitry.
The CHAIRMAN said that the law had yet to be made
in India. The correspondence before the Court con-
taioed suggestions for that law. , It recommended that
every
.care should be taken of the health and comfort of
the t,:nig,rauts, and that they should have an opportunity
of remrning whenever they pleased. Regulations he
believed would also be adopted to maintain a due pro-
portioa of the sexes.—(hear, hear.)
2dr. CLARR L said the question was, whether the Hill
Ce were in a state of destitution or not at present,
and whether they would not, by inducing them to emi-
gre'', be relieving their destitution. He thought they
would. In the resolution it was stated that industry and
population constituted the strength of the nation. He
(Mr. clark6) demurred to that. So long as the popu-
datien had plenty to do, it might be true ; but, it' there
we; not enough to occupy the population, those who
were unemployed became as, so many drones ie the hive.
Mr. Tnomesos said that, though aware of the interest
and impurtance of the question which was to succeed the
one before the Court,. he felt it his duty to enter his most
solemn protest against the proposition of the Chair. He
did not desire to dispute the sincerity of the Directors
when they professed a desire to help the natives of India,
to better their condition by going to the Mauritius; but
he could assure them that they would deeply regret their
decision three years hence, if they assisted to revive the
system of Cootie emigration. The Honourable Director
had spoken of the new regulations, but he could assure
him, from a pretty long experience of the value of pro-
teeters in the British colonies, that the protector ap-
pointed at 3laitrities would find himself quite unable,
even if he were well disposed, to guard the interests of
the Coolies. wished to ask why Mauritius had been
taken into. the special favour of the Government ?
(Hear, hear.) Was it the most exemplary co'ony in our
possession ? So' far feom it, it had been the must con-
tumacious community in our empire. Could they forget
that itt the inquiry instituted by Mr. Buxton the horrors
brought to light were almost incredible, and that when
a wait was sent there (the late Sir Juhn Jeremie). who
was known to bit a friend to the coloured population,
that he wee, tact by a mob and repelled, though the re-
presentetive of British law and justice?—(Hear, hear.)
Th:3 was the colony now to be befriended. But to come
later down. Had not many thousands of Coolies been
already sent there ? And had not the information sent
from the spot shown that the condition of these Coolies
was even worse than that of the slaves ? It had. He
had a statement before him, too, of a most important
kind. It was one showing the awful disparity in the
numbers of the sexes. Out of nearly 19,000 Coolies,
205 were females. Was there any 'provision
in the new regulations to prevent this ? (Hear,
beat %) As it was, there had been thousands of women
and children left in India utterly destitute. Such would
be the case again. A distinguished gentleman from
India, who had graced the Court that morning with his
presence, and who had sat upon the Magistrate's bench
in Calcutta, 'had said to hits (Mr. Thompson), a short
dice before he rose, that he did not believe any regula-
tions that could be framed would prevent the abuses that
had already been practised.—(Hear, hear.) He ex-
horted the Proprietors to let this subject alone. Let them
afford, as they well might, employment for those natives
in India. Belie was their home ; their loved home ;
they dreaded the sea ; they were ignorant of the place
to which they were going, and they were entitled to the
sympathy and protection of those who knew their pri-
vations, and had the power to defend them from the
machinations of those who desired to entrap them. For
these, among other reasons, ha (Mr. Thompson) should
support the resolution of Mr. Weeding, and he felt sure
that, if the Directors felt half the regard for the natives
which they professed, they would make their home.
happy, and save them front the horrors that awaited
them at the Mauritius.-e(Loud cheers.)

The CHAIRMAN read a letter from Mr. Hugh Mac-
farlane, Police Magistrate of Calcutta, in proof
.of the
happy condition of the Hill Coolies who had emigrated.
He stated that the Hon... Proprietor, who had just sat
do,vn, had drawn a horrible picture of—what ? Why,
of the former state of trade ; but, if the Hon. Proprietor
meant to say that Hill Coolies were slaves, he should beg
to contradict that statement.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. MARRIOTT said he should support the motion 'of
Mr. Weeding.
Mr. JoNEs would also support the'Motion:.
Mr. WEEDING replied. He had heard no argument
whatever to support the negative which had been pro-
posed to' his motion ; and he- did hope that gentlemen
behind the bar would give their votes in support of his
u;tion.-

The question was then put, when strangers were
ordered ti.) withdraw, and the Court divided. The
numbers were—

.k or Mr. feeding's motion

- 32

Against it
Majority against the motion .
AFFGHANISTAN.

The CH.A.IUMAN then acquainted the Court that the
meeting had been made special, in consequence of a
requisition to the Directors, signed by nine of the Pro-
prtetors.
The requisition was then read by the Clerk. It re-
quested that a•Court should be convened for the purpose
of considering whether the expenses of the Affghan war.
should. be borne by the Indian people, or by the whole of
the United Empire.
Mr. SALOMANS said* that he felt, in the strongest
manner, the responsibility which he had taken upon
himself, in bringing this motion before the Court, and
he wished the Court would grant him every possible in-
dulgence, whilst he, to the best of his ability, proceeded
to lay before them those facts which had induced him to
come to the decision, that the expense of the .interven-
tiun now carrying on across the Indus, should be borne
by the Exchequer of the British Empire, and not by the
natives 'of India.—(Hear.) In bringing for,ward this
matter, he had no connexion with any party ; but he
had resolved to do it. upon the idea that the Affghan war
was an Europeah war, and that the resources of the
country should pay for it. (The Hon. Member then
proceeded to quote largely from a Parliamentary paper I
(No, 2, India Papers), commencing with the treaty en-
tered into by this country with Persia in 1809, and pro-
ceeding over the whole of the circumstances attendant
upon the placing of the present King Mohammed Shah
uyon the throne of Persia in 1834 ; the desire of the
ping, when firmly established on that throne, to pos-
sess himself of V Herat, urged oil to that measure
by the Russian Minister, Count Simonick, con-
trary to the desire of the English Government;
the neglecting to fulfil the treaty with Persia on the
part
of England in a variety of ways, and the ultimate
withdrawal of our Foreign Minister from the Persian
Court ; the taking of Herat by the Persians ; the
going to the succour of Herat, by the English ; the un-
3ust nature of the treaty bet Ween the Aft-khans and the
Sikhs, brought about by • the intervention of Lord
Auckland ; and the final investment of the Affghan
territory by the British ; the taking of Ghuznee ; the.
appointment to power and subsequent conduct Of Shah
Soojah ; and the disastrous loss to the British on the
march from Singapore to Candahar; with the affairs in
Alfghanistan up to the latest period of which accounts,
hare been published.) He wanted to know rrow
was responsible fed- Mese disasters, and the difficulties
and expenses which had been incurred ? He main-
tained that Russia was the assailant upon India, and
that Persia was only the puppet in the hands of Russia,
The Court of Directors, he was happy to say,werecer-
tainlv not responsible for these acts. He did not know
whether gentlemen sitting in Downing-sticet, or gentle-
men in Cannon-row, or a select few of 'the Directors in
Leadenhall-street, were responsible,• but', as a body,
the Court of Directors were c-ertainlY not to be answer-
ahl,.—(llear, hear.) - Precedents were not wanting
wh-Tein, under similar circumstances, the British empire
had borne the expenses. Those now before him were the
sovereigns of India, and he would say that dastard would
they be if they allowed one farthing' of the expenses to
be borne by the people of India. It was their bounden
duty to come furwerd and :hon, that they had no hand
in this matter ; that they Were bound to place at the
command of her Atejestv's Government powers and
forces, but at the same .time that they did
so, that they
did expect that her Majesty's Government would be just.
--(Hear, hear.) If India had been attacked she would
willingly pay the expense, bit when they came to ques-
tions of he.must say that it was unfair, unjust,
iniquitous, to call upon India to pay the expenses, which
ought.to he borne by the whole empire.—(Bear, hear.)
Let it be shown that the East India Company had come
for.ward manfully to do that which was right—to do that
Diu !t was just, to protect the people of India, and if a
corrupt
_Ministry should endeavour to interfere with the
East India Compati7,, let them point to their deeds, and