Star.
London, England, 1813-04-10 00:00:00

India Company were io combine the characters of'
Sovereign and Merchants. Any decision on that
point mast he Condemned. It had been said, with
a view to deter the adventurer from visiting the
shores of India, that the manners, prejudices, and
customs of the natives were unchangeable, and con
sequently unfriendly to European commerce. It was
true that the prejudices of the natives, their customs
and habits, held out no encouragement to the traders
in ,certain articles, yet there was ground to believe
that perseverance and proper measures might induce
them to change vow of their habits in favour of
British and European) mercleandize. It was evident
that the natives had varied from their former preju-
dices and customs in favour of merchants, or the
India Company could not have gained the mart for
their commodities which they had acquired. The
Natives became attached to European customs, from
a conviction of the benefit derived by adopting the
same. The Seapoys wife better troops than the Na-
tive troops, because they inured themselves to British
discipline, and in that instance the Natives were in-
clined to change their prejudices. The Noble Marquis
considered the question of the Government of India,
and contended, that our Empire had been governed
in the best manner, in conjunction with the India
Company. The next subject which called for his
Lordship's observation was, the state of the Laws in
India. The power vested in the Company to send any
European from India who had not a licence, could not
exist in case the British merchant was invited to carry
on a free trade. It would be necessary to repeal that
law. In case it was not repealed, a gross imposition
would be practised on the merchants who might carry
their goods to that part of the world. There were
also bye-laws which the Company claimed, in opposi.
ton to the laws established by the Supreme Court of
Judicature, which could not remain effective. If ad-
venturers should be admitted into India without re-
straint, the happiness of the native subjects would be
Infallibly disturbed. The next point for considera-
tion was, how far the Resolutions were applicable to
the mixed political and commercial policy of the
Company. In a general point of view, the character
of the Company was in the highest degree beneficial
terthe indigent classes of the manufacturers. The sys-
tem, as now established, operated beneficially, and
any derangement of it must be attended pith the most
pernicious effects. The influx of adventurers into
India must produce a continual conflict betwixt the
Company as sovereign, and the traders who came out •
in consequence of the law. Unless the control of the
whole were vested in the Company, no good agree-
ment could possibly ensue. The third Resolution
permitted ships from any port of England to go to
any port of India, even without the settlements of
the Company, as to Malacca, Siam, &c. At this
be certainly was amazed. Where could these ships
find Custom-house Officers to give them a clearance?
Here the Manifest Act could not apply. The per-
mission given to private traders of trading to the'
Eastern islands must necessarily affect the China ,
trade, and through it, the whole of the India esta-
blishments ; for if the India was separated from the
China trade neither could be conducted with advan- •
tage. The India trade was in itself not profitable,
and would not benefit individuals if admitted to it.
But still no part ought to be disturbed, as it enabled ;
the Company to meet their payments both in India
and in England. Whatever had a tendency to derange ;
the Company's receipts in London, would also tend
to prevent them from discharging their functions.—
At the India House the whole of the articles was sold
at a stated price, and the interest of the Company
and_that of the revenue co-operated ; but, in respect.
to the revenue, the most valuable part :of the India
products could not be admitted to a free trade. But
now the regularity of the sale secured the revenue,
and also the interest of the manufacturer. To open
the outports would necessarily encourage smuggling,
up St. George's Channel, and along the coasts of
Scotland. Means of checking this had been prepared
at a great expence, which then would be wholly use-
less. Of the respectability of many of the individuals
who would embark in this trade, he had no doubt,
but then the House could not legislate upon indivi-
dual character. The duty in London was taken upon
the sales, but at the outports it was to be ad valorem ;
private traders could not go to all the ports, because
there was no clearance. In many cases, the Custom-
house Officers were satisfied with the mark, as open.
ing the packages would injure the article, and in one
case, a package of stones had been passed upon the
officers for tea. It had been said, that the ports were
not to be admitted to the trade till they were in a proper
state for carrying it on; but in many of the ports it
would be impossible to give any security to the revenue.
A great capital had been expended, particularly in
London, upon the supposition of the continuance of
the trade in its present channel, and a security had
been given, as far as regarded the imports. Was
that to be withdrawn in order to give delusive hopes
to the outports ? It had been said that nothing was
more improper than to interfere with commerce, and
that the best way was to leave it alone. That prin. i
ciple, however, must be limited by some exceptions.
Would the importation of goods into India either in-
crease the demand, or furnish the means ? The pre-
sent system for India affairs had been sanctioned by
the authority of the late Lord Melville, whose opt-1
nion upon that subject was entitled to the highest
respect. If the India Company was to be the organ
of Government, the power must be vested in them
with certain limitations.. To the 4th, sth, and 6th
Resolutions be should not object. With regard to
the 7th, on the subject of ship-building, he should
fist state, that ships built in India were liable to
British registers, and seamen within the Company's
territories were _British seamen in the proper con-
struction of the Act. Their rights, then, should be
ascertained, and the restrictions imposed by the Re-
solutions were unnecessary and impolitic. • With re-
spect to the. outports, the Resolution was vague,
and it was not clear where the power was to be
lodged. What was asked was certainty. To the
9th Resolution he had no particular objection, and
upon the subject of the 11th he should afterwards
speak. Great benefit had, no doubt, arisen from the
amalgamation of the power of the Crown with that
of the Company ; but he never meant to say it could
not be improved, net that, by a judicious application
of it, many objections might not have been remedied.
At present the controul of the Royal power was not
sufficiently active to infuse more vigour into that of