The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-06-08 00:00:00

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'sent motion . ha be not been easiellei that
1690 arbiltstyiteis bad hem counsitted, acts avert wor-
thy of the Eloirersioneat of illoreere,than a Govern-
ment evitablisholVder the proteetise of the British
Empire. Mani@hgo wished not to 'roar being
bronOt trial, kgst he protestedsaffslast the right of
the %rem t iwc I.baste ass he had beds
• brongifti to try kits, as they were 'sly authorised to
tyrefeastieuaries. Ibis purses, hewer",
tbat tribunal, at the savoured age et AG, "141
heels senteered to be detained—seesawed sows way err
other, in oat of his Majesty's possessioes is the Mr
diterraitian, and to pay all sosts. He bad heard
within them few days that she sentence bad been sam
dified by Uovernmeet into three years' volts stary banish-
meat, as banishmeat was called, inflicted on an knits
tiinal who had called for no modification of his set-
tenon—who oily demanded justice, and who, he was
confident, would sever mama to leave his native
siinstry till be bad cleared ep his character. He
hoped if a Commission was to be appoieted, the Oit-
Imminent would take ears that it should be composed
of perinea irlio by their tended would be likely to re-
store the character which Ragland had lost in the
islands. There were two individuals who orbited to
present a Petition to the King; having draws up the
Wilde., one of them was arrested, and the ether,
ranted Road, was obliged to fly, and was fortes.*
eporiels to effect his escape. After this it was thoogit
necessary by *oats fedivideals, amounting to fifty is
tomb.% to make a stand for their rights. These
fifty, however, upon drawing tip a Petition to the King,
and presenting it to Colonel Ross, were all arrested.
This was the plot of which the House had heard a few
nights ago *overture the Government. The Honour-
sill Member thee complained of the monopoly of the
sale of bread, of the restraints upon the press, and of
elections made epos the importation of salt. The
Creeks in the different villages were continually
goaded, and reminded of the dominion of England, so
:is to prevent their being reconciled to their condition.
There was a system of espionage kept ep worthy of the
tyranny of Bonaparte, in the police department of the
islands. Instead of the taxes which had been laid
spun the lonians, the salaries of the respective Offi-
cers should be reduced. Colonel Robinson, indepen-
dent of his pay, received ow half per cent. upon the
whole revenue of the island. The revenue was
-132,428/. and that the phr tentage at the rate he had
mentioned would amount to 21,000 dollars. The Hon.
Member then said that what he had stated was only in
the discharge of his public duty, and he only spoke of
Sir I'. Maitland as a public character. He should be
sorry if any thing bad fallen from him that would
hurt the private feelings of that individual, because no-
thing was more remote from his intention. He hoped,
indeed, that if an inquiry were instituted he would be
found to come out of it clear, with his character re-
lieved from those imputations which bad been cast
upon it. After what had fallen from the Hon. Secre-
tary of State last night, relative to the apointment of
Committees for the purpose of investigating' the con-
dition of our distant possessions, it was useless to hope
that a Committee would be granted. lie should there-
fore move—" That an humble Address be presented to
his Majesty, praying that be will appoint Commission-
ers to proceed to the lonian Island', to inquire into
the atate of the Governmeat there, and into the con-
duct of the Governor, Sir T. Maitland ; also to in-
quire into the causes of the disaffection which exists,
am! of the numerous arrests that have taken place."
Mr. GO C I.IIU RN kit that he rose upon the pre-1
sect occasion under every circumstance which called
tor the peculiar indnigence of the House. He particu-
larly felt entitled to their indulgence, in consideration
of the length of time which the lion. Member's state-
ment embraced, and the nature of the notice upon
which he was called on to meet them. Ile laboured
also under the difficulty of coping with the lion. Mem-
ber's method of bringing forward such charges as the
present ; because this %vas the third time that he had come
down to the Ilonse with a similar motion to the present.
And now he had felt it necessary to snake a repetition
of those statements which had before been refuted as
often as they were advanced ;—to reiterate these at-
tacks and imputations upon public characters which the
House had lung since been satisfied were unfounded
and unjust ;—and to add to the whole a charge against
him (W.-. Uoulburts) of quibbling, for the purpose of
d:senieing Rom the House that which he knew to be
the truth.—(Cheers.)--As to the information which
the lion. Member had procured upon this subject, he
kit w not whether, during his stay in the lotsi.su Is-
-I.suils he exerted that talent fur investigation whit!, be
trot since exercised in this country ; but this he knew
that many of the statements which be bad made, were
snore foamiest in fact than some of those which b.ssl
lately been exposed to the House, relative to our in-
ternal public departments.—(Hear, hear.)—The basis
of all the statements which he had made, consisted of
the documents of which the House were in possession,
namely, the Treaty which guaranteed to the people
of the lonian Islands a Constitutional form of Merril-
meta. The Hun. Member had reasoned that in conse-
quence of this Treaty, the people were entitled to tlse
same rights as the sulsjee,.. of these realms. Now lie
would deny that such was the object of the Treaty.
It was not consis:ent with common sense to suppose
that it was contemplated by that Treaty, to establish 1
that full and unrestrained liberty which was enjoyed
in this country. They never ought to put out of view
the state in whirls the people were, and the state in
which the laws were by which the herd High Com-
missioner was to govern them. What was the stile of
the people of the lonian Islands before this nation
created for them their present government? They
had been at first under the dominion of Venice, and'
exposed to all that violation of property and law with
wlsiels the distant colonies of that republic were al-
ways treated. They then passed under the power of
the French, and were subjected to the horrible rapa-
city of military plundering and executions. They
next carne under the barbarous cruelty and oppression
of the Turkish yoke. Subsequently to that they were
subject to Russia, and lastly to France again ; from
the latter Power they were freed by this country, and
it was in this condition, and after such a state of ex,
istence, that we had to assist them in forming a Go-
v.ininent and a Constitution. But this was not a state
in which they could be left to the formation of a free
C•astitution composed alone of the Members of their
own community. This, however, was the real shoo-
k don of the people for whom, and with whom Sir T.
Maitland was called upon to concert a Government and
a Constitution. And in this nmetded state of the

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Ai

cation mut

Teripce - _
the Constitatioa to dm Lord High Commissioner,
tleditgli bid to the Crown otitis &entry:. It witeEt.
this and not In any wish. the part of Sir T. ilialthord
(as bad been insinuated by the' lion. Sember) tb
rogate to ltlineelf that power mid aibilrary away AIR
could maybe smirched at the biretta, of character
and bammsky la each a eiteasioo. The Hon. Umber
bed esampleimed of tire Biestions at the outset. of the
Govoraviarat. If they were compared to elections In
this country, they would certainly be found defective.
But bow could they be o:berwise, under the peculiar
circumstances to which he had alluded. And be would
call upon the Hon. 3lensber with all his information
as to the loealities of the island, to put his Gager upon
one iudividnal, more distinguished for rank, fur pro-
perty, or fur consideration in the country, than those
who were selected upon that occasion by the Lurd
High Coitutniasioner. The Hon. Member had gone
into many case of individuals, the details of whose
private life seemed to be familiar to hint. But he
(31r. (ioulburn) mast necessarily be• ignorant of their
characters, excepting as far as he had been engaged in
transacting public business with theist. Ile should,
'therefore, abstain fro* remarking upon these, and
proceed to the notice of some of the more important
of the statements which the House had heard. There
was one of these persons, however, against sebum, the
Honourable Member stated, that even Bonaparte and
his French tiovernment bore a decided hostility. Bat
what did this prove, excepting that be was most
likely possessed of true English feelings i—(llvar,
hear.)—Tate case of Martinengu was allegro% as
being one of the greatest cruelty and oppression.
Now the fact was, that he was condemned to
death by the tribunal before which he was tried,
and his sentence was afterwards changed to one
year's solitary imprisonment, and three year's con-
finement in chains. His crime was that of plotting
to overthrow the Hovertiment ; and what wonlol be
said of this charge of cruelty, when it was recollect-
ed that a much longer period of solitary confinement
was to have been inflicted upon persons guilty of for-
gery in this country, if the 11111 lately proposed by an
lion. and Learned Uentleman opposite hail passed the
Ilonse. Ile then came to the case of Santa Maura,
and in the unfortunate affair which took place there
in consequence of the insurrection, it so happened
that Sir T. Mai:land was no actor whatever. But
then the lion. Member would say, Sir F. Adam was
responsible for what took place. Ile (Mr. llonlburn,)
was, however, prepared to show. that Sir F. Adam
bad only done that in the discharge of his duty,
which a British Officoor of honour and humanity
might to have done wide, such circumstances as those
under which he was placed. Ile believed the high
character which that oolfirer hail acquired in the ser-
vice, as well as his per,oonal finalities, were known
to many in that House. Ile would refer the House
to the paper of that officer. which WAS laid before the
House yesterday, and having read that, he wonld
willingly leave every lion. lientleman to forum his
own answer' to time statements of the Illooonraille
Member from it. That paper was written at a time
when he could have no end in view, as the Honour-
able Member seemed to insinuate, which would in-
duce him to garble time facts of time case. lie was
reporting to his commanding, otfieee, and who could
say that lie was capable of iviling his commanding
officer a falsehood ---(hear, hear.) The state of the
ease was this : When time insarrection brook? oust at
Santa Maura, a petson was first sent to the insur-
gents to inquire what were the grievances, if they
had any to complain oft This person was assassi-
nated, and then time troops were marched against the
disturbers, and this was what the lion. Member called
meeting the petition of lime people with a battalion of
troops. But all the statements which had been made
seemed intended to represent Sir I'. Maitland and the
other authorities of time Islands as thirsting tor time
blood of those wl they ought to protect. How
differently dill facts speak for the disposition of those
persouages. After the insurrectimom was put down,
and the honourable Member himself allowed it to
be very general and formid.ohle, only four persons
were executed, and those were time ritegleaders, whose
property was accordingly contise:mtm.d. They were
not attacked ley the military sete.til forbearance had
become a breach of deity. lie could, however, in.
form the lionourabl• Member, from time best informa-
tion he had been a'.lc to presence, that there were nu
more than from sixteen to twenty persons killed and
wounded upon time occasions in question.—(hear,
hear.) With respect to the Church property, the
Honourable !delimiter was there evidently under a
mistake. There was a part of time church lands over
which the old Venetian law gave the Hoovernment
some controul ; and it was some of this species of
land which bad coolie under dispute, and the ques-
tion coming before the Court, two Judges decided one
way alai two time other. When this difference ap-
peared between the Judges, it fell to the office of
Sir T. Maitland to decide time question ; anti al-
though the habits of an officer might nut make him
peculiarly fitted to decide legally upon such a ques-
tion, yet it was held in ibis country that if a
person gave a decision to the best of his judgment,
he stood acquitted before God and before man.—
The lion. Member bad objected to the Tribunal he-
fore which Martinego was tried. The competency of
the tribunal was ascertained by referring to the highest
legal authroities is the States. But then the Hun.
Member stated that an Act of the Legislature, passed
in the previous Session, took away from time Lord
High Commissioner the i.ower of appointing this tri-
bunal. The fact was, that Martineau did not object
to the tribunal before which lie was tried. Ile oulv
urged that he hail presented a Petition to the King of
England, and claimed that time trial should be delayed
until an answer should be obtained. lion. (ientleinen
opposite might say that 016 was a very natural re-
quest. But let then) look at the principle which it
involved. Would such a request have been granted
to a criminal is this country ? Was it not the practice
never to delay criminal proceedings unless there was
some peculiar doubt as to the guilt of time parties ac-
cused ? It would be unnecessary for him to enter into
many details as to the mode in which the proceedings
against the prisoners were conducted. They were
carried on according to the forms of the lonian Law,
which prevailed at the bone in question. It had been
said, however, that this gentleman bad been treated
with pennons' harshness. He was permitted &Or to
take exercise, accompanied by a military slicer. This

disposition to

in was necessary. thaetalifetnilanan
ibited because there was reason to be-

_
tofsopport the ,oharge ageism. him: Another com-
plaint was that he was allowed but owe advocate. There
'la. but one for the proseentien, weds according to the
ffiaglish Lair, tto prisoner es a criminal charge was
_allowed more Counsel than were permtted for the poo.,
secation. There was another individual tried what
31artittego, who was tried by the same rates. It was
a feet that in the ease of the other individeal the Cowrt
allowed time for the prisoner's witnesses who had been
detained by contrary winds. The last ground acorn.'
plaint to which be came was the asserted uebealthi-
ness of the climate. Now the return of the officer
coutasanding the garrison stated, that the proportion
of sick to the healthy, upon an average, was only one
out of twenty-one in the course of a year. The nest
individual whose case was made the subject of cow-
plaint hail circulated an Address to the King, whieb
had been considered a libel on the Censtiteted Autho-
rities. It imputed venality and corruption to the Le-
gislative Assembly. For this the writer was dispos-
sessed of his office by the Government, and expelled
the Assembly which be had libelled, and of which be
was a member. Sorely lion. Gentlemen on the other
side would net deny that this right of dispoesessioa
and expulsion was lawfully incident to every Guyer,-
%neut. and every Legislative Assembly. This was the
limit of his punishment for the libel; but he was after-
wards prosecuted on a charge of perjury. Allusion
had been made to the internal regulation of the tioverudd
!tient. but a few simple facts would satisfy the House
that the present system was at once beneficial and eco-
nomical. The revenue was originally farmed, bat the
Government took it under it, Own ntanagement, and
the consequence was an increase in the receipt of du-
ties on one article alone from 9,000 to 16.000
del-
; and on the whole revenue there was a profit of
117 per cent. A few words upon the charge as to
monopole of grain. On general grounds he (Mr. (i.)
admitted it was objectionable, but in the present case
it hail been discontinued, and was resumed front a
conviction of its necessity. Greece was now disturbed;
the population of the lonian Islands was increasing
hr tens of thunsands, and it was this very monopoly
which at the present moment saved those islands from
; the horrors of a famine. Having now, as he trusted.
Ito the satisfaction of the House, met the substance
of the charges brought by the Hon. Member, he (Mr.
ti.) should forbear answering the personal reflections
which hail been made upon Sir Thomas Mait-
land. The Hon. Member for Aberdeen hail professed
to disclaim personality, and yet he had said that that
officer was a in in who was fond of empty parade, and
whose tiovernment was corrupt. The character of Sir
'lliontas Maitland could receive ao weight from him
(Mr. 0.) and he would not resort to that which by
the Members opposite would be called a practice which
had grown stale. lie cared not what might be the
course which the Hon. Gentleman should think proper
to take on the present occasion, but he knew that Sir
Thomas Maitland must expect the hatred of those who
envied his taleats and his character, and who were
therefore anxious to avail themselves of every opportu-
nity of 'verging him.—(Cheers.)
Mr. BENNET said, that in order to form a pro-
per opinion on the present question, it would be neces-
sary to consider the state in which those islands were
at the time of their coming under the protection of the
English Government. By the Treaty which had been
made on that occasion, they were promised an Inde-
pendent Constitution, not in form, but in spirit, ac-
cording to that of England. The Constitatiou actually
given had been fairly described as a juggle. It con-
sisted of chew, form, awl ceremony, bat the real power
was in the Lord vigil Commissioner. Nothing was
better than this Constitution in theory ; nothing
worse in practice. The Lord High Commissioner woes
in fact, the Master Punchinello, to direct the panto.'
mimic farce. The Grand Master of Malta, in the ple
ninnies of his power, was nothing to this Lord High'
Commissioner in the Mediterranean, whose power was
as extensive as It was undefined. The complaints of
the people had been answered by the appearance of two
vessels in the otling full of troops to dragoon them into
obedience. As for the case of Martinego he (Mr. B.)
believed there was nut a Court in England, from the
Kiwr's Bench down to the pied powder, which
would have put him on his trial nutter such circum-
stances. The alumna of the charge against him was
that be was suspected of being suspicious. He was
tried seiltout being beard in his defence. The trial
was similar indeed to that of Lord Edward Fitzgerald
I in Ireland, who had been tried after his death, and he
(Mr. IL) helievesl that the same spirit had governed
and influenced both the trials. The sentence upon
Martinengo. it was said was not severe. It was It
years imprisonment to a man aged 6t4'. The whole of
the islands had been made a source of political jobbingl
of Sicilian patronage. It was a complaint of the
Natives that the Sicilians were placed over them as
Govemers. It would be thought hard by every man
in the House if Hanoverian* were placed over Englis-
hmen, in situations of great and almost unlimited power.
He had no wish to detract from the panegyric which
had been pronounced upon Sir T. Maitland ; bat be
should support the motion because he thought the
power given to that officer ought not to be entrusted
to any one man, whose will was to be the law.
Mr. EVANS said belied to acknowledge the attention
which hall been paid by the Colonial Office to the case
of Mr. Martinengo, but be should support the motion,
for he really could notsee what gr as the crime of which
that in lividual had been originally charged. He
thought it would be but justice to the Gallant Officer to
go into the inquiry, as his character would otherwise
not altogether escape some degree of ceesure.
Mr. ,J. P. GRANT said, he wee confident the con-
duct of Sir T. Maitland required explanation only ;
but as the motion went to impute suiseenduct to hien,
be (Mr. Grant) could not support it. The Constitution
upon which he acted had been haa apou the table of
the Horse. and bad not galled for any comment.—
(Hear, hear.)—Whether it was wise to leave the Verse•
tian laws for the Government of these Islands was one
thing. but it was another to blame Sir T. Maitlansl
for having acted under them. In the case of Marti.
nengo, Sir Thomas bad delegated his authority to
those persons who would have tried the individual if
be were a public functionary. He afterwards mill
gated the sentence, by referring it to the consideration
of his Majesty. In that Island they were exercising
the laws of the Republic aid Doge of Venice, mad

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:dviiflota Was te provide a goad cede of *Nokia!
lace, piroperty oevillscated was applied *bonding
churches. femme WINOS propepy was °mascot d
imed a right to complain l hat the Ministers of religion
aad the people had ao right to complain. He was•
awe the more Sir T. Maitiand's condact was imputed

into, the better it weethl appear,
Mr. BROUGHAM did not make any charge agape
Bea. Maitland, but he had seed in the law proceed
fogs of the lonian Islands a dispensation. whish, Omsk
Clod! did not prevail in any part of the British gm
Ore. Ile wished to tarn the attention of the Hamlets
the forms of late in the lonian Islands. He alluded
Ito the indictment or charge in the case of Signer Ail
toelo Martisengo,aod read the communication of Bei
Judge Advocate stating that the individual was ince':
paled and accused of crimes against the State, and ae
actor and accessary in the events which took place hi
Zante in July last, and with having omitted, vieglecta;
or refused to give notice to the tiovemisattet, and eft '
having scattered among the ifihaltHents sospicieus;
jealousy. and sedition. All this displayed Nowa* of
words, but there was a want of definite. specific charge,
It might be the Venetian law, and the Gallant Officer
who commanded in the Islands might unite the pewee
of the Doge of Venice with those of the Ingehitioe,
but it ought to be known to our Dover:neat. in order
that it might redress injuries when complahleti of„
lie wished to show what the abuses of law were In
Islands which might now be could've,' British Cele.
airs. He offered no charge against (lea. Maltima,
He believed be acted according to law. It milked
good Venetian law, but he would rather have the Ilse
vernor of the lonian Islanas sit and try cannel es his
own discretion, instead of receiving manse-toms from
the Government. The !Jaw as laid dews was unjust. It
mielit he Law in Venice or Coate bat it might to be
watched, and perhaps abrogated by the British Parlia-
ment. lie snppnrted the motion.
Sir It. WI LSOX was of opinion there was not gronntle
tgonicreyn.surne SeibrpieiT.
topwlss
elheoifttahltehntree, but
tir nn.iiratnle wasgrood foe in-
to
cteoirsedlaults
wweassrenridcishernotrt
govern;
wrong, they were entitled to justice, which the British
lUoventment, aeting as protectors, ought to administer.
Mr. MONEY agreed that mach good would arise
from the revision of the laws; but as Sir T. Maiden&
was only the agent of the laws as they existed, he cos-
' tended that no blame could attach to hint.
The Marquess of LONLONDERRY expressed his
satisfaction that no part of the charge went to crime'
nate the distinguished officer whose name was con-
necteti with the proceedings antler consideration. He
denied the proposition of the Hon. and Learned Gee-
Getman, that the lonian Islands were to be considered
as a eoloay of this country. Ile would admit that this
country hail undertaken a superintending care aver
those islands, which ought not to be withdrawn, but
Parliament ought to exercise that power with great
caution and circumspection as to any interference with
the internal Government. Before Partionteut re-
solved to visit these islands wills Commissioners of In-
quiry, they ought to be satisfied that all the powers in
the island had been exerted without effect. It was a
mistake to suppose that any thing like oar owe car
stitatiom was conferred upon the lonia, Islands, or
would be a benefit to them. Bat the system was 'sly
its operation for two or three years, and it was a little
too early to think of subverting it. As to Mr.
Martinengo's case, he apprehended that the Hower-
able and Learned Gentleman bad looked at
the original Greek; for, without having ism
so, it was too 1111101 to indulge in special plesiiag
upon a case which was first translated into the Imitate
and from thence into English. lie had risen chiefly
for the purpose of assuring the !loose, that at thh
moment, Sir T. Maitland had arrived at home,in cos-
pany with other competent persons. with a view to the
improvement of the criminal process of the Island.—
Ile could also state, that the great evil, the purchase
of justice in the Island was removed, and he thought
the House should reflect long and seriously before
they computed to pull to pieces the existing system.
Mr. 111101'611.151 explained.
Mr. LENN.IIiD contended, that the Treaty of 1915
was broken ; and, on expesiencing some interruption,
lobeerved, that it proceeded front Gentlemen who had
lately entered the Ilause, and who, therefore, must
hate resolved to vote according to a preconceived
opinion, as they were resolved to hear nothing upon the
subject. He would not be guilty of the hod taste of
persevering under such circumstances.
Sir 1. COFFIN said he bad known Sir T. Maidsai
for 35 years, and could say that there was no man mow
disposed to do justice than he was--consequently he
felt himself bound to vote against the motion.
Mr. IWSIE replied, lie rested on the fact of the
disturbances in Santa Mann, and contended, that till
those disturbances could be denied, there was around
for inquiry. Ile should not conceal his opinion, that*
thought Sir T. Maitland culpable in the highest dryer.
Let the Gentlemen read the humble memorial from Sw
is Manna. Let them look at the case of Signor flak
glia, whose family had been in possession of port,
ander lease from the Church. The Senate, which no
celligranPtietto b elYaet the
resumed.oSfigSnicorT.Bsalt.tasigialinad'hef°rae"""irthi;
the matter might be inquired into by the legal Triboolim
Tasted o; the Tribunals, it was referred to the Coattail
'lle two native Members. (of whom he shield se.; ees
thing but that they were subservient to Sir T. TaititNe
voted that the grant should be resumed, sad 'hat a°
legal Inquiry shouht fake place. The two geglsh Mel r'
the contrary, thought in an act of famine
injustice, that a man should be deprived of ere Perl,
I sanctioned by so long possession. When the sett°
were thus divided. Sir T. Maitland confirmed the hir•
Mint*, on the ground that, by an Act of the lige of
Venice, of 1412, all property granted by the Chard
might be resumed. After replying on some ether piste.
Mr. H. concluded by saying, that the question wee.
whether they would let the abuses in the I ago& go
on
with rebellion on rebellion till they were "PPre.l44
by bloodshed. or whether they would mole to Weill
iu time ?
The House divided-el:or the motion 17—Agaiest it
97—Majority 71t.
Me. VS,D neared for leave to bring le • !pit
to facilitate summary Proceedings before Justice ci Pbe
Peace and others.—Leave given.
Mr. Ci I ETW V N
Bill to facilitate the transtuissal ut depoei tool ro
rognizatiees from Magistrates to Justices of
livery. 'rho substance of the Bill was, that thel thew
also :guyed for leave pasbring ie
be lent pottage (est.-James given.