The Statesman.
London, England, 1813-03-31 00:00:00

possinillty of doing it by will; but tweet-ding to the
spirit of that Act allslevisses for the splitting of votes
oug .t to be null and void, in the same manner as
conveyances were.
Mr. W. W YNNE and Mr. BATHURST ex-
plained.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT had a Petition to present
from certaiea Electors of the Borough of Weymouth,
complaining, that by this Bill the Borough would be
surrendered head and foot into the power of two or
three iudividuals. On what principle did the House
prank to new model the Borough of Weymouth l—
it ear not on account of any corrupt exercise of
their privilege. But It seemed the ',reties of split-
ting votes lied been fonnd inconvemer.t. But why
was this shlntOti of a right net tp 'he ae good as
others ?—lfe was afield. there were few close Bo-
roughs in England which.,_ if the ground of pahlic
convenience were to be admitted as a test, would
have a right to their franchise. The effect of _this
Bill would be to throw the right of eleckioa into the
hands of 40 or 50 voters. •
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL. thOught the dig-
cussion on the Bill would be more imitable at a future
stage. All were agreed that the Bill ought not tube
received in its present state. He, like others, was
adverse to it in its present form; but it might come
out of the Committee in a ' less objectionable shape.
He thought, therefore, that the Bill ought now to be
Lead a second time, to be ready to go into a Com-
mittee. He thought also that the Rtil 'should be ex-
tended to all Boroughs to which the statute of King
William respecting splitting of •oteli by cenveyanCe
applied.
Mr. Alderman ATKINS made a few remarks in
support of the Bill.

Sir J. NEWPORT explained.
The Bill was then read a second time.
On the Motion for referring it to a Committee of
the whole House to-morrow,
Sir J. NEWPORT remarked tkat this Bill ought
to be withdrawn and made general.
Mr. BATIIURST opposed this, as it was calcu-
lated to suspend the issuin,, of a new Writ for the
Election of Members for 'Weymouth.
After a few words from Sir JOHN NEWPOR
in explanation, and from Mr. W. WYNNE, the
House agreed that it should be referred to a Commit•
tee to-morrow.

Lord CASTLEREAGH then moved the Order of
the Day for n Committee of the whole house on the
Affairs of Italia.

Mr. Warren Hastings being called in,
Mr. Adam, on the part of the East India Com-
pany, said; that he meant to examine the Witness
only on two points :—the Ist related to the effects
of Colonization by Europeans in India ; and the 2d
point was, whether it was probable that the popula-
tion of India was likely to demand an increase iu the
exports from this country for the consumption of In-
dia ? As to the effects of .Europeans being allowed
to settle in India according to their own pleasure, and
without being subject to the controul of the Com-
pany, Mr. Hastings was of opinion, that it would
be most ruinous to the interests of the people, and
of the Government. Though the people of India
were naturally very quiet, still they could be easily
roused to a general insurrection. Colooisatlon, be
thought, would be ruinous to the peace of the coun-
try, as well as to the interests of the Company. As
the strength of every Government depends on the
affections of the people, and the satisfaction they
feel under it, the stability of the Government of In-
dia might be shaken by too great au influx of stran-
gers, or by a disposition shown by any neighbouring
state to invade it. Ile once thought that the admis-
sion of free traders into India, if under the cuntroul
of the Company, would be useful. But should slaw
be passed, giving them free admission there without
the Approbation of the Company, such an admission
of Eur. peans would be dangerous. Vile authority
of the Company would be counteracted, and the
time of their servants misted in petty contests:----
Could not answer as to the effects of opening a free
export and import truck hetweeu all parts of India
and Britain ; but he was certain that the peace of the
country would be endangered, were Europeaus al-
lowed to go and settle as they pleased India.
Mr. Hastings thought that the demand for
our Manufactures would not be increased by ti.row-
ing open the trade to India. The manners of the
people were simple, and their wants were few, and
such aa they could immediately supply from the pro-.
duce of their own soil. The higher classes of so-
ciety, he said, expended their superfluous wealth in
the same manner as those of other countries, allow-
ing for the difference of fashions, in pleasure, dissi-
pation' and luxury of different kinds. Th,ey em-
ployed a part of their wealth iu the purchase of Eu-
ropean commodities, such as lace, broad cloth, and
articles of furniture, but to no very considerable
extent ; nor did he believe there was a probability of
any great increase in thii respect.—To the questioo
put by Mr. Adam, Whether the character of the '
tires of India was not stationary an
.jemwtable 1.,
Mr. Ilastiiho answered, that" it certainly was very
statioilary, though 'he could not Say that it was
im-
mutable. The Ilindoos had reinained nearly the
sane in all their habits and customs from the earliest
records. He had seen very few initances of Asiatics
being idectedsiith European miners or fashioee.
Articles of English manufacture were always, and
are still exposed for sale in all priricißil settlements,
but the Europeans were the chief purc.haSers..
'Mr. PASCOE GILENFELL rose to ask. Mr.
Hastings a question,' when he said that he wished to
add cmq observation on the subject of the cense-
nences* of -id uniestralued intercourse between
'etropriatis and the natives of India. The general
tehout of that'evldeui:e Wei-certainly against any such
Indiscriniluite intercourse, and he wished to obviate
suipictoir Which it was possible might be entertain_
tiol,"thst tris.oPi4on was influenced by talas of at
tishievent to the East India Company. That attach.
istenf-Wiertilnly did feel, -an' ettse.hmeut of grati-
tude to the Company wlio had given him bread, and
employed what 'he peisesset of talent dur-
iiig the Relive part of his this was
neither the place nor the occasion to arailifest
his • ettachment.;----Tha (Tinian he bad given
*le the deliberate result of 'many years', sip..
tip ue and observation. Twenty sears ago he had
sti-rt,soil A letter to the Court of itectors on tois
e. I y subject, lo 'which he had strongly remonstrated
sir' the necessity of preventing Ike 470044 ftri
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