Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-08-10
BRITISH HoUsE or COMMONS, JUNE :.

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EAST INDIA PossEssioNs.-On motion of Mr.
Canning the dropped order of the day was read for
going into 4 Committee the Last India Posscssi-
ons' Bill.
MIR. Secretary Gaining then rose and said: In
pursuance, sir, of the promise made few nights
back, proposed, IN moving that you lea ve the Chair
to open very shortly the nature of the transa cton
out OF which this measure arises. take the liberty
of presenting myself to the House on the present
occasion, although the Bill is in the hands of nv
flight honorable friend, the President of the Board
of Gontroul, (Mr. Wynn, because the treaty orai-
mated at the time when had the honor of holding
! that Offices a nd therefore am responsible for the
principle upon winch it is founded In order to
Judge of the transaction fairly, Gentlemen will
please to rccolleCt the situation i'm which things
stood at the conclusion of the II will proba-
bly, he remembered, that that pcriod all the nos
sessions which had been taken from the Dutch were
restored To them. am not called upon 10 dis
| cuss the policy expedency of thar measure; blu,
| think am prepared to show that i'm. the existing
circumstances of the times, il highly dcsir; Bile
not Ia press too hardly upon that country: and AZ
all events the treaty with the Netherlands received
tile appreciation of Parliament IN this state things
stood until some time in the year 1916, when !
came into Office President Of the Boa d of Con-
trout. There were many stipulatiosS then i'm pro-
grcss--nanv had not been fully explained-n,any
were left open to- discussions; aud from the natural
eagcrness on tho one hand, obtain re-possession
of those settlements from which they had been driv
en- by conquest, and from the sluwness natural 10
the transaction, great delay took place. and consi-
hcrable dIihcuitics arose on account of the great
distance from home. In consequence of this n do
gree OF Ill huinour had sprung up, which required
great deal of mana cement and forbcarance IN am
pease. ] trust shall not be s,rpnosed urt;,d i;
wishing 10 disparagc those who were EMPLOYED il,
our own service; but must state, that there was
view taken ot the transaction by the subordinatc a.;
cents ot the Fast India Company, inconsistent with
th,,r e
oncd the policy of the treaty and seemed more dis
posed TO look into the stipulations than TO carrv
them into cxccutiou.-At Il considerable distance
from any controul. agents sometimes ant &c for
get the relation in which they stand to those who
antFust them with power: aud il happened tina,
those Gentlemen placed the Government al home
in this perplexiug condition. They must either he
pledged to support them in all their cxtremcies or
he reduced to the necessity of resembling their acts;
and think speak within bounds wheu saw that
there were at that PERIOD in the year 1916 no less
than half dozen treaties in progress of nccotiati-
on. without any authority whatever (I,car bc,,N
At that tune received constant conmunica finn.
that = design was entertained by the Government,
OF the netherlands to reake all the possessions
recover all the advantages which they had formerly
enjoyed; and to exclude the English from all ,,,,,
c'paion III the trade in those seas. As was INV du-
iy,i frequently required in answer to tbose.rcDrc
scnthiions, some specific act, which could he sub
Simulated by evidence, that the question .n4l,,
idTly he brought under considerations Buf tn ALI
my demands never could get any thing like q die
tjuct answer; received constant reitcratious of t
intentions of the Dutch Governments abundance of
vague insuations, and even, by wav of illustrate
on, an obscure reference to- the massacrc Of Ambov
ma O. laugh. On the other hand, complaints
reached me fiom the Netherlands of the tardiness
OF our agents to make restitution; md il happcni,r
very unfortunately at that time that a dstinruetpd
gentleman, of considerable talents and r,eat.zeaI
tor the public service the then governor of Java
was sent 10 BcucooCn, and having been raised {, or,
tic humble title Of Resident. which, in fact mean,
nothing more than Superintendent of PcuDrr n,
laugh),to the rank and station of Lieutenant Go
vernon, suspicion entertained that there was
design on the part OF the English government IN
form new empire III the IndiHuscas Of yl,icI, Ron
cooicn was to nc the capital. Out of this state or
thugs arose state OF III humOur between two po,v
crs, which. IN my Judgement had every reason of
sound policy for agreeing, and. IN fact there SEEM
cd to have been no prospect of bickcrimg.-As the
greater part of the impuiaticn against the Indian
government was design of exclusive trade and an
intention 30 keep The commerce Of the Indian seas
10 themselves, the first step towards 4 ucootiatio,,
was tO get dsIvuwal Of the prime ipIc nItlouc no
act had been committed. ] am aware that such =
cours" Is unusual IN diplomatic intercourse: but as
The g,cat question the principle to which have
alIudCd our first object 20 have this prinriuIc
disavowCd. In the course of thrsc mutual animosi-
ties by tho crt"rprisinG spirit and sound judgement
Of the Gentleman have already mentioned, we be-
cfmc Possessed Of the island Of Singapore the adj
van'aees OF which must be too we'll known 70 re-
guy" now TO he explained. It may perhaps, be ex-
pected dt'l should explain the nature Of our title
TO the possession. As facts and documents are ne