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    No. 426, Ma^s 22, 1858.] THE LEADEE. - 4...

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    THH ORIENT. CHINA. Akthk all, it seems Y...

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    Imperial Parliament. —-?—Ilfqnday, May I...

    sideration than he had been yet able to give to the subject ; and Mr . Gkog . vn withdrew the motion . WEIGHTS A > 'D MEASXJRKS BILL . On the order for the second reading of tins bill , moved by Mr . John Locke , Mr . IIorsfalx . moved to defer it for six months , observing that the change proposed by the bill would produce a complete revolution . —The amendment vas seconded by ] tfr . Paget . —The bill was opposed by Mr . Adams , Mr . M'C . vxn , and Mr . Kirk , and supported by Mr . Bass , and Sir John Siikli . ey . — Mr . Henlky advised the House not to go on with the bill , which would not secure uniformity , while the attempt to settle the details would be most embarrassing . — Mr . Locick defended the bill ; but , on a division , the amendment was carried by 92 to 84 , and the bill was lost . The St-Azm p Putv ox Passports Bill was read a third time , and pas .-etl ; and the House adjourned at five minutes to one o ' clock . ¦ Thursday , May 20 th . VliOGUKSS OK IS 17 . SINESS . In the House : of Lokds , tlie Pkotkctios * of Fejualk Childukn 15 ill , tlie Consolidated Fund ( , 11 , 000 , 000 ? . Bill , and the Stamp Duty on Drafts Bir . L , were read a third time , and passed . LORD CANNING ' S PROCLAMATION . The Earl of Derby announced that important despatches had that morning been received from India , including Sir James Outram ' s recommendations in reference to the Proclamation in Oude which had been the subject of so much discussion ; and also Lord Canning's reasons for issuing the Proclamation

    in the form in which it appeared . Under ordinary circumstances , he should have thought it doubtful whether papers containing a discussion between two high officers of the Crown in India on matters of policy should at present be communicated to Parliament ; but , as the despatches had already been laid before the Court of Directors , and as the course taken by Lord Canning had excited great comment , it would be most unjust to him not to place before Parliament , in his own language , tlie reasons that induced him to issue the Proclamation . The papers would be laid on the table the following day . His Lordship subsequently made the formal motion for their production ; which was agreed to , and their Lordships adjourned .

    In the House ok Commons , in reply to Sir Desuam Norreys , Mr . Veknon Smith said the late Government had not determined on the line of policy to be pursued towards tlie landowners of Oude .

    new . Lord A . - Churchill- asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether it was true that the Governor of N " ew Zealand liad repealed tlie Arms , Ordnance , and Importation Acts , as framed by Sir George Grey , to prevent the natives procuring arms and ammunition , and'whether such repeal met with tlie approval of her Majesty ' s Government . —Lord Stani . ky stated that it was not the case that the Governor of New Zealand had repealed the act in question . Its severity had been in some degree mitigated , but that was all .

    THE BOMBAY NATIVE ISl'A . N'lItY , In answer to an inquiry by Mr . Dii . uvys , Mr . Baillik read a despatch relative to the suppression of the -mutiny and disarming of the 21 st Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry at Kurrachee in September , 1857 .

    ¦ STATUTK CONSOLIDATION . The Attouney-GknkkAl gave notice that , on Thursday , tlie 3 d of June , he should move for leave lo bring in a bill to consolidate this statute law of England relating to olVences against the person , and six other consolidation measures , and in the . event of their being road a first time , he should move that they should be referred to a select committee , with instruction .- ) to report upon the bills , and as to the practicability of combining amendment with consolidation of the law . On the same day he should move for leave to briiif £ in a bill to atiU'iid the law relating to the wills of British subjects domiciled abroad ; also a bill to enable persons to establish legitimacy and naturalization by the judgment of a court ; and also to extend the jurisdiction of the Divorce and Matrimonial Court . LKTTiCItH OV TMK GOVKUNOU-OKNKIt . M ., Of INDIA TO

    X 11 K 1 U > A 1 U > OK CONTltOti . Lord Palmkuston requested the indulgence of the House , while ho made a statemt nt in reference to the letters of the Governor-General of India to the Hoard of Control . He was prepared to read to the llmiso an extract from the letter which luul been . so often alluded to —an extract from that part relating-to the Proclamation . It would be necessary , however , first of all , Unit ho should read a paragraph from a previous letter . That

    letter was datwl Allahabad , February 20 th , and Lord Canning , after having . stated his opinion aa to the . course that ought to be pursued in regard to tbo lniiUneor . s , went on to way that Ilio taloolulur .-s landowner ,- ) , nml their folio wen ;—men wIuj have not caleii our salt , who <> we iinnothing , and who think themselves not unreasonably , wronged b y us—are in a very different category , and tha t ho would proclaim for thorn n . large measure of mercy and indulgence , after Lueknow is ours , but that , until that happens , or at least till Sir Colin

    Campbell ' s guns had opened on the city , any measure of mercy would be taken as sign of our weakness . In the letter of the 6 th of March , Lord Canning said : — "My letter by the last mail mentioned a Proclamation , ¦ wh ich I intend to address to the Oude chiefs and landowners : it goes to you officially by this mail . I hoped that it would be accompanied by an explanatory despatch , showing why it is in some respects so sweeping , and in others so indulgent , and defending by anticipation other points which are sure to be attacked ; but I have had matters pressing upon me during'the last week which have prevented it . You will not , of course , print it till it is acted upon . " Those "were the passages in Lord Canning : '*! letters to Ins right hon . friend ; but , knowing that Lord Canning was also in correspondence with Lord Granville , he had thought it desirable to learn from Lord Granville whether he had

    received any communication , touching this Proclamation , and , if so , whether he considered it of sufficient importance to communicate it to the House . Lord Granville ' s reply he had received that day . He said : — "In reply to your questions respecting my correspondence with Lord Canning since tlie change of Ministry , I beg to inform you that the only letter of political importance which I received was one on the 19 th of April , of which I read th « greater part to Lord Ellenborough on the 20 th of April . I did not read the whole of it for reasons which 1 have stated in public , and which there is i : o > reason to repeat ; but nothing of real importance was omitted , and every word relating to the Proclamation was read , including the fact that

    General Outrani had objected to its severity , and that Lord Canning had , in consequence , added a sentence to the Proclamation , which would make it clear that confiscation of proprietary right in the soil is not a general penalty , and that restitution is the reward for coming in . Lord Ellenborough has kindly referred to papers , and read to me a memorandum to the effect that the secret despatch was written on the 18 th , dated the 19 th , and sent on the 26 th of April , and has intimated that no explanation or announcement of explanation would have altered his view of writing and sending this secret despatch . I have submitted this letter to Lord Ellenborough , who thinks that what I have written to you is quite correct . "

    Mr / Bright asked / whether the two letters were all that had been received from Lord Canning by either Mr . "Veriion Smith or Lord Palmerston concerning public affairs relating- to India . —Lord Palmerston replied that four letters had been received , of the respective dates of the 5 th and 20 th of February , and the Gth and 17 th of March . The Common Law Proci : i > ukk Acv Amendment Bill was-read a second time ; and the Chancery Amendment Bill was read a tliird time , and passed .

    CONFISCATION TX OUDK . Mr . Miln ' kr Gibson presented a petition from an Indian gentleman , stating that his daughter was a landowner in Oude , and complaining that the confiscation of lands announced by the Proclamation of the Governor-General would au ' eet her interests , though she had never taken any part in the rebellion , or been concerned in any plot against her Majesty .

    THE VOT 10 OF CEXSUKK . — A-DJOUHXIilJ DEBATE . The debate was resumed by Lord Godkkich , who supported the original motion , reserved his opinion on the Proclamation until all the facts were before him , nud strongly condemned Lord Ellenborough ' s despatch . — He was followed by Mr . Bright , who , after stating that there had been no arrangement between him and the Secretary of the Indian Board-with regard to the question he had asked , condemned the motion of Mr . Cardwoll as disingenuous , and us evading the real question . Lord Canning ' s Proclamation would produce , not a political , but a social revolution in Oude . The extinction of the proprietary right in the soil would apply to more than forty thousand large landholders . Our

    pecuniary dealings with Oude had already been such that he besought the House to pause before it tilled up the cup of injury which had been presented to the people of tlutt country . If . the question were- between hurting the lei-lings of Lord Canning and sanctioning this Proclamation , he should have no hesitation as to his choice . Mr . Height then diverged into some sarcastic and biting remark * on tlio incongruity of Lord John Hussell , who had written letter : ) full of invective on several public occasions , objecting on that ground to Lord Ellenborough ' s despatch ; on the intrigues of tlie Whigs to get buck to power ; on the illiberal character of the Palmerston Government ( than which ho regarded the

    present Ministry as being more truly progresiivc ) ; niul on the bad policy of subjecting the country to the turmoil of a general election just after it luul recovered from the greatest commercial crisis it had ever passed through . Ho was as anxious for a LibcrnI Government as anyone in that House . ; but . ho . could not for tho life of him belitivo that , in tin ; present position of alVair . s , a solid Liberal Administration could bo formed . He was torrilic < l when be looked to the future of India , and thought of tlu > slaughterings that au- going on ; for he , had seen , in a . letter from a missionary to a weekl y paper in London , that it was estimated that ten thousand peraoiiH had been put to death by us , by hanging alone , since the riHing commenced . We hud tried tho sword , and the

    blade , wet and bloody , had broken in our grasp , leaving us humiliated and rebuked . ( ll Oh , oA / " ) We stand humiliated and rebuked before the eyes of civilized Europe . But we have still another chance . If we refuse that , we may bring our country to ruin , and involve our name in everlasting disgrace . - Mr . Collier accused Mr . Bright of evading the real question , viz . whether the Government had not condemned Lord Canning without a . hearing-. If the House affirmed the policy of Lord Ellenborough ' s despatch , our Indian Empire would not be worth ten years' purchase . —Sir W . Fkaser condemned the Proclamation , and

    recommended a policy in India of leniency , firmness , and , above all , good faith . —Captain Vivian supported the original motion , and Mr . Kick ' Skymeu opposed it . —Sir Artiiuk Hallam Elton condemned the policy of Lord Canning , and thought the despatch substantially light , though deficient in courtesy . — -Lord Burnr was averse to letting the people of India suppose that their ruler had been censured by the Home-Government . —Mr . Gilpin said he should vote against the original motion , because he believed he should thereby vote in favour of the principles of justice and the rights of humanity . —Mr . Labouchere conceived that Parliament was bound

    to censure the conduct of the Government with respect to India , where they had disturbed the harmony and unity of action which ought to subsist between Ministers at home and those abroad . Sir James G raha 5 i said that , aa his sympathies were all with the Liberal party , it gave him pain to be obliged to oppose Mr . Card well ' s motion ; but be must do so . He regarded the Proclamation as impolitic ; but the despatch censuring it ' , no doubt , harsh and unjustifiable in its language . The publication of the despatch was an . indiscretion ; but it was nothing more , and it had been atoned for by the resignation of Lord Ellenborougb . Lord Canning had been introduced into publie life by Lord Aberdeen , who is no fair-weather or

    lukewarm friend , and who regards Lord Canning with parental affection . If Lord Aberdeen thought that anything was due to the honour of Lord Canning , he would willingly concur in censuring the conduct of the Government ; but from the moment Lord Ellenborough withdrew from the Cabinet , Lord Aberdeen felt that all that was due to the honour of Lord Canning had been achieved ; and , when pressed by a friend of Lord Canning—an old friend and colleague of his own—to concur in the vote of censure in the other House , Lord Aberdeen positively Tefused , and declared that he was not prepared to take part in a faction fight . The late Government had behaved unfairly to the present Government in withholding letters . It had been stated that

    Sir James Outrain and Sir John Lawrence objected to the Proclamation , and lie had reason to know that General Mansfield , Chief of the Staff to the Commanderin-Chief in India , expressed his disapprobation of its policy . He believed , also , that General Franks was of opinion that the Proclamation was aa unfortunate act . Considering the conilict of opinion between the military and the civil authorities , lie feared that Lord Canning had lent his judgment to tlie influence of civilians . The policy of confiscation is injudicious , and the Proclamation appeared to promulgate a sentence of condemnation against a whole people . The error of the Proclamation . was in its essence ; that of the despatch only in its form .

    Sir llioiiAiii > Iskthelx argued at great length in favour of the Proclamation ; asserted the joint responsibility of the whole Cabinet ; and protested against the people of India being told that they had been wronged and were under the dominion of a sovereign not entitled to their allegiance . —On the motion that the debate be adjourned , Lord John Kussull complained that an attack had been made upon his personal conduct by Mr . Uriylit , and stated that he should take an opportunity on the following day , when Mr . Bright was present , to make some reference to his remarks . —After a brief desultory discussion , the debate was adjourned .

    The Chan-ckllou ok tub Exumxiuiou brought up further papers on the subject of the debate . The House adjourned at half-past twelve o ' clock .

    No. 426, Ma^S 22, 1858.] The Leadee. - 4...

    No . 426 , Ma ^ s 22 , 1858 . ] THE LEADEE . - 485

    Thh Orient. China. Akthk All, It Seems Y...

    THH ORIENT . CHINA . Akthk all , it seems Yell lias not been degraded by tho Kmncror . The Special Chinese correspondent of tho Times , who has followed the ex-Coinnussioiier to Calcutta , says ( writing on April 10 th ) : — " The decree requires Kome consideration . It ia much milder than was anticipated—much milder than the translation which wont to Europe would le . ul us to tliink , for the translator // . « . * hitcrpohUcd sohic words of veiiswe not in the Vfiincse . It , docs not appear that , although Yob is

    removed from his government , he is degraded from his rank , or from bis post as Grand Councillor . Ho mid it ? o \ for he . remarked , ' Henceforward then I have nothing to do with foreign uflaii's . ' ' Your Excellency must be glad to have escaped from ho troublesome a post V ' I am neither yliid nor hvity . It was at the Emperor's i-oumiaiid I took them up , . niul at liis command 1 lay them down . ' Ych has been , tenderly dealt with Hu has evidently some great protecting interest in Pekin , and will probably become again a yrcat Power

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), May 22, 1858, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_22051858/page/5/