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Secretary of the Board of Control if despatches had been recently received from Sir Colin Campbell , asking urgently for immediate reinforcements , and if the Court of Directors harl declined for the present to provide transports for the troops , which the military authorities had reported to be ready for embarkation . —Mr . Bailt , ie thought the hon . member must perceive that questions such as these might lead to serious public inconvenience . On the present occasion , however , he was at liberty to state that no despatch had been received from Sir Colin Campbell asking for reinforcements , and no refusal had been made by the Court of Directors to furnish the transports required .
THE RESIGNATION OF LOIU > KLLENBOUOUGII . In answer to Lord A . Va . ke Tkmpest , Mr . Dishakli said that the reason why Loid Ellenborough had taken , the somewhat unusual , but not unconstitutional , course of resigning "without previously consulting'his colleagues was , that he-knew very well that , if the question had been put to the other members of the Government , their great regard for the personal qualities of the noble Earl , and their admiration of his genius , would have induced them unanimously to request him to withdraw hid resignation . THE " PRIVATE LETTER * ' TO MR . VERNON SMITH .
In reply to a series of questions put by Mr . Newdeg ate , Mr . Vebnon Smith said that he had received a " private letter" from Lord Canning , dated , the " 6 th of March ; that it contained a paragraph referring to ii Proclamation which Lord Canning stated he intended to issue ; and that it did not appear to him ( Mr . Smith ) that it was of such importance as to render it necessary that he should comrnunicateit to Lord Ellenborough , "who would have been justified , lie thought , in considering it
an impertinent communication . He added , that he had read the letter to Lord Palrnerston , to whom it did not occur , any more than to himself , that the communication should be made to the Government . ( The last part of this statement was received with ironical cheers . )—Sir W . II . Farquhar asked the right hon . gentleman whether he was not under the impression that the letter and a draft of the Proclamation were received by the same mail . —Mr . Vehnon Smith : " Of course . "
THE OJTHS BILL . Lord Johx Russell brought up the report of the committee appointed to draw up the reasons for disagreeing from the amendments of the Lords on the Oaths Bill . —The reasons were agreed to by the House , after a protest from Mr . Newuegate ; and , upon the motion of Lord John Russell , a message was ordered to be sent to the Lords desiring a conference . MASTERS AND "WORKMEN BILL . On the order for the second reading of this bill , moved by Mr . Maciunnox , Mr . Walpole ( who considered the measure utterly unworkable ) suggested that it should be withdrawn . —After a short discussion . Mr . Mackinkon consented to take that course .
JOINT-STOCK BANKING COMPANIES HILL . Mr . Headlam moved the second reading of this bill , Tvhich was opposed by Mi . Black , who pointed out the danger of limiting the responsibility of bankers . He therefore moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months . —Mr . Finlay seconded the amendment . —Mr . Drudimond observed that , if the fever for high rates of interest continued , there must be an enormous increase of paper money . —Sir It . W . € aui > en suggested that a new system of banking ought to be established . He should oppose the bill , which would inflict injustice on the banks established since Sir Robert Peel ' s Act . — The bill was further opposed by Sir AV " . Dunhak , Mr . Bovill , and'Mr . T . II . < Juknky , but received the supof
port Sir G . C . Lewis ( who could not see any reason why banking companies should be exeepted from the rule of limited liability , ani who reminded the House that the bill was merely permissive , and net compulsory ) , Mr . Mawns , Mr . Baxtkr , Mr . Josicvu Ewart , Mr . Shkridan , Mr . Sroonicit , and the Chancellor , ok the Exchkq . uk h . —The last-mentioned observed that the bill put an end to a restriction which could not be maintained on any sound principle ; and , although it might betruo that limited liability had not yet been suukicutly tried , and that the Legislature might be compelled to retrace its steps , that was no reason why the trial should not bo made with banks as with other commercial undertakings . —The amendment was then negatived , and the bill was read a second time .
CHURCH RATK 8 AUOLITION HILL . 1 he House , then went into committee upon this bill , tho first clause of which , abolishing church rates , was carried , after a long debate , by 227 to 15 U . —The other clauses wcro agreed to . —Sir Arthur Hallam Klton moved tho addition of two new clauses , one providing that any church rate nmdo before the passing of the act may be collected in th « same way as if the act had not passed . ; tho other , empowering the churchwardens and parishioners to make a voluntary ruto upon the occupiers ot an property now liable to church rate , provided that no occupier who shall have refused or neglected to nnv such voluntary rate a ! , all bo entitled to vote at any HT ^/ T churcl 1 busincm for ci « hteon XX" ~ i h 0 firat clftuse was "Breed to , and added to mm > im » tllo other clause , after some diecuasion , was
withdrawn . — -The bill then passed through the committee , and vras ordered to be reported . The committee on the Property Qualification Bill was postponed ; Mr . Locke Kikg ( who had charge of the bill ) consenting to that course . Mr . Atheuton obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the Common Law Procedure Act , 1854 , ivith reference to the exercise of equitable jurisdiction . The House adjourned at twenty minutes to one o ' clock .
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The intelligence from India this week is little in amount , but it is important , as seeming to indicate the probability of a yet protracted contest . A hot weather campaign in Rohileund is considered inevitable by the army under Sir Colin Campbell ; and this will of course greatly try our men . The Commander-in-Cliief , accompanied by a column under General Walpole , xraa to start from Lucknow to the new centre of rebellion on the 20 tli of April . On the 1 . 2 th of that month , lie had an interview with the Governor-General at Allahabad ; and probably on that occasion the future course of operations was resolved on . On the 8 th of April , a strong force marched for Bareilly , which , as well as Calpee , was still in the hands of the enemy ; but , up to the last dates , no attack had been made on either of those places . The 13 th Regiment , sent to relieve Azimghur , has had a severe fight with the insurgents , in -which twenty-five casualties occurred . The result is not stated-, so we fear it must be inferred that our men were compelled to retreat . It Avas expected , however , that Lugard ' s column , -which left Lucknow- on the 28 th of March , would relieve AzimghuT about the 20 th of April . The rebels seem io be in force along the river near Futtehpore and Benares ; and large bodies of the enemy are said to be advancing on Jhausi from the east , with .-a view to getting in the rear of Sir Hugh Rose , who was still there on the 18 th ult ., having found it impracticable to advance on Calpee . The Kptah garrison , five thousand strong , were at large at that date '; ' but they had no artillery . General Whitlock remained at Saugor , and General Roberts ' s force was preparing to go into quarters at Nusseerabad and Keemuclu . Roberts writes that he is likely to encounter detachments of rebels in that district . The Nepaulese are reported to be falling back within their own frontier , to protect it against the rebels ; which , if it "be true , is a fact of importance , as Sir Colin Campbell will thus be deprived of the services of a useful ally . At Umballah , the 4 th Bengal Light Cavalry , one hundred and sixty strong , lias been brought to a court-martial , and sixty have been sentenced to be hanged , while the remainder arc to be transported for life . Such are the dark parts of the picture presented by the last telegrams . The bright parts are that General Seaton encountered and defeated the rebels on the 7 th ult ., taking three guns ; that Lucknow is perfectly tranquil , not a single armed man being visible there ; that the Punjab and Scinde continue quiet ; that order is being restored in the northern Mahratta country ; and that at Calcutta imports meet with a better demand at advancing prices , the money-market being in a healthy condition . Trade at Bombay , however , has been less active ; the moneymarket is tight ; and the banks have raised their discount one per cent . Tho bulk of the Oude army continues atXuclcnow . General Roberts ' s force has orders not to break at Kotah immediately , as was at first proposed . A flying force under Major Evans has been pursuing the Cor rebels and refugees in , Kindress . The hot weather is setting in everywhere , accompanied by the usual squalls and storms . Lord Cunning , at the last dates , was about to leave Alluhabad for Calcutta ; and , General Lowe having started for England , Sir James Outram has taken his pUice at the Council Board . " W . S . 13 . " writes to tho Times : — " Uy the last Bombay mail I received a letter from a relation _ of mine in tho 2 nd battalion of tho Rifle Brigade , dated 4 Before Lucknow , March 31 / and consequently three days later than , tho letter of your special correspondent , wherein I iinu a piece of news not given by any of your correspondents—viz . that , ou or near the sent of war in the Kast , hearing of tho fall of Lucknow , the remainder of tho 4 th Irregular Cavalry , who were stationed at Umballah , mutinied , two hundred in number , but wore all immediately taken and hung by General Wiudham . I cannot vouch for tho truth of this fact ; but , it" it bo true , your readers may like to know it , as it nd < ls one more to tho many inexplicable incidents of tho present Sopoy revolt . My correspondent ( who wns himself engaged under General Windham in the three days * light at Cawnporc lost November with the Gwalior mutineers ) s « ya lie has not r « nd a single correct account of Unit affair in any of tho English newspapers , and that people in England know nothing
whatever of the real state of the disturbed districts of India . " THE REVOLT XTX OUDE . We published last week Lord Canning ' s Proclamation to the people of Oude , confiscating the property of all the landholders with the exception of six who have been faithful to us . That Proclamation , as the public were informed by members of the Government in both Houses of Parliament , was disapproved of by the Cabinet ; and , on Friday week , Lord Elleaborough stated in the House of Lords that the document containing the disapproval would belaid oa the table , with the omission of certain paragraphs which consisted of " reasoning on the subject / ' and the publication of which would be attended with " inconvenience to the public service . " The paper was therefore produced , duly castigated . Such , however , is the want of concert between different branches of the Government , that this very despatch , without any omissions whatever , was published on Saturday , by order of the House of Commons . The document ( the omitted portions of which are placed between brackets ) runs thus : — ¦ " The Secret Committee of the Court of Directors of the East India Company to tke Governor-General of India in Council . "April 19 , 1858 . " Our letter of the 24 th of March will have put you in . possession of our general views with respect to the treatment of tlie people in the event of the evacuation of Lucknow by the enemy . " On the 12 th inst ., we received from you a copy of a letter , dated the 3 rd of March , addressed by your secretary to the secretary to the Chief Commissioner in Oude , which letter enclosed a copy of the proclamation to be issued by the Chief Commissioner , as soon as the British troops should have command of the city of Lucknow , and conveyed instructions as to the manner in which , he ivas to act with respect to different classes of persons in execution of the views of the Governor-General . The people of Oude will see only the proclamation . That authoritative expression of the will of the Government informs the people that six persons who are named as having been steadfast in their allegiance . are henceforward the sole hereditary proprietors of the lands they held when Oude came under British rule , subject only to such moderate assessment as may he imposed upon them ; that others in whose favour like claims may be established will have conferred upon them a proportionate measure of reward and honour ; and that , with these exceptions , the proprietary right in the soil of the province is confiscated to the British Government . We cannot but express to you our apprehension that thisdecree , pronouncing the disinherison of the people , will throw difficulties almost insurmountable in the way of the re-establishment of peace . We are under the impression that the war in Oude has derived much of its popular character from the rigorous manner in which , without regard to what the chief landholders had become accustomed to consider as their rights , the summary settlement had in a large portion of the province been carried out by your officers . The landholders of India are as much attached to thesoil occupied by their ancestors , and are as sensitive with respect to the rights in the soil they deem themselves to possess , as the occupiers of land in any country of which we have a knowledge . Whatever may be your ultimate and undisclosed intentions , your proclamation will appear to deprive the great body of the people pf all liope upon the subject most dear to them 'as individuals ; while the substitution of our rule for that of their native sovereign has naturally excited against us U'liatever they may have of national feeling . [ " We cannot but in justice consider that those who resist our authority hi Oude are under very different circumstances from those who have acted against us in provinces which have been long under our government . We dethroned the King of Oude , and took possession of his kingdom , by virtue of a treaty which had heeu subsequently modified by another treaty , under which , had it been held to be in force , the course we adopted could not have been lawfully pursued ; but we held that it was not in force ; although the fact of its not having been ratiticil in England , as regarded the provision on which we rely for our justification , had not been previousl y rnado known to the King of Oude . That sovereign and his ancestors had been uniformly faithful to their treaty engagements with us , however ill they may havo governed their subjects . They had more than once assisted us in our difficulties , and not u suspicion had ever been entertained of any hostile disposition on their part towards our Government . Suddenly ,, the people saw their King taken from among them , and our administration substituted for his , which , however bad , was at least native ; and this sudden clmngu of government was immediately followed by a summary settlement of the revenue , which , iu a very considerable portion of the province , deprived tho most influential landholders of what they deemed to be their propertyof what certainly had long given wealth , and distinction and power to their families . 3 " \ Ve must admit that , under tlio circumstances , tho hostilities which have been curried on in Ou « lo have rather tho character of legitimate war than that of re-
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No . 425 , Ma-y 15 , 1858 . ] T H EX E A D E K . 461
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L HE INDIAN REVOLT .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), May 15, 1858, page 461, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2242/page/5/
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