English and Foreign.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 561, 20 March 1858, Page 4

English and Foreign.

■SUMMARY.

(From the'" Home News," Dec. 16)

The convocation of Parliament has seldom been attended by so many striking circumstances as those which marked the opening of the present session, on th« 3rd of December. While we are represented in the Queen's Speech to be on frienJly relations with nearly all the world, Tur.'ipj bciiiLT described at the same time to b« 'in i.he-enjoyment of a peace which "nothing *'.'O-tt.-5 likely to disturb," the fact'of a sangui::impairr.i r.gainst races under our own rule .-!■; !;c „-;;.:if,r solicit* the most earnest attention

iha Lnporiai k^islnture ; and an universal

agitation at horne 1, for a new arrangement of the representation, and a fresh distribution of elee- ! to nil privileges, draws from ministers a promise, at a most untoward moment, that the whole | subject should ba brought under consideration I in the course of the session. If we add to these strong contrasts and exciting prospects the alarms that prevail in the monetary circles, 'the investigation which has already been determined upon into the present commercial and banking system, and the great task that lies before the Legislature in the settlement of the :future government of India, it will be admitted '.that few sessions have opened with so heavy a 'responsibility. The first question to which the curiosity of all readers will be directed is that which immediately concerns the interests of India. They will find that., much as th» people of this country are engrossed by the daily crash of failures, both at home and abroad, and by domestic poli'tics,lndiacon<inuestooccupy the largest share of publicattention. Parliament has been called together ostensibly, and, indeed, really for the purposeofobtainingauActof Indemnity for therecent suspension of the Bank Charter Act; but it is 'tSlear, even from the debates which have already taken place, that the suppression of the mutiny and the re-establishment of our power in the east are the uppermost subjects in all men's vminds. Numerous allusions have been made "+o India in the midst of speeches upon currency and capitol, and attempts, direct and indirect, I have been made to draw from ministers some j hint or explanation of their intentions. The | anxiety to obtain information has not yet, how- j ever, succeeded in procuring any : and although j ■we have had a Queen's speech of more than J msual significance, and ministerial expositions j In both houses, we know as little at this mo- j merit of the actual designs of Government with j reference to India and Reform as we did before opened. There -are several reasons /why their designs could not y*t be made known. One of these, which will suffice for all "is that they are not yet settled. It was hardly to be expected that in the short interval which has elapsed since the outbreak -of the Bengal army, the Executive could have 'had time to come to a final decision upon the momentous'interests involved in the remodelling •of the government of India. It would, indeed, 'be surprising if a vast power which has occupied tnore than a hundred years in building up, I ■could have been taken to pieces and reconstruc- ! ted under a different form in a few weeks. The difficulties which have all along been obvious to others have become practically developed in the deliberations of the Cabinet, and ministers have found it necessary to postpone until February the announcement of their views on the subject. It would be idle to prophecy what ■those views are likely to be. A divfsion of •opinion exists in the ministry, but it may be .assumed that the principle of a double government, will be ultimately abandoned. We hear, indeed, in some quarters, that, instead of being deprived of power, the hands of the East India Company will be strengthened, and that the Board of Control will be lopped of •its vexations privileges of interference. But these rumours are not entitled to serious credence. - Increased power could not be conferred upon the Company, without also imposing upon it a responsibility which, in the very nature of our constitutional forms, attaches to Ministers alone. The supposition that Parliament would permit such an anomaly, or that Ministers would stultify themselves so egretfiously as to propose it,"is not to be entertained ■for a moment. Another statement which has obtained currency in political circles, and which looks more like probability, is that Government intend to submit a project for organising a sweial department for India, to be represented in_ Parliament by a new Secretary of State, who u-ill^be assisted in his official duties by a Board or Council, to be composed of men practically familiar with -Indian affairs. This Council would, in fact, be a continuation in another form of the Board of Directors, and the department itself would be a conversion of the .Leadenhall house into a Downing-s.treet bureau .under an improved system of management! ; Until, however, "the details of fchia plan, upon uwhich so much of its efficacy depends, ahal! >havo been made known, any criticism upon it nwoald be merely conjectural.

Little information has been elicited in either House upon any Indian question-. Ministers are pledged to Bpara the life.of the King of .Delhi. It appears that he could not have been taken unless such a promise liad boen giy«n ; a statement which requires explanation. No 'resolution has been come to respecting .grants of compensation to persons who have suffered ifroin tlw mutiny. The policy of transporting

the rebels has occupied attention, and Government are prepared tv i-an-y iv into effect to a certain extent. The i;iU- <v the Calcutta memorial has been sealed l.y Lord Palmerston, who has sent it back tv le"tr;m.-.mitted through the official channel ol" tin? Governor-General. By the time it finds its way again to England, its matter will be stale, and' itsTprayer idle. The monetary crisis lias been fully developed in discussions in both Houses. The main object of Ministers was materially facilitated by Mr. Disraeli's suggestion to take the Indemnity Bill separately ; thus liberating it from the Bank Charter inquiry, upon which considerable differences prevailed. Mr. Disraeli's design was clearly not to assist Ministers, but to promote his own ends; and, with curious infelicity, he missed both aims. By voting tho Indemnity Bill separately, the Chancellor of the Exchequer obtained the rapid and unanimous suffrages of both Houses on that question: while, by making the inquiry into the present system an independent subject, the Ministry demonstrated their strength by an overwhelming majority over the opposition. The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved the appointment of a select committee of inquiry; Mr. Disraeli thought that no inquiry was necessary, and moved an amendment to that effect; the result was a majority of 295 over 117 for Ministers.

The reserve with which Ministers have treated the question of Parliamentary Reform has, naturally enough, disappointed the expectations of the ardent supporters of the three ancient remedies for all human ills—triennial parliaments, vote by ballot, and not exactly universal, but extended suffrage. The agitation got up just before the opening of Parliament has had the effect of hastening the announcement of a measure for regulating anew our representative system. But, beyond the fact, which, without; satisfying, soothes popular clamour, that such a plan will be forthcoming in Feb., nothing is known. Whether the Cabinet has yet determined upon the details of the scheme may be doubted.

Lord John Russell has brought forward the Jew question in the shape of a bill to substitute one oath for the three now taken on admission to Parliament. This one oath is the same as that proposed by Lord Palmerston in the bill of last session, with the addition of the words " on the true faith of a Christian," introduced to satisfy the feelings of those who wished it. By a separate clause Jews are to be exempted from repeating these words. In this new form the question is to be renewed in February, when the second reading of the bill is to take place. In the meanwhile, Mr. Duncombe has given noHce of his intention to move on the 9th of February that Baron Rothschild, having been excluded from Parliament during the present and two preceding sessions, ba admitted upon taking the oaths in a form that shall be binding on his conscience. . The Bill of Indemnity having been passed, and ail pressing business being concluded, the short session terminated on the 12th of December, and both Houses were adjourned to the 4th of February.

The session of Parliament was opened on the 3rd of Dec. by her Majesty in person, with the following speech from the theo2te. Mt Lords and Gextlemex, Circumstances have recently arisen, connected with the commercial interests of the country, which have induced me to call Parliament together before the usual time.

The failure of certain joint-stock banks, and of some mercantile firms, produced such an extent of distrust as led me to authorise my Ministers to recommend to the directors of the Bank of England the adoption of a course of proceeding which appeared necessary for allaying the prevalent alarm. As that course has involved a departure from the existing law, a bill for indemnifying those who advised and those who adopted it will be submitted for your consideration.

I have observed, with great regret, that the disturbed state of commercial transactions in general has occasioned a diminution of employment in the manufacturing districts, which, I fear, cannot fail to be attended with much local distress. I trust, however, that this evil may not be of long duration-, and the abundant harvest -with which it has graciously pleased Divine i Providence to bless this land "will, I hope, in some degree mitigate the sufferings which this state of things must unavoidably produce. While I deeply deplore the severe suffering to which many of my subjects in India have been exposed, and while I grieve for the extensive bereavements and sorrow which it has caused, I have derived the greatest satisfaction from the distinguished successes which have attended the heroic exertions of the comparatively small forces which have been opposed to greatly superior numbers, without the aid of the powerful reinforcements despatched from this country to their assistance. The arrival of those reinforcements will, I trust, speedily complete the suppression of this widely spread revolt. The gallantry of the troops employed against the mutineers, their courage in action, their endurance under privation, fatigue, and the effects ! of ciimate? the high spirit and self-devotion of I the officers^ the ability, skill, and persevering energy of the commanders, have excited my warmest admiration^ and I have observed with equal gratification that many civilians placed in extreme difficulty and danger have displayed the highest qualities, including.in some instances, those that would do honour to veteran soldiers, ,*lt is satisfactory to know that the general mass of the population of India have taken ho ;part in the rebellion, while the most considerable of the native princes ia.ve acted in the most friendly manner,.and have Tendered important services-.

I have given directions that papers relating to these m-liters shall be laid before you. The,sifki--~...t iv Hist Indian dominions will require vouv „•;•;.,;; iinsideration, and I recommend thtin -iv v w u. .._i-uest attention.

The nations of Europe are in the enjoyment of the blessings of peace, which nothing seems likely to disturb. The stipulations of the treaty which I concluded with the Shah of Persia have been faithfully carried into executionj and the Persian forces have evacuated the territory of Herat. ; Gentlemen of the Hocse of Commons, I have given directions that the estimates for j the next year shall be prepared for the purpose ! of being laid before you. They will be framed with a careful regard to the exigencies of the public service. My Lords and Gentlemen, Your attention will be called to the laws which regulate the representation of the people in Parliament, with a view to consider what amendments may be safely and beneficially made therein. Measures will be submitted for .your consideration for simplifying and amending the laws relating to real property, and also for consolidating and amending several important branches of the criminal law. I confidently commit to your wisdom the great interests of my empire; and I fervently pray that the blessing of Almighty God may attend your counsels, and may guide your deliberations to those ends which are dearest to my heart— the happiness and prosperity of my loyal and faithful people.