INDIAN RELIEF MEETING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 562, 24 March 1858, Page 5

INDIAN RELIEF MEETING.

An-influential meeting, to consider the proper steps to be taken for affording relief from the inhabitants of this province to the sufferers by the Indian mutiny, was held at the Town Hall, Christchurch, by summons .from his Honor the Superintendent, on Thursday evening last. The proceedings commenced about 8 o'clock, when upwards of 100 persons were present, but the attendance continued to increase in the course of the evening and may be reckoned at about -double that number. His Honor the Superintendent took the chair, and the platform was occupied by the Bishop of Christchurch and several gentlemen who had taken a particular interest in the arrangements for the meeting. His Honor the Superintendent opened the business of the meeting by briefly stating the object for which the attendance of the public had been requested. He would not enlarge upon the subject of the claim which the sufferers in India had upon our sympathy, it was one which did not require words to urge it. He hoped, however, that he might be allowed to remind them that Canterbury had gained a high name for generosity by the extent of her subscriptions to the Patriotic Fund, and he would hope that the same liberality would mark our conduct on the present occasion: He would leave to others the task of urging the particular form which the charity should take, and to lay before the meeting the details of the object proposed to them, viz., the relief of our fellow countrymen who have suffered in India..

The Bishop of Chkistchukch then rose to move the following resolution:—•

" That this meeting, taking into consideration the calamitous events in India, by which so many of our fellow subjects have been suddenly plunged into the deepest distress, desires to express its heart-felt sympathy with the sufferers." ' Both as a Minister of the gospel and as a fellow subject with those who had fallen under the hands of the mutinous sepoys, he felt impelled to lend them what aid lay in his power. He hoped .that the. claim upon the sympathies of .us all would not be forgotten, but that it would be remembered that ' when one member suffers all the members suffer with it." It would be needless to particularize the injuries •wfiich our countrymen had buffered, which were so revolting that it was scarcely possible to read through the whole of any narrative without a feeling of the bitterest indignation being excited against the rebels,, who used every form of violence against defenceless women and children. In hearing of these crimes, one was almost tempted to forget the principles of religion, of mercy and justice. It seemed as if their acts were specially prompted by that spirit who was a murderer from the beginning; and the event of this struggle should teach us that no power. <if man nor any skill of his without religion could effectually tame the savage heart. It was not, however, now the object of those assembled to lay blame in any quarter, or even to exhibit the exact facts of the case, but to display their sympathy with those who had suffered. He thought that if the full particulars were known, the sufferings of our country people would be found to exceed what had been already narrated. No country had been backward to lend its aid to mitigate these sufferings, but there was a special reason for the children of our fatherland to sympathize, and a special call upon them to do their utmost in relief. He would remark that there was great danger of forgetting the connection between the residents in India and ourselves. Not only are we separated in point of distance, but here we live in a land of the utmost liberty, where freedom is unchecked, and we are engaged in working out our own special political welfare. Thus there was a possibility of forgetting our relationship with our distant fellow country people, and there was more occasion that we should be activeandforwardinfollowing the line of duty towards them. We might depend upon it that a lasting pleasure would be the result of here embracing the opportunity to express the sympathy which has drawn our hearts to one another, distant though we may be: of having given evidence of our consciousness that we are on both sides members of the universal family of mankind. His Lordship concluded by moving the first resolution, Ap-

plause from the meeting, which had several times interrupted the address, was renewed at the conclusion.

Mr. Ollivieb rose to second the motion^ He said the circumstances of the present case were peculiar, and differed from those under which we had been called to contribute in aid of the sufferers by the late war, inasmuch it was not now a struggle between great nations but the revolt of the inhabitants of a populous country upon those who had been lately living in comfort among them. The ferocity of this outbreak showed clearly the spirit of revenge which actuated it. The cartridges, of which much had been said, could scarcely be more than the opportunity for the eruption, for there were numerous proofs that it was predetermined. The stories which had come down to us told of fearful atrocities committed upon helpless creatures. Some who had suffered had afterwards reached England in destitution; some even deprived of reason. This was a time indeed fit for us to step forward. England, though in the middle of a commercial crisis of unexampled severity had come forward with her usual liberality, and we, in (safety and plenty, should be ready both to show our sympathy and manifest our anxiety to relieve our suffering fellow subjects by contributing in accordance with our means. If we compared the state of things in India with what we knew of the outbreaks which occasionally occurred among the aborigines of the neighbouring colonies when the lives and property of the white settlers were either sacrificed or in peril, we might almost realize the fellow feeling which actuated those most intimately acquainted with the'terrible facts of this mutiny. In one case as in the other, all those who remained in safety in the vicinity came forward with all the kindly offices of sympathy and with substantial assistance to the relief the sufferers. He trusted that in pursuance of so noble a custom, the principle of the resolution which he now seconded would be cordially supported by the contributions of all. The Provincial Secretary then sat down amid expressions of applause from the meeting.

The first resolution was then put from the chair and carried, nem. con.

Mr. Tancbed being called on, rose to more the second resolution as follows:—" That it is desirable to raise contributions in this province in aid of the fund which is now being collected in England and in other parts of the world for the relief of the widows and orphans and others who have been suddenly rendered destitute by the disasters attending the- mutiny in India." He said that no argument was required to prove the propriety of what they were about to do. If a question should be asked, an answer would be ■ given by the unanimous sympathy of the world with the Indian sufferers. This sympathy was evinced not only by foreign nations but even by those believed to be jealous of England and her enterprizes. As to the story of the Indian disasters it must be remembered that the accounts which have come down to us •through the papers have been unconnected and encumbered with uninteresting details; still the outlines were marked with terrible distinctness. As all would be therefore generally acquainted with the state of things, he wouldnot recapitulate the history at length, but would merely point out some of its peculiarities. The scene of the outbreak was remarkable,' being in the very heart of India. There are four towns which form marked points on its boundaries: Missar on the west, Benares on the east, Indore to the sonth, and Meerut to the north, within the lines joining which places the mutiny is confined. This district is about 520 miles long by 450 broad, and, a remarkable feature, is cut off from the seaboard, and therefore from relief. Those points which are nearest the sea are from 300 to 400 niiles distant from it. In this region, so cut off, a mere handful of Europeans were attacked by countless hordes of ruffians under the influence of the worst passions of human nature, who united the ferocity of the savage with the discipline of the trained soldier, and who rose into rebellion fully equipped with all the supplies for attack. Delhi fell into their hands immediately, a city containg the largest store of ammunition in India; Cawnpore was starved into capitulation and almost all the inhabitants massacred with the most atrocious marks of cruelty; Lucknow was reduced to |extremity, and was only relieved by the energy of a portion of our army. Looking at the small number of English, almost defenceless against the host of armed natives, it seemed almost incredible that these should be the whole of the reverses suffered by our arms. Every one must have expected them to be far more severe, and it was only the skill of our generals and the indomitable courage of our soidiers which saved the European race from being swept off that part of the earth. Reading how these things were done, he could not but recall the couplet,

" 'Tis a glorious charter, deny it who can, That is breathed in the words I'm an Englishman!"

This province, as had been said, responded nobly to the call of the Patriotic Fund. This occasion was one when a war was waged by men influenced with the worst passions upon helpless women and children. The atrocities committed, if catalogued, would fill a.book, but he would not pause to dwell upon them. It was sufficient that there were some to require our aid: persons driven from their homes, with the loss of all they possessed, happy to escape from death, and worse than death. Such a calamity, it was more than probable, would not occur, nor such an occasion for liberality, in the lifetime of any individual present, and the privilege of sending aid to fellow-creatures so deeply distressed might never again be afforded. He felt a firm conviction that the people of this province were not indifferent to the matter, and that they waited with eagerness for the means to be pointed out for exercising their compassion. With these feelings he had much pleasure in moving the resolution which had been entrusted to him. Prolonged applause followed the hon. gentleman's resuming his seat.

The Archdeacon of Akaroa in seconding the resolution said it would be idle to attempt to excite charitable feelings on such an occasion as this. He would simply remind all here that the Almighty had given them means to sparo; and that there was no better way to show thanks to Him for his favours than by contributing of their abundauce to relieve the terrible distress

which now presented itself. It would be pleasing to remember that the small endeavours made here had contributed to make others glad who had been suffering. He trusted that when justice should have made a stern example of the murderers, when the power of England should be established in India even firmer than it had been before, that the Government -would have then learnt a lesson: that it was not their part, as a Government, to veil the Christian God from the sight of the natives. He would not advocate any thing approaching to coercion, but toleration there should be at any rate for those who desired to turn to.the truth. He would mention as an instance of the former state of things what he had heard from an authent itsource as occurring on a certain festive occasion. A wooden god, surrounded by idolatrous devotees, and being moved from one temple to another amid gross heathen ceremonies, in barbaric procession, was received at an English station with a salute of 101 guns manned by Englishmen and in an English battery. He hoped something would be done to spread Christianity throughout India, that the religion of idols might succumb to the religion of Christ. This would,;he felt confident, be found necessary not only for the propagation of the Gospel, -but for the actual maintenance of England's dominion in her empire of Hindostan. The yen. gentleman then formally seconded the resolution, and resumed his seat amid prolonged mark 3of approbation from the meeting. The resolution was then put from the chair and carried unanimously. ; '

Mr. Packeb moved the third resolution which was as follows:— ■

" That a committee be appointed for the purpose of collecting subscriptions for the above object, to consist of His Honor the Superinten • dent, the Lord Bishop of Christchurch, and other gentlemen, with power to add to their number."

He felt unequal to the task, but still was ready to undertake any part in a charitable cause. His Lordship the Bishop had said that when one member suffered ail the' members suffered with it, but he conceived that in this case we fell sadly short of realising that amount of feeling for our suffering fellow subjects in India, which were of such a nature that it was almost impossible even to. imagine them. He was glad to witness a similar display of enthusiasm as had been exhibited .on the occasion of the Crimean Avar, and he would remark that in case of any difficulty happening to ourselves we. if we joined largely in these national contributions, should have every reason to ask for aid in our turn. The resolution which it was his lot to propose was one appointing a committee. He should recommend that it be made a large one, for on the former similar' occasion it was not extensive enough to do the work of collection properly. He hoped no one would think it sufficient to express his sympathy' without adding a contribution. He would in that case remind them' of an anecdote concerning an old man whose horse was the only means of subsistence for his family; the animal dropped dead in the street of a town; of course a crowd soon gathered round the poor man, and Txfgan to pity him loudly. Presently, a Quaker seeing the crowd came up, and when he^&und-what was going on he joined in the pitying remarks; but he did something else; he asked a man near him " Are you sorry?" The man answered that he was, very sorry. The quaker asked again, ' But how much are you sorry ? lam sorry two sovereigns.' The man took the hint, and the crowd saw what was going on and followed the example, and very soon they were able to replace the horse which the poor man had lost. This was pulling out not only pocket" handkerchiefs but something more solid to be with out of their pockets; and he hoped all around him would do the same in the case before them. He had much satisfaction in placing: the resolution before the meeting. Cheers. and laughter accempanied the hon. gentleman in the course of his address.

The Rev. J. Aldred, being called upon to second the resolution, said that he had not expected to have the duty committed to him, and, therefore, was not prepared to do justice to it, but he must express his satisfaction in seeing the progress made. He had been glad to see attention called to the subject by letters in the public press, and also the advertisement calling the meeting. He hoped that the character obtained by this province on a former occasion alluded to would be now maintained, for it was one of the noblest characters which could belong to a state. He had great pleasure in seconding the motion. The resolution was then put and carried.

Some time was occupied in naming the members of committee. Mr. Bowen suggested that there should be District Committees formed in each parish, and that all the clergy should be placed upon the General Committee. These suggestions were adopted and the list drawn out as published in our last. Mr. Bowen was appointed Treasurer by resolution, and Mr. J. Brittan accepted the duties of Secretary. Mr. Brittan then rose to move the fourth and last resolution, as follows:—" That the committee be authorised to use their own discretion as to the best means of transmitting the fund collected by them." The nature of this motion was obvious, and might be seen at a glance. He should be happy to assist as one of the committee in carrying out the objects of the meeting, but he Avould not now make a speech which would merely result in travelling over the same ground as other speakers had occupied. He was very anxious, however, that Canterbury should maintain a name for liberality m this as in other instances. He concluded by moving the resolution. Mr. Cass seconded it. It was unnecessary to add anything to what had been said before to stir up sympathy, but he would appeal directly to the pockets of all, and he was sure the appeal would not be made in vain. Though we had stirred in the matter late, yet it was not too late. He had much pleasure in seconding the motion. • This resolution was then put and carried. Mr. Hai-i. moved, and the Bishop of Cheistcuuncii seconded a vote of thanks to His Honor the Superintendent, for his kindness in calling and presiding over the meeting. His Honor, in reply, took occasion to state

the amount already subscribed in the room £179, (afterwards increased). He would express his thanks for the compliment which the meeting had paid him personally; and his great pleasure at the result of the proceedings as far as they had gone. He could not conclude without again urging the claim upon the colony for cooperation in a cause which concerned the whole Empire. We were assisted in various way? by the Imperial Government and the mother country^ the Queen's armies protected our interests by land and her fleets by sea, and we were not called on for any effort to aid the mother country in return. The least we could do was, as on this occasion, to come forward and voluntarily to take part in a general effort in behalf of a cause which is that of the whole Empire, and thus to show, a recognition of our connection with the rest of the Queen's dominions. He must again thank the meeting for the compliment paid to himself, and would feel only too happy to have any opportunity of again taking, by virtue of his office, a similar part in so good a work. (Loud applause, amid which his Honor resumed Iris seat.) The meeting then separated.