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CHAPTER VII.

Proceedings in Parliament respecting the Renewal of the Charter of the East India Company.

HE great business of the East India Company's Charter, concerning which so many petitions had been presented to parliament, was brought regularly before the notice of the House of Commons on March 22nd, when that House resolved itself into a committee to consider of the affairs of the Company.

Lord Castlereagh introduced the subject with observing, that as the East India charter was on the eve of expiring, it fell to the lot of parliament to decide on the future government of a country containing threefold the number of inhabitants existing in this kingdom. He said, that if he and his colleagues had conceived that the arrangements they had to propose would shake a system which had unquestionably answered all the great purposes of government, they should have hesitated before they had suggested them; but his proposition would not only abstain from touching the principle of that system, but would render it more applicable to the circumstances of the times. He then spoke highly in praise of the government of the Company in India, and of the persons who conducted it; and he assured the committee of his readiness to change his opinions on the subject, though they were the result of mature consideration, if they should be convicted of error.

in this question which his Majesty's ministers had to consider; Whether the existing government in India should be allowed to continue in its present state-whether an entire change should be effected in it or whether some middle course could be adopted that would be satisfactory to all parties. With respect to the first, he was strongly impressed with a conviction that the present system could not be properly persevered in by the legislature. There was no reason for tying up, during the period of another charter, the commerce of the country from half the habitable globe, by placing it under the administration of the Company alone, and excluding all other persons except foreigners. The commercial sphere was become too extended for the limited powers of a chartered company, and it was the duty of parliament not to consign the private trade to the control of their shipping system. The noble lord said, he was prepared to contend, that the Company had taken a burthen on their shoulders beyond their power to administer with justice to their own interests and to the public; and that the evil rising from a want of capital, compelled them to withdraw from branches of commerce which it would be most beneficial for them to exercise, and to engage in other

transactions attended with clear loss. He gave some examples of these facts, and inferred that it was highly expedient that the national capital should be let in to the relief of the Company, upon the principle of the regulations of 1793, or the improved system adopted in 1802. The other alternative, of abolishing the present system, he was certainly not disposed to admit, unless all arrange ments between the Company and the public should appear impracticable. Dismissing therefore the two extremes of the question, he would proceed to state those modifications of the existing system which were the subject of certain resolutions to be laid before the committee. After opening the nature and purpose of these resolutions, they were handed to the chairman of the committee, and read. They commenced with a declaration, That it is expedient that all the privileges, authorities, and immunities, granted to the East India Company, shall continue and be in force for the further term of twenty years, except as far as the same may hereinafter be modified and repealed. The 2nd resolution was to continue the present restraints to the commercial intercourse with China, and the Company's exclusive trade in tea. The 3rd contained a permission to any of his Majesty's subjects to export to, and import from, all ports within the limits of the Company's charter, such goods, wares, &c. as are allowed by law, under certain enumerated provisions. The 4th regulated the application of the rents, revenues, and profits accruing to the Company from their territorial possessions in India; and

the 5th regulated in like manner the application of the proceeds from their sales of goods, and the profits of private trade. The 6th directed the application of the surplus revenues of the Company after the reduction of their debt in India to ten millions sterling, and that in England to three millions. The subsequent resolutions declared the expediency of allowing British ships built in the East Indies to import goods, &c. from that country during the present war, and to an assigned period after it-of making provision for further limiting the granting of gratuities and pensions to officers of the Company-of continuing the power in the court of directors to supply vacancies occurring in the chief offices in India-of limiting the number of king's troops in future to be maintained by the Company in India-and of placing the church establishment in the British territories in India under the superintendance of a bishop and three archdeacons.

It is unnecessary to give the particulars of the conversation which ensued in this early stage of the business. Several of the speakers urged the propriety of hearing evidence at the bar respecting certain points, which was agreed to by lord Castlereagh.

On March 30th the examination of evidence commenced in the House of Commons before a committee of the whole House, with that of Warren Hastings, esq. and was continued through a number of meetings, in which a great many individuals who had served in high stations in India were examined. On April 13th, so much of the time of the House

having been taken up with this matter, that the general business of parliament was interrupted, lord Castlereagh moved for the appointment of a select committee for the further inquiry into the affairs of the East India Company. A debate ensued on the subject, which ended in a division, when the noble lord's motion was carried by 95 against 37. The examinations were then carried on before the select committee for a considerable time longer; and in the mean time some of the same individuals were examined before the House of Lords. The mass of fact and opinion thus produced, was of a bulk sufficient to fill a volume, and will not admit of an abridgment compatible with our limits that could afford any idea of its substance. It stands upon record as a curious document relative to the state of India, though occasionally marked with the particular views and prepossessions of the persons contributing to it.

The examinations in the House of Lords were soon concluded by a motion of the Marquis of Wellesley for the production of certain papers on East India affairs. In his speech introductory to the motion, his lordship charged the ministers with having brought in their resolutions unexplained, unconsidered, undebated; and he thought that their lordships were called upon to retrace their steps, and to revert to the general sources of the principles upon which they were to legislate on this arduous question. He deprecated any attempt to decide it upon the principle that it was an anomalous state of things that the same person should be merchant and sovereign.

If it were an anomaly, it had been found very good in practice. Proceeding to particulars, he said he was of opinion that the India trade was essential to the Company in a commercial point of view; and on considering the resolutions, he dwelt upon the evils that would arise from admitting British subjects to trade to all the countries within the Company's charter. He remarked upon various omissions of important points in the resolutions; and concluded with moving for a number of papers which he specified.

The Marquis was replied to by the Earl of Buckinghamshire who produced several arguments for the advantage to be derived from opening the India trade to indivi duals.

Lord Grenville then rose, and delivered his opinion at length on the general subject. He thought that the manner in which it had been taken up laboured under one fundamental defect, that of treating as principal what was in its own nature subordinate. The interests of the East India Company were made the first object of consideration, whereas that of the British crown, as sovereign of our Indian possessions, ought to be regarded as paramount. It was now become a measure of absolute necessity to make a public assertion of the sovereignty of the crown in India, and parliament must give laws for India, pronouncing not upon a single and separate question of general or local legislation, but upon the whole principle and frame of government under which the British dominion in that country shall henceforth be administered. On this enlarged idea his lordship

made a number of particular observations relative to the policy proper to be adopted in Indian affairs, which are incapable of abridgment: but upon the whole he decidedly approved of admitting private merchants to a participation in the trade.

Lord Wellesley's motion for the production of papers was then put to the question, and carried.

On May 31st, Lord Castlereagh moved the order of the day in the House of Commons, for resolving itself into a committee of the whole House, to consider further of the affairs of the East-India Company. After a debate concerning the order in which the resolutions were to be considered, his lordship moved the first, which was, to declare the expediency of the continuance of the East-India Company with its privileges, &c. for a further period, with the exception of certain limitations and modifications. This motion gave rise to some long and eloquent speeches, in which the friends and opposers of the company's exclusive privileges produced their copious store of facts and arguments. The resolution, however, was agreed to without a division.

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On June 1st, Lord Castlereagh moved the second resolution, declarative of the expediency of leaving the intercourse with China, and the tea trade, in the hands of the Company. A debate followed, in which the Company's monopoly was opposed by some speakers, as injurious and unnecessary, and defended by others. The resolution was, however, carried without a division.

The debate on the third resolu-. tion, comprehending the important

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point of opening the trade to the Company's possessions in India, occupied the committee on June 2nd and 3rd, and was productive of a great variety of statement relative to the Company's principles of government in that country, the condition of the natives, their capability of improvement, the effect of intercourse with strangers, and the probable consequences at home of rendering the trade free, which was chiefly a repetition of topics already frequently discussed in speech and writing. The question was at length put, and carried without a division.

A number of other resolutions were agreed to, some only pro forma; and Mr. Lushington reported from the committee all the resolutions, in number fourteen, which were ordered for further consideration,

On June 16th, the resolutions being brought before the House, several were read and agreed to. The 8th, relative to India-built shipping, was negatived, lord Castlereagh having stated that he intended omitting this subject in his bill.

The discussion of the third being resumed, Mr. Baring moved an amendment, to confine the return of vessels from India to the port of London; and he intimated that if this amendment was agreed to, he should propose to limit this arrangement to the period of five years. A debate ensued, in which many of the former arguments relative to opening the trade were repeated. On a division the votes were, for the amendment, 43; against it, 131. Majority 88.

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Some other proposed amendments were negatived without a

division. Lord Castlereagh then proposed an amendment, providing that with respect to places out of the Company's charter, an application for licences to trade should be made only to the Board of Control, who might, if they thought it necessary, consult the directors. It was objected, that there appeared no occasion for licenses at all to places not within the charter. The amendment was, however, carried by 122 votes against 19. The third resolution was then passed. All the other resolutions were agreed to, except the 13th, relative to the propagation of the Christian religion in India, the debate on which was adjourned; and leave was given for a bill to be brought in on the other resolutions, and they were ordered to be sent to the Lords.

On June 18th, the Earl of Buckinghamshire stated his intention to move for a committee on the next Monday, upon the resolutions received from the Commons.

The Earl of Lauderdale deprecated precipitation on such an important business, and said that he had moved some days ago for the production of papers essential to its due consideration, which had not yet been laid before the House.

The Earls of Liverpool and Buckinghamshire spoke of the necessity of proceeding without further delay; and it was understood that the papers would be ready at the time mentioned.

On June 21st, the House of Lords having resolved itself into a committee, the Earl of Buckinghamshire, on moving the resolutions, went into a detail in order to shew the policy and expediency of

adopting them. The resolutions being read and agreed to, the Earl of Liverpool moved that the report be received to-morrow.

The Marquis of Lansdowne made a number of animadversions upon the resolutions, in which there were several points of great importance and delicacy which required the most deliberate consideration of the House; and he moved, as an amendment, that the report be received that day three months. After some debate on the merits of the resolutions, in which nothing new was advanced, the House divided. For the original motion, 49: for the amendment 14. Majority 35.

The adjourned consideration of the 13th resolution, relative to the propagation of Christianity in India, was resumed in the House of Commons on June 22nd. The extraordinary zeal for religion which is a prominent feature of the present time, had displayed itself in a great number of petitions to parliament from different places and societies in the island, during the course of discussions on India affairs, requesting that, in the new arrangement, provision should be made for the instruction of the natives in the principles of the Christian faith; and so much attention had been paid to these applications in framing the resolutions, that the 13th expressed the opinion of the committee, "that such measures ought to be adopted as may tend to the introduction the naamong tives of the British dominions in India of useful knowledge, and of religious and moral improvement, and that, in furtherance of the above objects, sufficient facilities shall be afforded by law to persons

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