a Division, the Motion is defeated by 230 to 19. THE -Interesting Statement made by Lord Palmerston reProgress made towards its Suppression-Remarks of Sir aton and Mr. Hutt. STATE PROSECUTIONS OF THE NEAPO"ERNMENT-Publication of Mr. Gladstone's Letters to the Aberdeen-Strong public interest and sympathy excited by sures-Sir De Lacy Evans questions the Government on the the House of Commons-Answer of Lord Palmerston, and in by him in reference to Mr. Gladstone's Pamphlet. rs of Ceylon, and the Pes of mal-administration ainst Lord Torrington vernment of that island, occupied a prominent the parliamentary proof the two preceding ere in this session again subject of warm discusd at length finally dis1. Considerable delays had in prosecuting the inquiry I to the Select Committee House of Commons; partly navoidable causes, the disthe scene, and the absence necessary witnesses; partly, adversaries of the ex-Goalleged, from obstacles in the way of investigation Colonial Office at home. At ly period of the present seshowever, Mr. Henry Baillie, had been the Chairman of the t Committee, gave notice of intention to move the following olutions : 1. That this House, having ken into consideration the evince adduced before the Select Committee appointed to inquire to the grievances complained of in the Crown colony of Ceylon, is of opinion that the punishment of the natives of that island implicated in the disturbances of 1848 has been excessive and unnecessarily severe. "2. That this House is of opi nion that the execution of eighteen persons, and the transportation, imprisonment, and corporal punishment of one hundred and fifty persons, by military tribunals, for alleged offences after those disturbances had been suppressed (during which one individual only of Her Majesty's troops had been slightly injured), is at variance with the merciful administration of the British penal laws, and is not calculated to insure the future affections and fidelity of Her Majesty's Colonial subjects. "3. That this House is therefore of opinion, that the conduct of Earl Grey, in signifying Her Ma jesty's unqualified approbation of Lord Torrington's administration of Ceylon, has been precipitate and injudicious, tending to establish precedents of rigour and severity in the government of Her Majesty's foreign possessions, and injurious to the character of this country for justice and humanity." Circumstances, which arose in part out of the Ministerial crisis described in a former chapter of this volume, led to the postponement of Mr. Baillie's motion, which did not come on for discussion till the 28th of May. Meanwhile, Lord Torrington, feeling the painful predicament in which his political reputation was placed, determined to vindicate his own conduct by stating his version of the trans. CHAPTER V. FOREIGN AND COLONIAL AFFAIRS-Ceylon, and the Charges against Lord Torrington-Notice of Resolutions censuring the Conduct of that Nobleman and of Earl Grey given by Mr. Baillie-Lord Torrington enters into a detailed Explanation of his own Conduct in the House of Lords-Remarks of Earl Grey and of the Duke of Wellington— Important Debate on Mr. Baillie's Motion continued for two NightsSpeeches of Serjeant Murphy, Mr. Ker Seymer, Mr. Roebuck, Mr. Hume, Sir James Hogg, Sir F. Thesiger, Mr. Hawes, Mr. Gladstone, the Attorney-General, Lord John Russell, and Mr. Disraeli Mr. Baillie's Resolutions are negatived by a Majority of 82. COLO NIAL EXPENDITURE AND SELF-GOVERNMENT-Sir William Molesworth moves Resolutions in favour of a Reduction of the former, and an Extension of the latter to the British Colonies-His able and comprehensive Speech-He is answered by Mr. Hawes-Speeches of Mr. Adderley, Mr. Cobden, and Lord John Russell-The Debate is adjourned, and is not afterwards resumed. AFFAIRS OF THE CAPE COLONY-Political Agitation and Discontent in that Settlement, and renewal of the Kafir War--Debates in Parliament on these subjects-Mr. Adderley moves an Address to the Crown, praying that a Commission may be sent out to inquire into the Relations between the British Government and the Kafir Tribes-His Speech-Lord John Russell moves as an Amendment, that a Select Committee be appointed with the same objectSpeeches of Mr. Vernon Smith, Mr. F. Scott, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Roe buck, Mr. Labouchere, Mr. Sidney Herbert, and other Members-The Amendment is carried by 128 to 60-Further Discussions in the House of Lords, and in the House of Commons, on the rote being proposed for the Expenses of the Kafir War in Committee of Supply-Important Debate on the Political Grievances of the Cape Colony in the House of Lords, on the Motion of the Earl of Derby-He enters fully into the subjects of the Postponement of the promised Constitution, and the sending of Convicts to the Cape-Earl Grey defends his own Policy-The Earl of Malmesbury, Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Cranworth, the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Argyll, and the Duke of Newcastle, take part in the Discussion-Lord Derby's Motion for a Select Committee of Inquiry is negatived by 74 to 68. SIR JAMES BROOKE-Mr. Hume mores for an Inquiry into the Conduct of this Officer in reference to some of his operations against the Dyak Tribes for alleged Piracy-Mr. Headlam, Mr. H. Drummond, Mr. Milnes, and Lord Palmerston vindicate Sir J. Brooke's Character-Mr. Cobden supports the Motion --Mr. Gladstone discredits the personal Charges, but is in favour of Inquiry-On a Division, the Motion is defeated by 230 to 19. THE SLAVE TRADE-Interesting Statement made by Lord Palmerston respecting the progress made towards its Suppression-Remarks of Sir John Pakington and Mr. Hutt. STATE PROSECUTIONS OF THE NEAPOLITAN GOVERNMENT-Publication of Mr. Gladstone's Letters to the Earl of Aberdeen-Strong public interest and sympathy excited by these disclosures--Sir De Lacy Evans questions the Government on the subject in the House of Commons-Answer of Lord Palmerston, and steps taken by him in reference to Mr. Gladstone's Pamphlet. HE affairs of Ceylon, and the nion that the execution of eighteen Tcharges of mal administration alleged against Lord Torrington in his government of that island, which had occupied a prominent space in the parliamentary proceedings of the two preceding years, were in this session again made the subject of warm discussion, and at length finally disposed of. Considerable delays had arisen in prosecuting the inquiry referred to the Select Committee of the House of Commons; partly from unavoidable causes, the distance of the scene, and the absence of the necessary witnesses; partly, as the adversaries of the ex-Governor alleged, from obstacles thrown in the way of investigation by the Colonial Office at home. At an early period of the present session, however, Mr. Henry Baillie, who had been the Chairman of the Select Committee, gave notice of his intention to move the following resolutions : "1. That this House, having taken into consideration the evidence adduced before the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the grievances complained of in the Crown colony of Ceylon, is of opinion that the punishment of the natives of that island implicated in the disturbances of 1848 has been excessive and unnecessarily severe. 2. That this House is of opi persons, and the transportation, imprisonment, and corporal punishment of one hundred and fifty persons, by military tribunals, for alleged offences after those disturbances had been suppressed (during which one individual only of Her Majesty's troops had been slightly injured), is at variance with the merciful administration of the British penal laws, and is not calculated to insure the future affections and fidelity of Her Majesty's Colonial subjects. "3. That this House is therefore of opinion, that the conduct of Earl Grey, in signifying Her Majesty's unqualified approbation of Lord Torrington's administration of Ceylon, has been precipitate and injudicious, tending to esta blish precedents of rigour and severity in the government of Her Majesty's foreign possessions, and injurious to the character of this country for justice and humanity." Circumstances, which arose in part out of the Ministerial crisis described in a former chapter of this volume, led to the postponement of Mr. Baillie's motion, which did not come on for discussion till the 28th of May. Meanwhile, Lord Torrington, feeling the painful predicament in which his political reputation was placed, determined to vindicate his own conduct by stating his version of the trans. actions in respect of which it had been impeached, in his place in the House of Lords. On the 1st of April, the noble Lord moved that "a message be sent to the House of Commons for a copy of the Reports and Evidence of the Select Committee on the affairs of Ceylon." In making this motion the noble Lord observed, that he felt compelled to call their Lordships' attention to the subject in consequence of the postponement of Mr. H. Baillie's notice of motion in the House of Commons, which left him no other means of meeting, without delay, the calumnies he had been exposed to. It would be his duty to prove, that in every act which took place during his administration of the government in Ceylon, he received the advice and concurrence of his Executive Council; but he would go further, and show that not only the civil and military servants, but planters, merchants, and tradesmen, and even those who had been summoned to give evidence against him, had at various times during the transactions which had been the subject of inquiry, concurred in his policy. In every act he acted constitutionally; and in difficult times he fairly did his duty. He divided the subject into three distinct parts first, the financial arrangements; second, the rebellion, its causes and its suppression; third, the personal allegations made against himself. He arrived in the colony on the 28th of May, 1847; carrying instructions that it was desirable to increase the cultivation of coffee and cinnamon in the island. had been stated, that there was a large surplus revenue; but he found that there was a considerable It excess of expenditure over income, and that the revenue was falling; while cinnamon-gardens were becoming a wilderness, and commerce was in a most unsatisfactory state. Within a week, on the 3rd of June, he had a report made to him by the Auditor-General. That officer reported that the net deficit on the year was 74,8571. Lord Torrington directed the issue of a circular letter instructing the heads of departments to reduce to the narrowest limit the expenditure at the disposal of each. He immediately laid before his Council all the papers intrusted to him; and three important measures the Custom House Bill, the Stamp Act, and the Road Ordinance—were passed without a single word of opposition. The effect of the Customs Bill was to abolish exportduties, except that on cinnamon, which was reduced by two-thirds, from 1s. to 4d. the pound; to equalise import duties, abolishing the differential; and to reduce taxation by about 42,162. The results were, that the coffee exports mounted from 387,150l. in 1847, to 534,456l. in 1849; and the cinnamon exports rose from 49,1677. in 1847 to 73,3871. in 1849. The Road Ordinance was passed with the unanimous concurrence of the Council; and so far was it from being distasteful to the colonists, so strongly were the colonists satisfied of the benefits to result from the labour done under it, that Lord Torrington had known many to work double and treble the time required of them by the law. The gun-tax was a prudent ordinance: at the end of the rebellion of 1818, the arms given up were not more than 10,000 at the utmost, two-thirds of them old matchlocks in an unserviceable state; but in 1848 they had probably 80,000 stand of arms, many of them good muskets or English fowling-pieces: if they could afford dear guns, they could not complain of a small tax. Other measures were the tax on hired carriages, on shops, and on dogs. The two first Lord Torrington thought might form the foundation for raising in a large town a considerable revenue, lead to the introduction of municipal institutions, and enable the residents to manage their own lighting and general rating. The increase of dogs in an Eastern city was incredible to Europeans. It was against the religion of the Buddhists to take life. At one time in the year the nuisance became so intolerable that 6d. was offered for every head of a dog, and the most brutal scenes were enacted: the tax would repress the increase of dogs. The result of Lord Torrington's financial management was to reduce the expenditure of the colony as follows: -in 1847, 53,441l. 10s.; in 1848, 15,2231.; in 1849, 11,115.; total, 78,7801. expenditure in 1849 less than in 1846. In the first nine months of 1850, as compared with the same period in 1849, a further reduction of 16,4087. was effected, exclusive of the road department. In 1848 he was enabled to lay out nearly 10,000l. more than was anticipated in the repair and improvement of roads and public works. Even deducting the arrears, the total revenue of the first half of 1848, compared with the same period of 1847, [when a reduction of taxation amounting to more than 40,000l. was made,] exhibited only a decrease of 35741. The exports had increased to an enormous amount; the imports of British goods and of every other article had increased; and industrious habits had sprung up among the people. He came now to the rebellion, and to the charges founded on it that he acted in an illegal manner. It was very different dealing with an Eastern population and an European population: the treachery of the former might be inferred from the account by Major Davy of the murder of 200 English soldiers immediately after the treaty deliberately made in 1818. It was then thought that the loss of time and men was brought about by looking at matters too lightly in the outset. Lord Torrington recalled the circumstances under which we obtained the government of the interior of the island. When we took possession of Ceylon from the Dutch in 1796, we took the maritime provinces only: the Kandyan country was a separate country, left under the chiefs under their native king. In 1815 the Kandyan country came under our dominion through a treaty-negotiated, somewhat hastily and disadvantageously, by Sir Robert Brownrigg with the native chiefs. Unfortunately, the object of that treaty was understood in different senses by the parties to it. We undertook to do all the duty appertaining to the King of Kandy: the chiefs thought they would continue to govern the country as they did under the former king, and oppress the people and gather their revenue as before; whereas Sir Robert intended to govern the country as an English colony. That original cause of disaffection caused the rebellion of 1818, which took us two years to suppress and cost us a thousand men; as well as the various rebellions which had |