Mr. Lowe, on Thursday, raised the question of the status
of Indian Judges, and fought hard for their irresponsibility to the Executive, especially on the ground that the independent adminis- tration of justice was the only consolation to natives for the absence of self-government, a point upon which, we suspect, true native opinion would rather surprise him. Sir George Campbell replied in a most able speech, in which he reviewed the history of the Indian judiciary, and maintained that no Power could be allowed in India wholly independent of the Government, and able to do acts which might cause national resistance. Mr. Fawcett, " the Member for India," followed on the same side, alleging that if a Judge of the High Court was not responsible to Government, he was not responsible to anybody,—an impossible position even in England. No result followed the debate, as a motion would have been out of order, but if Mr. Lowe had obtained a divi- sion, no result could follow. While a Judge can throw a province into rebellion merely by insisting that certain classes of witnesses shall attend, the Executive is compelled to retain its power, and the only use of discussion is to warn Governors and Viceroys that they are watched, and must use it with discretion.
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