POSTSCRIPT.
SATI7RDAT. The great Indian debate in the House of Commons, ended last night, in smoke—Mr. Cardwell withdrew his motion.
Early in the sitting Lord PA.vamisvoic inquired whether there was any despatch covering the papers transmitted by Lord Canning, and whether the debate would be finished that night? Mr. DISRAELI said he trusted the House would come to a division that night. He could not say, but he thought there was no covering despatch, as the papers were addressed to the Court of Directors. In reply to questions from Mr. LABOUCILERE and Mr. GLADSTONE, Mr. DISR.AELI further stated that no authentic copy of the proclamation had been received; and that no intimation had been given to the Goverment before Lord Ellenborough's despatch was sent off, to the effect that the Governor-General had said it was certain to be attacked, and that he intended to supply an expla- nation. Mr. Disraeli moved that the House at its rising should adjourn till Friday next. Here arose a long and irregular conversation on the propriety of pro- ceeding with Mr. Cardwell's motion. Mr. CLAY appealed to Mr. Card- well to withdraw it. When Lord Ellenborough retired it became in- expedient. The issue was too narrow. Many on the Ministerial benches, who thought Lord Canning right, would vote with the Go- vernment. Many on the Opposition benches would also vote with them, not because they thought theyolicy wrong, but because they did not wish to displace the Government. As a friend of Lord Canning he appealed to Kr. Cardwell not to place Lord Canning's reputation on an issue that unfairly represented the opinion of the House. Mr. BOWYER reinforced this appeal. Mr. CARDWELL said he thought it would be fair and straightforward to go on with the motion.
Then followed a string of appeals. Mr. THOMAS DUNCOMBE said he did not believe the House could conclude that night. There were new materials for a new debate. He had intended to vote for the motion, but to divide upon it then would be as absurd as to divide on the motion of some defunct Parliament. If Mr. Cardwell persevered
he should take off his hat and wish him good night, and leave him to the tender mercies of honourable gentlemen opposite. Mr. OWEN Sess. Lee said the papers jest presented to Parliament altered the whole ques-
tion. Member after Member arose putting questions and making "ap- peals." The "false position" into which the House had been led was recognized. Doubts were expressed—strongly by Mr. DANDY SEYMOUR
—whether the proclamation had been issued at all. He understood that when Sir Archdale Wilson left India, April 18, it had not been issued. Cap- tamn VIVIAN objected to the withdrawal of the motion because it would then appear that the House had failed to clear the character of Lord Canning. Mr. WHITE made Members shake with laughter by expressing "in a spirit of frankness" the sentiments of many gentlemen, who had promised to vote for the motion, in favour of withdrawing the motion. The avowal that if the motion were pressed to a division, many would have to separate from those with whom they had long acted and would be glad to continue to act, and the overpowering consideration of the bad effects of a dissolution to many of them, would induce Mr. Cardwell to with- draw the motion. A dissolution just as the country is recovering from a commercial collapse would be a national calamity.
Lord PALMERSTON said Mr. Cardwell had made the motion because he thought Lord Ellenborough's despatch would have a prejudicial effect in India. The resolution was intended to counteract that effect. But papers had been presented conclusively establishing that Lord Canning still pur- sued the policy which had gained for him the name of "Clemency Can- ning," and that being so, the papers going out to India will powerfully counteract the bad effects produced by the secret despatch. He there- fore recommended Mr. Cardwell to withdraw the motion. He suggested that Government should sanction the interpretation he had put upon Lord Canning's policy. Mr. CARDWELL now placed himself in the hands of the House. He would not personally be an obstacle to the gra- tification of a general feeling. Mr. GLADSTONE regarded that course as eminently advantageous to the public interests. Then, with high praise of Lord Canning, he expressed his concurrence with Lord Palmerston in the opinion that Lord Canning had intended to effect no general displace- ment of proprietary rights in Oude. He asked from the Government a declaration that they assented to the opinion expressed in Mr. Dillwyn's motion, giving a general approval of Lord Canning's policy in the con- duct of affairs.
Mr. DISRAELI said that the motion brought forward was a vote of cen- sure. The Government looked without apprehension to the result of that vote, and were ready to encounter the consequences of a division. They had been on their trial and looked back with satisfaetion on the discussion. The Government had abstained from the discussion as much as possible ; the motion had been opposed by Members unconnected with them, and their eloquence had led to the strange result at which they had arrived. Dropping all considerations of a party nature, he said that it would be for the public welfare that the debate should be terminated as suggested. But they could not lose sight of the position of the Governor-General. With the exception of Lord Ellenborough's despatch, intended only for the eye of Lord Canning, the Government had given him their cordial support. That despatch they believed to be justifiable, and they considered that it was addressed to a willing and cordial agent. "As soon as these unfortunate occurrences took place, we communicated by telegraph with Lord Canning, and we assured him that in the difficult position in which both he and the Government were placed he might rely upon our support." (Loud cheers.) As to the course to be pursued he thought it would be best to let the motion and all its adjuncts fall.
"I beg the House to believe that in making this suggestion I am not ac- tuated by any desire to avoid giving an opinion as to the previous policy of Lord Canning. The Governor-General of India is the servant of the Queen; we are the responsible servants of her Majesty, and it is of the ut- most importance that we should act together cordially and sincerely. We never anticipated the publication of the despatch which has produced all this discussion, but permit me to say that if the relations between her Ma- jesty's Government and the Governor-General of India should be cordial, they should also be sincere ; and if it is supposed for a moment that I or those with whom I act are prepared in any way to retract the opinions which we have expressed with regard to the policy of confiscation which Lord Canning, under evil influence, unhappily adopted—(Cries of "No, no ! " and "Hear, hear !")—but which I hope, and have some reason to believe, he has by this time relinquished, the House will indeed have mis- interpreted what I have said, and the country will indeed be deceived as to the policy which we intend to pursue. (Cheers.) I trust that Lord Can- ning will be influenced by those sentiments and that policy which distin- guished his career at the commencement of these sad disturbances and disasters." Mr. Disraeli defended his Government from a charge made by Lord John Russell, that they had formerly attacked Lord Canning for his clemency. Lord JOHN RUSSELL referred to two occasions to show that the party which Mr. Disraeli represented had not given that unhesitating support to the Government of India which he professed : Nevem at the beginning of the mutiny it was the main object to assure her Majesty of support in putting down the rebellion, Mr. Disraeli made an able but fault-finding speech ; and when support was to be given to Lord Canning through the vote of thanks, it was withheld on the score that his conduct was vacillating. The papers produced that day, however, show the difficulty of the Go- vernor-General in a stronger light than Lord John had supposed : on the one side there was the firm opinion of Sir James Outran), that the pro- clamation would lead to a guerilla warfare ; on the other the necessity of inflicting some general chastisement on the chiefs of a rebel province ap- pears to have exercised a preponderating influence on the mind of Lord Canning. At present, therefore, Lord John was glad to be released from the necessity of giving an opinion. "I think we may rest satisfied with the treatment which the Governor-General is likely to receive from the executive Government at home." "I am satisfied with the declaration of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and I trust that without further dis- cussion all these motions may be withdrawn." Mr. BRIGHT agreed in the proposal to withdraw. He hoped that what had occurred would not be without instruction to Lord John and these who sit on the Liberal side of the House.
"Do not let them suppose—for if they do they will make a great mistake —that my right honourable friend the Member for Ashton and myself have the slightest personal hostility to any one of them. (Cries of "Oh, oh !" and a laugh.) I hope that our conduct during the last fifteen years liag been sufficiently consistent and sufficiently intelligible both to the House and the country to save us from any imputation of that kind. (Cheers.) But if gentlemen on either side are expected to act together—if great public questions and great principles are to be advanced by the action of a united party—it is not becoming, and cannot be advantageous, that a sears handful of gentlemen—it may be not more than half-a-dozen—should propose a policy without ascertaining the feelings of the great body of those by whom they hope to be supported. (Cheers.) . "I am not unwilling to act with the party with whom I sit, but I expect to be consulted about great questions such as the present, and if I may give a little friendly advice to those hundred gentleman who have been reluct- antly dragged along with the right honourable Member for Oxford during the past week I would venture to tell them that if when they disagree with those who affect to be their leaders they would not set up imaginary obsta- cles, and then run away from them, adopting one opinion today and another tomorrow, but would take the course which their own sound judg- ments at first point out to them—because they rarely fall into error at first; the mistake is made afterwards, when a thousand ingenious artifices are brought to bear upon them—and which a few men who sit around me have the courage to adopt, they would find that the arts now practised upon them would soon be withdrawn, no further attempts would be made to mislead them, while the gentlemen who bring them into dilemmas such as that in which they now are would be compelled to listen in future to the opinions of the great bulk of their party:: (Cheers.) Mr. DILLWYN then withdrew his amendment, and Mr. CARDWELL his motion—a result vehemently cheered by the Ministerial Members. The House shortly afterwards adjourned until Friday next.
The House of Lords sat a few minutes, transacted a little business, and adjourned until Monday week.
In a letter to the Times Lord Shaftesbury denies a report that he at- tended a political meeting on Sunday the 16th instant. He says—" I did not attend any meeting on the Sunday to.which he alludes, or on any other Sunday, either at Cambridge House or elsewhere."
The election for Limerick took place yesterday. There were two can- didates, Mr. John Ball, formerly a Lord of the Treasury, and Mr. Spaight, a Protestant supported by Roman Catholics because he belongs to the independent opposition. Mr. Ball declined the contest, at the last moment, and Mr. Spaight was elected without opposition.
The Russo-Belgic journal Le Nord _gives prominently an account of a meeting in Hyde Park between Marshal Pelissier and the Duke d'Aumale under whom he formerly served in Algeria
"Marshal Pelissier was taking a drive in Hyde Park. A carriage passed his. The Marshal was not aware who was in the carriage, but one of his aides-de-camp who was sitting in front told him it was the carriage of the Duke d'Aumale. The Marshal immediately ordered his coachman to drive alongside the carriage, which had passed him. When he came up with the Duke's carriage the Marshal rose and bowed to him. The Prince ordered his carriage to stop, and returned the salute. The Marshal then addressed the Prince as follows—' Monseigneur, I am happy to have this opportu- nity of presenting my respects to you and asking after your health." And I, said the Prince, am happy to see you and to shake hands with you.' A shaking of bands immediately followed. A few complimentary words were exchanged, and the carriages separated." The Times believes that "the Duke d'Aumale and the Marshal met at a small dinner-party a few days afterwards."
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