§ Mr. Roebucksaid, it would be in the recollection of the House that not long ago he put a question to the right hon Baronet on the subject of recent transactions in Scinde. Since that time Scinde had, by a series of inconceivably brilliant actions, displaying at once the bravery of our troops and the consummate skill of their commander, been subjected to the dominion of England, and its former rulers, the Ameers, were now prisoners at Bombay. He would now ask the right hon. Baronet was he prepared to lay before the House such information as would enable it to judge of the whole of the proceedings in Scinde, with reference to their policy and propriety? But if the right hon. Baronet was not now able to lay this information before the House when did he expect to be?
§ Sir R. Peel:When the hon. and Learned Member had called his attention to this subject on a former occasion, he stated that he would undertake to lay on the Table the treaties entered into with the Ameers, and ratified by all the contracting parties. The hon. and Learned Member was aware, that those documents had been laid before the House; but he had also promised to lay before the House other documents which would enable it to form a judgment on the whole case connected with our occupation of Scinde. There were several points on which information had been required from the government of India.—On some of these the explanation sought for had not arrived. The information which he wished to lay on the Table, was not as complete as he could wish, but still it would be such as would enable the House to take a general view of the whole proceedings. The events which had recently occurred in Scinde, were, he would admit, of great importance; they were characterized by the valour of the men, and the skill, bravery and self-devotion of their gallant commander.
§ Sir. E. T. Colebrookewished to know whether her Majesty's Government had deter mined to confirm the acts of the Governor-general with respect to the government of that part of the country heretofore under the dominion of the Ameers of Scinde? Was the general order of the Governor-general with respect to slavery to remain in force and how was it to be carried out? In the general order referred to, the Governor-general spoke of Acts of Parliament relating to the slave-trade, but no Acts of Parliament on this subject referred to India. Was the order of General Napier to be considered as rescinded by that of the Governor-general?
Mr. B. Baringsaid, to the hon. Member's observations, he could answer only by conjecture. The order of General Napier applied only, as he understood it, to slavery in Scinde, and so that the social relations of European families might not be disturbed by the general act relating to it. The order would not prevent the holders of slaves from making them free if they pleased.
Lord J. Russellhad understood the right hon. Baronet to state that not having full information on the subject of the hon. and learned Gentleman's inquiry, and the matter still being before her Majesty's GO- 1325 vernment, who had not yet been able to decide finally as to the general policy to be pursued by the Government of India, it was not advisable to lay such information as they were already in possession of upon the Table of the House. But he (Lord J. Russell) had observed that there had been certain papers made public through the newspapers. With respect to these he had not the same doubt about the policy of communicating them to the House. Those were the proclamation of Lord Ellenborough, in which it was stated that " content with the limits nature appears to have assigned its empire, the Government of India will devote all its efforts to the establishment and maintenance of a general peace," implying that the territories of the empire would not be extended beyond the Indus; and the account of the conquests of Sir C. Napier on the right bank of the Indus. Would the right hon. Gentleman object to lay these papers on the Table?
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, what he stated was, that on some points the information in the hands of her Majesty's Government respecting the subjects of the question of the hon. and learned Gentleman was imperfect. He had had every reason to hope that the next mail that went out would convey the general views of her Majesty's Government respecting the government of India. Up to this time there had been no opportunity for her Majesty's Government to communicate their general views respecting the policy to be pursued there from want of information. With respect to the question of the noble Lord, he thought there were objections to selecting for presentation to the House, first, those papers which had been published in the public journals. That course had been objected to, he believed, with respect to papers concerning some of the negotiations with America, and he thought it would be a very inconvenient one.
Mr. Roebuchwould on the earliest possible opportunity without reference to papers, bring the whole subjact of Scinde under the consideration of the House.