HC Deb 08 March 1844 vol 73 cc726-7
Mr. Macaulay

wished to put that day again the question he had put the day preceding. The question itself, he perceived, had been misunderstood. He had been represented as saying that the late operations in Gwalior were recited in the Proclamation of the Governor General to have taken place in consequence of the Treaty of 1805, whilst what he had said was, that they were there declared to have taken place in consequence of a Treaty which he affirmed was notoriously annulled in 1805. He wished now to know if the right hon. Baronet was prepared to lay on the Table of the House a copy of the Proclamation?

Sir R. Peel

replied, that the Indian mail had arrived in the course of that day. He presumed, that the Proclamation as published was perfectly correct, and he was sure the right hon. Gentleman would not ask him for a more particular answer at that moment. The despatch conveyed ninety-seven inclosures, and there was not as yet time to examine them particularly. He could not doubt, however, that the Proclamation was amongst them, and there could be no objection to lay it on the Table of the House. The right hon. Gentleman, on his own authority, had affirmed that the Treaty of 1804 was notoriously annulled in 1805. There were three treaties between the Government of India and Scinde—a Treaty in 1803, in 1804, and in 1805. The Treaty of 1803 was a general Treaty of Peace. The Treaty of 1804 was a Treaty of Alliance, offensive and defensive, and stipulating that the Maharajah should have a right to call upon the Government of India for assistance in case of turbulence in his territory. That was the effect of the Treaty of 1804; and there was another Treaty which removed some doubts that had arisen with respect to the Treaty of 1803, but had no reference to the Treaty of 1804. The question was, whether the Treaty of 1804 had been superseded: it could not, he thought, be said to have been notoriously annulled by the subsequent Treaty. These, he believed, were the facts with respect to these treaties.

Mr. Macaulay

did not mean now to enter into the discussion. The right hon. Gentleman, he understood, would lay copies of the Treaties before the House; and he, therefore, should not at present give any decided opinion on the matter.