HC Deb 14 June 1832 vol 13 cc715-7
Sir John Malcolm

moved for Copies of all Correspondence, since May, 1831, between the Commissioners for conducting the Affairs of India and the Directors of the East-India Company, respecting the pecuniary claims of British subjects on native Indian Princes, or other natives of British India, subject to the authority of the East-India Company. They had recently had some experience of the inconvenience of bringing claims of that kind before the House of Commons; and he had, therefore, endeavoured to impress on the Government, the necessity of appointing some more competent tribunal than a Committee of that House to investigate claims to which it was impossible it should do justice. Although forbidden by law, the temptation to lend money to the native princes was so great, that it was impossible to put a stop to the practice. That necessarily involved the East-India Company in disputes with the lenders, and the appeal was made to the House of Commons. Under these circumstances, as a guide to the House of Commons, he thought that these papers ought to be laid upon the Table.

Mr. Robert Grant

, in the absence of his right hon. relative (Mr. C. Grant) who was confined by indisposition, hoped to satisfy the hon. Member, in a very few words, that he was bound to withdraw his Motion. The East-India Company were at all times ready and willing to give every explanation in their power with respect to the demands on them, or the native princes connected with them. It so happened, however, that there were at this moment only five cases which came under the denomination of those referred to by the hon. Member. Of those five, two had been already made the subject of parliamentary inquiry, and the correspondence connected with them was before the House, and under consideration of Committees appointed for that purpose. The other three, involving also the claims of British subjects on native princes, were at this moment the subject of negotiation, and as the correspondence was still going on and therefore incomplete, he trusted the hon. Member would see the impropriety of requiring its production. For these reasons, because, out of five cases, two were already before the House, and three incomplete, he thought the hon. Member would see the propriety of not pressing his Motion. But, if it was pressed, he must move the previous question.

Mr. Astell

said, it was most desirable the country should know that the East-India Company acted with perfect fairness with reference to all claimants, and he would, therefore, support the Motion.

Sir Robert Peel

was convinced, that the House of Commons was a most unfit tribunal for the consideration of questions of this kind; and he hoped, therefore, that the charter of the Company would not be renewed without their consenting to the appointment of some body, whether members of the Privy Council or a Special Committee, who would relieve the House of Commons from the odium of resisting the just applications of individuals, through a sense of the inconvenience of the precedent, or from a conviction of their own incompetency. The House bad followed this course with respect to elections, and he did not know why they should not also adopt it with respect to the claims of individuals, which were always considered with favour when made against powerful bodies or companies. He must strongly object to the appointment of Committees to investigate such claims, when made by individuals against the East-India Company, because that was calculated to shake the authority of that Company in India. He did not know the intentions of Government on this subject. [Lord Althorp said, that the question was under consideration.] He was glad to hear this from the noble Lord, as he thought the charter should not be renewed without such an assurance. As he understood that there was no objection to produce the correspondence, but that it was not yet complete, he would recommend his hon. friend not to press his motion.

Sir George Warrender

agreed with the right hon. Baronet in the propriety of some arrangement on this point.

Motion withdrawn.