§ SIR ERSKINE PERRYsaid, he would beg to ask the President of the Board of Control whether, having had an opportunity of reperusing Mr. Montgomery's Despatch, he is ready to lay it on the table? A Despatch from Rohilcund has just appeared in the papers, and he wished to know whether the noble Lord will have any objection to lay that on the table?
LORD STANLEYsaid, that, after the question had been put to him by the hon. and learned Gentleman on Friday night, he had thought it right to apply to the Earl of Ellenborough, to whom the letter was addressed, to allow him to see it again. It was now in his hands, and with regard to the enclosures to which the hon. and learned Gentleman had referred on Friday night, Viscount Canning, in speaking of them, used these words:—
No official Reports of much interest have been received from Lucknow for ten days; I therefore send you Mr. Montgomery's last two private letters, that you may see how things are going on with the talookdars and landowners.As Viscount Canning expressly referred to these documents as being private letters, and as they had reached the Board of Control in a private form, it would be altogether contrary to precedent and very inconvenient to lay them before the House in an official form. Viscount Canning in one paragraph of his letter said:—The progress made in bringing them (the landowners) in, and coming to a settlement with them, is very satisfactory.And Mr. Montgomery, in a passage of his letter of the 22nd of April, said:—Every hour appearances improve, and a very large proportion of landholders have tendered 2018 their allegiance by letter, and many personally. Suitable replies are sent to each, and I generally call upon them to send their vakeel, or near relative, if the state of the country prevents their personal attendance.These two extracts, he apprehended, conveyed the information which the hon. and learned Gentleman required as to the progress of affairs in Oude.