MR. VERNON SMITHrose to ask the Secretary of State for India whether any reward or mark of honour had been conferred upon those Native Princes or their Ministers who have proved faithful to Her Majesty during the late Indian mutiny. The subject to which his question referred was one of great importance to the future Government of our Indian Empire, for a good understanding with the Native Princes would be the safest defence against the recurrence of such disasters as those from which we were now suffering. In the debate upon his Motion in July, 1857, the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Bucks stated that all the Native Princes were against us, and he (Mr. Vernon Smith) ventured to assert that the Rajah of Patteala, the Maharajah of Gwalior, and others were and would be faithful to us. The Maharajah of Gwalior took a great interest in our favour, and it was owing to his exertions and those of his minister that the revolted Contingent, for four critical months, was prevented from attacking our forces. We had to thank God that our Native troops in the Presidencies of Madras and Bombay did not revolt simultaneously with those in Bengal. That they did not do so was very much owing to 274 the conduct of the Nizam, and particularly to that of his minister (Sala Jung), who exposed himself to personal risk in putting down a mutiny, and himself arrested a mutineer in the front of the army. Besides these, there had been numerous other cases in which Native Princes and their ministers had seconded our exertions for the suppression of the mutiny, and had cordially supported our cause. It was therefore in his (Mr. Vernon Smith's) opinion most expedient, not only from motives of gratitude, but in order to secure the future well-being and tranquillity of India, that some token of our approbation—that some reward—should be given to these men. He hoped that hereafter we were to govern India by the sympathy of the Native Princes, carrying them along with us in the conviction that we were administering the government better than it had been by their predecessors for ages. If we were to do so we must show that we were willing to bestow upon them rewards and honours similar to those which we conferred upon men of our own nation who were eminent in our service. Upon Jung Bahadoor he believed that some reward had been bestowed, but it would also be wise to restore to him some territory in Oude which had formerly been separated from Nepaul. It was no great thing for which he was now asking, because it was remarkable with how little acknowledgment the Native mind was contented. A simple letter from the Sovereign put Runjeet Singh in a state of joyous exultation; and in the same way a Queen's Letter, or some similar mark of honour, would be esteemed an abundant reward for the services which these Native Princes had rendered to our cause. He had no reason to suppose that the noble Lord (Lord Stanley) would be backward in adopting this course; but if it had happened that, from the difficulty of selection, or the embarrassment arising from the great amount of business which had been east upon him, he had been unable to attend to this matter, he hoped that he would understand that this question was put, not with a view of embarrassing him, but in order to show that public opinion would support him in conferring these rewards. It was not the province of a Member of Parliament to suggest to the Crown what honours should be bestowed, or upon whom, but he hoped that he might, without exceeding his province, state what he conceived the public would sanction, and without specifying the 275 instances for its application, what, as a general rule, he thought would stimulate the Natives to assist us and be highly beneficial to our Government in India. The right hon. Gentleman concluded by asking his Question.
LORD STANLEYI am glad that the right hon. Gentleman opposite has put this question to me, and has called the attention of the House to the subject to which it refers. I agree with him that at the present time hardly any subject can be of greater importance to the Government of India, and I fully concur in what he has said, that the whole course of recent events has confirmed the view of that school of Indian politicians who have always maintained the importance of keeping up the independence and dignity of these Native States as against the modern theories of annexation; and have contended that we should find them our most faithful allies and supporters in times of difficulty and danger. The subjects of rewards to our Native allies has not escaped the attention of the Government in this country. Two despatches, one dated the 28th of July, from the late Court of Directors; and the other the 31st of December, addressed by me to Lord Canning, have been sent to the Government of India, naming certain Native Princes as specially deserving of reward, and calling for a general report from the authorities as to the claims of others. That general report we have not yet received, and I need not tell the right hon. Gentleman, or the House, that in a matter of this kind it is impossible for us, in this country, to act without previous consultation with the local Government in India. Rewards, however, have been given to several persons. To the Rajah of Patteala, by a cession of territory worth two lacs of rupees a year, and something besides; to the Rajah of Jheend, territory worth one lac; to the Rajah of Nubba, territory worth one lac; and to the Rajah of Chirkaree some land of which the value is not known. The Guicowar has received a remission of the tribute or subsidy of three lacs of rupees annually, which he was bound to pay for the support of a force of irregular cavalry. That subsidy has been remitted with the sanction of Government, by the advice and upon the representation of Lord Canning. The cases of Scindiah, Holkar, and the Nizam are specially mentioned in one—I think in both—of the despatches to which I have referred. That of Gwalior is at 276 present under consideration. With regard to Nepaul, the House is aware that a distinguished mark of honour has been conferred upon the able minister of that State. It has also been in contemplation to show our sense of the assistance which we derived from the Government of Nepaul in the manner suggested by the right hon. Gentleman. A correspondence has taken place upon that subject; but in a matter of this kind much discretion must be left to the authorities in India, and I have not yet heard whether any final arrangements have been made with regard to it. I can only remark, in conclusion, that I am as fully impressed, and I believe that the Government here and the Government in. India are as fully impressed as the right hon. Gentleman can be with the importance of not destroying the grace and the value of these gifts by deferring them until a time when the memory of the services for which they are the rewards shall have passed away.