§ MR. H. BAILLIEsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary of State for India, Whether, when he signed his Despatch of the 8th day of April, 1862, in which he stated that after a searching revision of all the Papers he was convinced, there were no grounds to justify him in disturbing the decision of the East India Company, that the Treaty signed in 1801 with the Nabob of the Carnatic was a personal one, he was aware that when the Nabob died, in 1819, his son, who succeeded to him, was informed by the Governor General, Lord Hastings, that there was no necessity to renew the Treaty, for that he considered the son ipso facto a party to the Treaty signed by his father; whether he was aware that Sir Thomas Monro, the Governor of Madras, did, about the same time, record his opinion in a Minute that the Treaty of 1801 remained in force, and that the East India Company, without a breach 1328 of faith, could not alter any of the Articles; whether, previous to coming to a decision, he had consulted or obtained the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown; and, whether he has any objection that the opinions of the Law Officers of the Crown upon the subject should be laid before Parliament?
§ SIR CHARLES WOODsaid, he was perfectly aware of the answer which Lord Hastings gave, and he himself had referred to his views upon the subject on the occasion of the Motion which has been lately made by the hon. Gentleman. As to the Minute of Sir Thomas Monro, it was not made in 1819, but six years afterwards, in 1825, nor did it go at all to the length stated by his hon. Friend. With regard to the other questions, he had not taken the opinion of the Law Officers of the Crown upon the subject; nor, if he had, was it usual to lay their opinions upon the table of the House.