§ LORD BROUGHTONwished to make a request to the noble Earl opposite (the Earl of Ellenborough) respecting the notice of Motion which he had given on the case of Jotee Pershaud. It appeared from his notice that the noble Earl intended to reopen that case that evening. He had placed on the paper a notice that he intended to move for certain papers to illustrate the merits of that case. He (Lord Broughton) had no objection to produce them; they would be laid immediately on the table. The request which he had now to make to the noble Earl was, that as a mail would immediately arrive in this country with despatches relating to this case, he would not deem him unreasonable when he asked him to postpone his Motion till the arrival of that mail.
§ The Earl of ELLENBOROUGHsaid, when the noble Lord informed him that morning of his intention to make this request in the House, he (the Earl of Ellenborough) thought it was not probable that anything from India could affect the statement he had to make. At the same time he promised to give the request his best attention; and it had occurred to him that the Governor General might possibly have directed an inquiry into the charges which had been made by the press of India with respect to the corruption of witnesses and the obtaining of evidence against Jotee Pershaud. If that should 1309 turn out to he the case, it would not be proper that he should state in that House what he had to state, because the gentlemen whom it affected had not there the power of making any answer; and his only object was to obtain a promise from the noble Lord that full inquiry should be made on that subject. Therefore he should waive all notice of the matter he intended to bring before the House with regard to those charges. He understood the noble Lord did nut object to the production of the papers of which he had given notice; but he would take the opportunity to place himself right with the House in respect to a statement which he had ascertained to be in a slight degree incorrect. He stated the other day that when the recognisances of Mr. Lang, the surety of Jotee Pershaud, were estreated, his press—he being the editor of a newspaper—was placed under "embargo." He did not like the expression himself because it was not sufficiently explicit and distinct, but he was compelled to use it, because it was used in a letter which was his authority for the statement. He understood it to mean that the press was not carried away, but was placed under the charge of the police, and Mr. Lang could make no use of it. He understood now that the circumstances were really these: that an order was issued for seizing the press, but the person to whom it was entrusted was afraid of executing it; because he found that either a real or fictitious sale having been effected, the press did not belong to Mr. Lang. Having set himself right on that point, he begged to refer to another point, in which he should have to correct a statement made the other evening by the noble Lord the President of the Board of Control. He had understood the noble Lord to say the Affghanistan accounts were settled, and that the Sutlej accounts approached settlement. He however understood from an officer of the Military Board, who had just arrived in London, that at the date at which he left India, neither of those accounts were settled. The return which he moved for would show whether that statement, or the statement of the noble Lord, was correct. Upon another point the noble Lord made a statement not entirely correct. The noble Lord stated that two members of the Military Board, who were the majority, and who were of opinion that the case ought not to be proceeded with, thought the opinion of Major M'Tier was of such weight that that opinion should be, together 1310 with their own report, referred to the President in Council. Now, Military Boards had no option; because where there was a difference of opinion, they must report that difference, with the names of the several officers, and wherein they differed. Unless he was very much mistaken, that was now the practice in India, in consequence of a rule he had himself made a few months after his arrival. A question was also put to the noble Lord in the course of the discussion the other night, which was not answered, as to what was the amount found due to Jotee Pershaud on the award when the accounts had been investigated. He (the Earl of Ellenborough) understood the amount found to be unquestionably due, upon the accounts which had been as yet before the Military Board, was between thirty and thirty-five lacs of rupees, or between 300,000l. and 350,000l., not one rupee of which had been paid. In addition to that, Jotee Pershaud had entered into security, and that security, represented by absolute stock, which Jotee Pershaud had transferred to the possession of the Government, amounted to five lacs of rupees, or 50,000l., in consideration of the contracts into which he had entered; so that, taking the last advices, the Government was in possession of property belonging to Jotee Pershaud, amounting to very nearly 400,000l., and that was the result only of such accounts as had as yet come before the Military Board—those accounts only which had been considered and approved by the military officers—therefore much more than that sum was actually in the possession of Government. The Gwalior accounts were, he believed, settled. The Affghanistan and Sutlej accounts were not settled; and he understood, such was the disgust of this Hindoo contractor at the delay in the settlement of these accounts, that when it was proposed he should engage as contractor in the Punjaub campaign, he absolutely refused to do so. It was only by holding out promises of considerable reward, and the accession of a title of honour, that he was induced to undertake that contract; and in justice to that person he was bound to state, that he (Jotee Pershaud) entered the enemy's camp, bought the grain in their own bazaars, bribed the persons in charge of it, and it was brought into the British camp for the support of our troops. The noble Lord then moved for the following papers:— 1311
A return of the date of the final Settlement of the accounts of Jotee Pershaud, an army contractor in India for the campaign of Affghanistan, of Gwalior, and of the Sutlej, respectively: Also, an Account of the Total Sum found by the Military Board to be due to Jotee Pershaud, and unpaid on the 2nd of May, 1851, on such Accounts as had been then laid before that Board for the said several Campaigns, and for the Campaign in the Punjaub, respectively: And also, an Account of the Sum deposited by Jotee Pershaud, as Security on his undertaking the several Contracts for the said several Campaigns respectively, and of the Total Sum under these Heads which remained in the Hands of the Government of India at the above Date.
§ LORD BROUGHTONmade a statement in answer, which was quite inaudible.
§ On Question, agreed to.