an endless routine of business, and that the delegating of their authority to executive representatives, whom the Proprietors have the power of removing from office, answers every good purpose.

3d. The Court of Directors to be reduced to fourteen members, and as no commerce is to be allowed, the Court is to be divided into three committees, with three Directors in each committee; one for Bengal, another for Madras, and a third for Bombay; with a superior controlling committee of five Directors (chair and deputy), to communicate with the Government General' of India, and with power over the inferior committees. The members of the junior committee of Bombay to succeed by seniority to that of Madras; thence to Bengal; and ultimately to the superior committee, a member from which to be always chairman of the inferior committees.

Here, again, Mr. Rickards is at variance with some of the India constitution framers of the day; some are strenuously contending for uniting the three presidencies, placing the entire army under one commander-in-chief, and one état-major; others would transfer the whole Indian army to the jurisdiction of the crown (!); and many will have India governed as a large colony: all of which projects as well as hundreds of others, are equally at variance with Mr. Rickards' reform.*

"the

I must not omit to add, that Mr. Rickards says Board of Control should be abolished as a cumbrous+ piece of machinery, and replaced by a secretary of state, with a suitable establishment, and power of control over the Court of Directors." Does Mr. Rickards know the

• Mr. R.'s plan of governing India will be found under the chapter which treats of the Foreign Government.

+ Who are the cumbrous members of the Board, in Mr. Rickards' opinion? The Right Hon. Charles or Robert Grant, Sir E. H. East, Mr. Ellison Holt Mackenzie?-or were they Sir James Mackintosh or Sir John Macdonald?.

condition of Ceylon, under a "secretary of state with a suitable establishment?" But to come nearer home; as Mr. Rickards proposes a "viceroy" for India, and a “lord chancellor" with "a noble title," with a "secretary of state" over all, he will allow me to ask him, what has a viceroy and lord chancellor and a secretary of state, all with suitable establishments and "noble titles," what have they done for Ireland, within twenty-four hours' sail of England, after seven hundred years' government? Has not Ireland been a scene of discord, bloodshed, and famine, melancholy to witness, and fearful to contemplate the result of? Indeed, those who possess a knowledge of the feelings which pervade the breasts of millions of Irishmen, and reflect on the policy which has been adopted towards her under the government of a viceroy, lord chancellor, and secretary, imagine that the legislative union between the two kingdoms is fast drawing to a close, a termination to misgovernment which it is questionable whether the most liberal concessions would now avert.

Ireland has been taught a lesson fatal to rulers, by obstructing the course of justice, and delaying to grant it until fear has bestowed with a niggard hand what oppression durst no longer retain. Would Mr. Rickards set up the example of Ireland as a guide for the government of India? or does he think men entrusted with almost irresponsible power, are not the same in every age and in every country? In Ireland, that power which Mr. Rickards speaks of investing a viceroy, lord chancellor, and secretary of state with, has been wielded by a few to the exclusion of the many ;* but the latter, weary of being

* Mr. Rickards, it is true, talks of a legislative council of Hindoos for India. Has not Ireland had her legislative (privy) council of Irishmen? and have they striven to stem tyranny, or bowed to its power? What expectation is there that the Hindoos would act otherwise?

shot and starved, or refusing any longer to die in a ditch, have turned the tables, and like elephants broke loose from their domesticity, are ready to exercise with vehemence their tremendous strength. If Mr. Rickards' admirers be desirous that the Hindoos should be placed in this state before they are fit to govern themselves, but which fortunately for Ireland is not the case with her people, let his reform be adopted; in the name of anarchy let there be a breaking up of the Home Government of India, a Secretary of State instead of a Board of Control, &c. &c.,— there will soon be little necessity for governing the AngloEastern empire.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR THE AFFAIRS OF INDIA.

The power vested in the crown and its ministers over the government of India, has been exercised since 1784 by a Board, which consists of such members of the Privy Council as his Majesty may be pleased to appoint,* of whom the two principal secretaries of state and the Chancellor of the Exchequer shall always, ex officio, form three.† The president is also nominated by the crown; is usually a cabinet minister, and in all changes of administration retires from office, together with the salaried commissioners and secretary.

The following extract from the Act of Parliament will best explain the powers of the Board:

"The superintendance and control over all the British territorial possessions in the East-Indies, and over the affairs of the United Company of Merchants trading thereto.

"To superintend, direct, and control all acts, opera

33 Geo. III. c. 52, s. 3, 4.

In the present Board, Earl Grey, and Lords Althorp, Goderich, and Palmerston, have a seat.

tions, and concerns, which in any wise relate to the civil or military government or revenues of the British territorial possessions in the East-Indies, in the manner hereinafter directed.

"All the members of the said Board, at all convenient times, have access to all papers and muniments of the said United Company, and are furnished with such extracts, or copies thereof, as they require. The Court of Directors are directed to deliver to the Board copies of all minutes, orders, resolutions, and other proceedings of all General and Special Courts of Proprietors of the Company, and of the Court of Directors, so far as relate to the civil or military government or revenues of the British territorial possessions in the East-Indies, within eight days after the holding of such respective Courts; and also copies of all despatches which the Directors receive from any of their servants in the East-Indies, immediately after the arrival thereof; also copies of all letters, orders, and instructions whatsoever, relating to the civil or military government or revenues of the British territorial possessions in the East-Indies, proposed to be sent or despatched by the Court of Directors to any of the servants of the Company in the East-Indies; the Court of Directors are required to pay due obedience to, and to be governed and bound by such orders and directions as they shall, from time to time, receive from the Board, touching the civil or military government and revenues of the British territorial possessions in the East-Indies.

"Whenever the Court of Directors neglect to transmit to the Board their intended despatches on any subject, within fourteen days after requisition made, it is lawful for the Board to prepare and send to the Directors (without

waiting for the receipt of the copies of despatches intended to be sent by the said Court of Directors as aforesaid), any orders or instructions to any of the governments or presidencies aforesaid, concerning the civil or military government of the British territories and possessions in the East-Indies; and the Directors are required to transmit despatches, in the usual form (pursuant to the tenor of the said orders and instructions to be transmitted to them), to the respective governments and presidencies in India, unless on any representation made by the Directors to the Board, touching such orders or instructions, the Board shall direct any alteration to be made in the same, which directions the Court of Directors are bound to conform to."

It will be seen by the foregoing, that the oath imposes on the Commissioners the responsible duty of governing India to the best of their ability and judgment, as much, and as completely, as if there were no inferior court, or administrative power; in the same manner as the House of Lords is bound to legislate for the general weal as fully as if no Lower House of Parliament existed.

The controlling functions of the Board are exercised in revising despatches prepared by the Court of Directors, and addressed to the governments in India; the originating functions in requiring the Court to prepare despatches on any named subject, in altering or revising such despatch, so as completely to alter its meaning or entire purport if it deem fit; the Board, I believe, asserts the power to forward despatches to the governments in India without communicating their contents at all to the Court of Directors, not even to the Secret Committee thereof, which was specially formed by Act of Parliament for signing officially the orders of the King's Commissioners for India.