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signed the treaties, and led by a member of the Regency itself, have risen in arms against us, and have waged a fierce and bloody war for the proclaimed purpose of destroying the British and their

power.

"The Government of India formerly declared that it desired no further conquest, and it proved by its acts the sincerity of its professions. The Government of India has no desire for conquest now; but it is bound, in its duty, to provide fully for its own security, and to guard the interests of those committed to its charge. To that end, and as the only sure mode of protecting the State from the perpetual recurrence of unprovoked and wasting wars, the Governor-General is compelled to resolve upon the entire subjection of a people whom their own Government has long been unable to control, and whom (as events have now shown) no punishment can deter from violence, no acts of friendship can conciliate to peace. "Wherefore the GovernorGeneral of India has declared, and hereby proclaims, that the kingdom of the Punjab is at an end; and that all the territories of Maharajah Dhuleep Singh are now and henceforth a portion of the British Empire in India.

"His Highness the Maharajah shall be treated with consideration and with honour. The few chiefs who have not engaged in hostilities against the British shall retain their property and their rank. The British Government will leave to all the people, whether Mussulman, Hindoo, or Sikh, the free exercise of their own religions, but it will not permit any man to interfere with others in the observance of such forms and customs VOL. XCI.

as their respective religions may either enjoin or permit. The jagheers, and all the property of sirdars and others who have been in arms against the British, shall be confiscated to the State. The defences of every fortified place in the Punjab which is not occupied by British troops shall be totally destroyed, and effectual measures shall be taken to deprive the people of the means of renewing either tumult or war.

"The Governor-General calls upon all the inhabitants of the Punjab, sirdars and people, to submit themselves peaceably to the authority of the British Government, which has hereby been proclaimed. Over those who shall live as obedient and peaceful subjects of the State the British Government will rule with mildness and beneficence. But if resistance to constituted authority shall again be attempted,-if violence and turbulence be renewed, the Governor-General warns the people of the Punjab that the time for leniency will then have passed away, and that their offence will be punished with prompt and most rigorous severity."

It was determined to put Moolraj, the ex-Dewan of Mooltan, upon his trial before a special military commission, consisting of four British and two Native officers, and a colonel of the Sikh army, upon the following charges:

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1. As having aided and abetted in the murder of Mr. Vans Agnew, late of the Bengal Civil Service, and Lieutenant Anderson, late of the Bombay Military Service. 2. Having been an accessory before the fact, inasmuch as he had instigated his troops to the attack and murder of Messrs. Agnew and Anderson. 3. Having [2 C]

been an accessory after the fact, inasmuch as he had rewarded the murderers.

Moolraj was allowed the aid of an advocate, and Captain Hamilton, who was selected for that purpose, discharged his task with great zeal and ability. The trial lasted

fifteen days from the 2nd of June, and in the result the Court found Moolraj "Guilty" on all the three charges, and passed upon him the sentence of death. This, however, was afterwards commuted into imprisonment for life.

CHAPTER XV.

CANADA.-Question of the Rebellion Losses Indemnity Bill consideredOpposition from the "British Party "-Provisions of the Indemnity Act-It receives the Assent of the Governor-General-Outbreak of Lawless Violence-Burning of the Houses of Parliament-Address of Confidence in Lord Elgin voted by the Assembly-Disaffected State of Public Feeling at Montreal-Petition to the Queen for the recall of Lord Elgin-Prorogation of the Parliament - Declaration in favour of Annexation with the United States.

UNITED STATES.-Inaugural Address of President Taylor---Formation of the New Cabinet-Presidential Message to Congress-TopicsRelations with Foreign States-Sympathy with Hungary-Extension of the Coast of the United States on the Pacific-Question of the Slave Trade-Modes of Connecting the Atlantic and the PacificPosition of the Treasury-Proposed Establishment of an Agricultural Bureau-Mineral Wealth of California-State of the American Navy-Question of the Presidential Veto-Constitutional Rights and Responsibilities.

ANADA.-During the rebel

Con which raged in Canada

in the years 1837 and 1838 considerable damage had been inflicted on property in various places, both by the Loyalists and the Rebels. Upper Canada, which is emphatically the British Province, had throughout the conflict remained faithful to its allegiance, and the whole strength of the insurgents lay amongst the discontented French Canadians of the Lower Province. An Act of Indemnification was afterwards passed, while Lord Metcalfe was Governor-General, the object of which was to give compensation to the inhabitants of Upper Canada for the losses which they had sustained in the rebellion. This Bill was a most equitable measure for reimbursing brave and loyal subjects for the sacrifices which they had been compelled to

make in defence of the rights of
the British Crown. But an equal
claim was afterwards advanced on
behalf of Lower Canada, the hot-
bed of discontent, and focus of
the insurrection, and it was con-
tended that the property of many
innocent persons had been there
destroyed, who were entitled to
compensation equally with the suf-
ferers in Upper Canada. The dis-
affection, however, of Lower Canada
had been so general and so notori-
ous, that it seemed unjust to put
its population upon a footing in a
measure of this kind with the Loy-
alists of the Upper Province; and
besides, it was felt that such a Bill
opened the door to the abuse of
indemnifying actual rebels for
losses which they had brought
upon themselves by their own trea-
son. The proposal, therefore, met
with strong opposition from the
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British party, and when a Bill for the purpose was brought forward in the Canadian Parliament, a violent feeling of hostility was excited, not only within the walls of the Assembly, but also amongst the populace out of doors. We mentioned in our last volume that, at the commencement of the Session, immediately after the general election in Canada, the Ministry were defeated on a question of confidence, and they therefore resigned. The Governor-General thus felt himself compelled to form an Administration out of the Opposition, which in local politics was desig. nated as the French Party, the chief strength of which lay in the province of Lower Canada. They determined to mete out to the latter what they considered the same act of justice as that which Upper Canada had received, and they brought in a Bill for the purpose, which was entitled "An Act to provide for the indemnification of parties in Lower Canada whose property was destroyed during the rebellion in the years 1837 and 1838." It recited among other matters the unanimous address of the Legislative Assembly to Lord Metcalfe in February, 1845, praying the adoption of indemnity measures; the appointment of a Commission, who reported on each claim; and the necessity and justice of more minute inquiry into the claims not yet paid and satisfied. It provided that no person should be entitled to indemnity who had been convicted of high treason committed since the 1st of November, 1837; or who, being charged with high treason and arrested by the Sheriff of Montreal, had submitted to Her Majesty's will and been transported to Bermuda. It then empowered the Governor to issue debentures for

sums amounting to 100,000l.; to appoint five Commissioners to receive claims till the 1st of May, 1850, inquire into and ascertain the amount of the losses of each claimant, and on or before the 1st of September, 1850, report their proceedings to the Governor, stating the sum allowed to each claimant.

After protracted opposition this Bill passed through the Canadian Parliament, and with other Bills stood ready for the Royal Assent at the end of April in the present year. On the 25th of that month Lord Elgin proceeded to the House of Assembly and gave the requisite sanction to the obnoxious Act, the consequence of which was an immediate outbreak of lawless violence. The events that followed are briefly detailed in a despatch from: the Governor-General to Earl Grey, from which we give a few passages. He says:

"When I left the House of Parliament, after giving the Royal Assent to several Bills to which I have referred, I was received with mingled cheers and hootings by a crowd by no

means numerous,

which surrounded the entrance to the building. A small knot of individuals, consisting, it has since been ascertained, of persons of a respectable class in society, pelted the carriage with missiles, which they must have brought with them for the purpose. Within an hour after this occurrence a notice issued from one of the newspaper offices, calling a meeting in the open air.

At the meeting inflammatory speeches were made. On a sudden, whether under the effect of momentary excitement, or in pursuance of a plan arranged beforehand, the mob proceeded to the House of Parliament, where the members

were still sitting, and, breaking the windows, set fire to the building and burned it to the ground. By this wanton act public property of considerable value, including two excellent libraries, has been utterly destroyed. Having achieved their object, the crowd dispersed, apparently satisfied with what they had done. The members were permitted to retire unmolested; and no resistance was offered to the military, who appeared on the ground after a brief interval to restore order and aid in extinguishing the flames. During the two following days a good deal of excitement prevailed in the streets, and some further acts of incendiarism were perpetrated. Since then the military force has been increased, and the leaders of the disaffected party have shown a disposition to restrain their followers, and to direct their energies towards the more constitutional object of petitioning the Queen for my recall and the disallowance of the obnoxious Bill. The proceedings of the House of Assembly will also tend to awe the turbulent. I trust, therefore, that the peace of the city will not be again disturbed. The newspapers which I inclose contain full and, I believe, pretty accurate accounts of all that has occurred since Wednesday last.

"The Ministry are blamed for not having made adequate provision against these disasters. That they by no means expected that the hostility to the Rebellion, Losses Bill would have displayed itself in the outrages which have been perpetrated during the last few days, is certain. Perhaps sufficient attention was not paid by them to the menaces of the Opposition press. It must be admitted, however, that their position was one of

considerable difficulty. The civil force of Montreal-a city containing about 50,000 inhabitants of different races, with secret societies and other agencies of mischief in constant activity-consists of two policemen under the authority of the Government, and seventy ap pointed by the Corporation. To oppose, therefore, effectual resistance to any considerable mob, recourse must be had in all cases either to the military or to a force of civilians enrolled for the occa sion. Grave objections, however, presented themselves in the present instance to the adoption of either of these courses until the disposition to tumult on the part of the populace unhappily manifested itself in overts acts. More especially was it of importance to avoid any measure which might have had a tendency to produce a collision between parties on a question on which their feelings were so strongly excited. The result of the course pursued is, that there has been no bloodshed, and, except in the case of some of the Ministers themselves, no destruction of private property.

"The proceedings in the Assembly have been important. I inclose the copy of an address which has been voted to me by a majority of 36 to 16, expressive of abhorrence at the outrages which have taken place in the city of Montreal, of loyalty to the Queen, and approval of my just and impartial administration of the Government with my late as well as my present advisers. Some of the Opposition approve of the course which I have taken with respect to the Rebellion Losses Bill; as appears from the speeches of Messrs. Wilson and Galt, of which reports are given in the newspapers which I inclose. Mr.

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