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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TILLIC.O. 882

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

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yet he does not appear to be convicted of one single inaccuracy. It was plain, however, both from the course of his cross-examination in 1849, and from the manner in which the prominent parts of his evidence were, in the following year, successively reproduced and set up for contradiction, that grave doubts of his truth and fairness were entertained by some members of Committee.

On the 27th May, 1850, therefore, when he was called into the Committee for re-examination, and after the conflicting statements of Sir E. Tennent and himself, with respect to his concurrence in the alterations made in the export duties, had been read to him, was asked to explain "this apparent incon- sistency," he might well labour under some appre- hension that his credit was in danger. In his explanation he passes in review the various sugges- tions of Earl Grey's Committee together with his own minutes, and explains his policy and conduct with reference to Lord Torrington's commercial policy, and to the export duties especially. He is then taken to the repeal of the shop and dog ordi-

ordinance. nances, and the amendment of the gun

Sir E. Tennent's statement (3233), that though Mr. Wodehouse was not in the Executive Council at the time, "he was on such confidential terms with Lord Torrington, and in such constant communication with him, that though not a member of the Execu- tive Council, his opinion was in almost every in-

stance resorted to by Lord Torrington, and certainly

in every instance with reference to this legislation,”

45144608.

4519.

is read, and he is asked by the chairman, "Why Evidence, 1850.

did not you recommend these changes sooner ?"

His answer is, "That is hardly a fair description of

my position at the time, nor of the manner in which that took place." He then gives, in detail, the circumstances of his interview with Lord Torrington on the 6th November, and concludes:-

4590. Therefore, I state that it is not fair, looking at the way in which it was brought about, to say that it was the effect of my confidential position, and that I was consulted all through, when it was only then for the very first time that

1 had an opportunity of giving those opinions, and when I did it at last, telling him that if he did not act upon my recommendation, I would take the risk of publishing my own opinion.

4591. Mr. Hume.-The first time from what period?-- From the time the shop ordinance, the dog ordinance, and the gun ordinance were passed; that was the first

4590.

Evidence, May 27, 1850.

1.

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time I had a confidential communication with Lord Tor- rington about them.

- 4592. Mr. Hawes.-What period would that comprise? -The whole of the disturbances intervened.

4593. Will you state to the Committee what was the length of the period you speak of?—The fire-arms ordi- nance was passed on the 14th of December, 1847. The shop ordinance was passed afterwards.

4598. Chairman.-Will you read Questions 4223, 4224, 4225, and 4226, and the answers of Sir James Emerson Tennent. (Questions, &c., Read.)

4599. Are you prepared to admit that you never dis- sented from any of the commercial measures of Lord Torrington, or from the policy adopted for the suppression of the rebellion, or that you never gave Lord Torrington reason to suppose that you dissented from him?—That question goes at once into the whole of my personal rela. tions with Lord Torrington's government up to the present time. In order to justify myself I am compelled to go into this matter as to how we stood with each other. It is matter of perfect notoriety in the colony, that for some time after Lord Torrington came out to Ceylon, and the whole of these matters were in discussion in the Executive Council, for some reason or other, I do not know why, nor do I believe anybody knows why, I was not upon friendly or confidential terms with Lord Torrington; that was known to people in the colony as well as out of the colony; it is well known to Mr. Ryder, who was then Assistant Colonial Secretary, and who is now in this country; it is known to Mr. McCarthy, who frequently expressed his regret at the circumstance to me; and it is known to other gentlemen perfectly well; that feeling existed in Lord Torrington's mind up to a late period; I did all that I could do to remove it, and to a great extent I did overcome it, and occasionally he treated me with confidence, but there was an influence that was always counteracting it. With regard to having led him to sup- pose that I assented to everything that was going on, from what I stated to the Committee last year, and from what I have stated to-day, he must have been perfectly aware that I did not approve of many things which had been done; he could not have been ignorant of it; it was morally impossible. Then with respect to his expecta- tion that I should support his policy here, I had no idea when I left Ceylon, though I thought it was likely that I should come here as a witness, that I was to be exa- mined not only upon facts, but upon my opinions upon all transactions relating to the Government from day to day. As soon as I landed in England I called at the Colonial Office; I waited on Mr. Hawes, and simply inti- mated that my opinions were not in favour of the Govern- ment upon all points. I had no communication with any other member of the Committee when I came here. I endeavoured to give my evidence fairly, and I am again in the hands of the Committee on that subject. I had no reason to suppose that my evidence had been so unfa- vourable to the Government as my letters from Ceylon