The Press.
London, England, 1857-10-24 00:00:00

to be governed on principles adapted to the present time,
or whether a system is to he continued which has neither
won the affections of the conquered, nor retained the con-
fidence of the conqmring race. Let us unite • irselves
into a league for carrying out the objects which have been
stated to you, and then let us see whether misstatements
in Parliament will avail to prevent the introduction of an
effectual reform in the administration of the country. In
these unfortunate times, I hope I shall not be thought
guilty of affectation when I say that the existing system
fills me with horror as regards the present, and with fears
as regards the future. India has now been one hundred
years in our own,hands, and yet the Government has neither
the confidence of the European adventurer, nor the love
of the natives. If we desire to see a change for the better
brought about, let us bold up to ourselves a definite
motive of action . Our opponents may give to that motive
the name of " self interest." We shall accept that name,
for we know that our "self•interest " will cease to be such
the moment it passes the line of public interest. Let us
show that we are unanimous and determined in the objects
which have brought us together, and I venture to say that
the day is not far off when British India shall be British
India in reality, and not a mere British oligarchy which
represents neither the conquerors nor the conquered.

The resolution was seconied, and the meeting
shortly after separated.

The published private letters from India this week
have on the whole neither oeen numerous nor in-
teresting. Nevertheless, here and there some curious
and noteworthy expressions or paragraphs are to be
found. Such, for instance, is the remark of the Daily
News correspondent upon the affair at Dinapore.
Upon the night of the Ifith of August, a body of
the 40th Native Infantry, in all about 100 men, who
professed to remain true to their colours, were at-
tacked by, it was reported, a party of H.M.'s 10th Foot,
the regiment which fell into the ambuscade at Arrah.
Five natives were killed and eleven wounded. Sir
James Outrain bad promulgated a general order
expressing his " horror and indignation " at the sad
affair, and in such severe terms as to brand the
whole regiment with the crime. This unfortunate
order, coupled with the special order from the Go-
vernor. General to restrict the execution of rebels,
draws from this correspondent rather a remarkable
expression. Speaking of the feeling of the British
troops, he writes :

Norone will be surprised to hear that these orders of
Gove nment have risen in their minds a spirit not to be
controlled; there is scarcely a private soldier between
Calcutta and Cawnpore that does not look upon the Go-
vernment of India as the worst enemy he has : the soldiers
all see the natives—men who have murdered their relatives
—petted in every possible way ; their lives spared, although
guilty, and in some cases honours bestowed upon them :
they, on the other hand, are exposed to the utmost
privations, are often without food, constantly without
shelter, their most trilling fault most severely punished,
and not the smallest attention paid to their requirements.
All these grievances, and more especially the pardons and
rewards extended to murdering rebels, have elicited a
display of feeling at f►inapore, Ilenares, and even at the
Presidency itself, which, it is to he hoped, has opened
the eyes of Government to the danger of having a Euro.
peen as well as a native mutiny.
It has been long known that the British troops in
Bengal have day by day been growing more and more
exasperated at the wavering conduct of the Govern-
ment at Calcutta. It is not even improbable we may
learn before many more mails have arrived that
some such crisis as this writer fears has positively
occurred.

The condition of affairs at Calcutta is far from
satisfactory. Discontent is supreme. "If one fact
has made itself more evident than another during
the late emeute," says one writer, "it is the utter in-
competency of the Civil Service to govern India." :
This mutiny, •f not of their creating, is of their fostering ;
they quailed before it, and feared to meet it a /a Napier,
at tht commencement, until it grew to its present propor-
tions. The evil of having clerks in the position and per-
forming the duties of statesmen, was never more clearly
illustrated. These civilians were well enough when they
were kept, as Lord Ellenbnrough kept them, at their desks;
but permitted by Lord Auckland in 18:37-4l, and Lord
Canning in 1336-7—both most well intentioned, good-
natured, weak men—to govern the country, they speedily
brought it, in an incredibly short space of time on both
occasions, to the very verge of destruction. At the present
moment there is but one prevalent feeling in the public)
mind with respect to the Government, and that is that
Lord Ellenborough should be sent out again, not as a
servant of the Court of Directors, but overriding them.
We should not then see our European troops discouraged
anti debased in every possible way—one guard sent here,
and another there, to protect a few civilians; their hearts
would not feel bitter against th, it Government; they
would not be made sensible every step they took that they
were being wronged and trampled upon ; but they would
be animated by the same noble feelings which irspired
them in 1543. The position of the army is, in fact, now
very much the same as it was in Lord Auckland's time.
Who that saw it then would have recognised in its ranks
the same highspirited men, ready for anything, who
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