The Express.
London, England, 1849-06-02 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 2, 1849.

ght OffrtfilS.

design. His aim was . _ ____iy to keep to the
spirit of the treaty with the Sikh Birder., and to
conciliate them, whilst easing the people of their
fiscal burdens. In these endeavours the correspon-
dence bears lianas how fully he was supported by
the members of the Darbar, even at the very time
when be was reducing them to cyphers. Col. LAW-
RENCE, however, observed the forms of respect, and
made the Durber appear at least the ruling power in
the country. They in turn were submissive, with per-
haps one exception, which the Colonel records, not,
we think, to the disadvantage of the personage in
question :
Birder Shere Sinalt's frank and bold manner is strangely
contrasted with the demeaniiur of that of almost every other
chief in the Durbar." P. 33.

Ol; ['GOING MAILS.

The
Juan
maleveningls far Madeira, the Brazils and Buenos Aires, willbe made
ap es of the 4th of
Thethe mails for Vigo, °patio, Lisbon, Wedeln, Cadiz, end Gib:altar,
will be made up on the morning of the 7th of fuse.
The mails, ria Marseilles, to the Mediterranean, Egypt, Ceylon,
India, lions-Kong, ts., will bested* up on the twining of the /tb of
June.
Melte ler British North AMMON lad the United States win be
made up on the evening at the Sib effuse.
The West Ladle Math, erelediog Bermuda, BIM ROL Nemo,
floritures, New Orleans, end Attains, aryl ineude,: thus for
Msdedra, St. Jean.de.Nlearagea, New Grenada, ChM, and Peru, snit
be made up an the morning at the It th June.
The mails tot Oibrattar, Malta, Werner, use belie Wand', Egypt,
Aden, Ceylon. ladle, Honsolteng, and Chula, vie euruhampten, will
be made up on the 20th of June.

NOM WATIM AT LONDON lOUDOIL
T. D.w —w.aar. Oda pee Anorsees. 0 sr. prt 0.
10-110assw-listrap.ll ma. prt 0. Artrma, 41 Ma. p.m 0.

The first result of the great assumption of power by
the British wu, as is always the cue, to create a
British and a native party. Tee Quesa Mother put
herself at the head of the latter and began to pie'.
It proved, however, quite facile to the Resident to
overcome this hostility, to banish the Queen Mother,
to dispossess and punish her partisans. In this all
the other members of the Durbar not only fully joined
but even led the way. And had they been fairly
treated subsequently the very circumstance bound
them still stronger to the interests of the British.
Interference, however, went on from great affairs
of policy to the smallest elements of detail. Not
only were the complaints of the population
against their fiscal officers encouraged, but even
that of the soldiers against their chiefs. And
to be a Sikh in place, either military or civil,
inevitably exposed the officers or functionaries
to a host of inquiries, and tribulations and repri-
mands, impossible to bear. The more zealous
the British officer or authority, the more intolerable
was he to the Sikh in authority beside him. Caid.
Aanorr, in the Harrareb, evidently set down every
Sikh as a traitor and a rogue, and his treating them
as such made them so. Major EDWARD'S gravely
proposed to disarm the whole population of Bunnoo,
of the mad impracticibilii of which the Itcsident
was obliged to spend much time in persnaling him.
It Is amusing to observe that whilst the British
authorities were thus monopolising every shred of
power, the Indian government accuses the Sikh
I authorities of doing nothing. Thus one of the grand
reasons alleged for the deposition of the Sikh sove-
reign, is that his Durbar or Sikh government never
paid a single rupee of the two-and-twenty lace stipu-
lated as the annual contribution. But the fact is,
that neither Sikh nor Durbar had the least control
tither in collecting revenue or in expending it. Fur
the sake of popularity and peace, the British remitted
a vary large share of both lewd and customs revenue.
The Sikh chiefs ccmpiaiued that this might be very
desirable, but that it must diminish their liabilities to
the tr.bute. DEENA NATII, however, who was the
Sikh chancellor of the exchequer, was cashiered :
and Mr. LAWRENCE writes, in Sept. 1847 :
We repute that Misr Itlegrai shall have the entire con-
trol over the treasury, that he be obliged to keep a daily
ecconat 01 receipts and disbursements, to be countersigned
periodicaily by the Resident, and that no voucher for any
item of expenditure be valid without the Resident's signa-
ture.
Whilst the treasury itself was thus placed in the
hands of the British official, whilst the customs bad
been regulated according to his order, the land tax
was assessed in Peshawur by Major LAwneece, in
Ilszateh by Captain ABBOTT, in the country beyond
the Indus by General CORTLANDT and Major ED-
WARDES. Nlr.Coces was employed in the south. 'f tau
Itecident himself overlooks DEENA NATH in taxing
the country east of theJheltim. With such complete,
such exclusively British control, how can the Sikhs
or their Durbar be teemed of withholding two-arid-
tweety lace of tribute ? If insufficient taxes were
raised, was it the fault of the Durbar ? If what was
raised was ill spent, it cannot have been done by Stkh
extravagance.
The atm of the British authorities, laudable in part,
though even in that ignorantly directed, was at once
to lighten the burden on the lower class, yet keep the
revenue up to the point which would show] the Pun-
j aub to be a profitable speculation. And this they at-
tempted of thcmtelves without making mu of the
Sikh notabilities. Nay, at last they strove to make
up the deficiencies in their budget by mulcting the
Sikh chiefs. In so do:ng,they provoked the resistance
of MoOLRAJ, and the defection hi SIIEB.E SINGII,—a
wet ill-judged, blundering mixture of economy and
greedine-a, which grasped at hundreds, and was
bud to spend millions in the ill-judged attempt.
From beginning to end, however, the series of blun-
ders, administrative, fiscal, and military, were the
acts of British authorities', and of those
alone. The Durbar was not even consulted.
The Maharajah was in hie nursery. Our officials may
cook op stories of conspiracy; but the true and only
corspirseywas that of their own fatuity, ignorance
and avarice, against the peace of a country, and
against the submissiveness of chiefs, anxious to be
quiet, bad they been allowed to remain so.
The other accusations urged against the Durbar and
the Sikh chiefs are really too trivial and too feeble to
niei it notice. Oco ia that they called in the Maho-
medans, the known enemies of the Ilindoo rate and
creed, to co-operate with them against the British.
Whoever opens the Blue Book, however, will at once
see that it was Captain Aettorr who first armel the
Mahomedais on the Ilazareh against the Sikhs. Major
EDWARDEB did the same, and built his hopes of
saving Meehan upon the very circumstance. How
can we accuse the Sikhs of appealieg to Aluminium
aid, when oar own officers set them the example ?
Another point of accusation is, that the Sikh girders
were ignorant of gecgraphy, and knew not where
Benares or the Deccan lay. Is it possible to adduce
proof more complete of these chiefs being devoid of
ambition,or of any of that capacity for extending views
and intrigues, which we have been taught to dread in
the rulers of the Punjaub ?
That &MBE SINGH and the ATTAREEWALLA family
did, when provoked, make a bold strogile against
the British army and British dominion, is not
to fiP elenittd. iC.Br vet aCj objeetioa be raised
to that family being subjected to the penalties of
forfeiture. But the ArrAaEtwALLss were not after
all of the old Sikh nobility, no more than MOOL-
RAJ. It wee we who raised them up, gave them au-
thority, and then discontented them. But there re-
mauled& fair proportion of the S;rders not implicated.
The old experieccei head, of the Durbar still remain-
ed at Lahore. Tee SINGII the warrior, DEENA NATH
the statesman, and many more who might well refuse
to attend the humiliating scene of the Rajah's deposi-
tion, could not be considered unfaithful to the treaties
or the settlement of 1846.

LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE 2.

THE imperial constitution for Germany, of which
we publish an abstract in another column, is
at length promulgated. There is no doubt of
its now obtaining the adhesion of every go-
vonment. Bavaria stands too much in need of

imperial or of Prussian aid to keep anything like a
monarchy alive. Russia may be averse, Land Austria
irate, but both have too much at present on their
hands to throw any determined obstacles in the way
of German unity.
The great difficulties are to be encountered ffom the
people and from the liberal party, both of whom, we
regret to say, have ample cause of complaint in the very
sestous modifications which have been made by
the princes or their delegates at Berlin, in the im-
perial constitutior, as frame I and voted by the Frank-
fort parliament. Ris known that this constitution,
like moat of those in being, contested of a Volishans
and a Statenhaus, a House of Commons and a Senate,
the senate being elected half by the 1 rovincial states
or leg, islatures, half by the peoptiL To three two
chambers the new octroyed constitution adds a third
to be called a Fiirsten Rath to consist of six members
besides, the Fiirsten Rath to have the power, that no
ministerial proposal can be ma,le in eviler of the
imperial chambers without first receiving the sanction
of the Farsten Rath. We must say at orce' that did
we consider Ws monstrous excrescence as likely to
make an efficient or permanent part of the constitution,
we should at once abandon all hopes of it. But such an
absurd proviso, which is like holding an extineuisher
over the candle the moment you are pretendi• g to
light it, will be imp srible to carry out or act upon.
The King of Pattsfirt himself, we believe, has
objected to this princely conclave as quite
futile. Any member may rise to make a
motion in tither of the imperial chambers, and if the
motion be carried through both of tt cm, and sceepted
by the chief of the empire, of what avail is the
preliminary richt of the Fiirsten Rath i> One can
only consider it as a bauble hung round the necks
of certain big children in constitutional life, in
red r to please and console them, but not add to their
strength.
Another objectionable change is the substituti •n of
indirect for direct suffrage. We marvel the more at
it, from the bed success of this innovation, as tried in
Priewia. In many cues it has renderel the election
a mere hazard. The record degree of election is

complicated too, in the new imperial charter, by the
classification of e'ectora according to their fortunes,

allowing Ow richer classes to —return more mem-
bers iu proportion to their numbers than the poor.
This system of voting by centuries, not tribes, as
was the case in ancient Rome, is se little likely to
endure, as in the constitution of that imperial city.
This is a cretchet, that might no doubt be traced to
acme professor of more learning than practical
experience.
For the substitution of an absolute for a suspensive
veto in the emperor we were prepared, and think it
wise. It was probably the suepeosive veto that first
suggested the Firsten Rath. They are both of them
suspicious provis e, worthy of each other, and we
arc only sorry that they do not disappear together.
Instead of the title of Reichschirmherr, ss first re-
solved on, and certainly little harmonious, that of
Reichrrurstmul has ben substituted.
Amongst the important ports of the Frankfort
constitution the Retch, Gerscht, or Federal Court,
was that perhaps most prominent. It was adopted
from the American system ; it is repeated in the new
constitution, and is d 'veered and made use of even
to a greater ergree than the parliament contemplated.
All differences between the several rate., quarre's
loAvreen legislatures and their princes, all impeach-
ments not only of imperial ministers bat of state mi-
elate re, are to come before the federal court, which
wilt thus be one of the most important institutions of
the empire.
Such is a slight sketch of the princiial provisions
of the new imperial constitution as well-nigh agreed
on by the princes. We have not concealed the dis-
taste occaroned by one or two of its alterations. But
it still preserve* the outline of one of the best consti-
tutions ever drawn up, that of the Frankfort parlia-
otent,and necesearily dear from its popular origin to the
whole German people. Notwithstanding our objections
not only to these alterations, bat even to the very
nature end origin of a Chart, octrnycle, we do still
sincerely ho e that this c institution may be accepted.
Even each as it is, we doubt the pearibility of the
Germans having been allowed to adopt or
secure it, had not both Austria and Rue-
sia been severally occupied with Hungary.
Although the bravo Magyars are engaged
in such a f arful and doubtful contest, they may
console themselves oven in adversity with the con-
sciousness that their resistance has saved German
liberty, and consolidated German unity. Ger-
many in her union navy, ere long, show
herself grateful. Meantime that union, under
a free and common constitution, is the
greatest, not only of all German, but all European
objects. And KC ardently hope to see it attained,
wfi.ld it i CZetiiS a lain.ble, tae. that is, at
present. The popular party alone can at this moment
mar it. That party may have the most just
reasons for discohtent, and for dissatisfaction
even with this new and king-given charter.
But let them profit by the errors of their
French neighbours, and by securing the chief of their
desires, in common and in unison with the middle
and the upper classes of their country, let them found
a German parliament and a German 'empire. This
will be to erect the noblest altar to independence sad
to liberty, where such a shrine must be most influ-
ential, in the very centre of Europe. From thence a
light will penetrate into the far east, to dissolve the
darkness and exorcise all the awe and the magic of

Ir is impossible to conceive anything more ludi-
crously weak, and more insolently lime, than the
series of reasons or pretexts set forth by the India
government writers for dethroning" the younger Sikh
Maharajah. With regard to this prince, indeed, no
grounds for his deposition are even attempted to be
given ; nor has any accusation been laid to his
charge. The fault, instead of being brought personally
home to him, is alleged to have existed in the system,
being a system of government by a native council
and agents under British control. Whatever the
defects of the system, it was however invented and
established by Lord HARDINGE, the failure of whore
bearded wisdom ought certainly not to be visited on
the foetuses or dignity of the beardless Maharajah.
It is now, however, alleged, that no plan of govern-
ment was or is possible between absolute absorption by
the conquering power and the subsidiary system,
which, we admit, is difficult with a state so rich in
military reputation and power as the Punjab.
If so, why did the Indian government male such a
trial, and why, having made it, and made it under
formal stipulations with the native prince and chiefs,
were not the spirit and good faith of those stipulations
acted up to ?
But the fact is, that Indian officials (in India we
mean) were horn the very first determined en an-
nexation, and upon opening for themselves that new
and vast field for wesl.h, promotion, and distinction.
However desirable, such a step was impossible at
first. Public opinion would revolt against
spoliation and ambition so barefaced. The very
India-house would reverse such a decree,
whilst to :obstacles from home would be added the
great obstacle from abroad, that the entire Sikh mili-
tary population would have rebelled. To meet these
two difficulties, the system, now declared im-
possible, • was invented, to allow time and pretext for
bringing about annexation, the one-sided and op-
prtinive operation of that system irritating soldiers
ar.d chiefs, and inevitably producing revolt.
We must, however, at once acquit Col.......TAwitEscr,
the first Resident at Lahore, of any covert or unfair