The Express.
London, England, 1846-09-12 00:00:00

;

At the time that the

anak were inculcating their conciliating d
few and unknown followers, the founders of
empire were engaged in the equally peas
commerce. At Surat, at Patna, at Hfigli,
engaged in the absorbing occupation of mei
did they dream of empire. Towards tl
seventeenth century we find Guy(' Gc
his followers into a military confedera
himself in the fortresses of Anundj
and Chumkour, and preparing to meet in a
forces of Delhi. On toe banks of Hugl
working out the same ends, and at the saw,
the peaceful trader into the energetic Nadler
son was preparing to commence war with
Bengal, and Mr. Charnock was throwing u
at Hidhgelee to receive the property and pt
settlers. The next 50 years were passed b
various fortunes, influenced by the perk
the government of the province, whom the
empire had now rendered absolute. But tl
century was marked to both people by a
rage, followed by an immediate retribution.
remembers with a lively hatred of his form
decapitation of the early martyrs in the
Lahore—neither has he forgotten the an
Khalsa Dul, at the field of the Ohulo
hind ; and the finger of execration still
history to the Black Hole of Calcutta, and
Patna.

_
The outrages were speedily avenged, an
ceeding each saw, on the one hand, the of
scribed votaries of third Govind exulting ci
of their former ruler, and plundering auc
fair city of Sirhind—on the other, the vic
the field of Plessey dispoaing of the Subs
These events, which happened within a fe
other, were the turning points of the hish
tion. Since then s. career of victory has a
confines of the two nations, which, at the c
last cen:ury, were separated by many a hula
the commencement of the ;resent century f
brought the two nations into collision, anc
chief contending against us with armed d
the countries between the Jumna and the Si

-
A few notices may be added of the mi
which have been carried on in this country
period. At that time the line of hills was
the north east; bu: shortly after Ochterlou
field against the Gurkhas, and annex the I
betwixt the Sutlej and the Juana. Fro
1832 little interest has attached to these co
scheme of Lord W. Bentinck to open the
Indus and its tributaries, and finally th
which prevailed in the time of his success
fixed the attention of all India upon the not
The contemplated invasion of the French
Minto, much against the policy of the age it
to push on the frontier to the Sutlej. Th
wards his grandson, Lord Auckland, was ha
apprehension of the designs of the Russ
Bntish influence to the confines of Persia.
was decided upon the countries b. tween th
Jumna have been traversed in every die
armies, and the force stationed there k
increased, till during the last twelvemonths,
Bengal army may be said to have been car
limits. The year 1838 saw the army of tl
across these plains to penetrate new regioi
British standard on the walls of Ghuzni.
saw another gallant force hurry onward
national character, and avenge our elaughte
The close of that same year beheld i
pageantry and show with which the a
welcomed their gallant companions on tl
return. Since then the whole country t
rivers has been held, and, as it were, in mil
And the events which have crowded on,
during the last few months—the four blocs
have been fought actually within our front
which have been plundered and left der
which have been robbed of their green h
ready for the sickle—the oppressions of nu
incalculable number, which have, in spite of
of our rulers, taken place—may, indeed, hat
grey beards, who remembered in their childh
of the Abdali,and the struggle of the Sikh p
to cure their ill-fate that they had lined to
of plunder and confusion, of war and inroad
devoted fields.
We write, perhaps, too near the event
impartiality ; but if the rulers of this county
gaged in a just war, then this one, into whic
vied against our wishes, and
.against what
pronounced our trio interests, may and raw
such a war. Still it cannot be said to ha,
without many a long and loud note of pr
the last two years a feverish excitement
throughout the country, and the 'katicipal
become so general, that it was openly discuss
arrangements had been made confessedly in
it : it had been wished for and prayed for it
circle in the north of India. Various state
what provocative and inflammatory tens
appeared, from time to time, in differentj
home and abroad. And when it is onside

Intinteitie end thole way to Wawa, Ng the general
et seillrennenle emilli of the esel'tee conveyed in
imitrojimi
ri ins le the else it, 'who have ne
ray el raft et ille ;it oar oder—
ihey beer the 2M el tens *mask ilia
ad In Ignorant of the . ef eseisty
as, and low entirely whit : psween.
re the *ekes of inerideek on& efibneellseiw-ean
Aar. eme• ref* NOW Plaller• deter inehinds
'deem, pond if their eseesnt, lebktkihey I•llVer-
with use anwingle of a eeeihtty, Ikeda Iliani an Inde-
x' carol" Oit Arklery, vibe had sus enrammeil=
Ter which they hod
uld not appreciate thellPeametaketr=st *lbws
NO wonder that a pm* thus sinestsidited ems
, with arms and military munitions in game-
-4 without the form of a government to reatasin than,
boldly take the Initiative and peter being the am&
the abseiled ? Posterity mei jisdp and deeds en
snentous question.
i few remarks are penned in the moment of victory
he capital of a eountry to whose rulers the terms el
4 war are being dictated, and the sinurieyegaue foram
tip is being proved by our fallen foe. Bat even in the
'victory at the close of a just war, who eta Imitate to
MO war the greatest of human evils, imemuch as it
widest vistaed*: of misery among the Moran race ?
a who sighs for war, and the glories and distinctions
t brings to the survivor, think only how dearly these
have been bought. Let lima reside the history of
fortunate province, far the lest sewn eateries the
of nearly unceasing wow I let WS Tfriset upon the
sf plunder and opined= width every 'village il
near the line of mush presmsto the peasant,
from his rifled hallealten and his blighted
onverted by despond= tato a ruffian and
er, and finally, is iii mess, cut down as a wild
Let him, when the atment of viekey is gone,
ret the field which a few beers been* bad been so
on, and pause to meat urea the wet maw by
ictory's ends are esassinMistad:—hems ha*. bold
checked in his impstsene enver, se be shared the
ired rampart ; there the seem of the steady column
atry is too clearly indicated W the bodies of the
here lies with the cold Moe poised throe& his
he gigantic foe, with his ads Bale sans ant wfld-
lor still breathing edibling in
od the fir-haired boy of ..a
lad
left his native highlands to ret wpm a soil.
a turn from this scene to the hospital, an walk
y amidst the hideous law house of wounds and
the spontaneous result of our weak nature, but the
g of the black passions of mankind—let him consider
kited prospect of that limbless though still living car-
t a few hours before exulting in the pride of man-
id strength—let him gaze on that manly counte-
r= which the inestimable gift of sight has been for
thdravrn, and consider to how many among the two
1 sufferers upon whom his gaze will fall in Buten-
has become an incumbrance rather than a blessing—
for ever from their friends and profession, or
to return u useless logs to their country. Let
rk the long line of desolation that follows the
an army; let hint listen to the sad tale of the
l peasantry, and visit the ruined spot front which
usehold goods, all their worldly gear, the savings
past harvest and the hopes of the future,
rude hands been sacrilegiously torn; and beyond
ible woes let him consider the destitute ease of the
and the widow struck down in a few brief momenta
stenos to penury—many a wife, whose hopes of hap-
this world are gone for ever ; many a eon, whose
has been altered for life by the premature loss of his
let him accompany the harbingers of grief to his
and, and see many an eye glisten, many a heart
Any a fond home dashed to the ground—let him
all this, and weigh it against the value of the brevet
on which he has gained, and—despite the solid ad-
to the empire which could scarcely come under his
ition, nor were ever present in his thoughts—will he
r that these ephemeral distinctions have been dearly
and that war, in its mildest form, is one of the
evils of thOuman race ?