The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-04 00:00:00

THE LATE SIR CHARLES NAPIER.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

"De mortuis nil nisi bonum vitiis nemo sine Ink

SIR,-It was with feelings of profsund regret that I
read the most ungenerous, unfeeling, and unjust remark,
as the concluding paragraph of an obituary "on the death
of Sir Charles Napier," in Allen's Indian Mail of the
20th instant. The writer of the article in question,
after making some slight comment on the decease
of that illustrious and immortal hero, most uncere.
moniously and coolly remarks, that "he (Sir Charles)
was a turbulent, headstrong, and vindictive man. The

assertion of his claim to a larger portion of the Scinde
booty than was at first assigned to him, and which could
be realised only at the expense of his comrades in arms,
shows that he was not a disinterested one. His nepotism
was the more reprehensible, seeing that it was his prac-
tice to accuse all persons of power or influence of abue.
ing their opportunities. His career in Scinde was, in
a military point of view, one of the most glorious in
modern history ; but the cause was rotten ; the con-
quest of Scinde was unjust, and all the splendour of vic-
tories achieved, not by chance, but by profound military
skill, cannot wash out the original stain which marks
the quarrel. The general's brother laboured as hard to
defend the conquest of Scinde, as did the general him-
self ;to achieve it. Indeed, the whole family of the
Napiers seem to have entered into a solemn league and
covenant' to puff themselves and to revile all the world
beside. Nothing could be in worse taste than the at-
tempt of Sir William Napier to make a speech on the
solemn occasion when the bones of his deceased relative
were consigned to that dim abode to which all must at
some time descend. It was, moreover, an indecorum
without any precedent, as we believe, to give it a colour.
No one stepped forth under the dome of St. Paul's to
pronounce a panegyric on the Great Duke ;' and mag-
nificent as was Sir Charles Napier's military fame, it was
not enough to excuse the ill-considered step attempted
by his brother."
It is, I boldly assert, as malicious and shameful a
libel 'as ever was written by a man styling himself an
Englishman, and calls forth from your readers generally
the loudest condemnation. Now, Mr. Editor, with
Your wonted impartiality, allow me to make a few brief
remarks, which will, I am sure, convince your readers
and Yourself, that the statements above alluded to are as
I have represented them. I cannot conceive why such
words were printed by the Editor of Allen's Indian Mail,
that if lie wished to please the Court of Directors of the
honourable East India Company, under whose patron.
age he is living, he has greatly mistaken that honour-
able body, as they are all too generous to approve
of such illiberal criticism, and they appreciate the ines-
timable services of the deceased too well to allow them-
selves to be prejudiced by such controverse statements.
Even had Sir Charles possessed the failings imputed to
him, surely as the grave has closed over his remains they
should be for ever buried in oblivion.
The following extract from the Lahore Chronicle, dated
Sept. the 24th, 1850, relative to Sir Charles Napier, will
serve as a preamble to the refutation I am about to
make .
"The period of his Excellency the Commander-in-
Chief's stay in India is now rapidly drawing to a close,
and although his career has been but short, it has been
in many respects beneficial to the army at large. Indeed,
it is a question if any of his predecessors have
been distinguished by the same unbending firmness
and perseverance in the cause of reform. He
has in a great measure rid the army of some who,
wearing the garb of authority, exhibited the conduct of
rogues and impostors, and bore the character of drunkards
and gamblers, oppressing the weak and misleading the
simple, by awarding them the punishment which justice
and law inculcate, thus displaying in full and indelible
colours as a beacon to others the errors and consequences
of their course.
" That the name of his Excellency will go down to
posterity with the; glow of affection and the breath of
applause, none but the prejudiced reproved will deny."
The attempt of the editor of the Mail, if I rightly de-
signated him, is like that of a pack of hounds barking on
the appearance of the moon, which does not prevent its
lustrous beam ; or that envious set who attempted to
lessen the powerful rays of the sun by throwing dust at
it. To return to Sir Charles. During his residence in
Indiahe was beloved by all honest and good men, although
he certainly was a terror to the wicked.
There are such innumerable instances of his liberality,
humanity, and strict impartiality, that to narrate all of
them would fill volumes ; therefore, I will content my-
self with mentioning a few of them, the truth of which
I can vouch for, and no doubt many of your readers
were eye witnesses of the facts I am about to mention.
A native commissioned officer, in consequence of ill
health, resigned the service of the Hon. East India
Company, with marks of distincton and medals.
Being a young man and used to active service, when he
recruited his health he went to Lahore in search of a
situation, and tried all his friends, but he found it was
impossible to obtain access either through them or his
own resources to the authorities, who were constantly
surrounded by a host of myrmidon Chuprasees ; he was
consequently at the brink of starvation, and in total
despair of obtaining the means of subsistence. At this
time Sir Charles Napier arrived, and with his followers
encamped at Lahore. The young man, with a me-
morial, waited in the way of his Excellency, who, seeing
a petitioner, drew in the rein of his charger,
took the memorial, and, without any ceremony, desired
the petitioner to follow his Excellency to the tent,
where he not only heard all he had to say, but obtained
him a suitable appointment, which he stills fills, with
credit to himself and satisfaction to his superiors, at
Lahore, and thus rescued him from degradation and
misery. Mr. Editor, this is one amongst thousands of
instances. Sir Charles, without pomp or ostentation,
habituated himself to go through the encampments, lis-
tened to the grievances of the soldiers, checked their de-
predations and extortion on villagers, and did not at
any time allow their bad actions to go unpunished ; he
stopped them from taking away they fowls, eggs, fuel,
and other provisions of the peasantry without payment;
he was ever accessible to all, and never considered any-
thing too troublesome or inconvenient, if he could pro-
mote the happiness of others by attending to it. The result
was obvious, and there are myriads who will never think
of him without regretting his loss to the greatest possible
extent. His courage was unbounded, he never enter-
tained the least fear of being assassinated ; and in time
of war was frequently known to venture into the very
teeth of the enemy.
he prevented poor Indian travellers and merchants
from
being assaulted and whipped by young military
officers, and made an example of one or two of the latter
at Lahore.
he often assisted cashiered and unfortunate officers in
Pecuniary point of view, from his own private purse,
although
he was compelled to dismiss them from the
service by law and honour ; and in instances where mean
nd if hgresseds he nobly forgot all private resentments,
their "tild
do them no good by speaking of them,
be the one were t sunk in oblivion rather than he would
I and afraid expose them to the world.
able tune,
andl and taking up too much of your valu-
I will
that of your numerous readers, therefore
r conclude
never
ihy assuring you, Mr. Editor, that I have
Charles .
any Way been personally connected with Sir
Napier, n
nor did I ever receive any favour in my
life from him. The only
Companyy was for a few moments in London, when I
with a native friend of Sir Charles's to interpret to
jam as lacquainted with his relatives, and therefore
disinterested in the affair in making these ob-
servations as the man in the moon himself.—l am yours
'verY obediently,

London, Oct. 1,1853 A. AN
INDIAN OBSERVER.
i,,,,l;Vire gladly give insertion to these generous words of
"Lugn
and ation and homage--homage age--homage for an illustrious hero,
• .
inthgihomage--homage against his most base and despicable
traducers, There is bitter truth in every syllable penned
by correspondent. —ED. or THE Surr.]
..........._ .._

c, , .. :
DEATH PllOll OBESITY.---The oavannart II etas says
" One of our city physicians has handed us the following
Fxtract from a letter written to him by a professionalsn...
ibrother in the up-country, describing a somewhati .
War ease we believe of rare--
occurrence in me.nd,icail...prainc.
nlay
-t, '
et:l,44'oEl4ns put in a slip to give yo
lace, who
had % eatla from the rapid accumulationuai.s'oe;aita.' We
tvae /43117ig man residing 18 miles from tir P
yearsone of t i l f tue Atthe
he .he m rac es ona r . _
rl
increase Yft,ghed 565 lbs. He continued age of 22.
he vitte atfliesh until he reached a little
ovaenrd comfort
g , duGoalolyihst.o;
to hinaself:Cdget about with tolerable ease
a fine estate, and
and interest.
tended to his plantin interest ; he had
Some four Weeks looked after it withcare
in flesh
very rapidly, and arr, he. com inenci d increasings.
lib per day, then it
was found he gain:l4aea 1.1
Last
week he died suddenly
his chair,ov I think from aeon-
illlitttlefirst over 21bs. per day.
mnlation of fat around th heart. Three days
his death he weighed 6431 bs , 'and had he been weighed
the day of his death no do prior to
6601b5. I have often seenubhii d his family a
mheawndouvlidsitheaveone over
few months ago professionally.L-New York Commercial
4 vertizer.
ce leb
GLOUCE3TEH
ration was BARToN PAIR. This famous agricultural
held on Wednesday and Thursday.
Cattle and stock of every description have been selling
at very high prices, particularly store pigs, which were
U.04.ing17 clvar.—Cltatenitani, Chronicle.