The Sun.
London, England, 1825-02-17 00:00:00

LENT.

At this solemn period which commenced yester-
day, it may be interesting to observe the ceremonies
practised at the present day in Judea on the oc-
casion.
" I now came to a terrible desert surrounded
" with mountains, tossed, and jumbled in the
" wildest possible confusion, by some violent agi-
" tation of nature. On one of these of prodigi-
" ous altitude, are to use the words of that
44 Evangelist ' an exceeding high mountain,' it is
" said our Saviour after being baptized in Jor-
" dan, was led and tempted by the devil.* Va-
" rious yawning caverns or cells, are to be seen
" in horrible precipices, the abodes of the religi-
" ous. These are inhabited particularly at the
44 period of Lent, after the example of his rigor-
" ous fasting, a certain period in the wilderness,
" triumphing over the vanities of this life, and
" the powers of hell.t The marked wildness,
" dead silence, and sterility of this most extensive
44 and awful wilderness, where there is not a house
44 of any description, or even a tree to shade
" from an oppressive sun, strongly prompted us
" to express that wish which had been conveyed
44 by one of the Prophets.} With respect to
44 finding some place of refuge, perhaps, a situa-,
" tion more completely secluded, and better
" adapted for the votaries of abstinence cannot
po-ssibly be pointed out, upon the face of this
44 globe. Here, it may be remarked as extraor-
" dinary, that Professors of Christianity have at
" any time entertained the idea, that solitary
" meditation in a land of total desolation►, shut
44 out as it were altogether from the world, should
64 amount to a fulfilment of duty, according to
46 the principles of a religion, essentially social in
" all its obligations, as that with which this world
" has been so happily blessed in the doctrines of
" Jesus Christ. These retreats overlook a deep
" gulph or ravine, which is so awfully terrific and
" sublime as to be calculated to shake a spectator
44 to the very center. A short way further, the
" grand plain of Jericho, and surrounding cows-
" try of inexpressible grandeur burst into view."
—(Travels in the Holy Land by WILLIAM RAE
WILSON.)

11 Mat. iv. B.—Luke iv. 3. t 31ark i. 13.
Jeremiah ix. 2.

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS.

This morning the Session of Oyer and Ter-
miner commenced at the Justice Hall, Old Bailey.
Subjoined is a summary statement descriptive of
the various offences with which the prisoners for
trial thereat severally stand charged :
London. Middlesex.
Murder 1

Burglary - - - 2 15
Housebreaking - - - 0 1
Highway Robbery - - 2 • 1
Stealing in the Dwelling-House 3 14
Rape - . - - 0 2
Sheep Stealing - . - 0 1
Cutting and Maiming . 0 1
Horse Stealing . - - 0 3
Embezzling - - - 1 2

Manslaughter - 1 6
Stealing from the Person - 5 13
Receiving Stolen Goods - 0 2
Larcenies - - - - 21 12
Fraud - - - - 1 0
Attempting to-commit Felony 4 0
Harbouring Felons - - 0 1

Total - - - 115
No case of any particular interest took place
his day.

The Wealth of the Country has determined
his Majesty's Ministers to have no more Lottery
Acts. This may sound well, when applied to the
Great Revenue of a great Kingdom, to which a
few Twenty Thousands are but of little use. But
considering that this Mode of Adventure has now
existed upwards of 150 years, and seems the only
way by which an Individual in risking a Small
Sum may gain in a few days a large Fortune, we
cannot but feel regret that Lotteries are about to
cease for ever; and, particularly as the present
kind of farewell Scheme seems arranged upon
an improved Plan, having Four Prizes of
20,000, with many other large Prizes and No
Blanks, and the whole to be decided in One Day,
a mode sure to receive general approval, as no
man likes to be kept in suspense when a For-.
tune is in view.

lIYDERABAD PAPERS.

(No. I.)

FOR THE SUN.

Ma. Enrrott —The public attention having
been greatly excited by the debate on the " Hyderabad
Papers," and the debate again standing over to Friday next,
permit me to offer a few observations on that important
question.

I have resided many years in India, and I believe am as well
acquainted with the character of the natives as most men, and
my unalterable opinion is (not to say any thing of the illegality
of the transaction), that nothing can be more dangerous to the
pafety of our rule, and to the prosperity of the country, than
loans of money advanced to Native Princes.
In the first place, Sir, it furnishes them with the means of
doing mischief; and, secondly, for repaying these loans, or
even the interest on them, grants of land are made in the shape
of Jaghircs, and the people of the country, the labouring
classes, are assigned over to the merciless rapacity of a native
agent, who squeezes the last rupee out of the impoverished
country, for the purpose of administering to the extravagance
or intrigues of the Prince, and to supply the means of paying
the exorbitant interest and. charges of the greedy and, perhaps,
unprincipled European lender.

I would wish to ask, Sir, is it politic towards ourselves, or is
it just towards an industrious but oppressed population, to
allow an European adventurer, probably without character or
fortune, to supply enormous funds (obtained by him at an in-
ferior rate of interest) at an inordinate rate of interest, that the
Prince may gratify his boundless extravagance; or, what is
worse, furnishing him with the means of making war on us,
or the neighbouring State, for to this end would the system of
money-lending eventually proceed--of course lam now speak-
ing of Mussulman Princes, of whom the principal in India are
the King of Oudh, the Nyzam of Hyderabad (whose dominions
contain 10,000,000 of people, and 96,000 square miles, accord-
ing to Capt. SEE LY'S " Voice from India"), the Nawaub of
Moorshedabad, and the Nawaub of the Carnatic, the last of
whom has had his father's debts, to an enormous amount, for
many years in the hands of Commissioners in England, and
from their vast amount, and their fraudulent and complex
character, likely long to remain so. Here is a case in point,
and I have used the word fraudulent, and I do not hesitate to
say that the Nawaub of the Carnatic was plundered of millions
of rupees by unprincipled and avaricious adventurers, who, in
those feeble days of the British Government, bribed his Mini-

stern, corrupted his Government, and pampered his vices and
habits. This will always be the case with the i%lussulman
Princes, for no men in the world are more dissipated, improvi-

dent, and extravagant.
With the Ilindoo Princes the effect of money-lending would
be to create war. Their personal character and habits are
more respectable than the Mahornmedan ; but then they are
ambitious, intriguing, and, with the " Sinews of war" in their
possession, they would instantly set to cutting each others
throats, and war, civil war, would burst out in every district
where the useful and accommodating European money-lender
was to be found. This is the real fact of the case,: and with
the certainty before our eyes, and of which the page of history
affords melancholy and abundant proof, are we to risk our
safety and the internal prosperity of these countries merely for
the sake of allowing a few desperate and needy usurers to make
large fortunes ? In a moral sense, sanctioning such measures
would he an everlasting disgrace to the British Government :
in a political sense, sanctioning such measures is imminently
dangerous to our authority 2nd dominion.
In referring to Mr. ll4unts's speech at the India House

last Friday, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I impugn
not his motives, but his judgment : his public character is a
sufficient guarantee of his intention; but his enthusiastic and
chivalrous notions, in the cause of those he imagines have been
injured or oppressed, leads him into erroneous deductions ; so
that in pleading the cause he only keeps in view the persons,
and not the country and circumstances.

Mr. II 1.7311: assumes, that the Nizam is an independent
Prince, and has an undoubted right to dispose of his
treasures, and likewise of the revenues of the country, as he
pleases. This is neither true in fact, nor indeed will such an
admission be tolerated by those who have any practical know-
ledge of India.

We will, for the sake of argument, or rather for the purpose
of giving information to those unacquainted with the state of
affairs at Native Courts, ask Mr. fIUME whether the Nizam,
being independent (as he asserts) would think of ordering the
British Ambassador (Resident) to quit his Court? and if the
Nizam really was so imprudent as to express a wish to that ef-
fect to the Supreme Government, would they accede to his re-
quest? The answer is—No.

Again, did the Nizam desire the British subsidiary force to
be withdrawn from his territories, would the British Govern-
ment comply ? No. Then in what way is the Nizam, or any
other Ally of the British, Independent, as the word is under-
stood in Europe ? Ile is Independent, inasmuch as he collects
his own revenue, administers his own laws, and coins his own
money ; but there the nominal independence ceases : he cannot
make war, or engage in treaties with other States, without the
sanction of the British. The Nizam has always been faithful
to his engagements—and why ? Because the British have
saved his country from being overrun by the 3lahrattas,
and himself and authority have been protected against in-
ternal foes, of which there are abundant numbers at Hyder-
abad ready for every atrocity and mischief. But that which
has best secured the safety and prosperity of the State has been
the non-access of your money-lenders, your political adven-
turers, and other classes of designing and impoverished Eu-
ropeans, who, if permitted, would soon flock to that feeble and
corrupt Court, and speedily plutige it into anarchy and misery.
I would wish to ask Mr. Huse (for whom personully I have
a great respect) does he desire, or would he recommend, that
the British Residents should be withdrawn from the Native
Courts, and the Princes left to their own uncontroulled sway ?
NVould he, constituted as all Native Courts are, and in the
present situation of the British Power in India, think such a
measure either advisable or safe ? I think not; and allowing ,
such is not 11's wish, does it not follow, that while
our Residents are men of the first character, of tried experience
and undeviating integrity, they must be allowed to pursue such
measures as, with the concurrence of the Prince and the sanc-
tion of the Supreme Government, they may deem necessary to
insure the happiness of the country, committed as it were to
their responsibility and charge, although nominally every act
originates with the Prince and his Ministers. Indeed, in mat-
-ters not strictly political, the Resident never interferes, nor does
he use his influence in any public measure, save those of the
above character.

I have seen a great deal of Native Courts, was serving at one
for a length of time, and have been residing at two others. We
all well know the disposition the Native Princes have for war,
their restless character and boundless avarice, the tyranny of
the Ministers, and the rapacity and extortion of the minions of

the Court, and of the public officers,—Withdraw the power and
influence of the British Resident, supported as it certainly is by
the subsidized British force, at most of these Courts, and it
would be the greatest possible evil that could be inflicted on the
people and on the country.
If we are to keep India, and wish to keep it great and flou-
rishing, no other system than the present can be substituted;
and the question, as far as the Native Courts are concerned,
ends in this:—ls the High British Authority, the Resident, to
be paramount? or are two or three European speculators to
pursue their plans unchecked ?

In our inquiries on the late discussion, are we to allow no
weight to the repeated orders and remonstrances of the Supreme
Government ? Is the confirmation and approval of the Board
of Controul to go for nothing ? Is the opinion of the collective
body of East India Directors of no moment ? Are a reasoning
and liberal-minded people, like the English, to be persuaded
by the clamorous appeal, defeat after defeat, of a knot of Gen-
tlemen, who will allow of nothing being done in India but what
emanates in corruption and ends in injustice ?

Should these prefatory observations be deserving of a place in
your Journal, I ahall pursue my inquiries as far as my time
will permit, for having a book preparing for the Press, I have

but little spare time.