The Sun.
London, England, 1824-08-14 00:00:00

and on the mode of treatment of his peo-
ple, &c. &c. would not he, in this case, send
for a constable and remove the man from his
mischievous pursuits ? It is likely in such
case that neither Mr. LAUBTON nor any other
Gentleman would be very choice in the way of
removing such a man, nor would they probably
think much of his accommodation, or how far off
he was transported ; be would be dealt with ac-'
cording to law as a dangerous and improper per-1
son ; ytt when the same thing is done in India,
with every mildness and propriety, and where
the annoyance and danger will bear not the
slightest comparison with the case quoted, a hue
and cry is raised, that to me (notwithstanding the
very great respect I bear to the principal advo-
cates) savours very strongly of party spirit.
"We have now to speak of the native popula-
tion of India, and I wish it to be recollected,
that we speak of a subjugated country, where
the population is as one to 50,000, and where it
is acknowledged on all sides that our rule is thnt
of 66 Public Opinion," strongly engrafted and
maintained in the minds of the people by our
scrupulous attention and respect to their invete-
rate religious prejudices, their institutes, and
their immemorial customs. Nothing can shake
this but our own misconduct in ill treating the
natives, or allowing others to do so, in the shape
of free settlers. 1 shall assert, without fear of
contradiction, that the great mass of the people
are satisfied and pleased with our rule, that their
condition, moral and political, is ten thousand
times better than it was when under their former
masters (on this head some notices will he
found in my Wonders of Elora), the Moham-
medans ; but I am far from admitting that there
are not thousands of able, aspiring, and discon-
tented natives of education and rank who would
gladly join in any measure that promised to dis-
place the British Power. These persons could
not have a more efficient and powerful instrument
than an unrestricted, licentious, and inflammatory
press to aid their machinations. Once informed
of the opinions of each other, the time of going to
work, how to set about it, their own physical
strength, and the great resources of the country,
our discomfiture and final annihilation would be
far quicker in its fall than our rise to prosperity
and power has been. A few corresponding so-
cieties, fraternal clubs, and other materiel of the
French Revolution, would soon be formed. By
a free press the great body of Priests would be
stimulated into action by means as obvious as they
are certain. Religion would be the watch-word,
and the mass now attached to us would fulfil the
command of the Priests to any extent.

In the revolutions which have taken place in
India, and in the establishment of our extensive
power, it will be evident to every thinking mind
that thousands of intelligent and respectable men
have necessarily fallen hi their fortunes; can it
be doubted for a moment that they would not
readily seize the opportunity of rising and ag-
grandizing themselves, or, in other words, that
by a change to the old native rule, instead of
being assistants in the public service, they would
become Deputies, instead of Deputies becoming
Principals ? In subordinate cases they would
exchange from the servant to the master, and that
man who now, in consideration of his decayed
respectability or the former services of his family,
receives a pension, would, in the course of poli-
tical events, expect to be enabled, by the" happy
change," to pay pensions himself. All those
Nobles, Ministers, and others, who held to the
old Court at Delhi, the countless scions of
Royalty, and thousands of other dependants,
would look with delight and enthusiasm to the
re-establishment of themselves and followers.
Where is a litter instrument to forward their pro.
jects and assist them in their now dormant views
than a free press, by which they could communi-
cate with each other, and give excitement and
disgust to the great body of the people, by mis.
representing, falsifying, and libelling the acts of
the British Authorities. Those acquainted with
the facilities of revolution in India, and the rapid
rise and fall of the various dynasties and states,
will see the great probability of what I state.
The causes may be summed up in a few words :
the people are of military habits, have few wants,
and are formed of a restless, high-minded, and
inflammable temperament. A popular commotion
in India is the work of a day, if well arranged
and its ramifications extended ; it is the work of
a year to put it down. Let it, however, be
closely cemented and kept in motion by those
who administer to the ambition of the higher,
and to the passions and prejudices of the lower
orders, and we shall find the task of restoring the
public peace more difficult than we at home can
possibly imagine. Religious enthusiasm, disap-
pointed hopes, and prospects of better times,
would cause revolts and war of a very
different character to the solitary and insu-
lated attack or rebellion of a native Prince,
who, having collected a few thousand followers
and some treasure, makes war on the Government
raasi
n
to obtain better terms, and against 'whom our
Allies will cheer fully proceed, if commanded, or
iri whentlat onceet
intoenlightenedcti()nil thee
de
by a freesig press.
against
active
sandt us.sti-
and
intelligent Europeans as readily actn sof
There is a numerous and important class of
persons among the native community to whom
we must now allude, viz. the native Officers em.
ployed by the Government in civil capacities.—
These people, from education and employment,
are for the most part a superior body of men, and
entrusted with responsible duties. They gene-
rally possess great influence in their districts, and
their public situations give them a command and
weight that we in this country, where nothing of
caste and still less of the usages of India are
known, can have uo just conception. These
Officers, if misled or prejudiced by the writings
and opinions of factious mkn, would become ex-
tremely formidable to the best interests of the
State ; for, as their influence is in the interior
among their own dependants and caste, their opi-
eions would spread and their wishes be attended
to by numerous bodies, possessing warlike habits,
and disregarding any authority but that which
emanates from their native Officers ; and although
they are aware that the orders originate with the
British Government, the European Officer on the
, spot would find it extremely difficult to check