The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-17 00:00:00

of Government any differenci Aoiiid lie Ellat /it the gen-
' ditions that it may be thought advisable to offer, in cage
of the adoption falling on a distant relation of the origi-
nal family, or a person no relation to such family, or on
a connexion of the present Suchew's own family.'
There littd 'ken Ithtlilt that tithe considerable discussion
with respect to these villages, and in the iiiiStttf Of the
Chief Secretary, he says—
" There seems no objection to the Raja's requesting '
the Suchew to fix an allowance for his adopted son, in
case a son should hereafter be born to him.
" With regard to the Prithee Nidhee; I am directed to
obserre, that lie having no personal claims on the Witten
Government in the event of his death without any rela-
tion entitled to succeed him, it will rest with the Raja
to make such arrangements regarding his jagheer as he
may think equitable."
Now, he conceived that the conduct of the Bombay
Government with regard to these jagheers was most
criminal.—(llears hear.) He would show the Court
what was the opinion of Mr.Elphinstone on the subject:—
" In regard to these disputes," Mr. Elphinstone remarks,
" that his (the Akulkote chief's) representation, through
his Vakeel, to the Commissioner in the Deccan, had
been received, and that a Report had also been received,
through the Resident at Sattara, regarding the dispute
which occurred near Nassick. That the whole of the
transactions have occasioned much regret to the Gover-
nor in Council ; that the Raja's ancestors have, from the
first, been servants of the Raja of Sattara, and that at
the late settlement, when it was left to the 'choice of
Futtia Sing Raja to become dependent on the British
Government, or to remain under the Raja of Sattara, he
preferred the service in which his ancestors had acquired
distinction. That it is therefore inconsistent with Malla-
jee Raja's own good sense, and with the loyalty of his fa-
mily, to enter into disputes with the Raja of Sattara ; that
he ought, on-the contrary, to conciliate his Highness's
good-will in all respects, and to consider his prosperity
as depending on the favour of his sovereign. That in the
late affair he appears by no means to have remembered
the respect due to the Raja of Sattara, and that he had
every reason to be satisfied with the forbearance shown
towards him ; that the Governor in Council hopes that
the Akulkotekur will henceforward pay more attention
to conciliating his Highness's regard ; and that, while
he serves him with fidelity, he is sure of the Company's
protection ; but if he neglects the duty he owes his own
Prince, it will be impossible for the British Government
to interfere in his behalf. That the Raja of Sattara is dis-
posed to forget the past, and the Governor in Council
hopes to hear henceforward that all disagreements are
forgotten, and that the attachment of the Raja, of Akul-
kote and favour of the Raja of Sattara are as conspi-
cuous as they have ever been in former days."
Again, in page 59, he found these remarkable words :
" With regard to the grant of Jhut Jagheer to Ram
Row, the Governor in Council has no observations to
offer. Having already declared that the Raja was fully,
entitled to retain the jagheer, and that if he Ivas willing
to bestow it on a member of the former family, the Bri-
tish Government would not interfere with the mode in
which his bounty was conferred.' Thus clearly admitting
one of his Highness's most valuable privileges as a so-
vereign, that of appropriating, as he sees fit, the jag-
beers of families who have no legal heirs according to
Hindoo law, in which case our guarantee ceases as a
matter of course."

Could anything be more explicit or decisive than that ?
—(Hear, hear.) A little further on he found—
" Again, in the case of the Punt Suchew ; the late
Punt before his death, wishing to adopt an heir, com-
plained to the Governor in Council regarding the terms
which the Raja wished to annex to his permission to do
so ; and, in reply, was apprised, With regard, however,
to the terms proposed to be annexed to the adoption, it
must be observed, that although you and your heirs are
to hold your jagheer on certain stipulated terms, yet,
that on a tdtal failure of heirs, it must revert to his High-
ness; and that if his Highness allows it to be continued,
in such case, by adoption or otherwise, his Highness is
at liberty to attach what conditions he thinks expedient
to the permission. As to the terms, this Government
has no reason to think that the Raja's demand will be
unreasonable ; and will recommend your case to his con-
sideration. You, however, must recollect that you vo-
luntarily preferred the Raja's sovereignty; the decision
must, therefore, rest with his Highness, the British Go-
vernment not being able to interfere unless there be a
breach of engagement.' "
Now, if the Raja had any doubt about the treaty, they
should have had a friendly negotiation with him, instead
of taking possession of these jagheers. There could be
no doubt upon the question. Let them ask Mr. Elphin-
stone.—(Hear, hear.) He was there, and could tell them
the same.— (Hear, hear.) He maintained that the whole
of the present unfortunate case had originated in the
conduct of Sir Robert Grant, or rather the Bombay Go-
vernment, with regard to these jagheers.—(Hear, hear.)
They encroached upon his rights, and when he appealed
to the Government they gave him no reply.—(Hear,
hear.) The Bombay Government, instead of negotia-
ting with him, said they would refer it to the Court of
Directors.
Sir J. LUSIIINGTON hoped the Hon. Director did not
meati to attribute this to the conduct of Sir R. Grant.
General ROBERTSON said he had not ascribed it to Sir
Robert Grant—he had laid the blame upon the shoulders
of no one individual, but upon the Bombay Government.
He believed Lord Clive was diposed to do justice to the
Raja; but as to Sir Robert Grant, he had displayed no-
thing but special pleading and pettifogging throughout.
—(Hear, and a laugh.) He was a very good man, but
was not fit to be a governor. In fact, he was no more
fit to be a governor, than he (General Robertson) was to
be an admiral.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) There was
another case of jagheers, which was situated within the
Raja's territories. These were called recent or minor
jagheers, because they were in the gift of the Paellas,
and were intendsd to revert to the Raja on the death of
the then occupiers. With regard to these jagheers, he
found the following passage in the letter of Mr. 'War-
den:- -
.. But, on this principle, the Resident argues further,
the whole jagheers of Akulkote, which is without the
limits, would be excluded from the Raja's sovereignty ;
but the Jeglicerdtir of Akulkote is not under Sattara,
because he lives within or without the Sattara frontier,
but because when his jagheer, or feudal estate, held on
condition of earring the Lord paramount with a military
force, was bestowed on him by the British Government,
Mr. Elphinstone asked him, as lils jokhger was origi-.
nally given by one of the great Rajas of Oattara,
whether he would pay fealty and do service for it to
the Raja or to tile BriiINII (evernment, and under the
guafautee of the lattetaigelast the resumption of the
Nil-fief, he elios# the former ; and Which homage and
service, with the ifiregefitied of ildtge, is all the
can demand, the fiscal add Judicialedffsinietration
Jaaj., •
of the co entry being conducted by the Jaglleeieltne
ifethlti remind the Court that to all tho ape
pliettfititit dt CM Nei for )tistic_ie he had not, to the
(tity2 dtig*6l,..,;4llesr, hear.) Let him
hear tio more, therefore; td these jegiteerdars.—(Hear,
Heita:j It its elated that lie tted mede repeated refe-
rences td Lai !I'm?, it would appear, had
no influence with his i I troOrinwent: Pinding that.
he could obtain no ,justice from the fitiebety Govern
itlefit, -Wee he not justified in sending tultliw td obtain
it Y--.--(lieete hear) He was astotliste:`l that ateteral
Lodwick should hate told the Raja that the rnding
Waite of the 'Valieels would prove his ruin.—(llea,:,
hear.) That Wm quoted to the lltafti's disadvantage, but
he really
.knew not on what grounds, that after Gene-
ral Lodwick's warning he persisted in sending the Va-
keels, Why, it was merely an application to that Hoe
tiOtlfable Collrt.—(Hear, hear.) And how had that ap-
plication been treated ? With neglect.—(Hear, hear.)
Theee men had come 15,000 miles by sea to sue for
justice, ittid if they had been thieves and robbers they
could not have been worse treated.—(Cheers.) The
money they had brought with them, one or two thou-
send pounds, was expended—they were expecting a re=
iiiittntiee from their master, and he (General Robertson)
had lent them 130 L himself to keep them from actual
went; He really could not conceive why they should
treat the natives of India in that way.—(Loud cheers.)
That being the state of thinee, the Raja having
a thoirstital enemies, they all said; " Now is
oar time ; the can easily accomplish his ruin."
(Hear, hear.) All these machinations and
designs arose as soon as it was seen that the Government
would not do him justice. Then it was that his enemies
Whinged down upon him.—(Hear, hear.) There could be
it doubt about it. -Its to the charge of corrupting the
gepoyg, only let them rend the evidence, and they
would see that it was a lie from beginning to end.—
(fletif.) He had been much accustomed, curing
aapc-
riod or 61 years to taking the evidence of the native
Indians, but he dcelareti he bad never seen a case so
bolstered up as that was.—(Hear, hear.) He would not
go through the whole of the case, but let them look at
the eeklenee of the Brahmin, a fellow that would say
anything, for these begging Brahmins were ready to go
anywhere, and to do anything ; and why should he not
go fo tho geobriclare. He was the very man for them ;
they knew elevilish well -.that he was a worthless fellow,
but all they wanted was to get his evidence. Let the
Court only look at the signs:—
" Ist. When there is a rising or fight at Belasore, I
will give you notice. 2d. When a disturbance takes
place in Bombay, I will give you warning. 3d. When
the Meigul army marches from Hyderabad towards Sat-
tare, I will also give you notice. 4. When the Hin-
doostan army arrives on this side the Nerbudda, I will
also give you notice. Remember these four things. If
any other disturbances take place in other parts of the
&Vilify; till.ae no notice of them ; I am only concerned in
those I have nowt Red to you. I have been making
arrangements for the akove business for been mat
six
months."
See how cautious he was. He had been making ar-
rangements for six months. Why the thing was ridi-
culous. He knew the Raja well ; and he was no fool.
As reference had been made to character, he would, by
and by, read to them Sir John Malcolm's letter, to show
them what he thought of the Raja. Then it was said
that the Princes of India were concerned in the pro-
posed insurrection. Why, reference had been made to
them. and the devil a one of them knew anything about
it —(Hear, and laughter.)
" No further intelligence of consequence was received
until yesterday, when, in a letter dated the 10th instant,
the Resident at Sattara communicated to us some further
important information, obtained through the two native
officers who first denounced the plot, and which, we
deeply lament to state, scarcely leaves a doubt that his
Highness the Raja of Sattara has proved faithless to his
engagements with the British Government, and that he
is, at this moment, in league with other Powers to sub-
vert our authority in this country,"
Now it would appear from this, that before the evi-
dence gone into, General Lodwick was of opinion
that there was scarcely a doubt of his guilt, and that,
by before they they had investigated a single
point.—(Near, and laughter.) It was clear, however,
that Sir Robert Grant was most anxious to find him
guilt .
We cannot for one moment., Suppose. that.his.fligh-
'less the Raja of Sattara would have embarked in a de-
sign like that indicated in his conversation with the na-
tive officers, unless he felt quite confident of beg