The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-22 00:00:00

THE

Lord Join; RUSSELL expressed a wish that the division
should take place on Monday night.
The House rose at half-past twelve.

Persons who have once entered upon an unjust anu
inequitable course will frequently proceed to extremi-
ties which they had not contemplated, and at which
they would have shuddered at the commencement of
their career. One crime or one error will lead to

others of even greater magnitude, the perpetrators be-
coming bolder and more unscrupulous as they pro-
ceed, and less sensitive to the sufferings of their vic-

tims. ^ Acts of spoliation once commenced will
generally be continued, until the sufferer is unable to
make his complaints heard, and debarrsd from the
means of seeking redress against his more powerful

persecutors and oppressors.
If we sought a modern illustration of this
ancient practice it might be found in the
course pursued by the East India Com-
pany towards the unfortunate TRIMBUKJEE
RAJA, the de jure Raja of Sattara, we say the de
jure Raja, for he is such, not only as the adopted son,
and consequently the lawful heir and successor of the
deeply-wronged PERTAUB SINGH, but also as the
nearest blood relation and heir male not only of
PERTAUB SINGH, but also of ArrA SAHIB, who was

placed upon the throne of Sattara, recognised by the
Company as a Sovereign Prince, an independent
potentate, with whom they entered into various im-
portant treaties after the unwarranted deposition of

his elder brother on the most frivolous pretexts.

Under any circumstances, whether PERTAUB SINGH
were really guilty, as alleged by the Directors, or
without stain or spot on his fair fame, as he invariably
declared himself to be, and as his friends will ever main •
tain—if his trial were as formal and conclusive a 3 it
was really informal and unsatisfactory, the conduct
towards TRIMBLMJEB RAJA could not be justified, or

even defended. We have so often expressed our
opinions of that solemn mockery of investigation
against which we have, on the part of the English
people, so frequently and unequivocally protested,
that we shall not be misunderstood, if, for the

purpose of argument, we suppose for a
moment that the proceedings were properly,
fairly, and regularly conducted, before an
impartial tribunal assembled in open court, and in
the presence of the accused RAJA ; that he had ac-
tually received the copies of the depositions in his
own language, for which he had so earnestly applied,
so that he was cognizant of the charges against him,
and the evidence by which these charges were at-
tempted to be sustained ; and that he had been allowed
the opportunity not denied to the humblest British
subject in this happy land, of being heard in his own
defence. If we then assume that all was correct and
formal, so that the condemnation was fully war-
ranted, and could not now be impeached or even
questioned, how could it affect the present claimant,

TRIMBUJEJEE RAJA ?

By the treaty entered into with PERTAUB SHEANI
in 1818, we ceded the territory of Sattara to him, his
heirs and successors, "in perpetual sovereignty." By one
article of the treaty it was forbidden to the RAJA, his
heirs or successors, to carry on direct correspondence
with foreign powers ; but the punishment was
limited to the party ofiending—it would sub-
ject " him" to the forfeiture of the advantages
he might gain by the said agreement. He
might himself be deprived of his throne, but the
penalty was personal, and would not apply to his inno-
cent heir. The Company acted on this view of the
case, conscious of the reproach and censure it Would
incur if it profited by the ex parte proceedings of its
own officers ; it was distinctly stated that the British
Government " had no intention of taking the country
for its use, or of increasing its possessions by the
measure." ArrA SAHIB was raised to the throne, and
a new treaty entered into with him, while the impar-
tial and disinterested judges declared that " they had
only transferred the sovereignty to the RAJA'S
younger brother."
In what capacity then, or by what right, did
APPA SAHIB ascend the throne ? Simply as next heir
and successor to the former RAJA. But in so doing
the Company overlooked a superior claim, a better
title. Under one of the best recognized and most
sacred customs of the Hindoo law, he was entitled,
in the event of failure of heirs male of his own body,
to adopt a son, wko should thereby become, to all
intents and purposes, his lawful heir, inheriting
the rights of a legitimate child. This pri-
vilege he solemnly and deliberately exer-
cised in favour of TRIMBULTEE RAJA, who was
the son of his first cousin, BBLIA SAHIB, and with
the exception of his only brother, his nearest heir
male. TRINIBUKJEE RAJA should then have succeeded
to the Raj of Sattara, if it became vacant, but he
was most unwarrantably and unjustifiably passed
over, and APPA Sams elevated in his place. The
right of adoption was thus, we believe, for the first
time questioned, and the Hindoo law wantonly
violated without the slightest reason being alleged.
It was simply the law of the strong arm—might that
made right.
Well, APPA SAHIB subsequently died, and his heir,
therefore, became entitled to the throne of Sattara.
That heir was TRIMBUEJEE RAJA, the son of his
first cousin, the descendant of his grandfather. What
did the Company do then ? Ilow were the assertions
" that it had no intention of taking the country for
its use," or "of increasing its possessions by the mea-
sure," carried out ? They seized and confis-
cated the territories, and not only the ter-
ritories, but the private fortune of the deceased
Prince, to which his heir and successor became en-
titled. We cannot understand on what plea these
acts can be justified, or why it is, that the British
Parliament] has suffered itself to be hoodwinked and
nduced for the first time to deny justice to an humble

suppliant.
The case has been repeatedly brought before the
Legislature, and before the proprietors of East
India Stock, but has been got rid of by various
ingenious devices. That has, however, been the
claim to the throne. But now it appears that even
the tribunals of the country are closed against the
suppliant, and that his private rights will not be in-
quired into or adjudicated on.
A petition was duly deposited in the office of the
Privy Council, by the next friend of the infant RAJA, in
December last, praying for the restitution of certain pro-
perty belonging to the deceased RAJA, and descending to
the claimant, not only as adopted, but also as natural
heir. This property had been taken possession of by
the Company on the ground that APPA SAHIB had
died without an heir, which was altogether contrary
to the fact. The petition sought no territory or
dignity, it merely claimed certain personal property.
There was nothing political in it, and yet
it was returned to the petitioner with an
intimation that "it was not within the
jurisdiction of their Lordships to entertain matters of
a political character !" The unfortunate youth is thus
not only deprived of his dominions and his rank, but
also of his fortune. Ile is kept poor, that he may be
deterred from enforcing his unquestionable rights.
Should any person suppose that we have overstated,
or in any degree exaggerated, the facts of this painful
—and we regret to be obliged to add, to the Anglo-In-
dian Government, exceedingly disgraceful—affair,
we would refer to the admirable statement of Mr. J.
SULLIVAN, a gentleman who, during a protracted and
honourable service in Hindostan, had acquired golden
opinions from persons of all classes and creeds, na-
tives as well as white men, and who is therefore in
every respect a satisfactory and unexceptionable wit-
ness. That able speech, which will be found in
extenso in another part of this day's impression, and
the incontrovertible proofs, that were brought
forward by the talented speaker, must carry
conviction to every disinterested and unprejudiced
mind. It shows that the Directors of the
East India Company have acted iu a manner more to
be loolod for from the managers of the Anglo-Ben-
gales disinterested Loan and Life Assurance Com-
pany,G under the presidency of the accomplished
loaNb.roadoyuortf,'' of P
Englishlll Bengal,lleamnednof
hg h stand-
ingrather and
thanfiGoiii
position, to whom the British nation had
delegated
the important and honourable duty of go-
verning 150,000,000 of human beings who owe alle-
giance to, and are the faithful subjects of, our most
gracious QUEEN. A more complete or crushing case
was, indeed, never brought before any tribunal than
that submitted by Mr. SULLIVAN to the General
Court of Directors and Proprietors of the East
India Company, at the East India House, on Wed-
nesday last.
The Honourable Gentleman completely stripped