The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-28 00:00:00

THE INDIAN MUTINIES.

(From the Times.)
We extracted at length in our impression of Wed-
nesday last a communication made in the form of a
regular despatch to the Nord of Brussels from its
" own correspondent" at Madras. The opinions
expressed by such a functionary and circulated in
such a journal respecting the position and prospects'
of the British in India assume a greater interest
just now than might perhaps intrinsically pertain
to them, and we are bound to say that, upon the
whole, the description and conclusions given in the
report are less perverted and more impartial than
might have been anticipated. India, it is true, i 5
not " a theatre of the most horrible crimes and
atrocities from Cep Comorin to the foot of the
Himalayas." for over the lager portion of this ter-.
ritory the authority of the Briti-h GOvernment has.
either remained unassailed or been successfully ag'.
sorted ; but, though the else is so far exargerated,
the erocedings of the insurgents are justly charac-•
terised, and not extravagantly considered. In. an-
eouncina the result of his observations, the wri'ef
puts aside altogether the defects attributed to the
organisation of the Bengal army, and ascribes the
outbreak to causes which, wi•h one exception—the
licentiousness of the native press—be derives from
the systematic policy of the Indian, Government.
He alleges, as a principal explanation of the Indian
rebellion, that we have treated n ttive pr:;nceswith
in-
justice by annexing their territory to our own and dis-
carding the claims of their widows and representa-
tives, and that we have grasped with too unscrtl-
pulous an ardour at the hoards which these pat/
chieftains occasionally accumulate. This, in poin
of fact, forms the substance of his accusation ; OS;
though he charges the authorities with bad fail".
towards the epoys in two, and only two, instance 99
he evidently relies um on our acquisitive propensities
as furnishing the gravamina required.
We may be excused, under the circumstanoe9,..9
for alluding, in the first place; to the charges which
this indictment does not contain. We are not o,o''
cused of mar-administration, of oppressing the
people by taxation, of being indifferent to their
wants, or disregarding _ their welfare. Not
syllable is said in.: disparagement of the general
relations maintained between the Indian Govern;
went and its subjects, while it is freely admitted
that the native press abused its privileges bi
traducing and reviling the authorities of the countrit
Although our rule is that of conquerors, we are
not charged with any tyrannical use of our power,
excepting on the points referred to, nor is it
in
any way intimated that the hundred millions °
Hindoos sultject to the sceptre of Britain hale
any reason to be di--eentented with the domini°l::
en.tfer which they live. These omissions in t',i
"
mouth of a censor convey, we think, no fin%
praise, and may serve to convince the world the
the we are now resisting, though it apt
have been facilitated by errors of policy, has 110
been provoked by misrule.
see
On the subject of our alleged encroachments, f
venture to sty that the territorial distribution°
India still actually existing is sufficient to rebut tlly
charge, at the same time that the known eh-00:
stances of the revolt imperatively forbid us to attlli
buts its outbreak iii any degree ro causes deduces
from such assumptions. For a .whole century
have now been the strongest Power in a countri
where might. has for ases been esteemed equivalegs
to right, and where the tsnute of all dotninion Nr3t
so precarious that 50 years' possession was Shollg",
to constitute a notable inheritance. For a 101
time past we have been absolutely supreine--;!,
supreme that our will was law,' while our acktlT'a
le (god position as Sovereigns paramount enthieer
us t the rights of supr-many and reversion vles
all the territories of India Yet, with these chanty,
our favour, and with the stimulus incesso
arising from the spectacle of misgoverned
vinces, and the convictions of mistaken Po'l'.
we have not only tolerated but have even Pao
tected against the retributive wrath of their
subjects scores of Pi inces whose titles t)
pion were founded in many instances eitheros
recent usurpation or violent conquest. Until ors
escheat of Nagpore, a short time time, the. W-the
centre of the Peninsula was absorbed 133 r
Mahratta S+ area and the domini -ns of the Isa9gsoa
The spacious districts of Rajpootna stustl of
with Hindu() Principalities, and many a Raia4et
whose very name Englishmen are ignorant tija
under the aegis of British supremacy in a posnP!eae,
affluance which might rank with thess of Etiroe
iii
S evereightes. If at last we terminate misruaeta
Oude by the depes tion .of. a Prince whose ancesso,
we otirselves had crowned, we make held t )
.040
that under no Government but would a S 10,
so situated and • so chat acter-sed have been tn't,
rated so long. An Oriental Envoy once, on obS''rbe
ing the riches of. gold. and jewelry displayed in tut
shops of Ate metropolis, remarked to his atteridag
that our Queen could have very little power, illy
plying that under a Government of his own concerti
n such tempting treasures would have bees
promptly appropriated by the Monarch on nt
throne. To Asiatic eyes our rule iu India Inflis
offer analogous examples of forbearance, and
very catalogue of Rajahs and millionaires for who
hoards we are said to` be gaping ought to speak for
the justice of that Government under which, .00g
the first time in Indian history, such acqui6itl
have be:n permanently secure. •
nel
k
.In refutation of the statement that the raoa
of injustice in the breasts of deposed families 11,015 t
crested the insurrection now raging, we need ti'
point to the notorious fact that the great JI00(
bolsters and chieftains, as a body, have stood °life
from the rebellion. That Asiatics, whose Teri sof
s intrigue, and who revel with all the sensatit'uolii
luxury in the turbid waters of a revoletio", 8,11 the
abstain in every instance from participation idi
troubles now pending was never to be imagirifei
but the inAtauces of defection have been se) tarot
and the examples of fidelity—on whatever Eln the
grounded---so numerous, as to prove beyo
possibility of doubt that the revolt neither °tior
nated with this class of mar;, nor meets with ofe
supeort. Here and there, where the susee'se-tveli:
mutinous solliery have destroyed for a 11l°;:hiel
the authority:- tit 'the Government,- a * native 'l,O
tsin may aval himself cif the- opperthilitY
others have created for him , but that ofee
Princes, -where they have risen at all, have foil. 04'
the revolt, and not led it, as plain a fact a'lj
done can constitute. Lit:le, indeed, V7Oll of i)
wealthy Rmjatt gain by the proclamation
M ,homelan Emperor under the auspices of
veto us army ! hi
When we turn to the remedial measures vii.,314
the correspondent ef the _Nord conceives to L'4o'
qu:red for the settlement of India under that PO,lO
ra•ion of our supremacy which he pliinly i
regstif
as iitcont estable, we discern still more dust' tie
how little can really be •allegol against te• 0 e
are not told to reform our Administration, tease'
model our Government, or reconsider our sY're
of taxasion as affecting the natives at I:, tet
eve -n are not ' evn advised to observe gree
m •deratien in dealing with the Princes 0'0;
country. We.are simply told to maintain 9' Igor
what larger European force, to develope 01,01
and ether means of intert a! communication, g so
organi•e, both provinciallylandmunicipallY, ,
body of police. It is not improbable that thelio
sures actually adopted may coincide with t.,_l-:,OP
commandations here given but to refer to troc
iudica ing the policy required for the MO' ti!,
quility of India is equivalent to an adreissionto
there at e no graver errors of Government
heso
rec-ified. We have kept too small a nutnylise
European troops in India, beyond a doubt ;
not push, d on ra'lway enterprise with sn'stiel;
vigour, and the police of Hindostan might be,, tt
mitated with great advantage to the po ice tAliclite
Punjab ; but, if these are the only points on.vo, of
-after a century's possession of emP.daflt
are called upon to amend our ways, svevial
think that either England or her Indian add
trators have much to be ashamed of.

oii
tptieeaz
thatr se -Y °trh the fp
eLttuT:aldt3xBschsi,s , ,gfetejt
EXPOSURE OF INOOME-TAX PAPER,—Witia '- ye0:0
to the improper sale of income-tax schedules °tiled
the fo,lowing letter has bleneinandadßdreevsesnedue:/1:0300;;;
Beckett and Co., bankers, one of the firms obriper6/
dole was thus exposed :—"
house, London, W.C., Aug. 24, 1857.—Geria- 1, I
The Board of Inland Revenue direct me to shi'l,,Pi,idi
for your communication of the 22'1 instant, enc'" pro
copy of a letter which has appeared in tae Leed!bett,
papers in regard to the disposal of income-ts ",,,j
..,,wos
to a shopkeeper at Leeds, and to inform Yn-rtivict
concurrently with your note, they received a rep Is 'lll
possession of Mr. Niehaan:
ICBomm!onnistsbisonataroo;f re ,r
lad to
dtgath:phewteehrt
gesi en;
alludedirvce oleenordmkt.
irshettaicostnt
cc:l:ben:3B;ot
bsp,
oviii,stobib
it,: pct„:o
euiumulation of old papers relating to the taxel,',9l'ico
had been in the office of her deceased hosbandAt fr petit,
destroyed, and for that purpose superintende'',;„l3peqi)
the removal of them from her house into the "'dill)/
of the cemetery at Woodhouse, which yard inilf/t. DO
adjoins her house, for the purpose of being buriall,
stone-yard is stated to he a place well suite _ 0141
purpose, being detached and surrounded 11 v",alef9
feet in height. It appeared tha, during the Pirforvirod
burning Mrs. Nicholson walked ba::kwarde an° top 40$
between her house and the yard of the een'tieoitf oohs
teat in the intervals of her absence an opP°ll,.tiooll,V
taken by the sexton of the estnttoy, in conja°:oolAei
the masons employed there, to remove a quo°:,ifler,ft,
papers out of the stone-yard. The sexton acIP-wd Ptte
that this was done without the knowlEdge a pc
tod
Nicholson. The sexton subsequently clisP°6_,e ell ;aod
papers about 12 months ago to three tradestr.dippu„i,
tney hateo delivered up the portion of them Poog P:,
of, The papers relatii.g to the income-tax aO4 /3"00
recovered are papers of tl:e year 1842. --1., „itic4,loP
understar.d that the commis:goners of the 0°,410v3i
about to institute a further investigation into tnvoep
, I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant, 'plc's'
' Mews. .Beokett and Co., Old Bank, Letate,':