The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-09 00:00:00

Urn

CONQUEST ANO ADMINIS-
TRATION Y I SINDE.

Your
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
eresso— our insertion some time ago of a letter that lad
tokad to You about the Sinde Government now induces me
that, es,cne additional, and I hope interesting remarks,
.on
he, alinlect sp
, eecially, as there seems to be an incipient desir
asetee7ll as a great lack of, information on everythine con-
e,
tease ith that province. The little knowledge acquired by
144 Who for factions purposes have sought information has
maa
tOf
t. y aintowfaocrtksebduPweapons,
party that any simple state-
ell eels to k calm observer may be satisfactory, because
Dress i. now the truth, although so many distort or sup-
like, Some weeks since we received the Indian Govern-
;.l Publication of Sir Charles Napier's dispatch, and
etete difficult operations in mountain and desert against
”erbli border tribes ; but for this we should still
Vil;gtorattt of the result, evcept from public rumour.
hu" Board of Control have so long neglected this ins-
hetthh duty is hard to say, bet it will surely be mortifying.
lap eratne General and his army when they know of
made n, and very naturally so ; for when troops. have
llieeate•earoPaign of such hardship and danger, and., without
tee the
of battle, have displayed in a conspicuous de-
telaciate hardest of military virtues ; when uncommon skill and
4titv,lY, in the General, with a corresponding devotion in
.the
totit ale brought a deep-laid and perilous plan of operations
kPPY and nearly bloodless issue, with the accomplishment
Bast political object (farigreater than the generalt of
/lights ere are aware of), they surely deserve at least !some
latece„enetition of their services by hir Majesty's Govern-
lalteejic Henry Hardinge himself a soldier, seems to have
atipu'ePel. has done his p'art; but the. Board. of Control's
heithe " silence shows that whoever directs its movements
Nitar incapable of appreciating such exploits, political or
Yt or has liet re , sadly neglected his duty. Such negligence
herai
,'"aae good and faithful soldiers ; yet India depends
Tjlegs-orEl and it is morenver gratifying to the spirits and
6 'le officers, notwithstanding that their sense of
leet, -e-nueil on higher principles than can be shaken by the
e tit Incapacity, of an effete Minister.
"'lately! Government of Sinde has been judiciously ad-
4e, (ett,i ministered
is, I think, proved by this campaign, in which we
VusteitehalY two years after a bloody conquest) the British
et); trio etlParted, and most usefully and zealously supported,
)troop) Ilelooch cheftains (tole of them a sovereign
Naiestiht. their own expense, and with a numerous following,
Hoe friends and countrymen. But it has been asked,
-libelee Sinde governed? By any form of native or general
ajratraia-°
t 1 ti
or by the simple fiat of the Governor?. Let
iehYt le:•t2 as yet infant system of its administration, and,
els -ring in mind that " Rome was not built in a day, '
'altre,"o:9lttle village " we live in in a week, endeavour to
Sind "caequestione.
bine
;t e is, a great military conquest, the Government
"e 2 the will of the Governor, as it did previously in
Net Adneers • but all their forms that are practically
eget,- sill humanity have been preserved.
r4htlef alter • commone.
, tea alterations made by Sir C. Napier are—first, a pro-
tlihetcgan'st fathers, brothers, husbands, and nephews,.
dots against all males related to the female, cutting the
saisg, af their women, as they were in the common habit of
til°,stnnle when the latter were detected in the act of
I"gerta rtit'au,„'lt 'on the general suspicion. of it. For instance,
government, if any man chose to declare
elotill!aalae;'itaselacioula aner-w.a.s an adulteress, or otherwise unchaste,
ktte 4,4
Srh 'sun. re,niesend. exacraumour,
ahnisd murdering both the
protected him from
144 Pilf thel) accusation were notoriously false,
tni:ietteoetieruirisadr,e,ert.e.tre,.4.* , relations took an opportunity of slaY-
amnelinasle-I,,cd•feud
,was commenced between
Noe 'S, but the Government. took no notice of these
ste, :coially, Sir C. Napier abolished torture, which was
blirdO Practised by the Ameers. themselves, but by the
ap. the i_or Government agents in each village, as well as
Lagirda l'akires." or governors of towns. Thirdly, the
`,:stesh,4l,ll or feudal lords, had also the. power of life, death,
g-; this also hag been abolished. Fourthly,. sla-
'<"", extinguished altogether; and let no man ima-
Pale ignorantly do, that slavery was a light load in
4tiatie l"e exultation of the slaves, their openly expressed de-
tter 4of their masters, their eager and noisy appeal to the
I,ll'ed ttrit'ir against some chiefs who had disregarded the law
retained them in thraldom, and their joy at the
elllte-,Piufair-i'behent and their. own final emancipation, is
j!_ader.a ?using were re:juice...l, t, confute those writers
thea etietit ho assert and. foiets 1 o cbelieve' the contrary.
°lough deserves great praise for this. Fifthly, in
i %oh ea'n of revenue the Governor very early endeavoure
ititltha,'e all feee and reduce the ruinous a.mount of taxaiion
stfthiq the Ameers, who, amongst other things, seized
taa'e or the aericultural produce, leaving the rest, along
ki4l4itetert of tillage, to the cultivator.
t 4 ion ofre thine alluded to was commonly used in the exa-
lte witn s for which there were no regular rules,
Ike osee eeses, .
14tassiaci;._lali for the adminiAration re justice. The usual mode
et 4 se tee! was to ask the witness without anyoath what he
elk, the '!" was
? If he pleaded ignorance, ad thus ex-
lihedgv's suspicions, torture was directly applied to
yes, confess what the judge considered he ought
toe. tip 1, This was done by either hanging the suf-
t' to tjecuY the thumb and apptying a red hot ram-
tter, lreet parts of his bedy, or pricking hint with a
fr ePPlYinse its naked blade to the throat with a
euti Such were the usual modes of
.insaseaasl'e.e r'"
h-kie but chiefly used when the
qiliteeora„considered as an aceomplice: Catho were ten-
he't tate Trig to the ferms of their religion to persons of ind-
ieateac",'l unsuspected. of any motive for concealtnent, an
'nation then proceeded ; but a man of high rank was
eeiced to state what he knew, it being considered a
eit,lTeee.aatlh by Hindoo and Maltometan gentlemesi to be put
2d stile'''. At present a form of solemn affirmation is con-
te'tioe 47,,e'ent, as in the rest of India. At Hyderabad the
teg stets somewhat different ; oaths were administerueoddient.
Ott,e, but no regular criminal trials ever took. place
to
tribe."' In cases of murder, the usual practice was let
IWStht
("We it amongst themselves ; and, as regarded rob-
ytelitigtlekotardar" ascertained to the best of his ability who
and erditaintenit him in the stocks, and beat
tite4teteered h.iwneast;ntilhte ecnorifessed, while any one refused to
fielltreatee'!ee, if he were believed to knew something, was simi-
fet,,tisd 'n Until his reluctance ceased. There were also the
lice., watery ordeals. If the acceed were burnt in the
11, theier Unable to remain under seater the prescribed time
kith atter - without suffocation, or if he refused the proof,
v'tacle„at once condemned. This, however, only applied to
Mi and Sind or Beloochees of a weak and helpless
ary;erif strong and powerful, no concealment was„rie-
/4.4 e,",!, Property was kept in defianee of " kardar o.r
liLaii" the first man who came to apprehend the culprit
letaneeerterae l'niously dispatched ; but if the person robbed
16 ly oi:j_ni,y the protection of a powerftuolrcehdief,Tthheins theas
etled Reherae. equivalent was commonly t
the ce
',eke charscel'acter of Sindian justice under the Ameers,
er suftereete.
is
now sensibly felt and fully appreciated by all
rand safety especially the women, who feel that they h
tlvhere are 'iso'
ateternteeht. civil judges as yet. appointed b y theh supreme
to pleat! ' the Governor is all in all, nor is country
Nave b
nth
for them. Sir Charles Napier's plan s
aisteatioe et:" in civil and criminal cases, a preliminary ex.
'Y British officers acting as magistrates, and as-
cs,ellottea, eazi "or Mahometan attorney, who expouns
111;'it is ,-,Traat" law and Sinde customs. The magistrate's
ni jeareeear equity, and after a full examination, assisted by
lejtceereleh,eaposi''ons, he decides according to the best of
444ilet,e,iraoltatpe-rt` nPon a certain class of cases, but only thosfie of
, atlee, on which lie is autholised to impose a
tnhe,
eithlat °feat, and corporal punishment; the first to
the.
111- hare °,ne hundred rupees, the second for three mon
'l"itr, the third to the number of two dozen lashes.
4," se,a,'"s he is much guided by the opinion of the
the tie
law is generally very just in
111-,,k,Z-611- In all criminal- eases of a grave character
la't:4h-t-t:rate only takes the evidence, which is forwarded
et'ts'st „i-e: Judge- Advocate-General, accompanied by the
kern' ee,.`"a'°ll, to the Governor ; after due study. the
lliteprpte6rera a military commission to try the p.risonetro.
lileovesemltigs of this commission are then submitted
fo, cote through and by the Judge-Advocate-General,.
n't'te' W1114':'lly acts as prosecutor, unless other duties inter-
'eie` some officer is substituted. In forwarding
leet7 ace, tn the Governor, the Judge-Advocate •General
i'ail'anies them with a written statement of his own
cOher'ref 'eeer, the ro •eedines and tentence, the whole f whom
ead and considered by Sir Charles Napoier, who
,toe'ta-et,'"lttie or orders a revision cf the sentence, a.! in
44 vs;,ll this difference, however, that the military
11:41, histlh- is not. a legal court, but only a council to assist
et➢°get, e distribution of justice, he possessing full power to
'4Ye'tfrera°l' commute their sentence by his individual autho-
leblieat Which l the Court derives any. Sir Charles
At( ee'rel•it would a alone
anepear considers the opinion of. the :nth-
ereatar"itsion
General
as
One eourt ; the opinion of the Jluldge-
V'rt ora'''eneral as that of anether (which may he ca eda
tiartiliPeal) ; and the final decision by himself as the opinion
14141
i trend,%iirs; W'herefore, if all three courts concur in the
s
sentence, it is -presumed that the prisoner has
s tend: 4 ' and is justly judged, whether condemned ac-
thel e If
etlettei the opinions of two of these courts disagree—
ad ‘,ov„r`e, the commission and Judge • Advocate- General,
lekriti;trical elves his casting vote, and the prisoner has the
tktkirdat;eci 4,f knowin distincti case has been carefully in-
des' ties ny three courts, quite independent of
Plet:ett'lifre. The Governor's enormous power, extending as it
ate de and death, renders this form of proceeding corn;
isef aniwildent on his will, which is, of course, th. e great
tleeleeaaka,hsolute governments; but despotic rule is as ye
teai ` wee", Ale for the protection of the Sindran people , tire
s"'", obey no other, and any attempt to introduce a
government would in all likelihood produce a
hat e'
e deo are the checks that the present Governor seems
lOgnedlY placed on himself against the possi.ble, but, i
ited,doe; 'le front his acts not probable abuse of his own refit4ien ray but they entail on him the vast labour (in
" military duties and examination of courts-
tisitkleti,twbich are puarate) of reading and cautiously
de
~over every trial that takes place throughout all
tii,loshe.7." thisfair proof, at least, of his
.anxiety to
isriteati bat, when coupled with a civil, milltary, and
111:1 'lders ;:otrespondence with two presidencies, it acc.umu-
'enatiftll weight of business on one pair of
kdeel4 "sir' and People are astonished at his endurance. In
th e '°r just government Sir C. Napier
.zealottsly
tila it! all
British officers, both civil and military ; so
r's °at Point of fact I believe it may be safely asserted that
tithleeritfsraPt and substantial justice is administered every-
aitZe and not only in cities and towns, but in the most
i
Nll'„'istlasatiles of the country. That both the Governor ant
'laes'aere 'nay occasionally err in their judgment is only to
skirrtatittll; but such errors are not likely to be frequent or
att,iY of 4 yuecause the crimes they pronounce upon are gene-
th4„l'd at• °rYsross character, and just decisions are easily
1111' Ilow, with reference to these improvements,
tasltiea% ttottlke Can be as yet fairly expected, still we become
I.lk hal). "W if any effects have bee produced on the cha-
ileelY, thits, or affections of the three classes of inhabitants,.
Dens :13elooch, Sindian, and Hindoo populations ; and
atttr Thus to eontemplate the reaction amongst the latter
leetatheHindoo, now finding himself equally protected
the!allnabetan shows a desire to exercise over the Be-
te; la car,"arne tyranny that he formerly suffered from him, and
th;,,stler4e2allY apparent in money matters. The Hindoos are
441 were rits and bankers of Sinde. . Under the Ameers,
aeta_Sioe, rallied like the Jews cf the middle ages in Europe •
Iterates oeether is a very striking picture, or rather
',ante force
.7 those unscrupulous days. Leans of money
witel erfeeeirom them by the Mahometan feudal chiefs, the
tielaleirjrnich was repaid either by instalments or corn-
thew the t Y Protection, or, more frequently, not paid at all.
e capittes are tnrnecl, and the Hindoe not only demands
PetilDAle ite'leht, but long arrears of ecmp
undinterest upon
%ostr,tag --crest of twenty, thirty, forty, and even. higher
forming cages so' difficult and complicated tnat the
ett et an vats at once compelled to cut the Gordian knot, and
sal tleeir',contrects of an earlier date than that of the
,battle
%'ittteirt,e'reee-e., Per however, allowed the Hindoos a aright
tuis, by giving the military magistrates a.righ,
t•e6 tina own discretion in minor cases, and of
,s.ubmittine
be \est, ewrc irnnortance to the Government. I•he largest
1:-Laitoteils "„°2?-iirli of these claims was that made by Ilindoo
st. 'glittst the Arlee, on which they made strong
tie,' be ee justice, an'il" his answer svas
the only
Alp:3 an Old IXOI hays eiven, consistent. w iris the
lcatiee tecirenuattae-oe•—•, r iii,l nut tight the bathe of
ic,' t -,-,Pay the (lAA; " :pct, the demands
t"aa 114 „"' zit reas,nAe' yr'rh;tant ; the claimants most atro-
hlaliall'-erere, Utterly devoid of principle, and to whom no
NWiteiolle"rt, 13'0111:i for a moment have listened, besides
'4IY proof of their debts. The 4meerh equally