New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-03-27
n..n,.,,.h in ,na,a-rbs sikhs.


.h;,h hoe inc, broken out on the banks Of the Sui
l.; W. a,e ut q loss for the evidence on which
H.. denunciations are founded or justified. Tina
,he successive extensions of British power in Ind
have been in good part impeled by ambition and
sordid thirst of gain is quite probable, though i
should never be forgotten that India has for al eas
thousand years been the prey of successive horde
of Military plunderers destitute alike of good faith
humanity, and even of that obvious and slender ga
pacity which should teach ruling castles not to des
troy the goose that lays the golden eggs scourgec
and desola,ed by the periodical irruPuons OF Per
sian, Tartar and Mahra,ta conquerors, who success
sively bghted all they could not devour, we canno
doubt that the People of India have had sbundan
reason to be thankful for the establishment OF Brit
sh rule over them, and that an increase OF popnla
ton, security and comfort have resulted therefrom
The overthrow of British power there at present, o.
until Christianity, Intelligence and Public Virtue
shall have been thoroughly diffused would be ca
lan,ity not TO India alone bat to mankind.
Were the British unwise enough to coyet farther
extension Of territory in India we do not believe
thew would ever be driven to the necessity OF com
mencing an unjust war for that purpose. So LONG
"a an independent State shall remain between
Persia and China, SO long will there be Militar,
force ready TO precipitate itself on the wealthy
British provinces at the very first promise OF impunl
ty in SO doing. But circumstances that cannot lie
prove that the British power In India has sedulous
" coveted Peace for some time past An absolute
SWAY over One Hundred Millions Of People main
tanned by comparative handful Of contrasted race
and faith far away from home and resources, II
good part by means Of Military force drawn from
the subject myriads must be emPhatically an Empire
of Opinion. and one which a single reverse OF for
tune NAV shake 10 ,s foundations. The British have
so much TO lose and SO little left TO gain by appea
to War in India that an assertion that they provok
ed or courted collision is one emnently requiring
evidence to support il But in this case. not only is
there positive lack of affirmative testimony but the
negative is conclusively established When the
present British Ministry succeeded the Melbourne
Cabinet Lord Ellenborough was appointed Cover
nor General of India He went out accordingly but
il soon became apparent that he was ambitious OF
Military distinction and meditated accessions OF
territory, especially in the direction ofthe Puyaub
a large and fertile kingdom in North Eastern India
wa,ered by the Indus and FIVE oits chief tributaries
Rupjeet Singh long the energetic despot of The Pun
aub and firm friend of the English had recently de-
ceased, leaving his dominions to an inefficient heir
a turbulent, lcentious soldiery and dissolue
Court A convulsion of some kind was inevitable
Lord Peterborough prepared 10 take advantage oft
The Directors of the East India Company, on learn
ing his ambitious projects, availed themselves Of
long dormant right, and removed him from the
Governor Generalship.
Sir Henry Hardnge was sent out 10 succeed Lord
Ellenborough, and has ruled India since He has
carefully abstained from giving any excuse for hos
tiiies to the Skhs or warrior caste who have prac-
tcally ruled the Punjaub since the death Of Runeet
Singh. But they were not thus to be avoided The
dissolute Court Of Lahore, apprehending that they
would else turn their arms against ITSELF contrved
to precipitate them on the British dominions. So
Jar from having been courted by the British this
Eruption evidently took them by surprise and al
disadvantage and to Withstand taxed their ability
to the utmost, cost them many valuable lives, and
disabled onesizh of their force engaged. That they
will now attempt to follow up their victory by the
conquest of the country whence they were so for
midaby assailed and are morally certain to be as
sailed again whenever the Sikhs may attack them
with prospect of success, is quite likely and &C.
cordng to the usages and moralities of War.
Whether this shall or shall not prove the case, how
ever, we submit, that the defamation against British
aggression and British rapacity in reference 10 the
Punjaub ought TO be supported by som ething like
evidence, or else abandoned.