The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-11-20
Trs~ As Ls~tss Ti.ss Of oet 81.
Delhi has Fallen.

agination Of each Of our readers must pic.
ture to itself the CHASTITY sights of blood and
fame and spoil which filed the streets Of the
devoted capital during the six days which
came between the assault I'd the final con-
quest. The FIRST act Of the great Drama Of
Retribution which we are now playing out
In tho East, has therefore closed, and before
the second begins. the spectators have time
10 mediate on the plot Of piece, and the &C.
tors who have assisted in Is development.-
The capture Of Delhi Is an event which can
only be regarded with very mixed feelings.
Il Is q triumph Of tho British race over Brit
ish subjects. This is no acquisition, no mas
terry OF an ancient foe. or u long apprchend-
ed danger. We do not find ourselves before
the opened portals Of u new empire, with q
new territory for our merchants. and new
field Of honor for our soldiers. We only re.
cover that which was rebellious. What we
win back is damaged, broken. marred, and
diminished, not only In the estansement,
hut still more In the process Of recovery
Its losses are our own. These LOSSES are ma.
terial and personal, obvious To all senses and
capable OF an immense computation. We
have lost noble army-two noble armies
we should rather ay-the native army Of
Bengal, and the many brave and noble coun.
trymen Of our own who have fallen by their
trcachery. We have lost edi6ces, arsenals,
the works Of ages, and, what may count up
to a greater value still, many years Of peace
and promise. Against these palpabls and
appreciable things, We gain the lesson ot our
prowess and resolution which We have now
imprinted on the Oriental mind.
No doubt II has had abundant proof OF
this before. hut, the victim Of thousand
hdeous decisions, il has been ever ready u
set It's vain omens and auguries, its names
and traditions, It's times and seasons, against
the historical facts. the visible certainties,
and. we must add too, tho undeniably 3 cd
intentions of our race. No grim idol, no
fresh incarnations Of Vishnu, nor the still
more ridiculous dclusion Of q cruel and D..
centious imposture. no phantom Monarch Of
an ancient dynasty, sitting crowned upon its
tomb, has availed against the courage OF men
fighting against traitors for their Sovereign
and their country, and to avenge their muir
dered eountrymen, their wives and tteir
children This question has not been decided
by accident or IN haste. In tardy British
fashion, we have gwen four months to a
work for which impatient indignation scare
ly allowed rs many weeks or days. Wehaye
stopped to deliberate we have made good
our ground we have given both sides full
time to gather oil their forces; We have
seen army after army added to the strength
of tho foe We have allowed them to gath
er hopes from our delay. and even to conceive
the strange mistake that our wrath had l)st
its red heat. We have suffered the loss of
name after name, once associated with tue
prospect Of the closing scene. New actors
have stepped on the bloody stage. II the
army which has done the work ut last be
an accumulation, It is IN another respect the
remains oil much longer list. The surviv-
ors have fought to avcnge their comrades
slain before their eyes, as well US the victims
Of distant tr.achery. When the lons slc:s
lus run through all its possible phases, and
the rebel King has actually had reign, we
nevertheless accomplish our task. Conspir.
acy and surprise have dono their best and
been beaten. In the sacred city Of dynasty
after dynasty, and in q solemn concourse Of
many tribes and many religions, Queen Vic
tOria reigns alone ofearthly potentates, ~ d,
whatever her title, is tho true Empress OF
Ind.
The success will, of course, be alleged in
many minds with the suspicion that It might
have been attained earlier, and ut much les
cost Why could not the precise number
that has forced It's way into Delhi, and eth.
or destroyed or driven away the craven do.
tenders, do this much earlier, when the rel.
ative proportions Of bcsiescrs and besieged
were much the same? On this point long
experience has taught us all to he content
with success, without quarrcling with its
narrow terms or sad Attachments. This Is
the lesson OF life-to do tho work before us
as well us we can, and when ii is done to BE-
content with the gain rather than to count
tho cost ,tut ii may be not only cnnso
Ia ion, hut the fact that all we have suffered
was really necessary 10 the result. Cpntin.
lIal accessions Of numbers have not brought
~ much strength to the garrison Of Delhi "
fresh elements Of dsunion, insubor,lina ion.
mutual jealousy and mstrust, alike Of one
another and OF the common cause. Within
thoss abominable walls. ~ in the open field.
and as In hundred strongho.ds Of ,illainy
and lust, the opportunities and trials OF
half year have not been able " bring Ia
tho surface single soldier who could CON.
lnand the respect and affection or direct tho
energies Of that arn,ei multitude. Having
murdered or cast Of its gallant British oth
GERS, ii became mob, and u mob IL has ey.
er continued to this day. Ii felt that IL
had lost it, intellect rs we'll Us its honor.
Conscience male il coward. cowardice in.
duced dls,rust. and even if there Mad been u
man capable Of taking the command Of the
army they would probably uevcr have had
confidence in ono whom they knew to DO rs
great u traitor as themselves. Never once,
on any occasion whatever, have the matt.
neers stood their ground against us, even
when ten times the number; and they have
never gained the most momentary advan-
tage, except by nmbuscade, as nc Arrah, or
when. rs at Cawnporc, famine thrswa hand.
full Of soldiers and helpless crowd OF wom-
en- and children into their fell clutch.
Although the eyes Of oil the world have
been fixed upon Delhi. and |. has been natu.
rally concluded the turning point of the
struggle. yet We are not To suppose the diff.
culties Of the war over; nor IL this event
altogether without its drawbacks. The cap
turo Of Delhi must have the effect OF libcr-
ating many Of the mutineen, who will pre-
sent themselves elsewhere. swelling probably
other bodies Of insurgents. 1t had been
debated among them whether to retreat to
some strong place lower down the Jumna,
10 Us to gain ut least few days breathing
time, or to join Nena Sahib and the insur.
gents Of Dude. The probability Is, that the
greater part will wander over the country
in sufficient bodies, and ut such distance
from our troops, rs to live by the indiscrim.
mate plumber Of the pcaccablc inhabitants.
Such mode Of life is familiar to tho mill.
tary tribes Of India. They hold that il Is
more Honorable 20 1--we By tia sword than 10y
the plough; that II Is o safe profession, and
one that will hold out when drought or the
collector starves out tho husbanimen, and
that 1t docs not matter very much under
what Gag the trade Is carried on. or whether
under any flag. Till the great wars in