New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-09-17

Our London correspondent, whose letter with
regard 10 the Indian revolt we published yesterday,
very properly referred to some Of the antecedents
which prepared the way for this violent outbreak.
! We propose to-day to devote a moment to contin.
uiDg that line Of reflections and to showing that
the British rulers of India are by no means such
mild and spotless benefactors of the Indian people
as they would have the world believe. For this
purpose We shall resort to the official Blue Books
on the subject Of East Indian torture, which were
| laid before the House Of Commons during the
| sessions of 1856 and 1s57. The evidence, it will
| be seen, is Of sort which cannot be gainsayed.
We have first the report of the Torture Com
mission at Madras, which states its "belel 10 the
| "ger eral existence of torture for revenue pur-
"poses.' 1t doubts whether anything like an
"equal number OF persons is annually subjected to
violence On criminal charges, as for the fault Of
"non-payment Of revenue" II declares that there
was "one thing which had impressed the Com
emission even more painfully than the conviction
"tbat torture exists il il the difficulty of obtain
ing redress which cOnfronts the injured parties"
The reasons for this difficulty given by the Com
h"'SS
who wish to make complaints personally to the Col
lector have to travel, involving expense and loss of
time in attending upon bis office; 2. The fear
that applications by letter twill be returned with
/" the ordinary Endorsement of a reference to the
"Tabsildar" the district police and revenue officer
that is to the very man who, either in L' pcrson
or through his petty police subordinates, has
ha iuefi ciapt of nr0ppdurp
and punishment provided by law for officers
of Government, even when formally accused or
convicted of these practices. 1t seems that if a
charge Of this nature were proved before magis.
trate he could only punish by fine of fifty rupees,
or months imprisonment. The alternative con-
sisted Of handing the accused to the criminal
"Judse to be punished by him, or committed for
"trial before the Court Of the Circuit" The re-
port adds that these seem to DO tedious proceed
"iDgs, applicable only to one class of oifenses,
''abuse of authority-namely, in police charges,
and totally inadequate to the necessities of the
"case"
police or revenue officer, who is the same per
son. as the revenue is collected by the police, when
charged With extOrtiDg money, is first tried by the
Assistant Collector; be then can appsa! to the Col
lector; then to the Revenue Board. This Board
msy refer him to the Government or to the civil
courts "In euch state of the law no poverty
" stricken ryot could contend against any wealthy
revenue officer: and we are not aware Of any
" complaints having been brought forward under
" these two regulations (of lc22 and le!r) by the
people," Further, this extOrting Of money ap-
plies only to taking the public money, or forcing
further contribution from the ryot for the officer
TO put into his own pocket. There is, therefore,
No leesl means of punishment whatever for the
employment Of force in collecting the public
revenue.
The report from which these quotations are made
applies only to the Presidency Of Madras; but Lord
Dalhouse himself, writing in September lcJo TO
the Directors says that she has long ceased to
doubt that torture in shape or other is prac-
4" ticed by the lower subordnates in every British
province" The universal existence Of torture
ss a financial institution Of British India 10 thus
officially admitted, but the admission is made IN
such manner as to shield the British Government
itself. IN fact, the conclusion arrived at by the
Madras commission is that the practice Of torture
il entirely the fault Of the lower Hndoo officials,
While the European servants Of the Government
had slwsys, however unsuccessfully, done their
best 10 prevent it. In answer to this assertion the
Madras Native Association presented, in January,
| 1856, petition TO Parliament complaining Of the
| torture investigation on the following grounds;
l. That there Was scarcely any Investigation at all,
tie Commission sitting only in the City Of Madras,
and FOX bu. three months, while it was impossible,
e1eep. in very few cases, fOI the natives who had
COMPLAINTS 10 make 10 leave their homes; 2. That
the Commissioners did not endeavor to trace the
evil to ta source; bad they done so, it would have
been discovered to be in the very system OF collect
| ing the revenue; 3. That no inquiry was made OF
tine accused native officials to what extent their
superior. were acquainted with the practice.
"The origin OF this coercion say the petitioners,
as no. with tie physical perpetrators Of 1t, but
deeerds TO them from the officials Immediately
their superiOrs, which latter again are an'wera-
"be for the estimated amount of the collection 70
4" their European suPeriors, these also being re-
spon.ibe on the same head TO the highest author
ity of tie Government. Indeed, aiew extracts
from. the evidence on which the Madras Report pro-
e.ss to be founded, will suffice to refute its a'ser-
tion that mo blame is due " EagIsAmea.'
THUS, Nr, ", D, KshlhOa, merchant 'a'';