The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-08-08

The VIGOROUSLY relaxed state Of military discipline for
bids the idea that Ill usage has anything TO do with the
revolt The general regulations for the government of
the army have been constantly modified OF late years
in favor of the Sepoy that scarcely trace of subordna
ton remains in practice and but little OF 1t in theory
Commanding officers have gradually been deprived of the
power OF interfering except IN OF extremity, and
from headquarters the constant admonton TO treat
him tendery and with exceeding care. There may. Of
course be isolated instances Of regimenta hardship but
have To deal with army of mutineen and il is
beyond possibility that military grievances should be
heavy or general Perhaps fifty thousand men ripe
for rebellion but may rely upon il that the evil they
complain of is that affects them and not
soldiers 1t is something that they feel deeply and uni
versally.
That agents of sedon may be at work to improve the
opportunities of mischief very likely but credulous
the Sepoy is points it would not be possible to
persuade him that he could profit by exchanging the
pany service for that of any native foreign power
The bride of months pay to the Bengal army would
exhaust the boards of most of the independent rulers
and millions must be expended to get up little
with the British government and if neither love of
country the of personal wrong sustained by them
in their capacity soldiers the prospect of Individual
gain lie at the bottom of the mutiny where to
look for the What is it that animates vast masses
with common terror and inspires them with common
purpose The question admits but Of Religious
haze prompted Tie revolt and contempt for The poe Of
government has made accomplished fact The against
authority Is sHafoa IN The estimation Of Hindo and Hass-
|
So much pains have been taken by the Indian govern
ment to disavow all connexion with missionary efforts
that the most bgoted and ignorant of Hindoos could
hardly suspect them of leaning towards Chrstani
ty Piety has been popular with the courto d.
rector who not in all respects inconsistent body
of rulers but has strangely enough happened that the
sepoys have been enabled, they fancy, to discern po
tcl motive of weight and influence for the destruc
ton of CASTE both in the of Hndoos and Mussmen
1t will be recollected that during the Russian the
government frequently counseled in the public
prints make the Indian army available in the struggle
Sometimes it suggested that regiments should be sent
to the colonies to relieve the Queens troops and other
occasions that cavalry and artillery should be landed in
the Crmea the to take outpost duties and the
guns to be brigaded with the royal artillery BY degrees
the notion took root that the Russians would be vctor
unless the scpoys could be made of in Europe
the latter result involving of course the previous ami
hlaton of caste The Persian and the outbreak at
Canton deepened the prevailing impression that sepoy aid
indispensable in localities where they must
eat forbidden food and government being furnished with
this powerful reason 1t not long before the subtle
Asac intellect discovered the supposed method by which
they sought to accomplish their object The employ
ment of force out of the question: and neither brides
persuasion would induce the devout to polue
themselves 1t necessary to keep the design strictly
secret and to carry out in every station and camp
| simultaneously possible. The production of a
rifle, involving the of style Of cartridge, afford
ed the very requisite for the of the plot 1t
dipped in cows grease for the Hndoos and pork fat
for Mussulmen Every must bite it before loading,
and his lips had touched the paper his honor
gone forever and he the bond slave of government
degraded in this life and ruined in the next This is
mere hypothesis Of to the main of sepoy
disconent it is founded upon native statements and
earnest inquiry, and believe that each succeeding day
will stamp it with greater value
1t is more than probable that under commander-in-
chief who knew his duty and took to perform it, the
signs of discomfort would have been confined to a small
The sepoys would have allowed the explanations Of
government their due weight, and in time have owned
the folly of their suspicious but matters of late have
to such pass that it the fact of mntiny and
the pretext for it, that they cared about They had
become ineyi
only what would have been a slight emelae under Sir
Charles Napiers regime to be repressed the spot with
| merciless vgor, becomes under Sir George Arson,
military rebellion of such dimensions to threaten the
safety of eastern empire III it could be put down
by calculation Of the long odds, skill in pheasant
| shooting, or profound knowledge of horsefesh,
might hope to be carried easily through the crisis,
always supposng that the highest military authority
could be found when his services in request; but
review of the policy of government affords ground
for surprising that if Industrious he has capacity
enough for the post II is not delay alone but imbeci
ity and yacation that is justly complained of not that
the right thing is not done at the right me but that it
is not accomplished at all General Arson may not de-
spair of the country but the country despar Of General
Arson.
Naturalsts have story of horse who once over
came lion in single combat, and afterwards
tamable Luckily for equestrans the fact is unknown
to horses in general, but otherwise might hear of
great many successful mutnies the part of those
useful quadrupeds. When the 3Sth regiment refused
to embark for Bumah, and escaped without punishment
forgotten. Government in that committed the fatal
of emitting to enforce obedience to its mandates
the ground that the order ought not to have been issued
The sepoy allowed to choose for himself to what por
ton of the commands of his superior shall be obeyed is
naturally led day to take step in advance and
| fuse to any mastership whatever government
commit breach of faith to its soldiers mischiev
that which 1t commits to the public when it al
lows command to be dsregarded Had the order to the
3Sth to go to Burnah been issued, dis
obeyed it is not likely that at this moment their lives
would be forfeited to justice.
If it possible to retain the present organization Of
the Bengal army, should feel bound to suggest
mode by which the pernicious home influence to which
such officers General Arson their appointments
could be neutalized but it will be of less consequence
for the future that the commander n-chief of India
should understand the native character The illusion
to sepoy fidelity gone, and forever the servant who
has tried to murder his sleeping master not to be in
trusted again with the keys of the bed-chambcr.
We not to inquire whether Lord Dahouse was
right wrong when he asserted in his farewell minute
that the condition of the epoy such hardly to be
susceptible of improvement With without cause the
native soldier has renowned his allegiance and severed
! the link which heretofore bound him to the fortunes
of Great Britain. On the present occasion hJai
may stand in good stead it has befcndcd
ten before There is external enemy to fight and the
heart of many bitter foe has failed him when the
ment arrived for action but Heaven only helps those who
help themselves and should deserve the punish
ment fate has in store for fools and towards If gave
the sepoy second chance Of accomplishing infinite mis-
chief We require twenty thousand additional European
troops and the public will divine what their soourn
in India implies 1t the raising of new of
/