The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-10-28
From The i.saion Times, September 10.
THE HISTORY OF INDIA.

w
about India. OF course, neither the history |
nor the geography of India is taught in our
achools buf when with casual appliances,
we Get to know something about India as il |
il. that knowledge is generally confined TO
few rivers and mountains, some monuments
of Hindoo and Mahomedan architecture.
our chief military position, and commercial
depots, and a superstition more than usually
absurd in its belief and ATTRACTIONS IN ITS
practices. A for the history Of India, the
British conqaerors are tolerably familiar
with the history Of their own conquests and
those Of the predecessors whom they have
supplanted. We know the incidents Of our
pr.ncipal wars and the dates OF our principal
aecesssons Of territory. lnaword, it's British
India that we knew---India in her British
aspect, as coming in contact with bold,
resolute. and persevering race, and falling
gradually into subsection to her lord and
master. No doubt it is onr habit 70 regard
anr ne;chbors in their relation TO ourselves,
and We ID this particularly when we suppose
there is not much else worth knowing about
4 country. Ii Il a natural result of this one
sided knowledge Of India that our small
politicians and phianthropists scrntlniZe the
conduct Of the master and the seryant-those
inter onposites, the Anglo Saxon and the
Hindoo--and then point indignantly to the
shortcomings Of the superior race. How
nnch could we have done for India How
Few traces should we now leave among them.
How little have we won their love or earned
their gratitude! Witness this mutiny. see
what 1 state we have brought India to !.
There are people who 60 about dwelling
mon Indian grievances, on taxes and tenures
ana confscations; on neglected irrigation,
eostly law. tardy Justice, official corruption,
and periodical famincs. Such accounts are
Is Be expected from those who think these
Two hundred millions are only the soft wax
readY to receive any impression from the
hard British mould, and that for this century
Or 50. that Is, since the establishment Of our
Indian Empire, We have been answerable for
the results. See how England manages
India saws the Uicers, and half dozen
other Partisan and German papers OF more
philosophical pretension than the Romanist
ORGAN. The pride Of England is rather puz-
lied than COMPOUNDED BY taunts which tally
only too much with her habltual mode Of
reqardinp Indian affairs. She asks herself
Mhy las she not managed India better !.
We will NOT dispute the utility Of question
which ii least teaches modesty, and may
lead ID Improvement; but we beg 70 submit
that England NAV do her penance and learn
her lesson without adopting for that purpose
! supposition based upon very partial
Knowledge Of Indian affairs.
IF ANYBODY will be at the pains to read up
The history Of India, not as reflected ~ the
mirror Of European politics, but i:seli, and
as il NAV be collected from numerous works
nubIished bv residents of observation and
inon,ry Ne feel sure he will see az once
mat tie common misgiyings IS 70 England :
nart n this matter i an ignorant one, and
iaat tho hostile indictment drawn up against
usis false issne Is India 30 impressble !
Have We been modelling her tais century Or
20: Are H:nd0os all simplicity: Are Ma
komedans I'll p0lIteness Read the history
x race after race, dynasty after dynasty,
c,ty after civ, chef after chief, up 70 this
present generation. and not onls must We
answer No. int new light Z thrown on
the whole 81 this calamity. The plain truth
Of tie matter i. thai India has this rear re-
lapsed 10 her old, natural, and what Is called
normal condition. We now see what India
would have been any year during the las
hundred wears but for us. IN moment q
security, too intent On other matters, w
hive relaxed Cur ho,d, AMI India j. herself
araia. Ever since tie beginning 81 hi:
century. scores 81 saeh i Nena sahib have
r.yarei tie independent States q Central
India. making i policy II strike terror By
eters imaginable cruelty. Til the Marquis
III Hastings, Is policy u well a By arms
MI al end ID tie system. every Mahratta
chief. great Of small, who could raise ~
army or j band III followers. sailed fortl
every November Oh the game Of taking
kingdoms.n 81 whatever else lie could get
Throughout Gwalior, and the whole conntr,
II selndiah. Bundeicund, Dude, and, NOR,
ar les. I'll Central inl.a, We repeat TIA
since the beginning 81 tins century ever
nan that could carry arms dad %, and was
roJ5er an Ter one name and profession q
another. Till the comparative security 9
the last thirty years. i - much, 4 was A
ordinary thing 10 attack villages reposIng u
The utmost security, and without 4 qEarrel
= burn them, Slaughter Tie inhabitants IN
discrimnatels, and % acquire Tie sol
Every Maaratta state has been 20 formed
Taey admit themselves ID be j predaior,
race. Even in peace. II ever coronation
and even al every marriage, their chief
afake liz auspices" a. Il il called, By u
lowing their soldiers u sallg forth and plum
der ! village Of ! bazaar, ID the way 9
cerem0ay. but IF course giving no e0mpen
satlon. These princes ID everything 70 con
zeal their recent origin, assume seals an
forms If State Indicating them 10 be old DE-
pendents IL de Nogul, Affect caste 10 wi
favor With The Brahmins, and very eHectu
ally impose 81 al who knos only what the
81. Yeti chiefs keep upyery diligentl
die memory q their true origin; u thei
great festivities their poets resiie tie deed
VI violence o. tfeschery perpetrated BY thei
ancestors, aud tile British Government
continually heid il % hatred ~ the Powe
that denies them opportunities " distiuetio