The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-10-24

Cur news from ~ East u scareely nors
mana feaTful Hst Of trAgsdteea talo at
unexample1 hoeDors and atroeitioes curdljng
he blood, which have been soIl sitted By
he natives il India upon ~ unprOteeted
English, men, women and children.
The rebellion has spread over the whole
country; in fact, has become revolution,
and England u strainiag every nerve to
maintain her rule over : country from
which her richest treasures have been drawn.
But little, comparatively, has been known,
or cared about the British rule in India but
now the question comes home with force,-
how have they awakened this implacable
hostility Are these awful crueltias Of the
mutineers the mere outbreak Of ferocious
nature drunk with blood, or are they the
terrible vengeance of and outraged and op-
pressed nation? We believe the latter il
true.
A Calcutta correspondent Of the London
Star gives a dark picture Of the conduct Of
the British in India. They have sown the
whirlwind and are now reaping the storm.
Their possessions have been acquired by de-
liberate frauds-by shameless violation Of
treaties. They have outraged with heartless
indifference the institutions Of centuries, the
patriotism and religion of the people. They
have made implacable enemies Of the native
princes, whom they have deposed and redu-
ced to penury, and Of all their dependents,
who looked on their national rulc-s with
reverence and affection. lie says:
Other conquerors may have displayed
more fer0city, and disgraced their victories
by acts of greater and more wanton barbar-
ity; but none could have exhibited more
abandoned faithiessness, or pursued more
systematically course manifestly designed
to PROSTATE the entire people, and utterly TO
sweep away every rood of territory, and ev-
cry rank, title and dignity enjoyed in former
times by either lldssulman or Hindoos. Ar
my thoughts travel backwards over our ca
reer of covetousness, fraud, hypocrisy, ag-
erosion, conquest, con6seation; blood, de-
thronement, taxation, and monopoly, l am
astounded BY the fact that we have been
able to hold the fruits of our robberies 50
long. ~
When it is reccollected that for over a
century this people have been ruled over by a
bloodless, soulless c0rporation-a company
the richest in the world, whose only object
was money, no matter how obtained; when
we hear from the mouth of their own wit
ness that their whole course has been one OF
robbery, duplicity, treachery and murder,
we have, in the words of the correspondent,
ga measure Of iniquity, pressed down and
running over, sufficient to consign the nation
guilty Of such deeds to the dark category Of
those older nations, who, having welded the
sword for the purpose of cruelty. ambition,
and destruction, have persisted by the sword
of some grim avenger, and have passed from
the face Of the earth.
The rulers of India are an association of
capitalists, incorporated in London in 1000
as trading company. Its character has
been from time to time modified and renew
ed until it is the powerful East India Com
pany of to-day. Its actual capital is about
$3.50. 900, 900. Its present charter expires in
1874. Directors are IL in number, IL of
whom are oh ,sen by the company and APP
pointed by the crown. The salary of Di-
rector is about $500 per annum. but the
position is very valuble from the power and
patronage attached to it. 'a. tss
The Judge Of the courts, the bishops and
the officers of the troops serving in India
are appointed by a Board of Control, con-
sisting of six members of the Prlvy Coun-
Gil. ...a ez
The Office of Governor General is the
highest Office under the crown, and he re-
ceives a salary Of $l25,O00. He resides
wherever his presence is necessary, and has
council of the ablest men in India.
The number of persons in the employ of
the company is immense. They are divided
into five classes, viz: Civil, clerical, medical,
military and naval. The civil service num-
bers about eight hundred. The company
has college in England to educate men for
this branch. The salaries vary from $500
to $50, 200.
At the time of the mu,iny the army con-
sisted of 100000 men, of whom about 5O,-
900 were Europeans The remainder were
Sepoys, or native troops, thoroughly train
ed, Injured to hardship, and abundantly pro-
vided with the munitions Of war.
The Company has done good deal to-
wards improving the country. In the val
ley of the Ganges there are 765 miles of
canal in operation. Several lines Of railroad
are in process of construction, and telegraph
wires already span the land. -@#
The native princes are Of two classes
those with only the shadow of authority who
are pensioners on the company, and those
who retain some real power and property.
The amount of pensions paid to these native
princes by the company, amounts to $780,
600, 900. The nominally independent princes
are all really under the surveillance Of the
company, and are not permitted to hold
any intercourse together. 1t is the direct
by fraud or violence, Of the
territories Of this last class to the possessions
of the company, that is the immediate cause
he ,,raSnDt l,EH,,,1t,as .--..Hr.aE
Delhi, which is at present the center of
operations, is very strongly fortified city,
and has been called second Sebastopol. 1t
is fully garrisoned by the mutineers, and has
an abundance of all kinds of PROVISIONS
The Sepoys are we'll organized, and under
the directions of able leaders, SO that it will
probably be long and bloody task for
the English to get possession Of the city
again. -@ .-7@ &. a.