The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-09-30

the Case OF tno UcpOy0 In India
From the news By the Indian mail q ray Of
hope is left that the British camp before Delhi
may be reinforced from the west and the south
before the mutineers from the neighborhcod turn
the flank Of the little army, surround and destroy
it. The news by the previous mail gave rise to
many apprehensiors that it was all over with the
bessie gers; now matters look shade better.
General Havelock from Lucknow, Brigadier
Nicholson from the PuDjab, and lastly Sir Colin
Campbell-who must have left Calcutta for the
| scene Of action before the middle of August-are
all Fastening to the "new Sebastopol;' few
weeks more endurance on the part Of the - be-
| sieged besiegers," aud the game will be theirs.
With even quarter of the force that eau be
opposed to them, the British will without doubt
take the place. The only contingency that is
Inconsistent with this, and yet consistent with
possibility, is the rapid decay of the army from
disease and fatigue, and repetition of such
so.ties as the affairs of the 18th and 23d July;
but they are less probable than the other issus
We see enough in the Eagi,sh papers TO satisfy
us that when the hou- OF triumph &C mes for the
English their victory VIII be bathed 10 blood.
Almost without exception the British papers call
for the most sanguiaa1y vengeance on the Sepoys;
ever laughter loving and genial Puach joins ia
the national clamor by depicting Justice"
striding over PROSTATE darkies, and driving
bayonet down the throat of villanous looking
Hindoo. If Sir Colin Campbell does as the
British public want him, he will rival the most
bloody minded of his slaughterng ancestors
| {nr hoo hmm ot,p, t..d hu fho
stories which are circulated of the cruelty,
bloodthrstness, lus. aud brutality of the Sepoys,
the treacherous surprise Of defsuceless Eaglisn
people, and the horrible assassination, with IN
heard OF tortures, of poor helpless women aud
children. Now, though there be reason to sup
pose that these stories are very much exagge'
rated; though the English are apt to consider the
violation and murder Of one of their own coun-
tTymen as very different and far otherwise
heiHous offence than the like enormities perpe-
trated by British soldier on G Hindoo grl
| though in fine, no town was ever taken by
storm 10 village burnt, much less revolt OF
soldiery and peasantry successfully achieved
without these same accomp ailments of murder,
rape, violence, treacherY and brutal cruelty; yet
stiu, there is something SO horrible and heart
rending in the tortures which have been inflicted
on the few score Of English women and children
who have fallen into the hands of the mut,neers
| that 10 man, wherever he live, If he have heart
in his breast, can help looking forward with com
| placency to the punishment of the devils VINO
| thus dlsgraced humanity.
At the same time it may be well for the
English to remember that long continued ad
herence to the example of cruelty set them by
the mutineers could hardly fail to cost the sveu-
gers the foreign sympathy they now enjoy. That
amiable portion Of the Irish race whose heart
warns with joyful exultation on hearing o.
ravished English girls and murdered English
babies have had a pretty hard time Of it,
We are thinking, in their effort to get up sympa-
thy here for the Sepoy assassins; even John
Mitchell felt it necessary to repudiate them; we
trust the English will not supply these worthy
persons with the material to continue their
pessipgly humane agitation. On calm reflection
it must be obvious, in England as well as here,
that the Sepoys may claim the benefit of the
excuse which is the only palliation for the most
shocking atrocities in the history of every Euro
pean nation; they may say with truth that they
have been impelled to do the deeds they did
through religious fanaticism. Religion, aud
religion alone, hes been the moving spring of the
whole movement; not only of the prime outbreak
but Of the subsequent horrors, which q fierce
religious fervor might well raise to tue level of
sacrifices acceptable to God. How long ia IL
since our own race killed, burnt, ravaged, aye,
and slaughtered delicate women AID young
babies, all for ,he sake OF religion? Let the
English read their own history, and when they
shall have forgotten the tales OF Gendist cruelty
and bloodsaed which religious fansicsm i'm.
PEELED their ancestor to commit then let them
bid their soldiers give the sword no rest.
Nor are they b.omeless in tho matter. Tha.
India has been misgoverbed, and the native popu
laiion, in Bengal especially, cruelty oppressed ia
notorious Bat the missionary enterp ises con
Quoted as they have been latterly In spirit Of
rude, oyerbeariag dogmstism, practically Carried
out in may places by actual coercive measures
of conversion, have Involved even a larger re-
| sponsibilty end heavier guilt Let the Eng
lish put the case 10 themselves. and inquire how
they would feel towards sn enemy who. holding
accidental sway in their island, should compel
their children to co homage to Brahms, or coerce
part of their people 70 sacrifice to Juggcrnsutt'
When they thoroughly appreciate now they would
feel towards such al enemy In such position as
this and thoroughly realize now they would be
moved by sudden prospect of emancipation AID
religious freedom, teen they will be 10 fit state
TO judge the Sepoys, and likewise to form just
opinion Of the merits Of the Exeter Hall doctriues
We urge these ideas from conviction thai the
triumph Of England in India is merely question
Of time, ADD that whatever che decides ou doing
she will have the power TO do. The contest IL
too unequal to last long the mutineers stand
alone, without friend Ia the world. white ali