The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-08-12
AN ANaLo-INDIAN coMMIssIoNER.


squeamishly avoidant of specific names Of power
and to disguise It's extent or keep It's subdivisions
out Of sight by means Of vague generalites of de-
nomination. Thus, in the United States, we have
presidents everywhere, not merely in the presiding
officers of public assembly, but in every petty
corporation wellto say nothing of the executive
head of the general government. So, in British In
dia, commissioner may be anything, high or low to
whom special trust is awarded, but is, above all,
the delegated ruler of subject kingdoms as at Hydu-
abad, Lahore, or Lucknow.
When the Sepoy mutiny commenced, Sir Henry
Lawrence was commissioner at Lucknow, in the re-
Gently annexed kingdom of Dude He anticipated
its first outbreak there, and by promptness decis-
lively disarmed the mutineers--although at q subse
quent period there was a second and more success
full outbreak. Sir Henry Lawrence took the respon-
sbility not of Furnishing the guilty, but ofrewardng
the loyal without waiting for permission from Cal
cutta. Instead Of consuming Sir Henry for this
sumption of authority, the Governor General promo
ted him to the grade of Rrigadier General and con
ferred on him and Sir John Lawrence, the commits
sioner in the Pmjaub, the power which Sir Henry
exercised without authority. The time had come
to let the right act in the right place Red tape
was at discount Sir Henry is destined to fill yet
larger place in the public eye He is of that order
of men who have built up, and who alone are COM
petent to maintain, the British empire in India. 1t
may be interesting to see how such man, half sol
der and half statesman deports himself when he is
at his work. For this object we extract an article
from the Central Star of Lucknow:
Central Star, extra, May Is.
GRAND MILITARY DURBAR.
We have already alluded the Grand Military Durbar
in this mornings issue BY dint of little applca
ton enabled to supply in extra what we
promised for next 1t will be fresh in the recollection
of readers that the It'll Aoudh regulars their de-
spair wrote to the 4Sth native infantry, in the foolish
hope that that fine regiment would commit itself The
letter intercepted; the crisis grave one but
Sir Henry Lawrence not the to trie, to hesitate
or to shrink from responsibility. He the right man
in the right place. and in few brief hours the mutnecrs
dsarmed and left grovelng for mercy. Swift pun
ish Sir Henry not tardy in rewarding He
termined bestowing the meritoous costly and val
liable gifts worthy of the government which he ably
represents. Three Subadar, the Havildar major
and sepoyof the 4sth, had proved themselves good
and faithful sodicrsso had sepoy of the 18th N. l.
who has been promoted to Naique To honor these men,
then, the object of the meeting The lawn in front
of the residency carpeted, and chairs arranged
forming three sides of square, for the native officers and
men from each regiment who were in attendance In the
large veranda facing sofas, &C., provided for the
principal civil and military functionaries Among the
former we noticed Messrs. Gubbns, Ommaney and Mar
TIM Capt Carnegie and Dr. Fayrer Precisely at p.
Sir Henry lawrence, x. G. b. attended by his
ries Mr. G. Copper and Capt Hays and accompanied by
Bgades Handsome and Gray with their respective sta
Mai Marriott paynaster Capt Maclean superintendent
bazaars Captain James, deputy commissary general Capt
Barlow, brigade major o. J. + Capt Barwel Brigade
Major Lucknow together with Colonies Haford Masters
Palmer and Bruee, and Majors Gall and Hardngc pro-
ceeded to his seat Beside him deposited in trays
the valuable presents for distribution Before however
he proceeded to their bestowa Sir Henry made
sodier-lke, eloquent, and anmatng speech to the
tive officers and soldiers present, which full of vgor
and point, and delivered in excellent dionac Hindoos
tanec clearly and distinctly every sentence every word
creating thrilling sensation 1t listened to by all
with deep attention, and the effect most excellent
We subjoin outline of t-all under the circumstances
it is possible for us to do:
Soldiers Some persons are abroad spreading reports
that the government desire to interfere with the religion
of their soldiers you all know this TO be transparent
fasehood you and your foreathers before you, well
know, and knew that for more than hundred years the
religion of your countrymen has been interered
with. And those amongst you who have perused the
records of the past who have searched the annals of
your country, and those who familiar with the ira
dictionary lore which has been carefully transmitted from
generation to generation must well know, that Alum
geer in former times and Hyder Alec in later DAYS
chilly converted thousands and thousands Of Hndoo desc
Grated their fanes, demolished their temples and carried
ruthless devastation amongst their household gods Come
to times many here present well know that Runjeet
Singh permitted his Mohammedan subjects to call the
pious to prayerncyer allowed the afghan to sound from
heloy mnarets which adon Lahore and remain this
/ day a monument of their magnificent founders The
year before last Hindoo could have dared to build
temple in Lucknow. All this is changed Hoa, who is
there who would dare to interfere with our Mohammcdan
or Hndoo subjects You all this you know it well
you need not require my testimony to this notorious
fact; you know also that there is government in
| the whole world to be compared with that of the
British governmental power, in wealth, in resources
1 in money, in dominions there is no sea on which
1 its numerous navy does not float no cline in
which its soldiers do not abound you have all heard
what occurred during the Russian campaign, how, in
that distant region, gallant soldiers and seamen OPP
posed to of the most powerful military nations the
world decimated by disease struggling against the
ror and seventies of Indictment seasons outnumbcred by
foes and thousands of miles from their native land did
nevertheless trampe down every obstacle crush all op
position and emerge from the conflict victorious radiant
with glory and astonishing their powerful foe by the
spectacle of army equipped, provisioncd, disciplined
and Injured to war; such nation in the world could
hope TO compete with and could defeat
If necessary, in few brief months hundred thou
sand European soldiers might be collected in any spot in
India.
government such does not require to deal in
deceit what it does it enacts openly before God and man
and is at all times prepared to and capable of
destroying foreign invasion or domestic factions Our
government will always persevere in its wenown steps,
will permit its subjects and soldiers to follow their
religion and to worship their forefathcrs were in
the habit Of doing No other government in the wide
world treats its soldiers the company docsevery viii
Iagc, every community procaims this fact,
Everywhere you the veterans of army enjoying
/ T. -. Il.