San Andreas independent., 1858-01-02
The British East India Company---How
it Rose---HoW it Ruled


of this vessel gave to his government produ
ced mercantile voyage, and the first Eas
India Company was chartered in 1000 Thei
capital stock was 72,oOOI. They were emf
nently successful in trade, and new compa-
ny was established in 1898 The old one wa;
re-establshed in 100; and in 1869 it agreed
to pay to the government 400, ,000l year, foT
FIVE years, to remain unmolested during that
time During the Governor generalship OF
Warren Hastings, judges were sent out from
England, and a system of Anglo-lndian JurlS-
prudence introduced into the country. The
supreme government of the Company is vest
ed in a Board of Directors, with powers regu-
lated bv charter; but it has often happened
that the Governor general and Factors have
usurped powers never contemplated by the
spirit or letter of the charters. There are
three Presidences-one at Madras one at
Calcutta and one at Bombay. The native
population now ruled by this Company, has
been variously estimated at from fifty to nine
tv millions; and the annual revenue drawn
from these by trade and fraud, is $500, ,000,-
900. The English agents and residents of the
country, Except in time of war; number lit
tie over 5000; yet, these few, by their ad-
dress, and courage, and unscrupulous stern
ness, manage to fill all the posts of honor and
profit in India by their minions.
India was early visited by the adventurous
Carthageniaus, and was partly subjected to
the dominion of ancient Persia. Subsequent
" it attracted the ambition of Alexander,
whose lieutenants passed through the country
to the waters of the Indian ocean, returning
to Europe by way of the Rec sea. 1t was the
story of its wonderful wealth, that induced
the Conqueror to build the city of Alexandria
at the mouths of the Nile, for the purpose of
securing its commerce. But after the death
of Alexander, his empire was divided and his
generals, in their struggles for supremacy, lost
sight of the stupendous plans Of their master,
and India was forgotten until the fiery Mus
sulman, radating from the city of the Proph-
eft, over the crumbling dominions of the East
ern Empire, had subjected Southern Europe
religion to the Pagan tribes of Hindostan.-
About the year 1000, Mahommedan prince
in Eastern Persia, made several expeditions
into India, laying waste the country and redu-
cling the people to subjection. But the polit-
ical fabric thus established, like most of the
Mussulman Conquests, soon decayed.
Toward the close of the fourteenth century
and soon after the Crusaders Of Western Eu-
rope had relinquished Jerusalem to the grasp
of the 'Infidel," Tamerlane, the redoubted de-
scendant of Saladin, headed an invasion o.
India. His career was marked with cruelty
and bloodshed He laid waste the lands anc
pilaged the cities of the natives, made slave;
of his prisoners, and on one occasion slew ter
thousand in cold blood The dynasty founded
by Tamerlane ruled India with varied success
under the title of ''Great Mogul," until tht
early part of the eighteenth century, when al
adventurer from Persia, named Nadlr Shah
undertook to wrest India from the Moguls.-
The magnitude OF the invasion the courag'
and discipline of his troops, backed by con
summate generalship, soon subdued the de
generate Hindoos. Nadir invested Delhi the
capital and levied incalculable sums OF trea
sure. Macauley thus graphically portrays tht
wealth of India and her political condition a
this period
IA series of nominal sovereigns, sunk in
Incidence and debauchery, sauntered away
life in secluded palaces, fondling concubines
and listening to buffoons. A series of fero-
cious invaders had descended through the
western passes, to prey on the detenceless
wealth of Hindostan. A Persian conqueroT
crossed the Indus, marched through the gates
of Delhi, and bore away in triumph those
treasures of which the magnifcence had as
founded Roe and Berner the Peacock
Throne, on which the richest jewels Of Col
conda had been disposed by the most skilful
hands of Europe, and the inestimable Noun
tain of Light, which, after many strange Vi
cissitudes, lately shone in the bracelet of Run
ieet Sing. and is now destined to adorn the
bideous idol of OrisSa. The Afghan soon fol-
lowed to complete the work of devastation
which the Persian had begun. A band of
merccnary soldiers occupied Rohilcund. The
Seiks ruled on the Indus, the Jauts spread
terror along the Junnah. The highlands
which border on the western sea-coast of In
dia poured forth Il yet more formidable race
a race which was long the terror of every ma
tive power. and which yielded only after many
desperate and doubtful struggles, to the for
tune and genius of England. These were the
Mahrattas. Many fertile viceroyaltieS were
entirely sublued by them. Their dominions
stretched across the Peninsula from sea to sea.
Nor did they, though they had become great
sovereigns, therefore cease to be freebooters-
They still retained the predatory habits OF
their fcrefathers. Every region that was not
subject to their rule was wasted by their in
cursionS. Wherever their kettledrums were
heard, the peasant threw his bag of rice on
his shoulder, hid his small savings, and fed
with his wife and children to the mountains
or the jungle-to the milder neighborhood of
the hyena and the tiger. Even the wretched
phantom who still bore the imperial title stoop-
ed to pay ignominious "black mall The
camp-fres of the rapacious leaders were seen
from the walls of the palace of Delhi. Even
the European factors trembled for their mag
azines. Less than hundred years ago, it
was thought necessary to fortify Calcutta
AGAINST the horsemen of Berar, and the name
of the Mahratta ditch still preserves the mem
ory of the danger.
sWherever the viceroys of the Mogul re-
tained authority they became sovereigns.-
rr1 ,.,;o.b+ c+;ll aclSpoWledoe in words the