Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-19
INSURRECTION In INDIA.

1t fs Possible and PrObabIe-The
Symptoms Preceding the Out
break in 1857 Repeating Them
seIyes-Engiand's Dangerous sub
jects.
If there is one characteristic enjoyed
by the Montreal Gazette, it is that of an
entire avoidance of the sensational" "
1t is a journal which avoids creating un-
necessary alarms, and when it predicts
trouble the words are Of some account
The Canadian paper says: Since the
fearful scenes of 1856 in India, the ma
tive army has always been one among
the many troubles of the vice-regal gov
ernments. 1t has been felt that it would
be impossible to defend so vast terri
tory by the troops of the regular English
forces. The men who used to be called
Sepoys, have, therefore been reorganized
into body whose constitution is not far
similar from the original one. But the
distrust which is almost unavoidably felt
in them has been too obviously shown.
The troops have been used as more
police than as soldiers. They have been
made to understand pretty plainly that
nothing but the most urgent necessity
would induce the government to orier
them for service in the field.
And that this resolution was no un-
meaning one has been proved by the
fact that for some time Sepoys have been
armed with no weapons Of more modern
date than than the old percussion pattern
musket OF late, it is true, the expert
ment has been tried Of furnishing Snider
rifles to certain corps, but what has been
done in this direction has been done in
such a cautious, tentative, and suspicious
manner that theresentment of the native
military has been observed. The Hindoo
is rather dangerous customer to play
tricks with. He may be ruled with a rod
of iron, or, by the'exercise of considera-
BILE tact he may be induced to obey dis
cipline from feeling that to do so is for
his best interests. But anything in the
way of caprice alienates him immedi-
ately. One of the great mistakes which
British officers made previous to 1851,
and which they still make to a certain
extent, was in carrying their haw haw
Pail Mall manner among the population
of the country in which they were sta
toned. The phlegmatic men of the
northern nations, the English and the
Germans, and especially the lower classes
of Russians, will endure without any
material anger, vast amount of abuse
and even of personal ill-usage. But the
people of the southern nations are far
less ready to submit to insult, much less
to physical injury The horrors of the
French revolution pale before the dread
ful massacre of Cawnpore. The Hindoo,
born in the cradle Of the world civiliza-
ton, combines an intellect of the highest
order, latent though it be now, with the
worst qualities Of all pandemonium,
"And to this magazine Of eyil pas
sions.the Anglo Saxons are continually
holding the match. The natives are
first tyrannized over in fitful, not i'll
natured manner, and then carelessly left
to their own devices, to plot and plan a
dreadful retribution; TO devise the most
awful outrages; to prepare with amazing
talent and unparalleled liendishness, a
mine WHICH shall not only blow the
word Of their rulers to atoms, but which
shall inaict .the greatest possible amount
of individual agony mon the sufferers.
Again, the same blunders is,ave pro.
duced indications of the possibility of
the result as thirteen years ago. AT
Simia. a number of men have been ar
rested for completely in plot to murder
the Governor-General and his Council
ors, and these men appear to belong to
an organization whose spread would
seem to be almost cO-extensive with the
limits of India itself At Koorkie, also,
the springs of rebellion manitests them
selves, and the association of the Waba-
bees has for sometime past been intrigu-
ing among the natives to endeayor to
produce resistance 10 the increase OF
the income tax, which has become nee
essary on account of inundations, pesti-
lences and famines which have been so
disastrously common during the last few
years in Bengal and the northwestern
provinces.
"But, most serious signs OF all, disaf-
fection has manifested itself among the
ouondam Sepoys. Allahabad. the near
est station to Merut and Cawnpore, has
become more and more unhealthy yearly
Of late. and the British garrison has been
consequently reduced 10 a minimum.
Control being removed, the agents Of the
secret societies have become marvel0usly
active among the native regiments, and
at last mutiny has openly broken out.
The ostensible cause, for Hindoos always
place some reason foreign from the true
one upon their actions, is the execution
Of one Of their comrades for gross insub-
ordination, and the entire regiment has
laid down its arms. The action, bad
though il is, is unimportant in appear
anee, but in reality is much more serious
than it seems on the face. Tho revolu-
tionary movement must have gained con-
siderable strength when the Brahmins.
who control everything Of the kind, would
allow an open demonstration to be made
by the soldiers.
Movements Of the same kind, pre-
sage Of the coming storm, we're apparent
shortly before the outbreak Of 1851.
Then they were treated with careless in
difference. The English authorities
would not believe that there was any
danger until the hurricane was upon