The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-07-11
HindOO Troops.

Inc. debate IN the BRUSH "parllaulenC
upon the summons of the SepOy troops
from India TO Europe is of great signi-
%fcaDce. In an article in which it
acknowledges the splendid andacity Of
Lord Beaconsfield in breaking through
all the traditions that have marked the
relations of India and England, the Ions
don Spectator says "No ouch altera.
ton in the position of this country as a
fighting power has occurred since she
substituted regular regiments for train.
bands and feudal retainersj and it is n
which i~mpelatively demands the grave
consideration Of parliament 81 the deli>
berative body of the kingdom, and altos
gether irrespective of party quarrels."
These words show the great scope of the
measure, and it is hardly questionable
that no d~istinctiyely British minister
would have yentured upon it. Canning,
or Peel, or Palmerston, or Gladstone,
would never have proposed to bring the
Sepoys into Europe to fight British BAT
ties, or to maintain the cause of Chris.
tian civilization by arraying Hindoos
against Greek Christians. The Spectator
richtfully considers it to be a very impor-
tant question for England and the Eng
fish character.
1t may be viewed either as a special
policy Tor this emergency or ~ Il per-
manent military method. In the first
view there is one obvious consideration.
The real British ground OF war, if il
comes, is that the "interests OF England"
are threatened by the extensions OF
Russia. 1t is necessary to dam up
Russia and prevent the desolating torrent
of ito barbarism from overlooking India.
But if the Hindoos will fight European
troops at all, which is the sole reason for
bringing them into Europe, they would
fight them even more bravely at home in
India and if that be 80, tho idea of a
Russian invasion of India is ridiculous,
and its prevention is not a legitimate
reason for war. The real evil of the
summons to the Sepoys, however, is to
be found in the effect upon y tendency
of the British nation which is already
evident and full of mischief the disposi.
ton to rely upon money to defeat the
world in arms. The Spectator speaks OF
its c%ountrymen upon this point with a
planners which is qeldom found in any
national press dealing with its fellow
citizens: THE deep inner vulgarity of
sOul, in fact, which is the defeat of the
Englishman, the foul spot among his
splendid qualities, has infected the
nation, until it makes matter OF pride of
its one serious cause for political shame"
The English have fought their greatest
campaigns with the aid of subsidized
allies, and have refused to submit to a
universal and thorough military trains
ing. They are satisfied to think that
British gold can successfully win all
their battles. This evil spirit will be
gratifed by the employment Of the
Indian soldiery, tor which there can not
be that personal interest which makes q
great battle an incalculabls sorrow to
hundreds and thousands Of homes, and
whichis the defense of a country against |
wantOn wars.
The use of a horde of m%ercenaries has
other dangers, which the Spectator
points out. Why take the
trouble to govern q dependency well, |
when Hindoo troops can keep it in
and no Englishman be missed
Recourse to a power so vast and irres-
involves political and moral
deterioration. II is tie destruction OF
'~elt-reliance, Of selfsacrifce, and the
overthrow OF all restraints against
'chemes OF extension and aggrandize-
nent. In parliament the debate chung
to the constitutional argument.
This was natural, for Lord Beaconfield's
endency is to strengthen the monarch
cal element in the British system-a
endency which sooner or later il sure TO
e resisted. II Harpers' Monthly.