The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1885-08-22

putes and differences that took place be
tween these several powers, after they hat
shaken of the yoke of the Mogul, opened
the door for interference of the European
settlers towards the middle of the eigh
teenth century. The peace established ir
Europe in 1748 can scarcely be said to have
ever been effectually extended to Asia. Tht
conquests on each side indeed had been re-
linquished and surrendered by that treaty
| but in a most negligent manner With re-
spect to limits and boundaries; and in eact
Of these distant settlements France at thai
time happened to have able and enterpris-
ing servants, who thought they saw in thei,
respective governments such means of ag-
grandizing themselves and their country
and Of thwarting the British interests az
we're not to be overlooked or neglected. In
the East Indies very extraordinary efforts
were made to reduce the whole peninsula OF
India proper, in short the whole Mogul EN-
pire, nnder the dominion of France, by an
artful interference In the appointment OF
the governors of kingdoms and provinces,
the Subahdars, Nabobs and Raiahs. The
power of the Mogul had been irrevocably
shaken by Kouli-Khan in 1898, from which
time the vioeroys and other subordinate
governors had slighted his authority, and
in greater or less degree became indie.
pendent. The interference of the French
was calculated to throw things into confu-
sion, by dispossessing those who we're op-
posed to them of their Kingdoms and tor
ritories and thus compelling them, as 1t
we're, to seek succor from England, which
ultimately brought the two rival nations of
Europe into state of hostility, not rs
avowed principals, but as auxiliariee of the
different native princes or Nabobs. In no
long course of time things took turn en-
tirely in favor Of the English and their al
lies; the French we're baffled in all their
projects, every place they possessed taken
from them, suspension of arms agreed
upon in 1854, and the French governor, Du-
pleix, the ambitious and enterprising an-
thor and fomenter Of all the troubles, and
who had been i'll supported by his govern
ment at home, recalled from India.
The French first, and afterwards the En-
Qlish, contrived to take advantage Of the
rival claims set up by the different native
powers, and by rendering them assistance
against each other and fomenting their
quarrels soon became acquainted with the
manifest superiority of their own tactics
and the influence this must give them in
such contests. Tho French went farther,
md first hit upon tho expedient Of training
the natives in the European manner and
Incorporating them with their own armies.
These were Sepoys.
It was not long before the French and
English. who had first taken the field as
auxiliaries, became opposed to each other
as principals, in which conflicts the English
succeeded beyond all expectations, and in
stead of being driven out Of the peninsula
themselves, which wns evidently in the view
of the French under Duplex, in 1851
and 1852. found means to establish them
selves there through the victories of Give
to the exclusion of all other European ma
tions, except for purposes purely CONNER
cial. Give has justly been regarged as the
founder Of the British Empire of India; he
was the first to procure the company grants
of territory and assignments Of revenue,
which totally changed the character of
British connection with that country and
rendered the princes, even the Mogul HIM
self, subservient to British purposes. The
Englishhad received great provocation from
the Subahdar of Bengal, in an attack upon
Calcutta, and Give was selected by Admiral
Watson to recover from Sorrajnd Doulah
the town and fort which had been surren-
dered to him. At the battle of Plassey,
1857, he not only succeeded in the recovery
of Calcutta, but in the deposition of the
Subahdar, and having appointed bis gen.
eral in his room, he obtained grnat of all
the effects and factories of the French i'll
Bengal, Bahar and Orissa, and money con-
tributions to the immense amount of 3d.
$1,000, exclusive of private gratuities.
It would have been we'll il these advan-
tages could have been acquired with less loss
of credit to England than was actually the
case; but there was too much in these first
steps towards territorial establishments, to
feed the ambition and cupidity of those in-
trusted with the management of affairs, to
render it probable that they would keep
clear of abuses. The opportunities that oc-
Cured of intermeddling with the native
powers, were eagearly seized upon as occa-
sions for enriching the Company's servants
(drawn from home by the hope of making
rapid fortunes) at the expense of the Com
pany itself, whose affairs were in danger,
not only of becoming more embarrassed by
the extraordinary expenses Of such inter-
ference, but by the alienation of the minds
of the natives under circumstances little
short of the most determined plunder and
persecution. In the management of the
newly acquired territories and inland trade,
it is no longer to be doubted that the ma
tives suffered in every possible manner
from the most unreasonable monopolies,
exorbitant duties imposed on articles of
general consumption, abuses in regard to
leases and fiscal expressions, SO that the
British name became dishonored, and it
was found to be absolutely expedient that
some change should take place in the ad-
ministration of affairs 90 remote from the
seat of rule aud direction, and which from
simply commercial were now clearly be-
come political and military.
The charter of the Company being sub
ject to periodical renewals, afforded oppor-
tunities for the interference of the legisla-
ture, nor was the Company itself backward
ander any pressure of pecuniary embarraes-
ments to apply to governments for assist
ance. On one of these occasions the great
change that had taken nlaca in the atafo of