The Sun. — 1858-10-21 (London, England)

THE RIGHT HON. EDWARD EARL OF ELLEN  BOROUGH, G.C.8., &C.  " We, the undersigned bankers, merchants traders, and other European inhabitants of Calcutta, interested in the good government of British India, desire to offer to your lordship the expression of our respect for your exalted character, and of our high appreciation of the principles enunciated in your lordship's despatch of the 19th of April, 1858, condemning the proclamation of the Governor-General of India, whereby almost the whole landed property of the lately acquired kingdom of Oude was declared to be confiscated.  " Although so far removed from Great Britain, we participate with the great body of our countrymen in the desire for good government throughout all the possessions of the British Crown. And we have, from our position here, a special interest in desiring that the government of this country shall be conducted on principles of justice and sound policy.  14 lc Tally of us are engaged in commerce, and many whose pursuits are not strictly commercial have invested capital in undertakings having for their object the development of the mineral and agricultural wealth of India. All of us feel how essential it is for the welfare of ourselves and of the natives of this country that the government of India should be conducted on such principles as shall, in their result, diffuse content amongst its people and confidence in the good faith of their rulers. " It has been imputed to us that we are actuated by a feeling of indiscriminate revenge, which would confound the innocent with the guilty.' We unhesitatingly deny this aspersion, which has no foundation on anything that we have ever said or done. We desire to see the punishment that the law awards visited on those who have blackened even the crimes of mutiny and murder by atrocities too hideous for contemplation, and we disapprove, and have never hesitated to express our disapproval, of the proclamation, by which the Governor-General lowered the dignity and honour of England in vain attempts to conciliate the men who were using against the Government, of which he is the head, the arms placed in their hands for its protection ; but it was never our wish that one innocent native of India should suffer for the crimes, however atrocious, of his countrymen. Therefore it was that we condemned from the first the Oude proclamation—a proclamation, we venture to say, unparalleled among civilised nations in modern times in the wide scope of its indiscriminate severity, and which was addressed to a people, who alone of all who have been in arms against us, had some kind of justification for their resistance to a newly-imposed authority. " We contemplated with feelings of alarm the probable consequences of that proclamation, which did, indeed, confound the innocent with the guilty,' and we hailed with feelings of gratification and pride the admirable despatch by which your lordship with a vigorous hand arrested the threatened evil in the bud. We rejoice to think that while such statesmen as your lordship remain to direct in the Cabinet, or assist the Government by their counsel in the senate, no great public wrong can be of long continuance. " We beg to assure your lordship that we shall ever regard with feelings of respect and admiration your lordship's conduct in the instance above referred to, and trusting that you may be long spared, under Providence, to assist by your maturedjudgment and sound wisdom in the councils of the nation. "We have the honour to subscribe ourselves, your lordship's most obedient and humble servants."