The Press. — 1854-01-21 (London, England)

EXTINCTION OF INFANTICIDE IN INDIA. THE order of the Governor-General abolishing infanticide throughout India was read at a grand gathering of the natives held at Umritsir on the 14th of November last. In a letter f: om the spot the following details of this interesting solemnity are given :  " Umritsir, Nov. 15, 1553. " The Umritsir meeting was most splendid. Every civilian in the Punjaub was there. The street of the camp was nearly a quarter of a mile long, and composed entirely of civilians' double-polled tents. It was calculated that more than 20,000 natives, independent of the usual inhabitants, were assembled at the Holy City to listen to the Governor-General's order on the subject of infanticide. On Monday, the 14th of November, all were invited to come to the durbar at eleven o'clock. A small apartment with a fine bamboo screen was provided for the few ladies who were present, that they might witness the scene. It was most magnificent.. There were 3,000 natives inside the grand shemeana-300 were of sufficient rank to have chairs allowed them, which were placed in a semicircle at the end of the tent: at the end of this semicircle stood all the assembled civilians. All the old Sikh generals and rulers were there, and among them many hill chiefs who had never before been tempted out of their native mountains. All those who were not entitled to chairs were seated on the ground, and presented one large compact mass .of human heads. " There was the most profound silence in this brilliant assembly when Mr. Edmunstone, on whom devolved the duty of opening and explaining the object of this important meeting, rose to speak. He made an excellent Hiudostanee a tdreas, denouncing female infanticide as barbarous, cruel, aid unholy ; and so powerfully did that address influence his hearers, that every native present signed a solemn agreement on oath never again to allow female infanticide within the circle of his acquaintance without denouncing the perpetrators. " Hitherto the hill chiefs, and many of the Sikh tribes, have adopted the cruel practice of murdering their female children, rather than bear the great expense of their foolish marriage ceremonies. Government has now limited those e Tenses to certain sums proportioned to the rank of the parents, which just now is viewed as a blessing to all parties; and all the chiefs expressed their satisfaction and delight at the new law. "You cannot imagine a more splendid scene of Oriental magnificence than the breaking up and separation of this vast assemblage, the chiefs mounted on their splendid elephants, and attended by their numerous followers. "In the evening the whole city, together with the farfamed holy tank of Umiitair, was splendidly illuminated. " At sunset we all assembled in the camp-street, and formed so large a party that twelve elephants were borrowed from the chiefs for our accommodation : they all stood ready, in a line, laden with scarlet and gold, their heads and trunks painted with different devices. The scene in every direction was strange and interesting. The city was as light as day, and was literally crammed with people. As our twelve elephants, with their glittering trappings, followed each other' in stately procession, it was curious to look back upon the long narrow streets and the tall and irregular houses, blazing with rows of lamps in long lines, until almost lost in the distance. "At the entrance of the holy tank the crowd was so dense that they looked like one solid mass. We were conducted to a position from which we could see the whole square, and where carpets and seats were prepared for us. I cannot attempt to describe the magnificent spectacle that met us there. The golden temple, the steps round the tank, the very water itself seemed on fire ; around the edge were packed 20,000 people, and the murmur of their voices came up like the roar of the sea in a storm. " At the signal of a cannon, fireworks broke out on every side ; fountains of fire fell from the roofs and rose from boats in the middle of the tank, rockets pierced the air and fell again in showers, and fire balloons in great numbers had the appearance of so many new stars. " This period was chosen for the meeting because it is a great Hindoo festival, which always collects crowds at Uniritair, being connected with the worship of fire."