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No. 397, October 31,1857.] THE IE1 PER. ...
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PUBLIC MEETINGS. THE INDIAN BELIEF FUND....
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Ringleaders Were Seiz«D Before They Coul...
rhe fire was coming fast , and the others all round were in flames . Not far from this , I saw four-women . I ran up to them , and asked tliem to come and help the sick man and woman out , but they thought they had had snough to do , and so they had , poor things ; but , to save the woman and the dying man , I drew my bayonet , and told them if they did not I would kill them . They came , carried them but , and laid them under 5 a tree . I left them . To look on , any one would have said that the names -were in the clouds . When I went to the other side of the village , there were about one hundred and Forty-women and about sixty children all crying out and lamenting what had been done . The old woman of that 3 mall family I took out came , and I thought she would
have kissed the ground I stood on . I offered them some biscuit I had for my day ' s rations ; but tliey would not take it ; it would break their caste , they said . The * assemble * sounded , and back I went with as many blessings as they could pour out on anything nearest their heart . Out of the prisoners that were taken , the man that the 2000 rupees were offered for was taken by us for nothing . We hanged ten of them on the spot , and flogged a great many—about sixty . We burned another village that night . Oh , if you had seen the ten inarch round the grove , and see them looking the same as if nothing was going to happen , to them 1 There was one of them fell ; the rope broke , and down he came . He rose up and looked
ill around ; he was hung up again . After they wcr « all hanged , the others were all taken round to see them . Then we came marching back to the carts . Left Benares with few on the 6 th of July , or rather on the night of the 5 th . We had to turn out and lie witli our belts on . On the 6 th , we , a number of one hundred and eighty , went out against two thousand .. We came up close to them ; they were all drawn up in three lines ; it looked too many for us , but on we dashed , and in a short time they began to run . "We set fire to a large village that was full of them ; we surrounded it , and as they came rushing out of the flames shot them . We ' took eighteen of them prisoners ; they were all tied together , and we fired a volley at them , aud shot them on the spot . "
THE GRAVE AT CAWNPOKE . " H . C . " writes to the 1 zmes : — " I travelled a few days since with a gentleman , aretired officer of engineers , who is a near relative of seven of the Cawnpore victims ; five of them were youngladies , one of them was the -writer of that little chronicle of woe which you published some weeks back hand over which thousands of tears ( not all feminine ) have heen shed since then . Among many interesting things which this intelligent man said , there was one which , it strikes me , ought not to pass and perish -with a casual railway journey .- 'They talk , ' lie said . ' of raising a monument
over that -well . They don't understand the natives , or they would do nothing of the sort . What does a Hindoo care fora marble pyramid or obelisk ? Now , what they 3 hould do is this : —Build above that well a Christian temple , as small as you like , but splendid , so that after generations of Christians shall say to as many generations of Mahomedans or Hindoos , " Look here ! On this spot your fathers wrought the blackest of their deeds to get rid of Christianity from India . See what came of it ! Christian rites are now celebrated , and Christian worship presented , on the very site of that well , and above the ashes of two hundred martyrs ! " That would be worth one hundred missionaries . ' "
GKNERAL , NEILL . ANI > UK . GUA . NT . The Calcutta correspondent of the Daily Jfcws writes : — " General Neill will remain behind at Cawnpore . This gallant officer has already experienced proof of Mr . J . P . Grunt ' s insolence and assumption of power . In my former letters I have mentioned that this gentleman had been suddenly appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Central Provinces , with the avowed view of putting a stop to the work of retaliation on mutineers . It was pointed out by the local press at the time that the whole country being under martial law the appointment was not required . It was made , however ; and although ]\ Ir . Grant on arriving at Benares found himself compelled to Bhut himself up in his house on account of the temper of the European troops , who had heard of his
mission , still he lost no time in transmitting orders to General Neill to put a stop to all hanging until the sentences should ho tranHinittcd to Benares and conli rmed by himself . The gallant Neill , it is stated , replied that the country was under martial law , and that ho would take his own course . That that course is a proper and correct one , the present state of the Cawnpore district has made evident , for in that alone has any revenue been collected since tho commencement of the present insurrection . . . . The appointment of Mr . Grant , the removal of Mr . Taylor from Patna , the orders to abstain from hanging mutineers , and tho rewards -iven to disarmed rcbola and to deaertera , have had an effect upon the minds of tho European aoldien ? , as well as upon tho independent community , which cannot bo sufflciontly doplored . " J
THK INDIAN PRESS . The Ilnrkaru was suppressed for five or nix days on account of am article nnd a letter offensive to the authorities . Mr . Sydney Lnnaun Blanchard , the editor , thereupon gave in hia resignation , and , after much humble begging , the proprietor got tho prohibition removed . r
No. 397, October 31,1857.] The Ie1 Per. ...
No . 397 , October 31 , 1857 . ] THE IE 1 PER . 1037
Public Meetings. The Indian Belief Fund....
PUBLIC MEETINGS . THE INDIAN BELIEF FUND . Several large meetings have been held in the provinces in connexion with the Relief Fund ; and the speeches at many of them have exhibited a political aspect . It has been remarked with regret that there have been but few meetings in Ireland , and that the sister country has contributed only a small amount to the collection . Even Dublin has joined the movement in a very cold and half-hearted manner . The fact appears to be attributable to the opinion which , whether correct or not , is very generally entertained in Ireland , that the Roman Catholics were not fairly dealt with in the distribution of the Patriotic Fund .
A large meeting of the Worcestershire nobility and gentry was held at tlie Shire Hall , Worcester , last Saturday . The chair was taken by the High Sheriff , Mr . E . V . Wheeler . A cheque for 200 ? . was sent by Lord Ward . Among the speeches delivered during the evening was one by Mr . Acton , a Roman Catholic magistrate , who repeated the assertions made by his coreligionists with respect to the Patriotic Fund . He said , " 231 , 000 / . of the capital was appropriated to Protestant orphanages and « ndowmerts , while the application of a party of Roman Catholic gentlemen in Ireland for an allotment for the education of Catholic children
was refused , although one-half of the Crimean army were Catholic soldiers . He hoped that the Roman Catholic noblemen and gentlemen in both Houses of Parliament would early next session raise the question of the distribution of the Patriotic Fund . At the same time he protested against their remonstrance with regard to the Patriotic Fund being confounded , as it had been by some of the public papers , with any supposed disposition of the Roman Catholic body to oppose the great purpose for which that meeting had been convened- ^—viz ., to alleviate the distress which had been caused by the late terrible evt-nts in India . " These observations called up Sir John Pakington , wlio observed that , " a member of the Royal Commission for the
Administration of the Patriotic Fund he could not allow to pass unnoticed what had fallen from his friend Mr . Acton . From his Royal Highness the Prince Consort , who was its head , down to the humblest member of that commission , he was convinced that the feeling furthest from their minds was that they should be influenced in dispensing that noble charity by anything so unworthy as religious prejudices . ( Cheers ^) On the contrary , he could say for himself , and he was sure also for every member of the commission , that one of their first objects had been to avoid any semblance of partiality on religions grounds , and when an investigation took place— -for after such an allegation an investigation must take place—his worthy friend would find that he bad been misled bv
erroneous reports . " ( Ifear , hear , ) Sir John , in a subsequent speech , which he made on moving an address to the Queen , observed that questions will arise with reference to the future government of India . " The first question will be—Is th « extraordinary idea that a vast country like India can be governed by a company of merchants to be carried out ; or is it a case in which the direct authority of the Crown of England ought to be exercised ? Twice has this double government been tried , and twice it has fceen found wanting . The next question will be—What is to be the mode of raising the revenues of India ? Are we to continue to raise the revenues by an oppressive land or salt tax , or from some
unworthy and immoral source such as the sale of opium ? A third , and not an easy , question will relate to the native army . Are we to abandon the native army ? Are we to have a native army organized and recruited in a manner violating every dictate of common prudence and common sense , or an army organized on a different principle , so that it may be efficient , and so that we may regard it in England as an ctfective force ? Lastly , let me refer to a question which is already deep in the minds of thinking Englishmen , and which is perhaps the most difficult of all . Hereafter , iu India , is tho flag of England to be prostituted to the support of the barbarous rites of Indian superstition ? ( Hear , hear . ) Or arc we to govern our Eastern Umpire in a way which , without
violating the prejudices of a people , shall do honour to and uphold that Christian religion which we believe and know to be founded on divine truth ? ( Cheers . " ) This is not a time for entering into a discussion of the important questions to which I have referred , nor do 1 think that it is desirable at this moment to enter into a statement of opinion with regard to what may have been the cause of the outbreak , although I find it very difficult to refrain from commenting on such acts of infatuation jib the establishment at Delhi , the old seat of the Mogul Empire , of one of our largest nnd most important arsenals , and then the leaving of that important fortress to the care of notoriously disaffected Sepoys . " The various resolutions having been carried , tho meeting separated .
At a county meeting for Devonshire , held yesterday week at Exeter , Earl Fortcscwe spoke in favour of tampering justice witli elemenoy , and of thoroughly considering the question of Indian administration . " I hope and believe , " he said , "that , with the sweeping march of our armies throughout tho land , the atcrn hand of British justice , while iL makes strict inquiry and infllcto condign punishment upon all who can be proved
to have been willing actors in the late dreadful mutinies , will at the same time be accompanied and tempered with British clemency and justice . ( Cheers . ) I hope that , wherever doubt exists , the benefit of that doubt will be given to the accused party—( hear )—and , while we inflict punishment on the guilty , I trust we shall acknowledge and reward the fidelity shown by many of the native princes to our alliance , and that we shall also acknowledge and reward the unshaken allegiance which has been yielded to us by a large portion , happily , of the native population . And , gentlemen , when peace and order shall have been restored , as I trust , by God ' s help , they will be restored throughout the length and breadth of British India , then , I hope , that due consideration will be given to some improvement in the administration of our "Indian Empire . ( . Applause . ) ¦ In the expression of that hope , let us not charge upon the present
Government , or upon the present East India Company , or upon any past Government , or any past East India Company , the blame of the disasters which have unhappily befallen us . ( Hear ,, hear . ) "Whatever may be . the shortcomings —and shortcomings I believe there have been—in the direction of the affairs of India , at least I believe that our Government has oeen based upon just and merciful principles . ( Hear , hear . ) But , after such a disaster a 3 the present , the British public have a right to inquire , and the representatives of British interests in India have also the riglit to inquire , whether a form of government combining the rule of the British Crown with that of a mercantile body is the best form of government that can be devised for that great portion of our empire . ( Hear , hear . ) To that inquiry the British Empire and the Indian Empire have a right to receive an answer . " Among the resolutions assented to was one acknowledging the fidelity of various native princes .
The Right Hon . W . Beresford , at a gathering of the . Conservative electors of the northern division of Essex at Saffron Walden , last Saturday , made some observations for the purpose of repudiating the idea that he had become a Whig—an idea derived from his recent promise to support Lord Palmerston during the present crisis—and of denouncing the plea put forward by several persons for treating the Indian rebels with mercy . He also entered into some other matters personal to himself . Two more speakers were Lieutenant-Colonel Brise , who thought our military energies , as shown in recruiting , are equal to those of 1803 ; ani Mr . Charles Ducane , who , while willing to support the present Government in putting down the mutiny , ' did not feel bound to abnegate all his political principles , and bow the knee to this Palmerstonian dictatorship . '
MB . XABOTJCHJERE ON THE INDIAN MUTINY . At a meeting at Taunton , last Monday , presided over by Mr . Kinglake , M . P ., the author of Eothen , and at which Mr . Gore Langton , M . P ., Mr . Arthur Mills , M . P ., and a considerable number of the local gentry , were present , the Eight Hon . Henry Labouchere , M . P ., the Secretary of State for the Colonies , took occasion to advert to the great topic of the day , and to the determination of the Government to confront the rebellion and to re-establish British rule in India . He said he felt confident that the Government of this country would not fail to act up to their fearful responsibilities , which they believed were not lessened , but increased , by the in which
manner they ( the Government ) had been supported by all parties in the country . He acknowledged that it was the duty of the Government not only to put down this rebellion and to establish law and order , but to look closely into the causes by which it had been produced , and to examine narrowly the circumstances of the Indian Government , not only in its military organization , but in the civil administration of the affairs of that country . That duty , he thought , the Government were prepared to undertake , and nothing , he trusted , would bo wanting on their part to the fulfilment of it , in the full confidence that they would be supported by the country . " ( Cheers . )
Mr . Arthur Mills , in addressing the meeting said : " We had liad a dominion given us over 180 , 000 , 000 of people in that vast country , which had for a century been committed to our care ; we have at this moment a Government maintained there at an enormous expenditure , and that Government is now deeply involved in debt ; while the multitudinous population of India , after a hundred years of our rule , are now in a condition very little removed from that in which they were under themost corrupt and cruel member of the House of Tamerlane . He did not impute the slightest blame to theexisting Government of India : but ho blamed all for
solong permitting a state of things to exist which was a . disgrace to the Christian name . ( Hear , hear . } When he adverted to that subject , ho did so , not in a party spirit , but in tho spirit of a true patriot , and he thought it was not too strong an expression to say that our rule in India hjid been used as a screen to protect the nativos from the contamination of Christianity . Ho stated , on the authority of tlie lato pious Bishop Hebor , that in one district in India Christiana wore precluded from holding ofitice , an order having been issued by tho British Government prohibiting any but Mussulmans and Hindoos from holding any ollico . "
THIS AKT TUKAHUKKfl KXHIBITION . A general mcoting of tho guarantee subscribers to tho lato Art Treasures Exhibition was held on " Wednesday
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 31, 1857, page 1037, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/ldr_31101857/page/5/
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