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naval brigade had arrived at Benares , and was thus ""¦ within ' .-twelve ' days of Cawnpore , where the English were almost impregnably entrenched , a sound basis of operations in Ou . de having been tlnis established . Several departures of artillery had taken place from Calcutta , and three British regiments had gone up the valley . In Lord Canning ' s opinion , fortified by military authority , it is impossible to place a wing of Europeans in Cawnporein less than
twentyfive days ; but with an apparatus of proportionate magnitude , we assume a brigade might be sent up within a month . It is scarcely , however , a question of brigades . The one thing needful is , not to reconquer Oude at a blow , or even to transport the inmates of the Kesidency beyond the scene of warfare , but to collect forces under the flags of Havelock and Outbaai which will place those commanders , with the people under their charge , iu absolutef safety . No matter
who holds , at present , the forts on the G-ogra if Lueknow be unassailable , and the districts thence to Cawnpore be continually penetrated by military arrivals from the coast . The works thrown up around the Residency with the additional troops , supplies , and materials thrown in , may be expected to keep out the inundation while affairs are maturing towards this result . We do not find , upon a close analysis of the intelligence ^ that any important co-operation was expected by the
JN ana bAiiiB irorn other quarters of India . The mutineers from Delhi , although" they would probably outmarch the British flying columns , could not make so much head as to appear in . the camp before Lueknow without drawing after them , in close pursuit , the forces sent to render an account of the fugitives . Unable to maintain a defence they would form but in different allies to a chieftain conducting a siege . They had been trebly cut up— -in the city itself , and in two subsequent
engagements , both resulting in . their discomfiture . The army at Delhi , of course , cannot be weakened in numbers so long as there are , surrounding provinces flushed with the agitation of the revolt ; but , beyond that limit , all had gone well . The Punjab , though naturally still uneasy , was undisturbed , except by a few predatory outbreak s ; the Hurrianah district was generally tranquil ; round Meerut and . Bareilly the excitement had subsided . Below , at Agra , the Euglish garrison , though
crowded and not iu good health , was prepared for any attack ; but could not hope to prevent the enemy from taking up a strong position in their neighbourhood , should he venture upon the enterprise . The danger threatened from Gwalior ; but from that territory we learn that Scindiau had been enabled to check considerably the operations of Ins mutiuous contingent , and to raiso levies almost equivalent to their entire
number . Indeed the Muhratta chiefs , witli scarcely an exception , remain firm and faithful to the British rule , thus falsifying one of the many random predictions in which Mr . Disha . eli has indulged . But the most gratifying indication is , that everywhere , excepting Oude , the bulk of the people are unmistakably friendly to our Government . Even the inhabitants of Hohilcuud , although temporarily held down by the insurgent military class , are understood to be anxious for this
restoratibn of European authority . At all points , wherever tho English have taken up a regular military position , it appears to be unassailable , the few successes of the xebels being those of surprise and treachery . One of the consequences anticipated in India as likely to follow the great triumph of Delhi , was the confirmed tranquillity of the Bombav Presidency , in which , beyond n doubt , a seditious leaven had beon strongly working ,
tainting , we learn , some wealthy natives whose names figure on the lists of the Indian Relief Fund ! Madras is reported safe , a blood feud having been established between the Madrasees and the insurrectionary Sepoys of Bengal . As for the supplementary province of Siridh , it is astonishing that , with its
turbulent military population still rankling under the sense of subjection , its restlessness has not been , more violent or dangerous . But wherever a rigid hand has been held over the natives , they have been cowed , or speedily coerced . The policy of Lahore shouM have been the policy of Calcutta ; Sir Johk Lawrence should be where L / ord Ca 2 Tni : n'&
is—Baron Xawbence , not a Knight of the Bath . We might then have been spared half the ruin and half the bloodshed which we have paid as the price of sickly civilianism and crotchety maladministration . The Punjab has been mercifully governed , without Leniency Circulars ; Bengal has been devastated by Clemency . But we are glad to know that , goaded as our soldiers have been , their bayonets have not been wantonly used in the
moment of victory . According to all accounts the army , after the capture of Delhi , behaved with general moderation and humanity . This , of course , adds to the solidity of our position in India—a position which is not yet relieved from peril , but may be expected to be held firmly xmtil the steamers and immense bullock-traiaa reported to be in readiness bring up masses of reinforcement roni the coast .
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RE-ESTABLISHMENT OP POLITICAL ¦¦ - ' \ ¦ ¦ . .. ¦ : UNIONS . - . ; ¦ ¦ : ¦ The statement published in these columns a fortnight ago , with respect to the Guildhall Coffee-house meeting , has been circulated by the principal journals of the kingdom , and has been the means of inducing the He form Committee to declare its views . We , of course , refrained from a verbal reprint of the circular ; but , as our readers are familiar with every point it contains , it is unnecessary to dwell upon the character of the programme thus announced . Two oi' three words of explanation , however , may not be superfluous . We beg our Liberal contemporaries not to believe that it is with a desire to embarrass any section of the Liberal party that we insist upon united public action . If the gentlemen named are in earnest they Avill have done with private , confidential , and exclusive assemblages , and the entire strength of the ne w combination , with that of the indefatigable Ballot Society—itself accused of restrictive hankerings — will be brought to bear with
courage and persistence upon the opinion of the country . As to Mr . Roebuck , we believe that we are fully aware of the part he has taken in assisting the movement and iu framing the address ; Mr . Roebuck is a politician , and well knows that he is liable to political criticism ; but neither we nor any other representatives of Liberal principles can have in view any object but that of promoting tho common cause of Reform , and it is with satisfaction we observe that not only have the Wood-street Leaguers consented to lay
aside their shroud , but tliat the secret of the Cabinet has been extorted , and it is confessed that Lord Palmehston is disposed , if possible , to evade tho pledge of last session . Well , an advantage lias beeiv gained , lteform is once moi'o a topic of the day . Tha working classes are agitating it , and we have received many declarations of sympathy with the sentiments we have expressed as to tho value oi ' an open and cordial association of all classes of Reformers . They have one grand point to gain ; it is before them ; they now know that tho Government will avoid concession until it is wrung from it ; they have seen
Toryism disgraced until it has been / bestridden by an . adventurer like Mr . DiskaeiiI ; and they have only to organize their own resources and apply them . But how ? Mr . Hoebuck himself shall give our friends a hint . He is a plain and a forcible speaker , and "though he has not written , a history of the IFirst Reform Bill , he has contributed some valuable materials for future use . Be-•— ' * - > r » " ~ -V ¦ V « A tAHl r * r T « - ^» VW . fc » - ~ ¦*>«« " *¦ ^_ VA M W * hf Mk \ IAWV / tM ~^ V
** " * *** . ^ fore the 'Act of 1832 was introduced into Parliament , the state of parties very much resembled what it is now . The great Whig families had almost entirely seceded from the IJeform ranks ; Mr . Hobhoitse hurled his invectives at them ; and the Tories pretended to enjoy their recriminations . It was by little piecemeal changes , Mr . Eoebuck says , that the Whigs tried to keep up their reputation as Liberals . The divisions between , them and the Reformers became
daily more marked . But the body of the people was animated by a desire for political power , and the body of the governing classes refused to surrender it . Then , Mr . Roebuck tells us what the people did . In every place Avhicii had the right of returning members to Parliament a Reform Committee was organized . The Opposition tried delay , exactly
as Lord Palmekston is trying it , and ' the world out of doors'began io ask the question , ' Are we bound to wait the pleasure of these interested and factious opponents ? ' The Political Unions resolved in the negative . They can do it again . Another Thomas Attwood may be deputed to write and in quire whether Lord Johet Rtjssei / l intends to retreat with
the Ministers , or to stay- among his fiiends . The movement might thus proceed steadjly , if not rapidl y ^ and Mr . Roebuck— -so inightyare the influences and the temptations of popularity—might- be induced to turn round and tell the supporters of Lord Palmeoiston " , as lie told the flatterers of another exalted personage , 'that he is ' a finished dissembler , always bitterly hostile to Reform . ' Even the Tory prints — although abundantly endowed with the attribute classieaiiy ascribed to the fly— -will not affirm that eve inconsiderable town does not contain at leash
ten men interested iu the promotion of Parliamentary Reform . If these ten would Unite and act—in concert , perhaps , with a London Committee—the question might be taken out of Lord Palmekston's hands . It is not for the Liberal party to receive the dictations of any Cabinet . All the ministerial objections
amount to no more than special pleading , and an artful attempt to confound the third session of 1857 with that of 1858 . Are both those sessions forestalled ? There is now a programme before the country . What towns will set the example of appointing committees to vote whether the principles set forth are deserving of adoption ?
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PAYMENT OP THE INDIAN DAMAGES . Amongst the inquiries which the House of Commons will urge sooner or later in the session to open on the 3 rd of December , will be a request to aec the bill of costs for putting down the Indian mutiny . Aa yet we can see only the commencement of the account , but we know that it will be heavy . About 40 , 000 troops have been shipped for India ; the supply must be kept up , and we cannot reckon
at loss than 50 , 000 already engaged for . But every man landed in India is estimated to cost 1 O 0 Z . —500 , 000 ? . to begin with . Some amount of naval reinforcement , and a considerable amount of artillery stores have been sent out ; avo can soon jnako out the round million . Indeed , it ia well known that aa soon as -war commences , it proceeds at tho rate of some millions annually ; and although wo have only tho commencement of tho account , we cannot expect to got off under
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No . 400 , November 21 , 1857 . J THE LEADER . 1117
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 21, 1857, page 1117, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2218/page/13/
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