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Leader (1850-1860), 10th December 1859, Edition 2 of 2, Page 11, LATEST INDIAN INTELLIGENCE, , We have ro...

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      A Native Parliament. We Were The Other D...

      day the Saxon and the Celt are distinct , and the Celt hates the Saxon , who has , nevertheless , attempted to conciliate him with every sort of political concessions . Yet , after all , there is but a very slight difference of race between Celt and Saxon—nothing , less than nothing , as compared with the difference ^ betveen Saxon and Hindoo j and yet these Calcutta politicians proclaim that a legal and political equality of races is the most reasonable thing in the world to ask , and the easiest to grant . " Abolish all political privileges , remove all such , antiquated barriers from between the Englishman and the native , and there you have a free and independent people , differing only in colour and customs . " "A native has as much right to the high offices of state as an European—rather niore so , as he is in his own country . " . "He has a right to be represented in couneil . " * ' Why do you blow hot and cold with the same "breath ? " say the ardent advocates of political progress among the natives . " Why do you refuse to apply to the Hindoos those principles of liberty and equality which you so universally upheld among yourselves ? " And this specious cry carries away the superficial and unreflecting among the Europeans , who like to enjoy the complacent feeling that they are superior to the prejudices of race , and are disinterestedly advancing the cause of civilisation and humanity among the awakened heathen . It is really dreadful to think that our lives and fortunes are at the mercy of such superficial , yet horribly dangerous politicians , who seem , by the late measures , to muster strong round the Viceroy , and to have made some impression even on Lord Stanley . Good Heavens ! is it not clear that where we are as one to ten thousand , political equality must bring on political superiority on the part of the natives ? Where are we to stop , and who is to put on the drag when the natives have once got hold of the reins ? We suppose that a majority in the Representative Assembly will hold the executive powers , and that its mandates will control the army . How can it be otherwise ? They who hold the purse will hold the sword , and a native representative is not likely to be moderate in his encroachments . 2 ? ancy Bhowanee Pershad Dutt , the honourable member for Cossitollah , moving in the Parliament of Calcutta that the rule which retains all artillery in the army , and all treasuries in the Civil Service , within thte hands of Europeans alone , is a disgraceful slur upon the character of the native gentlemen in each of the professions ; and fancy it being carried by a large majority of Baboos that the said rules be immediately abolished . What would be the consequence of such a peculiar political crisis , which no one can declare to be improbable , if the preliminary steps be once granted ? The honourable member for Cossitollah would be perfectly correct and consistent in his views . It is and would be a disgraceful piece of inconsistency to allow a Hindoo every sort of political equality , and to deny him a commission in the artillery . On what principle could you possibly refuse ? If he is to be trusted to make laws and manage the executive , he may surely be trusted with a ninepounder . Also , "What do you mean by disarming our loyal foliow-subjects ? and " Why , have we , the Hindoos , not the best right to be allowed t <> protect our own country ? " Why , indeed ! Yet what would be the upshot of it all any one can see . The Anglo-Saxon would begin to perceive that although theoretically equal with the patriotic Hindoo , he was practically becoming inferior . Tine Saxon has a great many faults , and one of thorn is a diabolical amount of stubborn pride , especially national pride , lie has nevor yet " gone under " to any othor nation or race upon the broad earth , and , nil tilings considered , he is not likely to begin by knocking under to the , . Bengalee . The upshot would bo a short but savage struggle , another exhibition of'that cool Teutonic ferocity which the mutiny showed to be latent in tho blood of so many Englishmen , and which is to native fury as red-hot iron to blazing straw . Tho native house . o . f representatives would vaniBh into thin air , and tho educated Boiigalco would learn too Into under tho grinding despotism of a justly-enraged dominant raco , that evory one must hold his own in this wicked world , that political priviloges arc a' snare nnd a delusion , without physical power to uphold them , and that they cannot oxpeot merely by mounting on our shoulders , to reach , in fifty yours ; that glorious freedom and independence which bus taken our forefathers and ourselves flvo hundred years in England to accomplish . —* Mo / usailitc .

      Kto. 507. Dec. 10. 1859.1 The Leader. 13...

      KTo . 507 . Dec . 10 . 1859 . 1 THE LEADER . 1343

      Latest Indian Intelligence, , We Have Ro...

      LATEST INDIAN INTELLIGENCE , , We have rocolvod , by overland , mall , advices from Bombay to Nov . 11 . Tho news is unimportant . Dwarka was evacuated by tho Waghors on Oct . SO , and the expedition is at aii end . The JBoml / cty Gazette says , — " Oa the evening of Sunday , the 30 tu ult . tho Wagners made a sortie on tho sailors'

      battery , and were repulsed with severe loss . Early on the Tuesday morning they evacuated the fort , cutting their way through the pickets of the 28 th Regiment , severely wounding one officer and three men of the regiment . ' They passed close to the 28 th camp , but that corps could not do anything towards intercepting them , owing to the darkness . On Wednesday , a corps , of Europeans proceeded to the fort of Wasser , which had previously been occupied by the Waghers , but arriving there they found that fort also deserted . The enemy either carried away or buried all their treasure , as no loot of any consequence has been found . Measures were taken to prevent a repetition of the occurrences at Beyt ; but there was no necessity for resorting to them . On Monday evening the enemy were observed burying their dead that lay scattered over the ground in considerable numbers . The navy and the transports rendered every possible assistance to the troops by the very heavy fire they kept up from the steamers , as well as from the sailors' batteries ashore , both at Beyt and Dwarka . The European troops were making preparations to return , and will probably arrive in a day or two . It is believed that the 6 th regiment will join Colonel Scobie ' s force in pursuit of the Waghers . The volunteers from the crews of the transports , particularly of the Kamillies , were exposed for a considerable time to a very heavy fire of musketry , in which one of them was wounded . In Central India a campaign is about to open from Neemuch against a body of rebels , said to be 5 , 000 strong , encamped in a mud fortress , upon the banks of the Chumbul . In Bundlekund , in the fastnesses of whose hills and jungle ITeroze Shah and a body of rebels are still hjLding , the campaign has been already opened . The Bombay Times says : — " Prom the south and south-west three columns are marching upon the rebels , commanded separately by Colonel Primrose , of the 43 rd Light Infantry ; Colonel Oakes , of the 12 th Royal Lancers ; and Colonel ISTott , of the 19 th Madras Native Infantry . Colonel Ross , with his camel corps , attacks them from , the Saugor side ; and Colonel Turner , of the 97 th , advances from Banda . Captain Wright , with 200 of the Sikhs and 40 men of the 43 rd , is posted at Geree ; and the Brigadier has removed to Poorania , a position between his head-quarters column and Alexander ' s Horse , which guards the road from Ghysabad to Huttali . " The agitation against the Licensing Bill still continued . Prom Nepaul it is rumoured that the JNana is dead , but considerable suspicion , of course , hangs over a story which it is so much the interest of the miscreant and his friend , our ally , Jung Bahadoor , to get believed . THE GOVERNOR GENERAL AND THE OUDEAN TALOO ^ DARS . A correspondent of the Times writes that on the 22 nd of October the Governor-General made lm triumphal entry into Lucknow , and received and decorated all the Princes and higher noblesse of Oude . Two days after a gi'and Durbar was held attended by the majority of the Tulookdars of Oude After the usual formal greetings , the Governor-GenoraL rose and addressed the assembled landholders thus : — . ' Talookdars of Ouclo , —I am glad to find myself in your country and among you , and to have this opportunity of-speaking to you in the name ot the Queen , your Sovereign . A year , has not passed away since this province was tho seat of anarchy and war . Tho conduct of its peoplo had besn such that the Government was compelled to lay a liouvy hand upon it . J'iut peace and order ure now restored to every corner of Oude , and I am come to speak to you not of tho past , but of the future . You have , Jill of you who arc hero present , received yesterday the grants of these estates which tho Government has restored to you . You will have spcu by tho terms of thoso grants that the ancient Tatookdaroo system of Oudo is revived and perpetuated . Bo assured that so long ' . as each one of you is a loyal and faithful subject , and a just master , his rights and dignity as a Talookdar will be uphold by me and by evesry representative of ' our Queen , and that no man shall disturb them , You will also have seen by thoso grants that the snnie rights are secured , on tho same conditions , to your heirs for evor . Let this security bo an encouragement to you to spend your care ; and timo , and money upon the improvement of your nossossions " . The Talookdars were recommended to take care of their dependents ? and the Govornor-Gonoral continued , "I trust that there aro none among you who ftro so infatuatod as to believe that tho Govprnmont has had designs against your religion , kvoii if there bo any such , I will not condosoondto ropoac tho asauranoos which they have already rcceivou on this head . I leave it to time , and experience , ana tholr own sonsos to dispel their per verso suspioloas . But for tholr own sakoe , I warn them not to be lea

      into acts of opposition or distrust towards the Government , by the false tales of designing men . " The Talookdars , " says a local reporter , " looked satisfied , " and well they might . If one could imagine the Duke of Sutherland , say , suddenly assuring his tenantry that their farms were their own for ever in fee simple , one would expect some slight marks ^ of complacency to be manifested . That and nothing less is the effect of the Viceregal speech . The Oude proclamation , the despatches to-Lord Stanley , our entire policy since the annexation , arc flung to the winds together . The aristocracy are restored to their estates en masse , andfgranted a perpetual settlement ; in other words , the rate of taxation is fixed for ever , and all the increase of rental sure to follow our rule will go , as in Bengal , to enrich them , instead of the State . THE ALLEGED LOOTING AT BEYT . On this subject , the Bombay Gazette says : — " Some of the natives here have been very industriously circulating reports , to the effect that our soldiers stripped the temples and idols at Beyt of their valuable ornaments and decorations , and carried them away . It now turns out that , although the fort defences at Beyt could not have been destroyed without injury to the temples , prompt measures were taken for the preservation of the idols and their gold and silver ornaments . The idols are safe j their decorations and jewels , and all that the people care to value in connexion with them , have either been left untouched or replaced in the temples whence they were taken . " ^ .

      Foreign Incidents. Schoolboys And Smokin...

      FOREIGN INCIDENTS . Schoolboys and Smoking . —The Mayor o'f Douai , in a circular to the communal schoolmasters , expresses his determination to put down the precocious habit of smoking , which he learns , by the reports of the police , prevails to a deplorable extent among the boys of that city . He therefore desires the schoolmasters not only to mark down for punishment all children whom they may see smoking in . the streets , but to search the pockets and portfolios of the scholars from time to time , and to take awayall cigars , cigarettes , pipes , and tobacco which tnay be" found . He authorises the most severe punishments , and will sanction any measure' which the schoolmasters may devise to check the growing Q vil ' ' The Fbexch Coasti ng Trade . —There is a great fauing off in the coasting trade of France , or rather in the number and tonnage of French vessels employed therein , and probably there are collateral ways of accounting for the fact . The railways and canals arc , of course ,, the only competitors , and the 5 or 7 per cent- increase on the receipts of the former does not in any way help to solve the question . The probability is also that a large portion of that increase lias grown out of passenger traffic ; and it is not very likely that the canals have gained all that the coasters have lost . The Debuts takes up the subject , and dwells with some emphasis upon the very serious effect tluit a diminution of the coasting trade must luivo upon the Imperial navy , as well as the merchant marine . The writer draws the conclusion that the railways are gradually undermining that trade , an inference which cannot possibly be admitted , as the official returns shflw no increase m the receipts of the former at all approaching in amount the diminution in tlic latlcr Lhe ^ canals are not vury likely to have absorbed nil tho amount —in fact , a very small portion of it indeed ; and , ^ d « Z ~^ sTr ^ r ^ S ^ ts ^ sz : i- = S £ dkss ^^ i ^ :: ^^^ . iJYs scarcoS possibles to visit Boulogne or Havre ? Uho 5 ™ ng P ! Suckwith the immense disproportion between the flags of Prance ami other nations . At the fonuer port English and Bdyiun ships seem ^ re gnal nost ^ xclusively , and at the latter the Englifh and American flags greatly predominate . Ti ik LAMbs i * TCJIUHSY .-Thu Journal do Conituntinoala v MlfthQB t \\ a toxt of an-imperial ediqt , , roffuliuC the costumes of tho ladles in Turkey in Srn t y with Mussulman tradition :- ; All women must t " ko tho greatest caro to refrain from overythinff contrary to good conduct , and must watch noKtontiveV over tho honour of their fivmUy . According to tlio Mahometan law , tho first obliga-Uoa for wonaou consists in tho use of tho veils cog-SSuentlv . for a Turkish woman to depart from the ob Srvanco of that ou » tom is a breach of not oaljr a sooial duty but of a precept of faith . NoverfhfllasB for somo time past , a cortata number of women , oontmrv ° to Z U ' of propriety make up of Tory thin veils , and of drosses made of materials which have never bofore boon used Tor such purposes and walk about with their features and person ffo mucirsce ? . They , moreover , aflbot indelicate man-

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 10, 1859, page 11, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_10121859/page/11/