The power of the revolted wuzeers, and of the chieftains of the Maharattas and other tribes, was, however, confirmed by the Company. The Wuzeer of Oude, who had profited by the weakness of the last Emperors to proclaim his independence, under the title of Nawáb, was raised by the English to the royal dignity, with the view of opposing a strong and independent power against any attempts that might be made by the Emperor of Delhi to regain the position of supremacy once held by his house. The course of the Company in this instance is an example of what has always been their policy. Annexation, as being costly, hazardous, and likely to occasion protracted and expensive wars, has always been shunned. The Company has avoided war, when possible, knowing that peace is, in a commercial point of view, more desirable than any extension of their possessions. When, however, in the course of events, hostilities became necessary, either for selfpreservation, or for the protection of their territories and subjects, no greater exhibition of force was resorted to than the necessities of each case absolutely required. Whenever it was possible, the ruler of a conquered country was left on the gúddee, and his power was put on a much firmer base than it had ever previously rested on. In many instances the rank and authority of conquered princes were raised and extended by the Honourable Company with a view of securing powerful allies against other native rulers, and at the same time avoiding the trouble, expense, and responsibility of administering the newly-conquered country. These princes, it should be remembered, were seldom of old dynasties. They were mostly adventurers, or the sons of adventurers.* They had attained their position by fraud and violence, and were liable at any moment to be deposed by similar means. When, therefore, their power became vested in the Company by the right of conquest, it would have been perfectly just and equitable had * Like Hydur Ali, who was a common soldier; the original Gaikwar, who was a cow-herd; the first Peshwa, who was of equally humble origin; and those two powerful princes known as Sindia and Holkar, who were robberchieftains of the Maharattas. they been absolutely deposed and their country annexed to the other British dominions. This course would also have been much the most advantageous for the conquered countries, and has been, in fact, the recent policy of the Indian government. In the earlier years of the Company's rule, however, they were not aware of their own power, and sought, by a consistent course of concession, and the enlistment on their side of native interest, to strengthen a series of conquests so extensive and so rapid as to be bewildering. An additional motive against annexation was, that before the real relations between a native ruler and his subjects were understood, the latter were supposed to entertain toward their princes some sentiments of affection and loyalty, which, as well as their feelings of patriotism, would, it was thought, be shocked by a violent transfer of the sceptre. The wonderful success of the English, and the consolidation of their power which is the result of a wise and uniform administration, have removed the first objections to annexation. The discovery that a native prince governs as a brutal master tyrannising over cringing slaves, has dispelled any dread of opposition from the fidelity of the native population to their old masters; while the great devel opment of those parts of the country which have been annexed, the rise in the value of property, the peace and prosperity which the subjects of the Company have enjoyed, when contrasted with the insecurity, anarchy, and misrule of all the native territories, point out annexation as the most profitable, if not the only truly lenient and benevolent policy. A great deal of nonsense has been talked about these native princes, who have been treated with only too great clemency and consideration by the Honourable Company. In cases where it was deemed imprudent to intrust them with the management of their old dominions, they were always pensioned with the greatest liberality, and left at perfect liberty to live where and how they pleased, within certain limits of country-a treatment widely different from the trampling to death by elephants, the tortures, or the confinement in an iron cage which would have been their lot had their conquerors been natives. In cases where the old ruler was left in power, he was usually placed in an independent position. Tributes were sometimes imposed; sometimes not. The Company's government only retained the privilege of regulating the suc cession to the throne (a power which was generally exercised only to interfere in behalf of the regular successor against an attempted usurpation); and merely required that the native sovereign should govern with some justice, and maintain a certain amount of order; to secure which, and keep him in mind of his position, a British resident Agent, usually called simply "the Resident," was maintained at every native court. This officer had no power but such as resulted from his personal character and influence. The subject princes were also required to keep up a certain army, which was to be partly officered by Englishmen, and to the services of which the Company were, under certain circumstances, entitled. No terms could be more liberal than these, and they were always scrupulously observed by the Company. The right, which was of course inherent in the Honourable Company, to resume the sovereign power which had been once in their hands, in case of the non-performance by the native princes of their part of the agreement, was never enforced, except where, as in the case of Oude, the degradation of the court, the lawlessness of the capital, and the anarchy which prevailed throughout the country, were not only ruining the subject state itself, but threatened the peace and security of the adjacent territories of the Company. Even in such cases, the deposed monarchs were treated with a lavish liberality to which their previous merits gave them very little claim. Never has there been a conquest more unwillingly made than was that of the English in India. The Company was at first exclusively mercantile, and trade was their only object. Every war was costly, diminished their revenue, and lowered their dividends. Accordingly we find the Board of Directors again and again commanding the Governors in India not to allow themselves to be dragged into war, and to endure anything in preference to taking up arms. But their wishes were overruled by Providence. The Indian government was forced* *The wars in Afghanistan and Sindh, if exceptions to this rule, cannot be into one contest after another, until, in less than one hundred years from their first great battle, under Lord Clive, at Plassey, they found themselves masters of the land from Cape Comorin to the Himalayas, and from Burmah to Afghanistan. Henceforth India is delivered from tyranny, anarchy, and devastating invasions. The degrading sway of the Brahmuns, and the despotism of the Mahommedan rulers, are alike abolished. It is to be hoped that a few years will see the remains of the last native governments wiped away, and that India will be governed entirely by the beneficent rule of a Christian people; under whom alone civilization can be introduced, the immense resources of the country developed, and the Hindoos enjoy that peace and freedom to which they are entitled by centuries of oppression and suffering. laid at the door of the Company. Like the annexation of Oude, they were forced upon the East India Company by the British Ministry through the Board of Control, and were entirely acts of the Home Government, although conducted in the name of the Company, and at its expense. CHAPTER XXXVI. ENGLISH GOVERNMENT IN INDIA. Abolition of Company's Trading Privileges-Board of Control-Government of India Nominally in the Hands of the Directors, but really under the Control of the Ministry Civil Servants Appointed by Examination-Objections to this System-Unfitness of Natives for Government Employ-Government in India-District Magistrates -Salaries-Character of the Civil Service-Native Employees-Uncovenanted Service-Universal Lying-Instances from Real Life-Rules of Testimony-Civil Law of India-Mild Criminal Code-Thugs-Dukoitee-Religious Murderers and Robbers -Infanticide and other Crimes-Suttee and Human Sacrifices-Poisoners--Peculiarities of Crime in India-Thieves-Stealing a Sheet from under a Man SleepingPrecautions-Disregard of Capital Punishment-Black Water-Blowing from Guns -Model Prisons-Caste in Jail-Smoking-Licentiousness-Discourteous Manners of English to Native Gentlemen-What is a Gentleman ?-Difficulties of Magistrates -Native Police-Their Corruption and Tyranny-Torture in India-Bribery and Corruption-The Remedy-Causes of the Moral Degradation of the Hindoos. Up to 1833 the East India Company had continued to be a commercial company, ruling India in the name of the Great Mogul. At that time the Company's commercial power was taken away by the English Parliament, on the occasion of the renewal of their charter.* This measure was, commercially, of the greatest advantage to India, but conferred upon that country even greater benefits indirectly, by leaving the Company's servants free to devote their entire attention to gov Under the charter of 1793, the first provision was made for private enterprise, and the Company were obliged to provide 6,000 tons of shipping every year for the accommodation of private traders. At the next renewal of the charter in 1814, the Company lost the monopoly of the Eastern trade, except that of tea. The unrestricted competition of private capital in the India trade soon took most of the business out of the hands of the Company, while the whole amount of business done was, by it, largely increased, as appears by this table: Exports by Company. 1814. £826,558 1832. £149,193 By Private Traders. Total. |