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No. 486. .Tn,:vlfe-18Bft.1 TEE1EADER 837
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WAR INCIDENTS.
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The " Turcos."—-These desperate Africans...
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IIDiA, ¦ ¦ •• ' AND INDIAN PROGRESS. •' ...
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pushed after it. I appealed person ne pr...
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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Transcript
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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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Germany. July Lqtli.R—The Sudden Conclus...
pointing the finger of scorn at them . Hanover , feavaria , and Saxony are laughing heartily in boisterous enjoyment of the prospect that it will now be Prussia s turn to goon her knees and beg for an alliance . She may receive it from England , but certainly not from any Government of Germany . I need hardly say that the conditions of the peace are unanimously ridiculed and condemned . The Pope president of a confederation of Italian Princes ! A pretty prospect tor the freedom of Italy , truly ! Of the causes which led to this peace it is impossible to form any opinion ; it is , however , worthy of note that on the very day that the armistice was concluded , the representative of Austria proposed in the Federal Diet that tlie Federal Army should be mobilised and that the Prince Regent of Prussia should be requested to accept the chief command , subject to no
control . At first we were all sorely puzzled to discover the meaning of this , but now we know that on the Stfc inst . the first overtures of peace were made by the Emperor of Austria , and that on that day it was reported that the efforts of Prince Windischgratz to induce Prussia to interfere actively in favour of Austria had failed . Prussia even refused to guarantee the Italian possessions to the house of Hapsburg . It is the firm persuasion now of most Germans , that Louis Napoleon will seize the first opportunity to pick a quarrel with Prussia , and make a swoop upon the Rhine , and that Austria , in revenge for the neutrality of Prussia , will then . remain neutral . At all events Prussia will have to retain the landwehr under arms for an indefinite period , which will prove nearly-as ruinous to her finances and the country as an active war .
Some journals represent the people as being overjoyed at the newsof peace , but this lean truly assert is far from the fact . It may be said that never was peace Jess welcome . The Germans feel themselves lowered in the opinion of the world by this hasty suspension ot arms , for indeed it cannot be regarded as anything more . The Italians are without question dissatisfied with the terms ; "the Germans are exasperated and ashamed , and all the elements of a future and more sanguinary war have been called into life . Telegrams of events follow so fast as to take away from correspondence all its use and value . Suffice it for the present that the state of public feeling here is such that the Governments may be forced into a war with France upon the very slightest provocation .
No. 486. .Tn,:Vlfe-18bft.1 Tee1eader 837
No . 486 . . Tn ,: vlfe-18 Bft . 1 TEE 1 EADER 837
War Incidents.
WAR INCIDENTS .
The " Turcos."—-These Desperate Africans...
The " Turcos . "— -These desperate Africans ( says an Italian letter ) continue to excite the admiration —or , I should rather say , the wonder ,, not unmingled with apprehension—of the districts they jpass through . They are not very desirable persons to meet on a lonely road , especially of a dark night . There is something decidedly ' " uncanny " about thein . They remiricl one of wild animals trained "by some bold hunter to pull down his game , but from whom his own flocks and herds are not altogether safe . When met with in straggling parties and without their officers , it is wisest to have as little to say to thetn as possible . They are not remarkable for respecting anything except their officers and the heavy bamboos with which those are usually provided . They are not subjected to the same code of punishments as tho French soldiers , but when they offend the officers cudgel them soundly . One may suppose that the officers of Turcos arc selectecl with an especial regard to their intimidating qualities , most of tlioso whom I have seen being powerful men of most determined aspect , likely to ( Jaunt the negroes , Arabs , and -Other African varieties under their command . The French tell me that the Turcos aro first-rate soldiers when opposed to rifles and bayonets , but that tho liro of artillery cows them . Hitherto it has "been found impossible tp make them give quarter ; thoy never take prisoners ; aU tl > at they overcomo thoy kill . It may bo very strongly questioned whether it be justifiable to use such savages in ft civilised European contest . Frenchmen , however , who have been through this campaign from its beginning , toll mo that somo of the Croats are nearly as merciless ,. if once they get out of sight of their officers . Military Ballooninq . — -A correspondent from tho French camp eays ;—The tfrouuli have ostabiianed a regular service of balloons , which are under the intelligent direction of tho famous ntironnut Godard , and tho fortresses of Poschiera and Verona Are closely watched , so that , wo are ablo to know what is going on within thoir walls . Tho dny beforo yesterday the balloon of Monsieur Godard could bo Been over Peschiora , much to tho amusement ' of our . gay soldiers . At six o ' clock the aiiriftl reconnaissance was over , and the balloon having boon safely ¦ descended in the vicinity of Castol Nuovo , Qodurd and two officers of tholTrenoh staff , who wore his companions , hastened to report that about seventy oxon Lad been collected by the Austrinns at the JDogana of Poechiora . A party of Zouavos was soon despatched in that direction , and a tow hours afterwards the captured herd made Us appearance in our camp .
Iidia, ¦ ¦ •• ' And Indian Progress. •' ...
IIDiA , ¦ ¦ •• ' AND INDIAN PROGRESS . ' A . . ¦ ¦
Pushed After It. I Appealed Person Ne Pr...
pushed after it . I appealed person ne present resident ; General Cullen , for redress , but obtained none . On the contrary was told by him that " Europeans have no ri « -ht to the public roads in Travancore , that they should leave the public road when they meet a respectable idol procession , thafmissionaries are only tolerated here , and should beware of giving offence . " Thus the Englishman was degraded by his own countryman in the sight of all Travancore , and great eclat was given by one who bears the Christian name , to Braminism and idolatry . The indignity was borne in silence , and the affair is now for the first time , and that for the sake of illustration only , made known to the public . If ; I were to meet with such a heathen procession now * and . under similar circumstances , I question if I could escape with my life Apropos of the above is the Order in Council passed by Sir Henry Pottinger , whose views coincide wonderfully with those of General Cullen , about Missionaries and all that sort of thing . " The Resident ' s communication is as follows : — .
in to t CASTE DISTURBANCES IN TRAVANCORE . TO THE EDITOR OF " TEE LEADER . " Sir , —1 . Travancore is styled the " Paradise of the Holy , " by which is meant , I suppose , that here , more than anywhere else in India , Bramins are feasted , petted , and worshipped , and that all others must move completely out of the public road , when these " incarnate gods" are parsing along . They have tried this game even with Europeans on horseback , but the fear of being ridden over has induced them to step aside , though with wounded pride and sullen looks . Europeans , however , on foot or in palki , are not able thus to combine might with right . I happened in 1 . 854 to meet an idol procession on the public road where it had a wall oh one side and a river on the other . The chief native magistrate and six of his subordinates were present . I got out of the palki and stood as near the edge of the road as I could without actually going down the bank . I was ordered by one of the authorities to descend into the river , but on refusing was pelted with sand and dust by the Bramins , ' my palki rolled down the bank , and I
influences of the Pleiades , " were brought into play , and the result was a proclamation in 1855 , abolishing slavery . This proclamation , like man $ other things in India , was the immediate offspring offear on the part of the Government , fear of the displeasure of the E . I . Company roused to action on the subject by the fear of public sentiment in England . The Soodras and other slave-owners were not consulted , of course , in the afiair , and loud and angry have been their complaints of the measure ever since . Their disappointed feelings find vent every now and then when arty special service to the State is demanded of them . Not being able to obtain from the Government a repeal of that proclamation- ^ the reason for the refusal being Quite beyond their comprehension—they seek compensation in
some other way . Fortunate for their cause , as they deem it , the Queen ' s proclamation was lately read in public at Trevahdram . Like a drowning man catching at a straw , they seize a part of its contents and immediately begin to exclaim , ^ The Queen will take no more countries ; the Queen is angry with the Company for taking away the countries of Maharajahs , encouraging their friends the missionaries to settle in the country , and compelling the Hindoos to become Christians . The Ponnu Sawmi ( Golden God , His Highness the Rajah ) has now all the power restored to him which the Company unjustly took away from him , and the Governor came the other day to deliver up to him all his former authority . The Queen is
the great enemy of the Company , and has sent her army to destroy the English , who have all been killed in the north . The Queen hates the religion of the Company , commands that no Hindoos shall become Christians , and will punish with death any of her servants . who interfere with our religion . Why , then , do the missionaries , still remain among- us ? They are acting contrary to the Queen s proclamation ; we must drive them away , and punish all who have joined them . " Such are the reports brought to me of the construction put upon Her Majesty ' s Proclamation by the Soodras . My informants are intelligent men , who converse with Soodras and hear from their lips their own version of the Queen ' s sentiments . . trom
4 . Deeming the present a fit opportunity to wring the Government some concession in their own favour , and the Government nothing loth to gratify them when it can do so consistently with its own laws , toey have succeeded in getting a proclamation made resuscitating an ancient law : which establishes a distinction in dress . Part of thesprdclamation runs thus : — "No . 1328 . Police . —A proclamation made to all castes of P < 3 " ? " am informed tnat some Shanar women , contrary to the custom hitherto prevailing : are in the habit of covering : their bosoms , and that consequently disturbances aws ready to break out , between the-Shanars and faoodras and other hi « -h caste people . As it is not just to act at variance with a long- established custom , but with the sanction of the Sircar , 8 uc £ imiovatious will certainly he visited with just punishment . The Shanars should duly connider this matter and tot accordingly . _ ¦ _ - " Dewan , Matlieva Rayar Appathura Ayan Mekodoo , " 11 th Markaly , 103 * ( 27 th December , ISoS ) . "
5 Having tlius procured as they say authority from his Highness "to put down tlie Shanars and all other low caste people " they proceed to the public markets , highways , and Shanar villages , and seize , beat , and abuse men and women of the Shanar class , tear off their upper cloth , plunder and burn their houses , as well as the chapels and schoolrooms of the mission . Eleven chapels and schoolrooms law thus already teen burnt , and thebungar lows of the missionaries as well astheir lives are threatened . This violent opposition , which in its first outburst , at the beginning of the year , was directed against a « fehanars , whether Roman Catholic , Protestant , or Heathen , has now become more decidedly antichristian . Our catechists and schoolmasters , always objects of aversion to the lower erades of Government officials , arc now aptorn
prehended by them , have their coats and headdress ofi sometimes into shreds , are beaten , imprisoned , secured , hands and feet , in the stocks , reviled and in other ways insulted and degraded . The more intelligent and zealous among them la-ve for years beonmai-ked men by tlie Government officials in their several neighbourhoods , and now that the day of vengeance iscome , they are experiencing the truth of what they often read .- —" All that will live godly in Christ Jesus-shall suffer persecution . " 0 . All this wnist , of cdurae , l > nve some show of reason . Henco the Sooilraa and lower grades of Government officials who are of the same caste , play into eaoh other a hands . The former concoct nnd tho latter recoivo , tlio most ridiculous charges against tho catechists nnd others , such ns that « they , /«* c « 3 going to Tinnevelli ami bring two or thr ee thousand Shanars lo burn tho Soodrns' Ikmiscs , , that they wore seen coining In largo nunitoj Wi * t o ;»//» , / ninl . indnrnff their bazaars , that they nre lugnwith the
w « y robUew runnlntf ^ wav ««! ., XuleV are which wore being brought to Iho nmrkoto , t a ! « . £ a e fomenting an Insurrection ngnliwt « ' « Q ? J . 01 "'" "" , ' n t £ mmmMm ' SSSrtggassiSs 2 S OuroLftpols aro entered by them , our religion ™ Xd ond ( wroonffroffnUona ^ altered . Besides tnose MniorouuBoluBbyftovlng boon burnt , several ware of our ohSiefi ow virtually " clowd , as the catechlsta have Sod onVore Sonooollnff thomftfllveBln obscure villages ^? etri nS ™ « 5 ' , those charges aro being examined into with aft the si » ow of maglstorlBl provlty . But do the higher officials honeatly bollpve in the truth ofthem ? If not . why do they continue to oxaraiue thorn . Why not
No . 479 . —1854 . To the Kev . G . frlault , NagercoiL Sir , I linvc the honour , by desire of the Madras Government , to transmit to you a copy of the 12 th para , of a communication to me from the . . Government , strictly prohibiting all interference by the Members of the Missions in Traveiicorc , in the contests between their converts and the local authorities , and which I request you will Lave the goodness to make generally known . I have the honor to be , & c ., ( Signed ) W . Cudlen , Resident . Resident ' s Office , on Circuit , Trichoor , 10 th , March , 185-1 . Extract from the extract from the Minutes of Consultation * of the Govcrmeiit of Fort Saint George . Ko . 82 , dated
14 th Feb ., 1854 . 12 The governor In Council thinks that the assumption of tlie missionaries to act as the patron of their convertb and to advocate their cause when there is any contest between them aud tho local authorities ia objectionablei and he accordingly directs that this practice be explicitly prohibited , ancT that the resident be desired to communicate this resolution both to tho Dewan and the missonaries , and to act upon it himself in all instances where applications innv be mado to him personally in behalf of Christian converts . ( True extract . ) \ V . Cuiucen , Kesident . The above order in Council , passed by Sir Henry Pottinger , was rescinded by Lord Harris , the successor of Sir 11 enry , but for all practical purposes it remains still tlie law with General Cullen , as he lins long ago ceased to take any notice of any representations made to him
by missionaries respecting the injustice unu oppression practised upon nntive Christians by the subordinate magistrates nnd police of Travancoro . 2 . Caste here nourishes in perfection . With the exception of some four or five Europeans , who occupy uninnucntial positions , tho whole executive power of the country , as well as ovory office down to the lowest peon , is in the hands of high caste men , and I leave you to judge how unchecked and irresponsible power in the hands of such men is likely to bo wielded . Hitherto they have had full scope for its exorcise and little has been said to them , and next to nothing snid about thorn , to tho public out of Travancore , so that scarcely any influence from without lifts been brought to bear on thom . Not only are Government offices not to bo desecrated by being held by any below tho Soodra caste , but supplies of rFce . erhco . butter milk , fruit and tho like for the
Palace , for tho ' great public fonsts to Bramins , tor idols , and for those who attend on them , mv furnished by that class alone . For all this certain privileges nnd immunities are enjoyed by them , and on the sole condition that thoy perform these and such like services to tho State . As it Is In their power " to atop supplies . " they lire of course both feared and potted . They are the chief landholders in the country , and till lately all classes bolow that of the Shannrs , and one section of that also , were log-ally , and in . most cases * actually their bondslaves- . . 3 . When Hit ) Highness , the present Rajah , ascended tho Muenud , u petition wns presented to him through tho Resident , by all tho Protestant Missionaries In 2 ravanoore , for tho emancipation of the slaves . They received an nnswor to tho effect thftt such a sweeping measure could not for a moment bo entertained . Influences however fur boyond tho boos , of which tho Trovoncoreans generally have no more Idea than of the " sweet
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 16, 1859, page 9, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_16071859/page/9/
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