RAJAH BROOKE'S DOINGS IN BORNEO.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.
Sot—It is impossible that the late unparalleled proceedings of Mr. Rajah Brooke can have escaped your notice; and from the character hitherto, with few exceptions, proudly sustained by the most valuable and most influential portion of our literature, it really seems an act of impertinent and unnecessary meddling for a humble individual like the writer of this to invoke the powers of the news- paper press in condemning in appropriate language (if, indeed, there be language sufficiently severe to be appropriate) the lute atrocious butcheries of the Dyaks in the island of Borneo, under the direction of this Mr. Rajah Brooke. This pre- cious missionary from Exeter Hall, baptized a Christian philanthropist by Bishop Wilberforce, with Sir Peter Laurie for his godfather, went out with all the ho- nours and blessings the saints and the peace-makers could heap upon him: Church and State dignitaries, as well as Civic grandees, concurred in feeding and caressing Mr. Rajah Brooke, as a sort of highly-concentrated spirit of benevo- lence and piety, a luaus natures in philanthropy. Now, what are the simple " un- adorned" facts, as recently announced to us by the Singapore papers, showing the manner in which this Christian " Excellency" performs his mission ? Why, without any warrant or justification, he suddenly, in the name and as the representative of the Queen of Great Britain, sends to their final account more than a thousand poor Dyaks, in cold blood ! Every one of those poor crea- tures possessed a soul as valuable in the sight of the Almighty as that of Mr. Rajah Brooke himself; and though justice for this cruel and cowardly deed may not perhaps overtake him on earth, yet there is a tribunal before which he must hereafter confront these poor slaughtered Dyaks, when no intrigue, no chicanery, no Court or Government influence, no winking, or shamming, or evading by Colo- nial officials, can avail him. Here he may be "His Excellent r " to crush these poor victims, but not without the awful retribution hereafter oi a righteous God, thus offended in his own image.
"For worm was never raised so high Above his meaner fellow worm."
If these disgraceful proceedings be not thoroughly investigated, and their Author punished, an indelible blot will stain our Government and country ; and if the members of the press evade their duty ip unmasking and exposing this coun- terfeit of Christianity, this fraud upon philanthropy, they themselves will have become not only accessories after the fact-, but will have also suicidally destroyed their own high character for integrity and fearless independence.
I am, Sir, yours obediently,
P11.11.0.ABOBIGINES.
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