BRITISH 'WRONGDOINGS IN INDIA.
TO TIIE EDITOR. OF TILE SPECTATOR.
MR. IHTOR—The cold-blooded massacre of prisoners at Ghazni, by order of the puppet King put on the throne of Afghanistan by Lord AccaLAND, the present Governor-General, calls loudly for the investigation of a British Parliament. The murder of SEWLIAL SING; un the third march from Ghazni, also demands us loudly an investigation. This untinit ulnae man was quietly cooking his dinner, as the custom of the Hindoo soldiers is, near a tanning stream in front of the qua ter-gnarl of the Second Regiment of Bengal Light Cavalry, when he was peppered with summit shot discharged from the d iree- tion of Sir dons KEANE'S tent, the Commander of the Army of the Indus, which Was pitched near the line of the cavalry regiment. The trooper on starting up re- ceived a bullet through the right thi,gh, above the knee. Mortification ensued, and be died in the Regimental Hospital. A. statement of his being shot puler these circumstances was forwarded by Major SALTER, COIIII111H1d- ing the regiment, to Sir Joux KEANE; who returned for answer that the man was shot loy authority. The case has never since been agitated, though the soldier had a medal for services, and was transferred front the hody- pard on its being reduced to the Second Cavalry. An officer of' cavalry was directed to proceed to escort prisoners to the quarter-guard of the Forty- eighth Regiment of Native Infantry: lie received charge of 900 poor wretches. many of whom were wounded and covered with blood, who were taken like a Bock of sheep and mode over to Lieutenant-Colonel Wummen, of the Forty- eighth Native Intitutry. On another occasion, a crowd being collected around the marquee of the tyrant King SIIAII SOOJAII, an officer had the curiosity to walk towards the spot, when a revolting sight of wan- ton cruelty met his eyes : the beads and trunks of ten murdered. cap- tives were on the ground, and fifteen more were standing with their hands tied tightly behind them. who were despatched immediately afterwards by the order of this merciless despot. Still our victories, though tarnished by the murder, in- cold blood, of unarmed men, who naturally enough had fought for their country, are lauded to the skies. Stragglers from our advancing columns have been murdered by the people of the country ; but the Englislt General thew the first blood, and exaspviated still more the feelings of men on whom Lord Ace LAND'S Governinvot are forcing a Ding; always distill:el:deal for his cruelty and unbridled lust. The Governor- General, in his manifestoes, adverts to the probability of treachery in Ilia- dostan, but throws no light en its cause. intoxicated with their victories,
the Governmeut have systematically decided on hearing a none in Indi
whose rights are invaded. In his Excellency's progress from the foot of the Himalaya Moon! ains, ohm metire, ether ItiLilt or low, has been allowed an intervic ; all have been handed over to the tender mercies of impracticable Secretaries. Ruined landholders, ejected princes, starving aud penniless thousands, deprived of their all by the Free-land Resumption Regu- lations, have beset his Lordship's onward course, but could never get into the presence of the Ruler. Last, though not least, a sy stematic series of insults have bent heaped on the King of ; tto interview to be allowed but on terms utterly degrading the fallen but royal dignity. ysic, has Lord AUCK- LAND S011ght the Cite and twice has he hit't it without the usual ex- change of compliments with the bead of the oldest fluidly in the world, merely because the Resident at Delhi and the Secretaries will it nut. His Lordship, personally a most amiable man, is made answerable for acts which hare roused the feelings of the people ill a way quite unknown to his Lordship, who is en- tirely kept in the dark. A starving Moonshee obtains a dress of honour for a trumpery ode on the victory at Candabar, (which our army, it is well known, approached in the most crippled state,) when the petitions are thrown aside, and the groans unheard of a peasantry tuixo I. beyond en- durance, and of hundreds of ;lieu of the oldest families reduced to beggary by the resumption of their ja,.-crs, their only means of existence. Surrounded by his guards, what does r. Axel:nat.:1 know of the misery produced by the grasping financial sys' eel so heartily and unsparingly carried out by the European collectors and tax ;?: hows of the realm' His Lordship's govern- ment, it is hoped, is near its c: lie has ut.intrittionally been the instrument of grievous oppression. Ili, -1,. rts1,hued policy of tilling the public. treasury in all ways and at all risks, 't 1:1 p7:iti by atbditiohal expense in the quelling of internal commot in:, 7. I 't be found, whets too late, that the attach- ment on the part of the to their rulers has been succeeded by an im - placable hatred, which will avail itself of every opportunity of revenge.
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