The Times of Tuesday gives the full text of the
remarkable letter addressed by the Nizain to his Minister, Sir Asman Jah, in regard to the question whether his Highness can rightly give oral evidence in a suit at law, and submit to cross- examination. Certain of the Nizam's subjects are said to have declared that " the idea of a reigning Prince giving evidence in a judicial matter is distasteful to the people, as being derogatory to his dignity as a ruler, and foreign to the usage of the country." The Nizam, however, reminds his people that the Commission to examine him was issued at the request of his own lawyers, because hie evidence was absolutely necessary to complete the case. "The same necessity would have arisen had the case been tried in Hyderabad, since my own Courts are not now what they were at one time, being presided over by able and conscientious Judges, who would never have decided the case without my evidence." Mahomme- dan law forbids mere written evidence, as giving no opportunity for cross-examination, so this plan could not have been adopted. Perhaps, however, it will be said that the Nizam should have risked the loss caused by Mr. Jacobs's conduct in order to save himself from " the supposed indignity of giving evidence." This, however, would have only con- firmed the people of Hyderabad "in an erroneous estimate of the dignity of their Sovereign, equally foreign to the faith of a true Mussulman and his most cherished traditions." The Koran declares that " witnesses shall not excuse themselves when they are called ; " and Ali, a Khalif and Prince of the Faithful, appeared as 'a litigant before a Court of Justice, while Hassan and Hossein, the grandsons of the Prophet,. appeared before the same Court as witnesses. " I, whom the grace of God has made a ruler over twelve millions of men, dare not place myself above the nearest and dearest relations- of our Prophet, whose veriest slave and bondman it would be my glory and my pride to be." The Nizam further instances the appearance of the Prince of Wales before the English Courts. The document is a very remarkable one, and reflects- great credit on the Nizam and his advisers.
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