I wrote you a hurried letter last night. I have since come to the
knowledge of many additional facts, and have had some time to reflect
on what I have seen and heard; and I should be as wanting in my duty
to you as to my country, if I was withheld, by any motive whatever, in
stating my sentiments in the most undisguised manner on the present
state of affairs: and whether you coincide in my opinion or not, you
can have no doubt regarding those motives that lead me to express, in
that sacred confidence, which your knowledge of my character authorizes
me to use, the conviction of my judgment on the steps necessary to be
taken upon the present unfortunate crisis.
I have now seen the concerted plans of almost the whole of the army
against the authority of Government; and can say, with almost an
assurance that I am correct, that there is not one Company's corps,
from Cape Comorin to Ganjam, that is not implicated in the general
guilt, and that is not pledged to rise against Government, unless
what they deem their grievances are redressed. Be assured, that no
commanding officer, whatever they may write, has any real authority
over their corps[70]: and though in some places (where there are King's
regiments) they are more guarded, their resolution is the same; and
they mean to act, the moment the example is shown by those parts of the
army whom they consider as most likely to be successful in their first
efforts. The Hyderabad and Jaulnah force are chiefly looked to, and the
northern division of the army; and the European regiment has, from what
they style its regimental grievances, become the corps from which they
expect the first act of opposition. Its late proceedings are applauded
and confirmed by the force at Hyderabad: and I know it was intended,
if there had been the slightest indication of any coercive measures,
or even had the Commander-in-Chief arrived, to have marched this corps
and the two sepoy battalions in the division to effect a junction
with the Hyderabad force, in order to organize an army to commence
hostilities with Government. Their march was to have taken place as
to-day; and it was, for five hours after my arrival, a subject of warm
discussion, whether I should be recognised or not as their commanding
officer? And, after stating every thing a man could state to reclaim
them to better feeling, I was obliged to give them the choice of the
extreme, of either immediately submitting to the order of Government,
or of opposing it. They chose at last the former; but placed it on the
grounds of that general respect which was paid by them, and all their
brother officers, to my character. I did not think it necessary to
fight regarding the grounds of their obedience on this point, being
satisfied with the substance, and particularly as I had received this
proof after they were informed of my sentiments and intentions. Though
an immediate open rebellion against Government has been prevented by my
arrival at Masulipatam, the danger is not past; and we must not deceive
ourselves, or any longer evade this serious question. The officers of
the Company's army on the coast are no doubt at this moment in a state
of actual insurrection against the Government; and this combination
against authority is every moment maturing and spreading wider. I have
seen the letter[71] from the Bombay army to that of the coast, and it
is unqualified in its condemnation of the orders of the 1st of May,
and its promise of support. Several private letters have been received
from Bengal. An address from that army, to the same effect as that of
Bombay, is expected: at all events they appear certain that no human
power will lead the Bengal troops to act against them. They calculate
upon opposition from the King's army, and their plans are concerted to
meet it. These deluded men are aware of the ruin they are bringing upon
themselves; but their infatuation is so great, that they are reconciled
to their ruin, in the expectation that it will equally involve that
Government against which their rage has been so industriously and so
successfully excited. All attempts to reason with men in the state
of mind they are in, appears vain. Even the circulation of the able
letter from Bengal is, as I apprehended, likely to inflame, instead
of appeasing their passions. It is so true, that when men's minds
have gone completely wrong, that which ought to put them right has,
in general, a direct contrary effect: and the fact is, that all
those correct principles and loyal feelings, which are so eloquently
expressed in the letter from the supreme Government, but serve to
impress them more forcibly with a sense of that guilt into which they
have so precipitately rushed, and to render them more desperate in
their proceedings, as they can (after what has passed, and particularly
late events at this place,) only see individual safety in all being
equally involved in the deepest guilt. I entreat you to be persuaded
that these sentiments are quite general; or, at least, that the few who
do not entertain them have neither the means nor the courage to oppose
their progress; and allow themselves, with an indefensible passiveness,
to be borne along with the tide. Under such a state of circumstances,
all hopes of this spirit of insurrection subsiding must be at an end.
Some steps must instantly be taken; and no good can result from the
application of any partial remedy. The disease is general, and the
remedy must be so also. It remains with you to decide on the measures
that are to be adopted. The first and most military, though not,
perhaps, the most political, that suggests itself, is the employment of
actual force. In such a contest, however, not only the means must be
calculated, but the result; and, as far as I can judge, success, even
in this extreme, would not save us from the most baneful consequences.
It seems therefore not wise to have resort to such a measure, till
every other that it is possible for Government to take, without the
annihilation of its own power and dignity, has been tried and failed.
Unqualified concession to the demands of the army, either in dismissing
public servants of Government, or in rescinding its orders, would be
a virtual resignation of its power, and cannot therefore be made. It
would, indeed, be better and more honourable, if _matters were at the
worst_, that Government should fall by any hands than its own. Should
Government not resolve on having immediate resort to force, one line
only remains that could at the present moment afford a rational hope
of the necessity of having recourse to that extreme being avoided, or
at least of its being resorted to with advantage; which is, to meet
the crisis at once, by a general order to something of the following
purport:
"Government finds, with concern, that it can no longer indulge that
sanguine hope which it once entertained, that the irritation which
a variety of causes have combined to produce in the minds of the
Company's army on the coast would subside; and as it is satisfied that
the evils which must result from the existence of those combinations
against its authority, that are now formed in almost every station,
will, if suffered to continue, be as injurious to the public interests,
as if those by whom these proceedings are carried on were in a state
of open hostility to Government; it feels compelled to anticipate
every extreme that can occur, and to publish to the army at large the
final resolutions which it has adopted under this extraordinary and
unparalleled situation of affairs: and these resolutions will, it
is satisfied, be found to combine as much attention to the feelings
of the army as it is possible to show without a sacrifice of the
public interest, and an abandonment of the authority and dignity of
Government. The Governor and Council can and does make every possible
allowance for feeling so strongly excited as those of the officers of
the coast army have been, and is disposed to refer that great agitation
of mind into which they have been thrown by a concurrence of causes
which must greatly mitigate, if they do not altogether extenuate, that
degree of criminality which must always attach to such proceedings:
and, under such impressions, he can view their extreme solicitude
regarding those of their brother officers whom he has thought it his
duty to suspend the service, with that consideration which is due
to a highly meritorious body of officers, acting under the strong
impulse of warm and honourable, but mistaken feelings. And with such
sentiments he cannot deem it derogatory to Government to state, that
he intends, in the full confidence that the officers of the coast
army will abandon their present dangerous course of proceeding, to
recommend to the Honourable the Court of Directors the restoration
to the service of those officers, whose suspension, and the reasons
which led to it, have been reported to them, and who are consequently
the only authority by which that act can be repealed: and he can have
no doubt, but the earnest desire of their brother officers, combined
with the high character which most of the officers under suspension
formerly held, will induce the Honourable Court to overlook their late
conduct, and comply with this recommendation. Acting upon the same
principle, Government is pleased to appoint Colonel Bell to the charge
of the battalion of artillery at the Mount, and Colonel Chalmers to the
command of the subsidiary force in Travancore. Lieutenant Maitland is
appointed quarter-master of the European regiment of infantry.
"The committee of inquiry ordered to assemble at Masulipatam is
repealed; and no act, either of any body, or of individual officers
in the Company's service, of which no cognizance has yet been taken,
and which occurred before the present date, will be made subject of
future notice, or even operate to the disadvantage of such body of
officers or individuals, unless they should, by a perseverance in
the same course, and a repetition of the same conduct, forfeit all
claim to such lenity and consideration at a moment when Government
has taken such steps to tranquillize the agitated minds of the army,
and to leave even the most mistaken without a plea for perseverance
in their present dangerous course. It must declare its positive and
final resolution neither to alter nor modify this proceeding. It
will yield no more to the entreaties or demands of the army: and if
any officers are so infatuated, and so lost to every consideration
of the public good and the general prosperity of their country, as
not immediately, on the promulgation of this order, to abandon their
present course of proceeding, Government must, however much it may
deprecate such an extreme, meet it with that firmness and courage which
becomes a constituted authority of the Empire of Great Britain. It
has contemplated this possible, though, it trusts, highly improbable
event; and the different officers entrusted with command are directed,
should any spirit of turbulence and insubordination appear among the
officers of the troops under their command, to punish the individuals
with all the severity of martial law. And should the operation of the
regular course of justice be impeded, either by a combination among
the officers or men, such will instantly be proclaimed rebels against
the legal authority of Government and their country; as Government is
perfectly satisfied that the public interests will receive more injury
from any effort to conciliate men who persevere (after what has passed)
in principles so opposite to the restoration of order and discipline,
than it even can meet from them as open enemies to their King and
Country."
I am aware that a thousand objections may be made to an order of this
nature; but it must only be tried by the times; matters have arrived
at such a crisis, that something decided must instantly be done. There
is not an hour for delay. And what I have suggested is only the first
proclamation in a war that seems to me, even with this step, almost
unavoidable. If human means could avoid it, this act will; for it holds
out every motive that can incline men to good and deter them from evil.
It concedes, no doubt, in some points; but the case is urgent, and the
spirit of concession is corrected by the firmness and resolution which
is mixed with it. But your own mind will suggest every thing. I am, as
you know, devoted to the cause of my country. It will depend upon you
where I am to act, if matters draw to an extreme. I should prefer my
station at Mysore, as that in which I have most influence, and could,
in consequence, contribute most to the support of the public interests.
I cannot conclude without again entreating you not to allow yourself to
be lulled into security, and to be satisfied of the absolute necessity
of taking some steps or another to save the state from the imminent
danger to which it is exposed. But inaction, even dangerous as it is,
may be better than the commencement of a coercive system, before steps
have been taken to gain more friends to Government than it has at
present in the army: and I confess I can see no mode of doing this but
by a measure which is completely decided and final; and which, while
it grants every indulgence even to erroneous feelings, looks to the
close of this great question with a moderate and conciliatory, but a
firm and manly spirit. I shall be most anxious for your sentiments,
as soon as possible, on the line I am to pursue at this place. The
question of the marines, and the removal of some of the officers, had,
I find, (for they have shown me all their papers,) been anticipated by
the other stations; and the opposition here was in part by instruction:
and subsequent letters sufficiently show, that this case is no longer
that one, nor of the garrison of Masulipatam, but of the whole army;
and that they are most deeply pledged to the support of each other.
Indeed _there cannot be a doubt_ but the punishment of any one would
cause the whole to break out. This I feel it my duty to avoid, as well
as to prevent their marching, which was their intention, and which they
expect to be called upon to do, till I know the general line you mean
to pursue.
I am, my dear sir, &c.
(Signed) JOHN MALCOLM.
TO SIR GEORGE BARLOW.
(_Private, and Secret._)
Masulipatam, 6th July.