Letter No.1725 of 1869 from Colonel Robert Phayre, the Political Superintendent, Frontier Upper Sind, Jacobabad, to Sir William Lockyer Merewether, the Commissioner in Sind [‎38r] (62/68)

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t o
)
The correspondence will show that
this restriction became necessary. It
was most reluctantly put in force, and
would only apply to the Sirdars Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. , who
were deliberately plotting against their
Sovereign, with whom it was unbe-
cominof that the British authorities
c5
should hold communication, or give
any countenance to, while they were
behaving in the way reported at the
time.
W. L. M.
Captain Sandeman has no Political
relations with the Government of
Kelat. His direct action with the
There is therefore I would -.sabanit
a natural opening for us to interpose
with our good offices.
In the correspondence we see that
the Political- Superintendent on this
Frontier and the Political Agents at
Kelat have always been allowed.to
exercise their own . judgment as , to
Whom they would receive, and whom
not. This Was in fact the only safety-
valve which the Chiefs had. The ex
tracts of correspondence show that Sir
Henry Green, Major Macauley, Captain
Dickinson and Major Malcolm Green,
always received the Chiefs, even though
they were in so-called rebellion ; heard
what they had to say, and recorded
their petitions for the information of
Government; but now, this privilege,
which the Chiefs themselves called
" the last door of hope" has been
closed to,them by recent
leu—S 01 < lfcrs . which. I respect-
fully solicit may . be
modified, so as to leave
it optional with the Political Super
intendent to act according to circum
stances.
Under its action the Kelat Politi
cal Agent is reduced to v the position
of a mere partisan of the Khan's, and
it has operated prejudicially to my
own authority and influence in the
vicinity of Jacobabad, being opposed
to the free action observed towards
the Murrees and Boogtees by Punjaub
Officers; indeed, without this freedom,
Captain Sandeman could never have
gained the confidence of those tribes,
and laid the foundation of their recla
mation, which the Punjaub Govern
ment, the Government of India, and
the Home Government have so fully
eulogised and supported.
dated 1st May
1860.