Letter No.596 of 1870 from Colonel Sir William Lockyer Merewether, The Commissioner in Sind, Commissioner's Office, Kurrachee [Karāchi] to His Excellency the Right Honorable Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey Fitzgerald, Governor and President in Council, Bombay [‎137r] (25/34)

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had the question referred to therein still under
consideration, he was bound, until Government
issued other instructions, to abide strictly by
the course I had laid down, and which had been
approved.
48, I do not understand what Colonel Pliayre
intends to convey when he says that he has not
deviated from my instructions in deed. Almost
since^ he received them, he has rejected their
sense, advocated a totally contrary course,
and lately has severely censured Captain Harri
son for doing his best to faithfully carry out
these instructions.
The expression " either in thought or deed"'
is, I candidly own, more limiting in the first
part than it might have been. But the slight
est reflection on Colonel Phayres part should
have shown him that " expression of thought' 1
was intended, and that the remarks he makes
on this point Were quite uncalled for. The
word " thought" was used in reference to a
warning I had found it advisable to give him
in my letter No. 35, of the 5th June 18(39,—
" Every little act of ours is watched so closely
by these people, and significance attached
often in a way least intended, that it is of the
first importance to be most guarded against
any demonstration of a leaning one way or
the other." Any expression of such thoughts
as were entertained by Colonel Pliayre, in favor
o,i the rebellious 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. , and in antagonism to
the Khan, would be, I considered, most danger
ous, and I was desirous therefore he should
carefully avoid display of them.
)
47. You next order me not to deviate from
those instructions in the slightest degree, in
thought or deed."
48. I have already proved that I have not
deviated from them indeed in any one instance;
I was the more particular about this, because
1 felt sanguine that as the arrangements regard
ing the Murrees and Boogtees had been con
curred in, matters would eventually come right;
and I was determined that no act of mine
should in the least degree give you cause for
displeasure. Hence, since the occurrences at
Khelat of last year, I have in no way directly or
indirectly communicated with these 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. , as
they themselves state in the intercepted corres
pondence. I feel therefore your present attack
as the more deeply unmerited. With regard
however to my not deviating from your in
structions in the slightest degree, in thought,
I must respectfully submit that, in making such
a demand, you go beyond your province entirely;
and independently of that, you order what it
is out of man's power, either to demand or give,
when you arbitrarily attempt to subordinate
my mind and powers of thought to your ideas.
Even the slave whilst performing his daily
drudgery quite faithfully to his master, is free
in mind and thought, otherwise he would sink
under his burden. Apart, however, from the
higher principles of such a question, you must
surely be aware that what the British Govern
ment in every branch of its administration re
quires, is an intelligent obedience to its orders,
not the paralysis of mental power, and I must
ask you to be so good as to submit your instruc
tions on this point for the orders of Govern
ment, it being impossible for any man to control
his thoughts in the way you require me to do
mine, and even could I do so, or rather were T
to consent to suppress my honest conviction's