Letter from the undersigned Sirdars, etc. of the Baroda Sate to Philip Sandys Melvill, Agent to the Governor-General of India, Baroda [‎20r] (7/18)

money even at an exorbitant rate of interest, and consequently we are
put to much loss and inconvenience. The practice in question does
not only exist in all the Native States, but is sometimes observed in
the British territories under different forms and circumstances.
12. As to the clauses 2, 3, and 4 of para. 10, we beg briefly to state that
the cash allowances as well as the inam villages were conferred on our ancestors
in perpetuity, and have descended to us in hereditary succession. In order to
establish this fact, there are many documentary evidences in our possession,
which we intend to submit at the time when your Honour asks for our individual
grievances. When such is the nature of the said grants, any interference with
them is, in our opinion, not only contrary to the established usages of this State
as well as of the British Government, but is also inconsistent with the general
principles of equity.
From a minute examination of para. 38 of His Excellency the Dewan's Admi
nistration Report for the year 1875-76, we have reason to believe that the
present Ministry has no intention to inquire into such of our grievances as
may have arisen prior to the reign of His Highness Mulharrao Gaekwar. With
respect to this point, we have already stated that we were disturbed in the enjoy
ment of our rights and privileges even .during the last six or seven years of the
reign of His Highness Khanderao Gaekwar, and that we had not refrained from
carrying our grievances on the subject to His Highness. On referring to the
Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. records, as well as to the Report of the Baroda Commission, page 9.
paras. 15 and 17, your Honour will see that the latter part of the reign of His
Highness Khanderao was marked by the tyrannical acts of an unscrupulous
Ministry, which lost no opportunity to throw every possible obstacle in our way.
Although His Highness had at last expressed his intention to inquire into our
grievances, the Ministry tried to prevent it from being carried into effect, in the
meantime His Highness died, and Mulharrao Gaekwar succeeded to the throne.
As already stated, our grievances, instead of being redressed, only increased
during the reign of this prince, and when the doors of justice thus seemed to be
closed against us in the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). , we were compelled to submit the matter before
the late Resident at Baroda. These statements are sufficient to convince your
Honour that we have made no delay in taking all such steps as were justly and
lawfully open to us to represent our sad case to the proper authority. Under
these circumstances, we submit for your Honour's consideration whether the
present Ministry is justified in excluding from its inquiry those grievances which
had arisen during the reign of His Highness Khanderao Gaekwar.
13. There are certain military forces and establishments under our charge,
and we receive fixed allowances from the State for their maintenance. In
addition to this, we used to get grass-plots for feeding horses, and money for
purchasing horses to supply the place of such as died in Government service;
besides, our subordinates used to get mohosli when they went out on duty, and