Asiatic Quarterly Review (Full Title: The Imperial and Asiatic Quarterly Review, and Oriental and Colonial Record): Volume XIII, No. 26 [‎463r] (50/238)

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Lord Canning and Lord Milner.
impossible for the British and the natives to settle down
together at the end of the war! One evil result was a
growing belief that our Government intended a general and
bloody prosecution of both Hindus and Mussalmans. While
they feared that innocent people had been killed by the
revengeful European and rapacious loyal Sepoy Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. soldiery,
the Indian Government promptly, by order of July 31,
1857, checked the abuse of power by the civilians. The
despatch speaks of the spirit of bitterness and hatred rapidly
seizing every class and race. “ With time and returning
calm the acts of Government are reviewed, and the Govern
ment which has punished blindly and revengefully will have
lost its chief title to the respect of its subjects.” “ 1 he
settlement will be spoilt by the remembrance of needless
bloodshed.” It appeared that Sepoys Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank. who had risked all
to save their officers’ lives were in danger of their necks
from some of the unjust tribunals. The Lieutenant-Governor
of Bengal urged Canning to publish the records of those
shameful trials by way of defence of his action. “ No, he
said, “ I will not so terribly disgrace my countrymen.” A
quick stop was put to the wanton burning of farms and
villages. Where all the villagers had joined in some grave
outrage an example might be necessary, but no such devas
tation was to take place as would confound the innocent
with the guilty. As the Allahabad civilian writes, when a
village was surrounded at night to secure the males and fired,
the women and children were burnt in the confusion. The
result of Lord Canning’s action was that the peasantry soon
returned and resumed tillagequietly,asif no warwas going on.
Constantly advised by the best officers and the most
trusted planters, Canning s influence extended to many
details. With generous scorn, he refused to keep the wives
of rebels as hostages. He forbade offers of rewards for
mutineers and rebels, “dead or alive.” In all this he was
rowing against the stream. “ Not one man in ten, he wrote
to the Queen, “ seems to think that the hanging and shooting
of 40,000 or 50,000 men can be otherwise than practicable