"حياة ومراسلات اللواء السير جون مالكوم، قائد فرسان وسام الطُهر، المبعوث السابق إلى بلاد فارس وحاكم بومباي؛ من رسائل ومذكرات غير منشورة. في مجلّدين. المجلد II." [‎٤‎٦‎١] (٦٥٤/٤٧٨)

THE CHIEF COMMAND AT MADRAS.
461
after I wrote to you yesterday, from which I judge that there is
no chance of your obtaining your object.
I believe that the Court object to a soldier being a civil go
vernor; to the son-in-law being the governor where the father-
in-law is commander-in-chief; and even to a servant of a par
ticular establishment being the governor. But I think there is a
disposition to bring you forward in the arrangement, but I doubt
that the manner would be agreeable to you. Upon all this I am
but little listened to. I am like the dog in the fable, who cried
"Wolf!" so often, that nobody would credit him. I have come
forward so often to assert and support your claims, that I am con
sidered a party and an intruder in the case on the decision to
be taken.
Believe me, ever yours most sincerely,
Wellington.
The allusion in this letter to the disposition to bring
Malcolm forward in the pending arrangements related
to a proposal that had been made in some quarters
to offer him the chief command of the Madras army,
on the retirement of his father-in-law, Sir Alexander
Campbell. That the fact of this officer's existing tenure
of the military command suggested at least a very strong
and not unreasonable objection to Malcolm's appoint
ment to the Governorship, it would be nncandid not
to admit. Of this he was, doubtless, sensible at a
later period ;* but, at tlie time, he said that the objections
stated could u only be considered as a string of excuses
irom men who were determined to do injustice, but
were ashamed of it." And he entreated the Duke o(
Wellington to save him from "the offer to which he
alluded." " It might," added Malcolm, " be made in
ignorance by some. It would be suggested insiduously
by others. But if I publicly refused it, the pretext for
* Subsequent events at Bombay, Chief, must have satisfied him that the
which brought Malcolm, as Governor, objection was not groundless,
into collision with the Commander-in-