Chapter I.

1857. June 13.

later years, had not then been but incidentally BOOK VII. referred to. The two sections acted alike as critics on the conduct of the Government, and, as a rule, they performed this delicate duty with judgment, with temper, and with moderation.

It is true that, when dealing with individual officials, the press of India, native as well as European, was often extremely uncompromising. It certainly called a spade a spade. And as the Indian officials had experienced none of the rough training to which the statesmen of Europe are subjected, and were often men who owed their high positions to favour rather than to merit, this habit of plain speaking had been apt to engender, and often did engender, feelings of rancorous dislike in the breasts of the criticised.

When the early incidents of the mutiny occurred, that is, when the 19th Regiment of Native Infantry misbehaved at Barhámpúr, the English press had spoken out very plainly. It had urged the Government to adopt at once decided measures. More than one writer had pointed out that the Barhámpúr incident was a spark which, if not immediately crushed, would be speedily fanned into a flame. The native press was more deliberate and more reticent, but it offered no great opposition to vigorous action. The warnings of the press were disregarded. The Government did not act with promptitude, nor when it acted, did it act with vigour. When the spark had been fanned into a flame, when, that is to say, the outbreak at Mírath had disclosed to all who were not wilfully blind the gigantic extent of the

Chapter I.

1857. June 13.

BOOK VII. insurrection, whilst the European press clamoured more vehemently for prompt action, and urged the Government to throw themselves on the loyalty of the European community, the tone of the native press almost immediately changed. Possibly the supineness which they witnessed made them believe that the fatal day for the English had arrived, just as their fathers had seen that day overtake the Moghols, the Maráthás, and the Síkhs. Possibly the Bengálí portion of the native press, representing a highly educated people, unversed in arms, but alone capable of administering the country should it fall under native domination, possibly the Bengálí portion believed that their prospects would be greatly improved by the overthrow of the British power. Certainly many of them doubted our ultimate success. But whatever may have been the reason, it is at least undeniable that from the time of the arrival in Calcutta of the news of the Mírath outbreak the tone of the native press changed. It began to speak out against the Government, and to show very plainly that it had sympathy with the revolters.

This alteration in the tone of the native press was brought to the notice of Lord Canning early in June, and he was urged then to interfere, by legislative action, with its freedom. Unlike his colleagues, however, Lord Canning had been brought up in a free country. He had been accustomed all his life to the freedom of the press. He had seen in England that the law of the land was sufficient to put down license. He knew that

an honest Government had no better friend than a free and out-speaking public critic. To the solicitations of his councillors, then, he replied that "the remedy was worse than the disease."

BOOK VII. Chapter I.

Act.

1857. June 13.

But a few days later the opinions of Lord The Gagging Canning in this respect underwent a change. On the 13th of June he, for the first and only time during his tenure of office, went down to the Legislative Council, and declaring there that the incendiary tone of the native press had driven him to the conclusion at which he had reluctantly arrived, he brought forward and carried a measure to place the native press under restrictions so galling that, compared to them, the restrictions on the press of France during the darkest days of the reign of Napoleon III. were light and easy.

Had Lord Canning stopped there, he would have carried with him the voice of the public. The times were critical, the native press had encouraged sedition and rebellion, and it was necessary that authority should assert itself. But when Lord Canning proceeded to include in the same measure of stern repression the European press, in spite of "the loyalty and intelligence which marked their labours," on the ground, mainly, that he could not draw a line of demarcation between European and native publications,*

The following are the to the European Press. But exact words used by Lord I see no solid standing ground Canning with respect to the upon which a line can be European press :- "The re- drawn marking off one from marks I have taken occasion the other, when the question to make with reference to the is to prevent matter calculated Native Press, I do not direct to work mischief at a crisis

BOOK VII. Chapter I.

1857.

June 13.

community.

Had

he evoked an outburst of opposition such as has been seldom witnessed in Calcutta. It was not alone that the English community of that place Indignation of resented the restriction of their liberties. the European such a restriction been proposed by a Government in which they had confidence they would have borne it patiently. But on this occasion they disbelieved in the sincerity of the Government. They had seen them slow to be convinced, slow to move, slow to avail themselves of the advantages forced upon them, confident where they should have been distrustful, and distrustful where they should have been confident. They had seen them arrogant whilst blundering, supercilious whilst courting disaster. They knew now that disaster had befallen them, that Mr. Beadon's line of six hundred miles had been broken, and that the central line beyond it was terribly endangered. And, yet, no sooner had they become aware of this than the Government shut their mouths. There was but one conclusion for them to draw. They believed then, and many believe still, that the action of the Government was

like this. For whilst I am turned to the most mischieglad to give credit to the con- vous purposes in the hands of ductors of the European Press persons capable of dressing for the loyalty and intelli- them up for the Native ear. gence which mark their la- I am glad to admit that the bours, I am bound by sincerity bill is not specially levelled to say that I have seen pas- at the European press, but sages in some of the papers I do not see any reason, under their management nor do I consider it possible which, though perfectly in- in justice, to draw any line nocuous as far as European of demarcation between Eureaders are concerned, may, ropean and Native publicain times like the present, be tions."

prompted by a determination to prevent, if possible, the transmission to England of any printed record of their mistakes.

That the Government was actuated by any such motive I am now far from thinking. But their action in muzzling the European press was undoubtedly a mistake. It severed the confidence which ought to exist in a great crisis between the rulers and the ruled, and increased the distrust which the tardiness of their measures had till then inspired.

BOOK VII.
Chapter 1.

1857. June 13.

fidence.

This distrust was greatly augmented by an The policy of incident which occurred the day following. True feigning conto the opinion expressed by Mr. Secretary Beadon to the members of the Trades' Association, on the 21st of May, to the effect that it was most unfair to the Native Army of Bengal to assume that all its regiments were disaffected :-notwithstanding that Mr. J. P. Grant, a member of the Supreme Council, had, early in June, recorded his opinion that at Bárrákpúr, sixteen miles from Calcutta, the Government had "as enemies three Native Infantry regiments and a half, of which one and a half are the very worst type we know" :-in spite of the examples supplied by some stations in the upper provinces of the danger of allowing native regiments to retain their arms, and of the beneficial results which in others had followed their being disarmed :-Lord Canning had been resolute in allowing the regiments at Bárrákpúr, so graphically painted by Mr. Grant, to continue, armed, in the exercise of their duties. Before the Government had, on the 12th of June, accepted the