EDUCATED NATIVES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 605, 21 August 1858, Page 4

EDUCATED NATIVES.

(From the ' Bombay Standard.') A -Mofussil correspondent thus adverts

to some remarks-on the Bithoor miscreant^ which appeared some weeks ago in our columns: —"Your Bengal friend accurately describes the Naua when he says he was about the most favorable specimen of the advanced or ' Europeanized' native that India could produce. He was not only an excellent English scholar, and an intelligent commentator on its standard literature, but a French scholar also. He was a philanthropist, a reformer, an admirer of 'the exalted morality of the Gospel/ a mourner over the superstitions and brutalities of his own faith, courteous and deferential to English ladies, and affectionate towards English children, for whom he had always some gift read}' in his pocket. He was all this, as "your correspondent truly states; and to an extent surpassing what I have witnessed amongst the most advanced and Europeanized natives in Calcutta or Bombay. But he was more. He displayed an amount of ten-; der-heartedness and unsectarian generosity, hardly surpassed by the good and venerable Sir Jamsetjee Jejeeboy him-elf. He could not bear to see cruelty practised on the lowest animals—at least, so he said, and so we innocents believed. He kept up a hospital at Bithoor for diseased dogs, cats, horses, vultures, etc. If he saw a man thrashing a bullock, a donkey; or a pony, he would set to, either-to thrash the man himself, or to order his servants to do it for him. He entered into the spirit, ond spoke loudly in favor i of the efforts of sanitary reformers. He was enthusiastic in the cause of vaccination. He was shocked at the barbarity with which the majority of his countrymen treat women when impure or parturient. In a word Lord Shaftesbmy would have hugged Mm . to his bosom, and hailed him as brother.;; And up to^ the sth of May, what earthly ! reason was there why we should have doubted his moral worth and sincerity, more than the worth and sincerity of anyother ( educated,' c advanced,',' enlighten-" cd,' ** humane,' ' chivalrous,' or ' benevolent' native? What have they done [or professed more than he daily professed and did? Yet this man could "smile and be a villain." He could lie, and act the lie with cool deliberation and calm circumstantiality. He could deceive; to his undoing, a venemble, benevolent Wheeler, on whom he had fawned but very recently, —to whom he was under many obligations —for whom he professed profound gratitude and strong affection—and who, as he knew, reciprocated the feeling of regard. He could for three weeks pour in shot, shell, and musketry on defenceless men, jvomen, and children, who had never done him a wrong—for many of whom he affected a warm friendship—who would have escaped long before to Allahabad had they not believed it impossible that: so ' advanced' and humane a Mahratta, could be treacherous, or a monster—and whom, even in their miserable plight,-this cowardly Mahratta devil and his cowardly eight thousand of black devils of mixed castes, dare not charge like men. While he was doing this, he could blow away from guns other fair delicate ladies, who had fled to him from Futteghur for protection; and when his treachery against the Cawnpore ganison had been completed, he could gloat with more than Neronic gusto over the loathsome indignities and hellish cruelties that his myrmidons were practising before his eyes on his helpless victims. And it is false to say his is an exceptional cases. Look at the conduct of most native regiments. Take the Cth Infantry, the 7th Cavalry, or any one of the thirty or forty other regiments. With tears in their" eyes did the 6th express the deep humiliation with which they had regarded the conduct of other regiments—with tears in their eyes did they express their devotion to their beloved officers, yet with blackness of heart, darker far than the hue of their skin, did they that night shoot down their officers at mess—with tears in their eyes did the 7tli Cavalry entreat their officers to leave their wives under their protection : with solemn oath did they swear that | they would protect them against the world m arms. In the course of three days they were howling for the blood both of husbands and wives, and prowling about bungalows in the hopes of finding them. I do not say that all natives are alike. But I do say, and I point to recent events m -proof of my assertion—that no amount of polite education—no amount of social refinement—no amount cf moral elevation (ris expressed in words ard acts)—no •amount of obligation—no professions of affection, are incompatible with native trenchery, cruelty, and cowardice; and I maintain that no native, be he who he

may, lias any right to claim ouv confidence till lie affords evidences of superiority to the sepoy, stronger and more convincingthan those supplied by Nana Shaitan. The editor of the < Bombay Standard has given a few tests. But many more must be demanded; and Englishmen, it is to be hoped, will withhold even cordial public greetings, still more private confidences and audiences, from all who do not exhibit a conduct capable of submitting to these tests. Such tests are not to he compensated for by addresses, speeches, declarations in favor of reform, or dekna-ke-waste subscriptions to "charitable objects."