dishonesty, to "skin and film the ulcerous. part," and leave the Constitution to be wasted underneath, by secret and lurking corruption. We have boldly applied the bold treatment, which, in our mind, it seemed to demand, though the caustic burn, and the knife should wound. POSTSCRIPT. SINCE the preceding pages have been in the press, letters have been received from India of so late a date as the 22d of October, which confirm the previous accounts of the amnesty granted to the parties involved in the late unhappy occurrences on the Coast of Coromandel, and describe the particular exceptions, which are more numerous than hitherto supposed, as well as the grounds on which they had been governed, in the application of the general rule. This act of grace was declared in a General Order of the Governor General of the 25th September. The principle on which it proceeds may be best understood from the language of the order itself, in which Lord Minto thus expresses himself: "The principle I have thought myself "at liberty to adopt has been to limit the "number of punishments, since impunity "cannot be general; and to mitigate their "degrees to the utmost extent of lenity, not "entirely incompatible with the public good, and the indispensable demands of justice. 66 "In the execution of this principle, it "has been necessary to make a small selec"tion from a great mass of delinquency, all 66 subject in strictness to the penalties of the "law; and that such a choice should nei"ther be capricious nor subject to the suspicion of partiality, I have adopted general 66 66 criterions, the principles of which are manifestly just, and the application of "which to particular cases is subject to no difficulty. "The first ground of selection is the "commission of some overt act of rebellion or mutiny, such as seizing on fortresses, or public treasure; actual hostility against "the troops of his Majesty, the Company, "" or its allies; quitting the station allotted "to troops without orders, or the refusal to obey the orders of Government. "This principle of selection would .. liberate a considerable proportion of the but it would involve a much greater army; "number than it enters into my views to "exclude from pardon. "It is necessary therefore to select "from the numerous class already described a smaller number comprized within a "narrower head of distinction. "That selection is to consist of the offi"cers in command of stations, or bodies of "troops, commandants of corps and per sons peculiarly distinguished for a forward "and violent part in the most criminal acts "or proceedings of the army. "The whole of this highly criminal "and peculiarly responsible, but not numerous class, will most justly be submitted to a trial by Court Martial. 68 "But as the Courts Martial may of necessity be bound to pass sentences of greater severity than it is in contemplation to extend without distinction to "the whole number of those submitted to 66 66 66 trial, a more minute sub-division will yet "be made, and the officers in command of garrisons, or considerable bodies of troops, "will be separated, on this ground of higher corps. The former will be subjected at "all events to trial; the latter will be "allowed the option of a trial, or dismissal "from the service. 66 "In order that no anxious uncertainty may remain concerning the application of "these rules of selection to individual cases, "the names of all the officers intended for "punishment, are expressed in the following "list:" Then follows the list of the officers included in the separate classes. In the first are described those, who are to be absolutely tried by a Court Martial, and those appear to be J. Bell, Lt-col. Artillery, commanding at Seringapatam. In the second are contained the names of those, who have the option of abiding the event of a Court Martial or of dismissal from the service, which are as follow: Robert Munro, Lt.-col. 2d bat. 15th reg. Seringapatam. H. M'Intosh, do. 1st bat. 8th reg. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. Marched, wt. orders, from Chittledroog. A. Andrews, Captain European reg. Masulipatam. J. L. Lushington, do. 4th Reg. cavalry, Jaulna. G. Hopkinson, Capt.-lt. 1st bat. Art. Sen. Offr. Art. Jaulna. Ditto. Mathew Stewart, Major, 2d bat. 17th reg. Ditto The order then proceeds: "It is with corresponding satisfaction "and joy, I have now to perform the more grateful office of announcing to every "other officer, who has been involved in 66 any of the criminal proceedings of the army, since the 1st of May, a general and "unqualified amnesty; to the benefit of "which those officers, who have hitherto "declined the test, will be admitted on their signing that declaration. "This amnesty is not granted in the nar"row spirit of mere pardon. It is tendered. as an act of total and sincere oblivion; it "offers on the part of Government a full "restoration of confidence and esteem; and "it invites from those, who are the object R |