tigation of the subject, without, at the same time, giving some kind of explanation to satisfy the officers of the army, that the insinuation, conveyed in Lieutenant Colonel Munro's paper, was not considered to be applicable to them. No such explanation, however, was given; and the officers of the army naturally drew the conclusion, that no consideration of the claim on the justice of Government, which they considered themselves to possess equally with Colonel Munro, would be allowed to interfere with the full execution of the threat, "That "Government would, in the most decided

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manner, evince their marked displeasure against all, who had adopted the unfavour"able impressions respecting Lieutenant "Colonel Munro." They saw this disposition. manifest itself in the extraordinary, and unprecedented, order, which directed the Hon. Lieutenant Colonel Sentleger to remain at Trichinopoly, while his regiment was sent on service, in the detention of Lieutenant Colonel Martin, only a few hours before the sailing of his ship,-and in the suspension of Major Boles and Colonel Capper,-they saw the complete removal of the only barrier which could protect them against the

Vengeance of Lieutenant Colonel Munro. The possession of a commission became altogether nugatory, if it were liable to be annulled without enquiry, or investigation of any sort; and if the acts annulling it, could be justified by laws framed, (ex-postfacto) and by subtle arguments, or metaphysical disquisitions, which, however well they may be calculated for the display of the professional talents of a lawyer, cannot be considered as applicable to practical military law; which most of all requires to be simple and unembarrassed by obscure or ambiguous phraseology.

No man, educated in the military profession, and looking to its laws alone, as the standard by which his conduct and principles were to be regulated, could be capable of defending his honor, his life, or his commission, against the sophistry which has proved, to the satisfaction of the superior authorities in India, that Lieutenant Colonel Munro, as principal in his office, was not responsible for the matter contained in a paper, drawn up by himself; and which sophistry has, at the same time, proved, that Major Boles, a deputy in office, was responsible for the matter contained in a

paper drawn up by the Commander in Chief, and transmitted to Major Boles through his immediate principal.

Notwithstanding the pertinacity with which the culpability of Major Boles is maintained in all public edicts of the government, and of the present Commander in Chief of the army, there is much reason to suppose that the arguments of Lieutenant Colonel Leith, and of those who advised the extreme exercise of power in the case of Major Boles, have not produced that clear conviction which just reasoning usually does. It seems rather probable, that a consciousness of the flagrant injustice of a measure, which had been hastily adopted, through the influence of passion and prejudice, occasioned to its authors a species of remorse, which, although it did not dictate a magnanimous requital for the injury, would have assented to a sort of compromise. It would otherwise be difficult indeed to account for a very extraordinary interview, which took place on the 2d of February, at Major Boles's, between that gentleman and a member of the council, composing the government of Madras. The purport of which may be tolerably well

ascertained from notes, which, on the 3rd of February, passed between the former and a third person. From them it appears, that the writer expressed great concern for the distresses to which Major Boles and his family would be exposed by the loss of his commission; and lamented, that his utter ruin must follow the representations which the Madras Government would make to Europe, and that, having a great friendship for Major Boles, he was desirous to avert the evil, and would undertake to become a mediator with Sir G. Barlow, having reason to entertain sanguine hopes of being able to effect the restoration of Major Boles to the service, and to his official situation, if he would make an apology for having signed the order of the Commander in Chief; the member of council at the same time positively affirming, that his interference was entirely unknown to any member of the Government. Major Boles declined complying with the proposed terms, as Sir G. Barlow had, without any enquiry whatsoever, punished him for an act, any objection to which on his part would have merited death by the articles of war; he considered it to be impossible, as it would be useless, to

Incidents, in themselves trifling, at this period acquired great importance, every where under the Madras Government, but particularly at the presidency. The total disregard to all claims, arising from considerations of equity or justice, and a cold, unfeeling perseverance in measures suggested by a set of men, who were guided only by their own interests, or by prejudice, produced, not only among the Military, but in every department of the community, a species of sullen discontent, and despair, which refused all, but the outward forms of respect to the person, or character of the governor; and so universal was this sentiment, that the unhappy state of society became a general topic. Men, whose pursuits and views in life were totally different, felt a mutual sympathy. The gentlemen in the civil service, and those not in the company's employ, felt their grievances to be without the hope of redress; as the system which oppressed them had, by violating the rights, and disregarding the laws of the Military profession, removed the barrier which at once restrains and protects that class of men, in whose hands the physical force of the state rests; and in whom therefore it is most