as military, or if he, General Gowdie, would give an order that it should be accepted, the whole of the officers would go; but if it were to be considered optional, and they had the right to decide for themselves, their apologies should not be withdrawn. At last, after two days discussion, General Gowdie told the officers of the corps, in the Fort, that he was himself to dine at the Governor's on the 1st of March, and if they declined going to meet him, he should consider not only that they treated him with slight, but that they were abettors of the general discontent, which he stated to prevail among the officers of the Company's army.

Such imputations being totally unfounded, and likely to injure the officers in question, they did not longer hesitate to accept the invitation, and they accordingly performed the duty of attending at Sir G. Barlow's house, at dinner-time, on the 1st of March.

The officers of the 18th regiment, however, did not go on the 4th. The same arguments were not used to them; and they had, only a few days before, on their arrival in the garrison, manifested their

respect for the public character of the Gover nor, by waiting on him, when the Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel M'Caully, introduced them severally to Sir G. Barlow. They therefore urged, that their declining to go to the Garden-house could not be construed into a disposition to treat with disrespect the public authority. If such an idea existed, they were ready to accept of the invitation, in compliance with any order which General Gowdie might be pleased to give to that effect. No such order was, however, given, and they consequently did not go. But they were required to make an apology, which they did, by stating, in unequivocal terms, that, in declining to accept Sir G. Barlow's invitation, they did not intend any disrespect towards the public character of the Governor; but, on the contrary, imagined that they were exercising a right which might be exercised with impunity by all gentlemen in society. This was very unfavourably received; and it was generally reported, and believed, that General Gowdie had told Colonel M'Caully, that, although he himself had not declined to go to the Governor's, he was censurable for not having prevailed on his officers

to go; and that the corps should be sent to one of the most distant stations.At a future period it will not be credited that such a seeming abuse of power could be imputable to the character of a British subject to whom it was delegated. But, unhappily, there are too many evidences that irritating measures of this description have been most wantonly resorted to; and that the pride of the officers, under the Madras Government, has been trifled with and insulted to a degree that will not be credited by their friends and fellow-subjects in Britain. On the 25th of February, General Gowdie informed Major Lindsey, that his corps, the 2d of the 11th, was ordered to quit the Presidency immediately, as the conduct of the officers was disapproved by the Governor. Major Lindsey, astonished at this communication, requested to be informed how the officers had given offence, for he knew them to be a very reputable set of young men, and was not aware of any impropriety that could be imputed to them. General Gowdie acquainted him, that Sir G. Barlow had learned, that Major Boles had, some days before, dined at the mess of the 11th; and that, therefore, the corps must

he passed some of the stages of his career, could ever be induced to be the organ and instrument of a gross act of injustice towards an old and meritorious officer, whom he had known as a boy in the service, and who now possessed, equally with himself, all those claims on humanity which arise from the dependence of a family. Yet did General Gowdie (as yet) seem to wish it to be understood that these measures originated with himself. The disposition to persecute Major Boles, to drive him even from the society of his brother officers, by punishing those who shewed him any attention, cannot be accounted for by any of the principles which men acknowledge themselves to be actuated by. He had studiously avoided every means of attracting the attention of the public to his peculiarly hard situation; and if the circumstances of it drew from a generous community the tribute of respect, and commiseration, it would have been more seemly in his enemies, powerful as they are, to have avoided, by all means, the appearance of that pitiful malignity, which seeks, as its only preservative, the utter destruction of those whom it has injured. But they, judging that the means of appeal were very

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nor, a power to guide the judgments of officers, not only in matters appertaining to their profession, but also in subjects of general import. The right of a Commander in Chief to direct the actions and words of all under him in military affairs, cannot for a moment be questioned, particularly in the Madras army, famed for its submissiveness. The suggestion of a doubt regarding the military powers of a Commander in Chief would at any former period have been universally reprehended; but the fate of Colonel Capper and Major Boles, and the comments which had appeared in the Government orders, subsequent to the 31st of January, respecting the conduct of those officers, had introduced a certain laxity of principle on this subject, which gave rise to various discussions regarding the legality, the propriety, or even the necessity, which might occasionally exist for particular orders.

A few days after the arrival of General Gowdie at Madras, an occurrence took place which afforded to Sir G. Barlow, and General Gowdie, an opportunity of ascertaining, in the most unequivocal manner, the sentiments. of offices towards the person of the Govermor; and at the same time the feeling which