Metcalfe in Council-Duties and Labors of a Councillor-Life in Cal- cutta-Metcalfe and his Colleagues - Departure of Lord William Bentinck-Increase of Cordiality-Assigneeship of Palmer and Co. -The Deputy-Governorship — Reported Appointment to Madras- Extension of Time in Council-Extracts from Metcalfe's Minutes Institution of the Government of Agra-The New India Bill-The Pro- visional Governor-Generalship-Correspondence with Mr. Tucker- The Ootacamund Council-Suspension of the Agra Government- Resignation of Lord William Bentinck-Succession to the Governor- Generalship Contests at Home-Lord Heytesbury and Lord Auckland 206 Previous History of the Press-The Censorship-Opinions of Lord Hast- ings, Mr. Adam, and Lord William Bentinck-Unsatisfactory State of the Law-Metcalfe's Opinions-Correspondence with Lord Clare- Council Minute-Act for the Removal of Restrictions-Address to Sir Revocation of Lord Heytesbury's Appointment-Lord Auckland Go- vernor-General-Abolition of the Agra Presidency-Metcalfe's Doubts and Uncertainties-Investiture of the Bath-Acceptance of the Lieu- tenant-Governorship-Departure for Agra-Administration of the Correspondence with the Home Government-Conduct of the Court of Directors-Resignation of the Lieutenant-Governorship of Agra- Return to Calcutta-Reception there-Farewell Entertainments— Embarkation for England-General Remarks on Metcalfe's Indian England revisited-Metcalfe's Reception-Residence at Fern Hill-Ex- penses of Living-Rumored Appointment to Bombay-The Seat in Parliament-Offer of the Government of Jamaica-Farewell Enter- Metcalfe's Arrival in Jamaica-State of feeling in the Island-The Labor Question-Stipendiary Magistrates- The Negroes and the Missionaries-Opening of the Assembly-Metcalfe's Conciliatory Po- licy-Conduct of the Baptists-Sanitary Measures-Interference of Metcalfe's Private Correspondence-Letters to Mrs. Monson and Mrs. Smythe-Yearnings after Home-Preparations for Departure-Re- grets of the Island-Farewell Addresses-Parting Gifts-Final De- Metcalfe's Arrival in England-Progress of his Disorder-Painful Reme- dies His Endurance-Residence at Norwood - Removal to Deer The Canadian Constitution-Responsible Government-How to be In- terpreted-State of Parties-The Executive Council-Beginning of Difficulties-Rupture with the Council-Provincial Addresses-For- mation of a New Council - General Election - The New Session Difficulties continued-His Sufferings-Progress of his Malady-Inti- mation of a Peerage-Letters from the Queen, Sir Robert Peel, and Lord Stanley-Continuance in the Colony-Increased Sufferings- Metcalfe's Return to England-Residence in Mansfield-street-Progress of his Malady-The Oriental Club Address-Removal to Malshanger ERRATA IN VOL. II. Page 4, last line, for "three lakhs (300,000l.)," read "three lakhs (30,0007.)” Page 69, last line, note, for "subject of which has been given,” read “substance of which has been given.' Page 102, line 7, for “ και εξοχην,” read “ κατ' εξοχην.” THE LIFE OF LORD METCALFE. CHAPTER I. [1820-1821.] THE HYDERABAD RESIDENCY. Hyderabad-Its Government-The Administration of Meer Allum-His Death-Elevation of Mooneer-ool-Moolk-Chundoo-Lall-Captain Sydenham and Mr. Russell-Intrigues of the Minister-Misgovernment of the Country-The Nizam's Contingent-The House of William Palmer and Co.-Loans to the Nizam-State of the Country-Projected Reforms— Metcalfe's Appointment to the Residency-His Inauguration-Remedial Measures-Improvement of the Country. HYDERABAD is the chief city of that tract of country known as the Deccan, which half-way down the great Indian Peninsula stretches almost from the eastern to the western coast-from Golconda to Aurungabad. This country was of old time held under the Mogul Emperors by a Soubahdar, or Viceroy, known as the Nizam.* After the decay of the empire, this fine principality would doubtless *The Nizam is properly the Manager, or Administrator of the State; but the nomenclature is scarcely VOL. II. B known among the people of the Deccan. in due course have fallen to the Mahrattas, but for the support it derived from its close connexion with the British Government. The Hyderabad State was one of our oldest, and outwardly at least, our most faithful allies. The extent and position of its territories rendered it a matter of vital importance that we should maintain the integrity of the country, and secure the independence of the government. Hyderabad was, indeed, a necessary barrier against foreign invasion at a time when the unscrupulous aggressiveness of the Mahrattas suggested the necessity of zealously preserving every means of external defence. In spite of the mutations of Time, at the period of which I am now writing, the fiction of dependence on the Mogul sovereign was still maintained. The ruler of the Deccan was still the Nizam, though his titular master was a pensioner at Delhi. On the death of an Oriental potentate there is generally a scramble for the vacant throne. In 1803, Sekundur Shah, supported by the British Government, had succeeded against all competitors in seating himself upon the musnud of Hyderabad. But he was a man of slender intellect and little principle; and, like all the tribe of Eastern princes, capricious in the extreme. Much as he was indebted to the British Government, he felt neither gratitude towards, nor confidence in, his supporters. He was jealous of our influence-restless under our supervision-and easily wrought upon as he was by evil advisers, he might, perhaps, have been roused into, overt opposition, if he had possessed energy |