Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 32.djvu/268

Lawrence in name. Such an arrangement was not calculated to succeed, and it is solely due to the character of the men who composed the board that it continued for nearly four years and accomplished much useful work. The scheme was assisted in some measure by the arrival of Sir Charles Napier in India, as commander-in-chief, in May 1849. Napier's antipathy to both Dalhousie and Henry Lawrence was notorious, and had the effect of uniting them against a common enemy.

It was Lawrence's habit to make numerous progresses over every part of his dominion. He enjoyed the journeys, and by this means he and the people became well known to each other. His frequent absence necessarily threw upon his colleagues increased responsibility ; they were brought into direct relations with the governor-general, and were able to obtain decisions in favour of their views when these differed from those of their absent president. Much friction followed, and differences concerning the land settlement brought on a crisis. It was needful to amend the temporary and imperfect settlement effected by the board in 1850, and Henry Lawrence embraced with all the energy of his character the view most favourable to the native aristocracy, while his brother John leaned to the side of the cultivator. Henry considered financial considerations of secondary importance, John that they were paramount. The difference unfortunately became a personal one, and for the time the breach between the brothers was irreparable. Both brothers felt that their continuance in office together could only embarrass the government, and Henry sent in his resignation. Although it was understood that John was prepared to accept a high appointment elsewhere, Dalhousie, whose views were more in harmonv with those of the younger brother, decided to accept Henry's resignation, to abolish the board, and to retain John as sole ruler in the Punjaub. The governor-general's agency in Rajpootana was offered to Sir Henry with the same salary as he had received in the Punjaub, and Dalhousie assured him that the differences between the brothers, however painful, had not been disadvantageous to the state. Sir Henry was deeply mortified that he was not selected to govern the Punjaub alone. During his four years' administration he had reconstructed and pacified a hostile state, and had made the Punjaub as safe to an Englishman as Calcutta, and all this with the acquiescence of the people. Great was the dismay on his departure of his many friends in subordinate positions in the country. Letters sent him at the time by Colonel Robert Napier, afterwards Lord Napier of Magdala [q.v.], John Nicholson [q. v.], the hero of Delhi, and others, show the devotion and affection with which he had inspired them. Early in 1853 Sir Henry left Lahore to take up his new post at Ajmeer. Eighteen states were under his supervision, and he lost no time in making himself acquainted with them. In July he declined Dalhousie's offer of the residency of Hyderabad. His wife, who had for some time been in bad health, died on 15 Jan. 1854. On 19 June 1854 Sir Henry was made A.D.C. to the queen and colonel in the army.

On 29 Feb. 1856 Lord Dalhousie resigned, and was succeeded by Lord Canning. Lawrence at once wrote to him in order to set himself right on points in which he believed that he had been misjudged by Lord Dalhousie. On 18 May he became a regimental lieutenant-colonel, and when he was on the point of starting for England with his little girl and to recruit his own health, in January 1857, Lord Canning offered him the post of chief commissioner and agent to the governor-general in Oudh. Lawrence at once gave up his leave, sent his child home, and accepted the offer, whioh he regarded as in some sort a compensation for the loss of the Punjaub government and a public recognition of his services.

Towards the close of March 1857 Lawrence entered on his new duties at Lucknow. He succeeded Coverley Jackson, and found the province in a grievous state of discontent, due to departure from the instructions laid down by government at the Annexation. Promised pensions had been withheld, country chiefs deprived of their estates, while old officials and three-fourths of the army were left without occupation. Lawrence at once grappled with these difficulties, and by holding frequent durbars, at which his policy was proclaimed, and by energetic redress of grievances, he did much to establish a better feeling. The greater ease with which the revenue was collected soon showed that his policy was successful. During the month of April he was busy in organising the government.

But in May 1857 the mutiny broke out in Bengal and at Delhi. Lawrence at once devoted himself to the organisation of defence. On 19 May he was promoted brigadier-general with military command over all troops in Oudh. Luctnow was not yet infected with mutiny, and he had to carry out his military arrangements as quietly as possible, while exhibiting to the outer world a confidence he did not feel, and dealing with all the ordinary business of the province in the usual way.