Page:Sir Henry Lawrence, the Pacificator.djvu/120

Rh shall be obeyed by me. I do not seek for a moment to conceal from you that I have seen no reason whatever to depart from the opinion that the peace and vital interests of the British Empire now require that the power of the Sikh Government should not only be defeated, but subverted, and their dynasty abolished. ... I am very willing that a proclamation should be issued by you, but bearing evidence that it proceeds from Government. It may notify that no terms can be given but unconditional submission; yet that, on submission being immediately made, no man's life shall be forfeited for the part he has taken in hostilities against the British Government.'

The only remark that need be made on this extract is that it placed Sir Henry's position on a perfectly different footing from that on which it had hitherto been, and practically changed it from one of confidence and latitude, which had worked with perfect smoothness, to one of restriction and obedience to definite orders.

But to Sir Henry, the gravamen of the letter lay less in its tone towards himself than in the treatment to which it seemed to indicate that the Punjab and the Sikhs would certainly be subjected. His anxiety was deeply aroused. He feared the worst; that is, that all chance was at an end of securing a friendly feeling of good-will and alliance in the frontier race, and that one of bitter alienation, hatred, and hostility would prevail instead. His fear for the State was the impracticable situation that would result; and his anxiety, based on the disposition that seemed to him to prevail, was lest the treatment