* * * * *

THE EVACUATION OF AFFGHANISTAN.

Since the day when Lord Auckland, by his famous proclamation in October
1838, "directed the assemblage of a British force for service across the
Indus," we have never ceased to denounce the invasion and continued
occupation of Affghanistan as equally unjust and impolitic[25]--unjust,
as directed against a people whose conduct had afforded us no legitimate
grounds of hostility, and against a ruler whose only offence was, that
he had accepted[26] the proffer from another quarter of that support and
alliance which we had denied to his earnest entreaty--and impolitic, as
tending not only to plunge us into an endless succession of ruinous and
unprofitable warfare, but to rouse against us an implacable spirit of
enmity, in a nation which had hitherto shown every disposition to
cultivate amicable relations with our Anglo-Indian Government. In all
points, our anticipations have been fatally verified. After more than
two years consumed in unavailing efforts to complete the reduction of
the country, our army of occupation was at last overwhelmed by the
universal and irresistible outbreak of an indignant and fanatic
population; and the restored monarch, Shah-Shoojah, ("whose popularity
throughout Affghanistan had been proved to the Governor-general by the
strong and unanimous testimony of the best authorities") perished, as
soon as he lost the protection of foreign bayonets, by the hands of his
outraged countrymen.[27]

[25] See the articles "Persia, Affghanistan, and India," in
Jan. 1839--"Khiva, Central Asia, and Cabul," in April
1840--"Results of our Affghan Conquests," in Aug.
1841--"Affghanistan and India," in July 1842.

[26] It now seems even doubtful whether the famous letter of
Dost Mohammed to the Emperor of Russia, which constituted the
_gravamen_ of the charge against him, was ever really written,
or at least with his concurrence.--_Vide_ "Report of the
Colonial Society on the Affghan War," p. 35.

[27] The particulars of Shah-Shoojah's fate, which were unknown
when we last referred to the subject, have been since
ascertained. After the retreat of the English from Cabul, he
remained for some time secluded in the Bala-Hissar, observing
great caution in his intercourse with the insurgent leaders;
but he was at length prevailed upon, by assurances of loyalty