his own character, rescue his people from their present miserable
condition; but if he procrastinates he will incur the risk of forcing
the British Government to interfere, by assuming the government of
Oude; that the former course would redound to his Majesty's credit
and dignity, while the latter would give the British Government
concern in the case of a prince whom, as our ally, we sincerely
desire to honour and uphold; that for these reasons, and on account
of the King's inexperience, the Governor-General is not disposed to
act immediately on the power vested in him by the Honourable Court's
despatch above quoted, still less is he disposed to hold him
responsible for the misrule of his predecessors, nor does he expect
that so inveterate a system of misgovernment can suddenly be
eradicated; that the resolution, and the preliminary measures 'to
effect this purpose,' can and ought at once to be adopted by the
King; that if his Majesty cordially enters into the plan suggested by
the Governor-General for the improvement of his administration, he
may have the satisfaction, within the period specified of two years,
of checking and eradicating the worst abuses, and, at the same time,
of maintaining his own sovereignty and the native institutions of his
kingdom unimpaired; but if he does not, if he takes a vacillating
course, and fail by refusing to act on the Governor-General's advice,
he is aware of the other alternative and of the consequences. It
must, then, be manifest to the whole world that, whatever may happen,
the King has received a friendly and timely warning."

On the 24th of December in that year, 1847, Government, in reply to
the Resident's letter of the 30th November, states that it does not
consider the King's reply in any respect satisfactory; that the
Resident is to remind his Majesty that under paragraph the 23rd of
the memorandum read out to him by the Governor-General's direction,
the Resident has been required to submit periodical reports of the
state of his dominions, and that his Majesty must be fully aware of
the responsibility he incurs if he neglects, during the interval
allowed him, to introduce the requisite reforms in his
administration.

More than two years have elapsed since this caution was given, and
the King has done nothing to improve his administration, abstained
from no personal indulgence, given no attention whatever to public
affairs. He had before that time tried to imitate his fath