d
her, under the care and blessing of Him who can elevate and abase
empires, and the great law of whose moral government is, "Righteousness
exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

PROSECUTION OF THE WAR IN INDIA, AND ANNEXATION OF THE PUNJAUB.

The general consequences of the battle of Chillianwallah (an account of
which engagement concluded our relation of the war in India, in the
last chapter) were the encouragement of the Sikh sirdars, soldiery,
and people, and the renewal of exertion on the part of the civil and
military authorities of India for the vigorous continuance of the war.
In England the news of the battle produced sensations of alarm, and
indignant dissatisfaction. In parliament the subject was mooted angrily,
not only by the opposition, but by the more radical supporters of
the government. Lord John Russell, however, quieted many fears by
announcing, which he did in his most pompous manner, that Sir Charles
Napier had been selected to command the army in India. This was received
with loud cheers and every demonstration of confidence. Had Lord John
stated that an army of thirty thousand European soldiers was about to be
dispatched to save the glory of the British arms in India, the tidings
could not have inspired a sense of security more complete than appeared
to be entertained by the house from the announcement of this one name.
Sir Charles had retired from the government of Scinde, having quarrelled
with the Company and the governor-general. No two human beings could
be assorted with less likelihood of concord than Lord Dalhousie and
Sir Charles Napier. With Lord Hardinge the eccentric general could have
agreed better; but he was a man so much more just than that nobleman,
and so much more able and original in his conceptions as a military man
and a statesman, that they also would have been very ill-assorted. Sir
Charles Napier, during his government of Scinde, had acquired such a
knowledge of the government of India, civil and military, and differed
so widely from the principles applied to that government, that there
could be little hope of his long retaining any command or government in
India. Sir Charles had complained warmly of the way in which the army of
India was officered; of the love of ease, and the indulgence in luxury
which had begun to characterise the officers of that service; of the
little sympathy with their men which the officers of some portions of
the Company's