scrupulously preserved and transmitted to His Majesty's descendants, in the male issue, in perpetuity. His Majesty's authority would be absolute in his palace and household, always excepting the power of life and death over the King's servants and subjects thereunto appertaining. His Majesty's relatives and confidential servants would likewise be adequately provided for; and the Resident had every reason to hope that His Majesty's good sense would induce him to meet the Wishes of Government. The Resident was bound, by the solemn discharge of his duties, to announce to His Majesty that the treaty of 1801[1] no longer existed. The systematic oppression and misrule which had existed in Oudh ever since its ratification, the violation of all the solemn obligations which the rulers of Oudh had faithfully bound themselves to perform, as one of the high contracting parties to that Treaty, had necessarily caused its infraction, and rendered it imperative on the British Government to adopt a policy which should secure the lives and properties of His Majesty's suffering subjects. That policy had been commended by the Honorable the Court of Directors; it had been sanctioned and approved of by Her Majesty's Ministers unanimously; and the Most Noble the Governor-General of India had been directed to carry into effect the measures alluded to prior to His Lordship's departure from India. Under these circumstances, the Resident was persuaded that His Majesty would readily acknowledge that the Governor-General had no authority whatever but to give effect to the commands of the Home Government, and with this View had directed that a treaty should be prepared for submission to His Majesty, which, embracing every suitable, adequate, and ample provision for His Majesty's maintenance, and omitting nothing which could in any degree redound to the King's honor, titles, and dignity, transferred the administration of the government of Oudh into the hands of the East India Company.
"His Majesty received the treaty with the deepest emotion, and handed it to Sahib-ud-daulah, with directions that, it should be read out aloud: but that confidential servant of the King, overcome by his feelings, was unable
- ↑ By the treaty of 1801 the kingdom of Oudh had been placed under the protection of the British, and the King had been guaranteed security as long as he ruled well and (peaceably. But the Government had gone from bad to worse; an the anarchy and oppression in Oudh had been such as to endanger the peace of the surrounding British districts. The suflerings of the people themselves were terrible; and the British guarantee prevented their rising in insurrection with any prospect of success.
