ors, and make them think
that they cannot shake it off without rebelling and becoming martyrs.
I must pray your Lordship to excuse this long rambling letter, and

Believe me, with great respect,
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) W. H. SLEEMAN.

To the Most Noble
The Marquis of Dalhousie,
Governor-General,
Calcutta.

__________________________

Lucknow, 4th April, 1852.

My Dear Sir James,

Your present of the cadetship for her son made the poor widow's heart
glad, and I doubt not that she has written to express her grateful
feelings. The young man will, I hope, prove himself deserving of the
favour you have conferred upon him so gracefully. The Court has
called for a copy of my Diary of the tour I made through Oude soon
after I took charge of my office; and I have sent off two copies, one
for Government and the other for the Court. I purchased a small press
and type for the purpose of printing it in my own house, that no one
but myself and the compositor might see it. I will send home two
copies for yourself and the chairman as soon as they can be bound in
Calcutta. The Diary contains a faithful picture of Oude, its
Government, and people, I believe. I have printed only a few copies,
and they will not be distributed till I learn that the Court consider
them unobjectionable. In spirit they will be found so. I intend, if I
can find time, to give the history of the reigning family in a third
volume. My general views on Oude affairs have been given in my
letters to Government, which will, I conclude, be before the Court. A
ruler so utterly regardless of his high duties and responsibilities,
and of the sufferings of the people under his rule, as the present
King, I have never seen; nor have I ever seen ministers so
incompetent and so unworthy as those whom he employs in the conduct
of his affairs. We have threatened so often to interpose for the
benefit of the poor people, without doing anything, that they have
lost all hope, and the profligate and unprincipled Government have
lost all fear. The untoward war with Burmah prevents our present
Governor-General from doing what he and I believe the Honourable
Court both wish. We certainly ought not any longer to incur the odium
of supporting such a Government in its iniquities, pledged as we are
by treaties to protect the people from them. I do not appre