पृष्ठ:१८५७ का भारतीय स्वातंत्र्य समर.pdf/५८६

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५४२ We have seen the tide of war rolling from Nepal to the borders of Gujerat,from the deserts of Rajputana to the frontiers of the Nizam's territories. The same men overrunning the whole land of India and giving to their resistance, as it were, a national character: The paltry interests of isolated states, the ignorance which men of petty principality have laboured under, in considering the habits & customs of other principalities all this has disappeared to makeway for a more uniform appreciation of public events throughout India. We may assume that, in the rebellion of 1857 no national spirit was aroused, but we cannot deny that our efforts to put it down have sown the seed of a new plant and thus laid the foundation for more energetic attempts on the part of the people if, in the course of future years, England has not done something towards reconciling the numerous inconsistencies and suppressing some of the dangerous tendencies of its rule in India. " The Times 20th May 1859. सं. ५६ पृ ५२२ Yet it must be admitted that, with all their courage they (the British) would have been quite exterminated of the natives had been all and altogether hostile to them. The desperate defences made by the garrisons were no doubt heroic; but the natives shared their glory, and they by their aid and presence rendered the defence possible. Our seige of Delhi would have been quito impossible, if the Rajas of Patiala and Jhind had not been our friends and if the Sikhs had dot recruited in our battalions and remained quiet in the Punjab. The Sikhs at Lucknow did good service, and in all cases our garrison were helped, fed and strengthened by them in the field. Look at us all, here in camp, at this moment, our out-posts are native troops, natives are cutting grass for our horses and grooming them, feeding the elephants, managing the transports, supplying the commassariat which feeds us, cooking their tents, waiting on our officers, and even lending us their money. The soldier who acts as my amanuensis