A Journey through the Kingdom of Oude | Page 3

from 1844 until 1849, when he was removed to the highly important
office of Resident at the Court of Lucknow. Colonel Sleeman held his
office at Gwalior in very critical times, which resulted in hostilities and

the battle of Maharajpore. But for a noble and unselfish act he would
have received this promotion at an earlier period. The circumstance was
this: Colonel Low, the Resident at that time, hearing that his father was
dangerously ill, tendered his resignation to Lord Auckland, who
immediately offered the appointment to Colonel Sleeman. No sooner
had this occurred, however, than Colonel Low wrote to his Lordship
that, since he had resigned, the house of Gaunter and Co., of Calcutta,
in which his brother was a partner, had failed, and, in consequence,
every farthing he had saved had been swept away. Under this painful
contingency be begged to place himself in his Lordship's hands. This
letter was sent by Lord Auckland to Colonel Sleeman, who
immediately wrote to Colonel Low, begging that he would retain his
situation at Lucknow. This generous conduct of Colonel Sleeman was
duly appreciated; and Lord Auckland, on leaving India, recommended
him to the particular notice of his successor. Lord Ellenborough, who
immediately appointed Colonel Sleeman to Jhansi with an additional
1000l. a-year to his income.
Colonel Sleeman held the appointment of Resident at Lucknow from
the year 1849 until 1856. During this period his letters and diary show
his unwearied efforts to arrive at the best information on all points with
regard to Oude. These will enable the reader to form a just, opinion on
the highly-important subject of the annexation of this kingdom to
British India. The statements of Colonel Sleeman bear inward evidence
of his great administrative talents, his high and honourable character,
and of his unceasing endeavours to promote the best interests of the
King of Oude, so that his kingdom might have been preserved to him.
Colonel Sleeman's views were directly opposed to annexation, as his
letters clearly show.
His long and arduous career was now, however, fast drawing to a close.
So early as the summer of 1854 it became evident that the health of
General Sleeman was breaking up, and in the August of that year he
was attacked by alarming illness. "Forty-six years of incessant labour,"
observes a writer at this date, "have had their influence even on his
powerful frame: he has received one of those terrible warnings believed
to indicate the approach of paralysis. With General Sleeman will depart

the last hope of any improvement in the condition of the unhappy
country of Oude. Though belonging to the elder class of Indian officials,
he has never been Hindooized. He fully appreciated the evils of a native
throne: he has sternly, and even haughtily, pointed out to the King the
miseries caused by his incapacity, and has frequently extorted from his
fears the mercy which it was vain to hope from his humanity."
Later in the year. General Sleeman went to the hills, in the hope of
recruiting his wasted health by change of air and scene; but the
expectation proved vain, and he was compelled to take passage for
England. But it was now too late: notwithstanding the best medical aid,
he gradually sank, and, after a long illness, died on his passage from
Calcutta, on the 10th February, 1856, at the age of sixty-seven.
His Indian career was, indeed, long and honourable his labours most
meritorious. He was one of those superior men which the Indian service
is constantly producing, who have rendered the name of Englishman
respected throughout the vast empire of British India, and whose
memory will endure so long as British power shall remain in the East.
It is well known that Lord Dalhousie, on his relinquishing the Indian
Government, recommended General Sleeman and two other
distinguished officers in civil employment for some mark of the royal
favour, and he was accordingly nominated K.C.B., 4th February, 1856;
of which honour his Lordship apprised him in a highly gratifying letter.
But, however high the reputation of an officer placed in such
circumstances--and none stood higher than Sir William Sleeman, not
only in the estimation of the Governor-General and the Honourable
Company, but also in the opinion of the inhabitants of India, where he
had served with great ability for forty years, and won the respect and
love particularly of the natives, who always regarded him as their
friend, and by whom his equity was profoundly appreciated--it was to
be anticipated, as a matter of course, that his words and actions would
be distorted and misrepresented by a Court so atrociously infamous.
This, no doubt, he was prepared to expect, The King, or rather the
creatures who surrounded him, would at all cost endeavour to prevent
any investigation into their gross