CO882-(1-2) — Page 88

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Reference :-

C.O. 882

1

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

64

telle. The persons in whose hands it was, burghers of European descent, immediately dropped it, and came in a body to the Government Agent to say they had intelligence of an instant insurrection in Saffragam, that the people from Qovah were coming over and the people of the district were prepared; and if the Government did not immediately send troops for their protection, they would put their families in boats and drop down the river to Co- lombo for security.

Troops arrived, but the country still continged disorganised and on the alert, and the report gained ground that a rising was still intended (page 218). "But such," Mr. Mitford adds, "were the salutary effects of the energetic measures adopted...by. Government in these places where outrage had occurred, that the boldest were deterred from pro- secuting rebellious projects further.

"They heard of the sure justice which had over- taken the first reckless disturbers of the public peace, and they saw that if taken with arms in their hands they would be arraigned at a tribunal before which the chicanery available in the ordinary courts would be useless; and I may here remark that the lenity of the civil courts in these cases, is proverbial: so much so that the natives are led to imagine that our laws do not consider rebellion to be a crime of very deep dye.” (Page 217.)

"Government exercised a wise discretion in sending a detachment of troops to the station, but this would scarcely have sufficed to, maintain the tranquillity of the district, had it been unsupported by the moral influence of the energetio messures-of Government and the continuation of martial law in the disaffected districts.” . (Page 224).......

As to the remaining district of the Four and Three Korles, although no overt act of treason took place there, Mr. Power, the resident Government offer. hesitated to express any confidence in, she legally of the headmen or the 'steadiness of the people, and had the insurrection at Kornggalle or Matelle been successful, be concurs “ that the spread of disafiga tion would have been most rezád thronghosh, the rest of the Kandyan Provinces ;”, and “#ghadhog his own people would have remained. Joyal under such circumstanses he is not prepared to my." (Pages 105 and 107).

Low Country Singhalese not con-

nected with the Rebellion.

Question 3564.

88

And Mr. Baller, the Government Agent of the adjoining province, states in his letter to me, No- vember 4th, 1849, (page 28,) that from information which he has mequired, the people of the four Kerles (amongst whom there are 10,000 males fit to bear arine) were only waiting the turn of affairs at Ma- telle to-side with the successful party.

There is thus conclusive and abundant evidence of the extent of the danger to be apprehended from this formidable conspiracy. That so far from being the net of a fow, it was the spontaneous move- ment of THE › Whole Kandyan PEOPLE; and 'that although rebellion took place only in one extremity of the Kandyan provinces, there was not a single districs or division of the ancient Kandyan kingdom, the inhabitants of which were not pre- pared, and waited only the signal to unite in one simultaneous revolt.

One thing too is observable, that throughout the whole of the evidence there is no one circumstance or allegation to connect the low country Singhalese with the insurrection, no allusion to any contert or co-operation with them, no mention of. any insti- gation or encouragement received from them, There is indeed an allusion to a rumour at: Mabelle that sorse Meedbars in the low country were dis- posed to, carry off the Governor! but neither the Pretendar nor his assosiates; neither the disloyal chiefs nor those who bava brought intelliganos to the Gormament, dancribe the rebellion otherwise than as a plat of sha:Kandguns to drive the English begondethair aern.limits; magnçillam of what might bearum, of the lowesenter: Birgünless on the other races in the maritime provinces në Carlon.

· Thans stake

►Endlung und ölnir chiefs sich:žita.been con-

wolkmity of,

hich are now within the knowledge of every