1836.] Native States in the Malay Peninsula. 633 



only to exert the political means already under our control. Of later 

 days the fashion has been to treat with them as independent 

 powers ; while the chiefs themselves, from a combination of circum- 

 stances too long for detail here, are for the most part with difficulty 

 and unwillingly brought to consider themselves so. 



Experience has shewn the necessity of the existence of a predomi- 

 nating power, capable and willing to afford effectual mediation, to 

 which these divided States may look up in their frequent disputes. 



The Dutch during their ascendancy were fully alive to, and took 

 every advantage of, the influence their commanding position gave 

 them ; as the numberless treaties concluded with almost every petty 

 chief on the peninsula and in the Archipelago fully evince : but, by 

 a series of tyrannical and impolitic acts, more particularly the dis- 

 graceful system of forced labour, they alienated the affections of a 

 generous race of men, and lost, as a natural consequence, the fruits 

 of their able, though selfish negotiations and political alliances. 

 Britain now occupies a prouder situation with regard to these Eastern 

 States than Holland ever did. Two princes, representatives of the 

 two most noble dynasties, Quedah and Johore, derive a handsome 

 subsistence from British bounty. British colonies occupy, and carry 

 on an extensive commerce from the site of those two ancient seats 

 of Malayan empire, Malacca and Singapore ; while British ships 

 retain undisputed possession of the seas. It alone remains for a 

 wise and liberal Government to consolidate and uphold the moral 

 influence of public opinion, — that extraordinary talisman by which is 

 held together the greatest of colonial empires. In the face of such 

 considerations, deterred by the fallacious theories of non-intervention 

 and non- territorial extension, we are incurring the heavy moral 

 responsibility of permitting so great an extent of power, delegated, 

 no doubt, for philanthropic and humane purposes, to lie inert, — a 

 power which, if wielded with discretion, would not only strengthen 

 our political and commercial relations in this part of the globe, but 

 effect the decided amelioration, and, eventually, the radical extirpa- 

 tion of the evils under which these oppressed States now groan. 



The absence of the strong hand of power, guided by the dictates 

 of humanity and common sense, to settle the endless feuds of the 

 native chiefs, which are too often excited and supported by the crimi- 

 nal cupidity of native merchants and others residing under our autho- 

 rity (as in the case of the late massacre at Lnkiit, and the disturb- 

 ances still prevailing at Lingie) ; the morbid dread of intervention, 

 exemplified in our late treaties, and in our systematical non-support 

 of the native established sovereigns in just authority over their rebel- 

 4 N 



