THE TWELFTH WAR.: IN OUDE. 27 



THE TWELFTH WAR: IN OUDE. 

 1856. 



Thirty years ago, it may truly be said, that England was constantly 

 enacting, in various parts of the world, deeds of arbitrary and high- 

 handed violence; for doing one tenth of which we should deem 

 . ourselves entitled to brand other nations with the strongest language 

 of indignation, and even undertake to inflict sanguinary punishment 

 upon them, as the minister of Divine vengeance. 



One of these exploits of violence by England was the annexation 

 in 1856 by the armed forces of the Crown of the kingdom of Oude 

 in India. 



Oude, a kingdom as populous as Belgium, and twice as large in 

 extent of territory, was annexed to the East India Company by the 

 proclamation of Lord Dalhousie, and its ruler deprived of his I'hrone. 



Troops invaded Oude, and surrounded his capital, but as he 

 offered no resistance, beyond protest, the destruction of an ancient 

 Throne, and the annexation of a rich and populous kingdom, was 

 easily effected. 



In the proclamation the usual charges of incompetency and 

 corruption were made, but, whatever the faults of the goverment of 

 Oude, it had ever been faithful and true in their friendship with the 

 British nation ; but this fidelity and friendship availed them nothing 

 when the fiat went forth from Leadenhall Street, that the kingdom of 

 Oude must cease to exist. 



The only defence put forward was, that it was for the good of the 

 natives, but has that not ever been the pretext of every War of an- 

 nexation, whether by England or any other nation ? and this plea of 

 the East India Company and of Lord Dalhousie for annexing Oude, 

 had no better foundation. 



THE THIRTEENTH WAR: PERSIAN WAR. 



IN 1857. 



In 1857 the Governor-General of India, Lord Canning, acting 

 under the authority of Her Majesty's Government, issued a procla- 

 mation, which was tantamount to a declaration of War against Persia. 



