II. That Mr. Lumsdaine, the officer employed to reduce those disordered
parts of the province to submission, after several advantages gained
over the Rajah and his adherents, and expelling him from the country,
did represent the utter impossibility of bringing it to a permanent
settlement "merely by forcible methods; as in any of his [the Rajah's]
incursions it would not be necessary to bring even a force with him, as
the zemindars [landed proprietors and freeholders] are much attached to
the Rajah, whom they consider as their hereditary prince, and never fail
to assist him, and that his rebellion against government is not looked
on as a crime": and Mr. Lumsdaine declared it "as his clear opinion,
that the allowing the said Rajah a pension suitable to his rank and
influence in the country would be the most certain mode of obtaining a
permanent peace,"--alleging, among other cogent reasons, "that the
expense of the force necessary to be employed to subdue the country
might be spared, and employed elsewhere, and that the people would
return to their villages with their cattle and effects, and of course
government have some security for the revenue, whereas at present they
have none.
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