1 HISTORY OF THE SIKHs. 257
2 True, but the very fact of being “supported” by a
3 foreign power proves, in the plainest manner, the
4 weakness and nominal character of the govern-
5 ment. Dhuleep Singh, king or Maharajah, is
6 under one or both titles a mere puppet ; possesses
7 no real power, and is wholly a dependent on the
8 British, who are now in reality the rulers of the The British
9 Punjab. It will be a fortunate event if, by the potions Ato
10 arrangements and treaties set forth in the Go-*""”
11 vernor-general’s proclamations, the people of the
12 Punjab can be made to believe that they have a
13 king and government; but it is not likely that the
14 turbulent Sikhs, who yielded no allegiance either
15 to Dhuleep Singh or his ‘mother before their inva-
16 sion of the British provinces, will now pay them Sieusiat ke
17 homage, degraded as they conceive mother and son Sikhs.
18 to be by the treaty formed with the British ; where-
19 by the kingdom gained by their great ruler, Runjeet
20 Singh, has been divided among strangers, and the
21 richest province belonging to it bestowed on a
22 man who once owed to the Lahore government
23 allegiance as a vassal.
24 The fortune of war has deprived the Sikhs, for Hie present
25 the present, of the means of showing how irksome, eandot last
26 degrading, and humiliating their position is; but it”
27 would argue a very imperfect knowledge of the cha-
28 racter of the Sikh, to suppose that he will long yield
29 even a seeming obedience to the present government.
30 Any change would be preferable, and it is not
31 improbable that before many months have elapsed,
32 there will be a new head of the government. Atall