1 HISTORY OF THE SIKHS. 37
2 a people who had committed such a glaring out-
3 rage in her very presence regardless of her son’s
4 authority.
5 After the death of Heera Singh, the Sikhs re- Goolab singh
6 solved to appoint Goolab Singh his successor ; and Prime Minis:
7 though the Rajah was on the point of waging war ‘"
8 with the Lahore government, yet he was prevailed
9 upon to come to the capital, with the promise that
10 he should be made prime minister. It is probable The Ranee
11 that the Ranee herself gave a tacit consent to this ae a
12 arrangement, for had.she opposed it, her relation- aaahs
13 ship to -Juwaheer Singh would have been seized
14 upon as a ready pretext for wishing to serve him at
15 the expense of the Rajah of Jummoo, who was
16 considered by all parties the best fitted for con-
17 ducting the affairs of the state during the minority
18 of her son. Besides, she had been indebted to
19 Goolab Singh for protection, at a time when the
20 eneinies of her cause might have taken revenge on
21 both her and Dhuleep Singh.
22 It is a curious instance of moral courage on Goolub Singh
23 the part of Goolab Singh, that when he knew the Lahore.
24 dislike entertained towards him by Juwaheer Singh,
25 and the doubtful professions of his sister, he ac-
26 tually trusted himself in the power of both, and
27 became a prisoner in reality, though without re-
28 straint, at Lahore. Several attempts were made
29 to assassinate him, but no open outrage was Attempts _
30 attempted,—a caution which entirely arose from the i
31 dread of displeasing the large portion of the army
32 that had guaranteed his safety. Strange to relate,