You should not have any more audiences with the
King without previous reference to me; nothing is likely to occur to
require it.
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) W. H. SLEEMAN.
To Captain Bird,
&c. &c.
__________________________
Camp, Fyzabad, 18th December, 1819.
My Dear Bird,
I send you the letter which you wish to refer to. As you quote my
first letter, pray let me see it. I kept no copy, but have a distinct
recollection of what I intended to say in it regarding this affair of
the singers. It shall be sent back to you. The term "indiscreet" had
reference only to your second visit, and demand from the King of the
fulfilment of his promise. I had no fault whatever to find with your
first visit. The term "private" must have had reference, not to the
promise or to the person to whom it was made, but to the offence with
which the singers stood charged. It was an affront offered to the
King's understanding that he took affront at, and whether he had made
a promise to resent it as such to me, or to you could make no
difference. If he did not fulfil it, we should pity this further
instance of his weakness, but could have no right to insist upon his
doing so. Even had the offence been an interference in public
affairs, and breach of the King's engagements, I should not have
demanded their banishment without a reference to the Governor-
General, because the delay of waiting for instructions involved no
danger or serious inconvenience; that is, I should not have demanded
it when the King was so strongly opposed to it.
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