१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

THE SUMMING UP
Principal Sudder Amin of Delhi, the ten Government
Pleaders in the Sudder Dewani, the Chief Kotwal of Agra,
two of the Munsiffs of Delhi, the Principal Sudder Amin
of Calcutta, the Deputy Collector of Cawnpore, the Deputy
Collector of Fatehpur—the man who killed Robert Tucker
—the rest of the native officers of Fatehpur, the Munsiff
of Allahabad, another Munsiff of the same province, the
Principal Sudder Amin of Bareilly, the Deputy Collector
of Azimgarh, the Principal Sudder Amin of J—, the Prin-
cipal Sudder Amin of G—. This is only a select list !¹²
So all-embracing was the Revolutionary fire. The worst
abuse that one could use towards another, in those days,
was to call him " loyal " ! Anyone who showed such
" loyalty " and any who obtained service under Govern-
ment were classed as traitors to their country and their
religion ! Those who persisted in Government service
were excommunicated by their castes ; no one would eat
with them ; no one would marry among them ; the Brah-
min refused to do Puja for him; none would set fire to his
funeral pyre. The service of the foreigner, of the
Feringhi, was considered as sinful as matricide ! Are
not these indications that the climax of oppression
had been reached ? ¹³
And hence this volcano—supremely quiet externally—was
boiling inside and had reached the bursting point. On
the back of this volcano, Oppression was stalking about
reckless and without fear. But as soon as the psychologi-
12. Rev. Kennedy, M.A., page 43.
13. " Revolt had, in consequence, swept before it, in many
cases, all regard to personal interest and all attachment to the former
master. The imputations of remaining faithful to the Government,
in such circumstances has been intolerable. It is well known that
the few Sepoys who have remained in our services are deemed
outcastes, not only by their comrades but their caste people in
general. These even say they cannot venture to go to their homes ;
for, not only would they be reproached and denied brotherly offices,
but their very lives would be in danger."—Rev. Kennedy.
281