"
"It is not too late," Bathurst said; "it is too late, indeed, to
undo the mischief that has been done, but not too late for you to
secure yourself against some of the consequences. The English are
just; and when they shall have stamped out this mutiny, as assuredly
they will do, they will draw a distinction between mutinous soldiers
who were false to their salt, and native chiefs who fought, as
they believed, for the independence of their country. But one thing
they will not forgive, whether in Sepoy or in prince, the murder
of man, woman, or child in cold blood: for that there will be no
pardon.
"But it is not upon that ground that I came to appeal to you, but
as a noble of Oude--a man who is a brave enemy, but who could
never be a butcher. We have fought against each other fairly and
evenly; the time has come when we can fight no longer, and I demand
of you, confidently, that, if we surrender, the lives of all within
those walls shall be respected, and a safe conduct be granted them
down the country. I know that such conditions were granted to the
garrison at Cawnpore, and that they were shamelessly violated; for
that act Nana Sahib will never be forgiven. He will be hunted down
like a dog and hung when he is caught, just as if he had been the
poorest peasant. But I have not so bad an opinion of the people
of India as to believe them base enough to follow such an example,
and I am confident that if you grant us those terms, you will see
that the conditions are observed.
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