Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 6.1.6

6.1.6

Without sufficiently attending to the actual complexion of the times, or to Ratan-chund's boundless influence, he proposed to the Emperor to enforce certain laws relative to the capitation levied on Gentoos; and the Emperor approved of the proposal. On the other hand, as the Court and palace were full of eunuchs, Gentoos, and Cashmirians, who had availed themselves of the inattention of the Vezir's administration to get at exorbitant salaries, to engross the best Djaghirs, and to disappoint or to render very precarious the pretensions of those who aspired to such emoluments on better titles, the Minister of the Finance proposed that part of those exorbitant grants and salaries should be suppressed, and part reduced within proper bounds, or that they should be granted on such terms as were pointed out by the Imperial registers. These two proposals having proved highly disagreeable to Ratan-chund, and to all the pillagers and defaulters, they complained to Abdollah-qhan, to whom likewise they proved unwelcome; and all the guilty joining together in a general combination against the proposer, gave rise to a coolness, which brought on a neglect of the several articles agreed to between the Vezir and the Minister of Finances. Daily bickerings gave rise to daily disgusts, and a breach ensued openly on the following occasion:—