Civil Disobedience in Indian Tradition, with Some Early Nineteenth Century Documents c6.s3.21

c6.s3.21

65. The Magistrate having been directed to withdraw that order, and the Collector having again proceeded to the discharge of the duty reposed in him with respect to the collection of the tax, he was assaulted and wounded by the populace. It appearing to us on receipt of that intelligence that the outrage thus offered to the Collector and in his person to the Government, was to be traced to the injudicious order above noticed; we for that and the other considerations noticed in our proceedings, deemed it necessary to suspend the Judge and Magistrate from the discharge of his public duties, and to depute an officer of greater firmness and activity to take charge of that appointment. In the meantime however we received information as will appear from the letters, transmitted to you a separate number in the packet, that the authority of Government had been fully re-established in Bhaugulpore, and that the collection of the house tax had been effectually enforced. Under that change of circumstances, we deemed it sufficient to direct the Register to take charge temporarily of the office of the Magistrate. It only remaining at present for us to pass final orders on the conduct of the Magistrate, which we shall consider with the indulgence which we should always be disposed to extend to mere errors of judgement or even want of firmness, when not originating in any improper motive.