110
despotism that guides the destinies of over ten millions of His Highness's subjects. To expect any Editor to discharge the duty he owes to himself no less than to the public after binding himself not to publish anything that may "threaten an injury to a Government servant" or "tend to prejudice the mind of the people against His Highness the Nizam's Government or any of its officers" is to expect him to accomplish what is impossible; and to think that any man with a modicum of self-respect will subscribe to such a ridiculous "agreement" is to count too much upon the hectoring or terrorising policy the Home Secretary has hitherto pursued. If this circular has been called for—I mean if the officials cannot afford to stand a moment without the "thick coating that mercenary writers can invest them with for a consideration, if their doings are such as cannot bear the light of day—what becomes of the tall talk that all that the people in power do is fair, that there are data for each document issued, and good reasons for each step taken. The Nawab Medhi Hassan evidently mistook his vocation and the master he would have to serve when he entered the service of His Highness the Nizam—a prince who has so much to do with an enlightened people like the English and a liberal Government like theirs. What an acquisition he might have been as a censor of the Press under the Czar of all the Russia. But then I forget that in Russia people do not rise by flattery and wield power without intelligence.
Here is a case of zoolum, or rather snobbishness resulting in zoolum, that recently came to my knowledge. A Police Ameen was some time ago sent by a superior officer from one Taluq to another to inspect some office work. Being a perfect stranger to the place the Ameen had to put up while there in a shed. One day while seated in this shod, which served the purpose of a dining-room, a bed room and an office room, looking over some papers, he "received" from a gentleman holding the rank of a Major what might be termed a surprise visit. Either because his back was turned towards him and he could not see him or because he had never been introduced to him who, for
