to the Nil Durpan by Mr. Peterson with being bribed to advocate the interests of Indigo planters.
Alexander Forbes, examined by Mr. Peterson,— Was present editor of the Bengal Hurkaru. Had been so for the last eighteen months. Had read part of the Nil Durpan. Believed the Englishman and Hurkaru were the papers alluded to in the passage regarding the praising of Indigo planters because those papers had advocated the Indigo interests. Had no doubt that Mr. Brett and himself were referred to. He had rightly or wrongly advocated the cause of Indigo planters. He had not like Judas Iscariot taken thirty rupees and sold the ryots' cause. Had been directly concerned in the cultivation of Indigo fifteen years and indirectly, three or four years. A planter could not manage his business if he struck a single ryot. The duties of a factory Ameen were to make advances to ryots, and to superintendent generally the cultivation of the Indigo. It was his province to mark out land for Indigo within his division. There were Ameens in all factories, generally one to every 200 bigghas. A passage read from the Nil Durpan about a ryot being made to drink the water of seven factories meant a threat of confinement in the factory godown; another passage meant compulsory cultivation; another meant compelling ryots to give false evidence by confining them. Another passage meant that the Ameen was taking his youngest daughter to the Sahib's room for bad purposes. The drama was a favorite mode of representing the state of society among Bengalees. That mode was adopted in village and other places as truly representing states and phases of society.
To the Court:—These dramas are looked upon as fictions with a great deal of truth in them.
To Mr. Peterson:—Thought this drama would be believed by natives not acquainted with Indigo planters as a true representation of their conduct. Believed it was so accepted in Calcutta. He knew Mr. Long's handwriting. The order for the printing and some of the corrections in the proof sheets he held were in Mr. Long's hand, but written rather plainer than he usually writes.
To Mr. Newmarch:—He could not say if the Hurkaru was the most strenuous advocate of the Indigo interest, but hoped so. He did not know it upheld that interest before he joined, as he had not read it for many years. Had never looked at the subscription list, but knew that many planters
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