DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2373#0091
MYSORE, CANARA, AND MALABAR.
71
of great public utility, such as reservoirs, and canals for watering CHAPTER
the ground. Although an active prince, he in a great measure se- «__.— ,
eluded himself from his subjects (one of the greatest evils that May 20, &c.
can happen in an absolute monarchy) ; and his chief confident, Meer
Saduc, was a monster of avarice and cruelty. The people univer-
sally accuse Tippoo of bigotry, and vain-glory; but they attribute
most of their miseries to the influence of his minister. The Brdh-
mans, who managed the whole of the revenue department, were so
avaricious, so corrupt, and had shown such ingratitude to Hyder,
that Tippoo would have entirely displaced them, if he could have
done without their services ; but that was impossible; for no other
persons in the country had any knowledge of business. Instead of
checking them by a constant inspection into their conduct, by ex-
emplary punishment when detected in peculation, and by allowing
them handsome salari es to raise them above temptation, he ap-
pointed Mussulman Asophs, or Lord Lieutenants, to superintend
large divisions of the country; and this greatly increased the evil;
for these men, intirely sunk in indolence, voluptuousness, and igno-
rance, confident of favour from the bigotry of their sovereign, and
destitute of principle, universally took bribes to supply their
wants; and the delinquencies of the Brdhmans were doubled, to
make good the new demands of the Asophs, over and above their
former profits. Owing to this system, although the Sultan had laid
on many new taxes, the actual receipts of the treasury never
equalled those in the time of his father. The Amildars, under
various pretexts of unavoidable emergency, reported prodigious
outstanding balances; while they received, as bribes from the cul-
tivators, a part of the deductions so made. Although the taxes
actually paid by the people to government were thus much lighter
than they had been in the administration of Hyder, the industrious
cultivator was by no means in so good a condition as formerly.
The most frivolous pretexts were received, as sufficient cause for
commencing a criminal prosecution against any person supposed to
71
of great public utility, such as reservoirs, and canals for watering CHAPTER
the ground. Although an active prince, he in a great measure se- «__.— ,
eluded himself from his subjects (one of the greatest evils that May 20, &c.
can happen in an absolute monarchy) ; and his chief confident, Meer
Saduc, was a monster of avarice and cruelty. The people univer-
sally accuse Tippoo of bigotry, and vain-glory; but they attribute
most of their miseries to the influence of his minister. The Brdh-
mans, who managed the whole of the revenue department, were so
avaricious, so corrupt, and had shown such ingratitude to Hyder,
that Tippoo would have entirely displaced them, if he could have
done without their services ; but that was impossible; for no other
persons in the country had any knowledge of business. Instead of
checking them by a constant inspection into their conduct, by ex-
emplary punishment when detected in peculation, and by allowing
them handsome salari es to raise them above temptation, he ap-
pointed Mussulman Asophs, or Lord Lieutenants, to superintend
large divisions of the country; and this greatly increased the evil;
for these men, intirely sunk in indolence, voluptuousness, and igno-
rance, confident of favour from the bigotry of their sovereign, and
destitute of principle, universally took bribes to supply their
wants; and the delinquencies of the Brdhmans were doubled, to
make good the new demands of the Asophs, over and above their
former profits. Owing to this system, although the Sultan had laid
on many new taxes, the actual receipts of the treasury never
equalled those in the time of his father. The Amildars, under
various pretexts of unavoidable emergency, reported prodigious
outstanding balances; while they received, as bribes from the cul-
tivators, a part of the deductions so made. Although the taxes
actually paid by the people to government were thus much lighter
than they had been in the administration of Hyder, the industrious
cultivator was by no means in so good a condition as formerly.
The most frivolous pretexts were received, as sufficient cause for
commencing a criminal prosecution against any person supposed to