• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

PAGE 1 Johnston Manuscripts 33 2. The Changing East 43 3 President's Address, at the 49th General Meeting 53 4 Genealogy of the Family of Eaffel of Ceylon 60 5 Genealogy of the Family of Gander of Ceylon ... 67 MILLERS Sports Goods Dept. has been 6 Genealogy of the Family of De Niese of Ceylon 73 enlarged for the convenience of our 7 Additions to published Genealogies 80 numerous customers. It's now replete with 8 Proceedings at the 49th General Meeting 81 everything- for the Diver and angler. See the 9 Notes oh Current Topics. 85 10 Baldaeus—{Abridged from an 1849 translation wide range on display. by Peter Brohier) Second Instalment 23—41 Contributions are invited from members on subjects calculated to be of interest to the Union. MSS, must be written on one side of the paper only and must reach the Editor at least a fort-night bejore the date of publication of the Journal. SPORTS GOODS DEPT,, COLOMBO. Published quarterly. Subscription Ms. 10f- per annum, post free. Single copies, if available, Ms. 5(- to be had at the D. B. U. Hall. Printed at Frewin & Co., Ltd, 40, Baillie Street, Fort, Colombo. SCHOOL BOOKS VOL. XLVII.] APRIL—JULY, 1957. [Nos. 2 & 3 and (introduction by Editor). Through the kind courtesy of Mr. James T. Eutnam, we are pri­ SUPPLIES vileged to be in a position to publish the following contemporary and original records which were, discovered by him among a lot of Johnston MSS. Documents and Articles which he obtained during a visit to Great Britain in 1954. *. 1. Original of the Address presented to Sir Alexander Johnston * by the Europeans, Descendants of Europeans, and Burghers, residing in the District of Galle, in 1817. 2. Original of the Address presented to Sir Alexander Johnston by eleven signatories who did not have the opportunity to subscribe their names to the Address presented by the inhabi­ tants of Galle, in 1817. Ask us first 3. Contemporary record of Sir Alexander Johnston's reply to the address presented to him by the Europeans. Descendants • of Europeans, and the Burghers residing in the District of Galle, in 1817. 4. Original of the Address presented to Sir Alexander Johnston by the Dutch Inhabitants and Burghers of the Province of Jaffnapatam, in 1817' 5. Contemporary record of the reply of Sir Alexander Johnston to the Address presented to him by the Dutch Inhabitants and The the Burghers of the Province of Jaffnapatam, in 1817. 6. Contemporary copy of the Address presented by the Dutch COLOMBO APOTHECARIES' Inhabitants and Burghers of Colombo, in 1817. 7. Contemporary record of the reply of Sir Alexander Johnston COMPANY, —— LIMITED. to the Address presented by the Dutch Inhabitants and Burghers of Colombo, in 1817. GLENNIE ST, SLAVE ISLAND and Mr, Rutnam writes :—" I propose to have the above seven docu­ ments sent to the Government Archives, to he placed among the records PRINCE ST., FORT, COLOMBO. at the Archives, on a loan from me. Meantime, if you consider suitable I would wish you kindly to publish these Addresses and 34 THE JOURNAL OF THE DUTCH BURGHEE UNION 35 replies thereto early in the Journal of the Dutch Burgher Union ' to show. Infact.it is accepted that the former were actually led to We do so with much pleasure, beginning in this number of the Journal this scene of missionary labour instrumentally by the representation of with the Address presented by the Butch Inhabitants and Burghei? it which Sir Alexander gave to some of the leaders of the missions in resident in Colombo in 1817, and Sir Alexander's reply thereto. England in 1809. Although circumstances occurred to delay the esta­ blishment of the C.M.S. in Ceylon until the close of 1817, there is a Sir Alexander Johnston was born on the 25th of April, 1775. His passage in a much earlier report extolling "with what wisdom and father obtained civil employment in Madras under Lord Macartney, success Sir Alexander Johnston, Chief Justice of the Island, had and in 1781 settled at Madura. Alexander was partly trained by Swart/. prepared the way by diffusing information respecting the designs of the missionary. He learnt the Tamil, Telugu and Hindustani the Society.'' languages, and inbibed a lifelong sympathy with the people of tin. country, "When only 11 years old he was offered acornetcy of dragoons With so much told to the honour of the memory of this great man, he resigned the commission and in 1799 returned to Europe with bin it is hardly surprising that Communities and Institutions were not slow parents. He then trained for Law and passed into Lincoln's Inn. t to show their appreciation by addressing him when he retired from where he was called to the Bar, and went the home circuit until an his high office in 1817. The Dictionary of National Biography records accidental interview with Fox turned his thoughts again to India, that when Johnston returned to England in 1819, Lord Grey declared in the House of Lords that "his conduct in the Island of Ceylon alone He was at this time in need of an increased income, having in had immortalised his name/' 1799 married the only daughter of Captain Lord William Campbell. R.'N. and now obtained the post of Advocate-General of Ceylon. Con­ An Address Presented to Sir Alexander Johnston by temporary records disclose that when Sir Codrington Edmond Carring ton, the first Chief Justice of Ceylon, resigned his appointment in the Dutch Inhabitants and Burghers of Colombo March, 1806, Mr. Alexander Johnston was appointed to act as Chief in 1817. Justice on the 3rd of the following month. He officiated as such unu (From a Contemporary Copy of the Original) the 5th of April, 1807, when the Hon. Mr. Henry Edward Lushington. the first Puisne Justice, who presumably had just returned from leaio, To was appointed permanently as Chief Justice. Lushington was succe<- The Hon'ble ded by the Hon. Mr.. W. Coke, in 1809. Sir Alexander Johnston Knt. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court In that same year 1809, Alexander Johnston was summoned to of Judicature on the Island of England to give suggestions to the Home Government concernii-fi Ceylon and first Member of His Ceylon. Many of these suggestions were embodied in the renew> ii Majesty's Council— Charter issued to the East India Company in 1813. Johnston wa- Hon'ble Sir, ' Knighted by the Prince Regent for his services, and returned to Ceyl-.t. in 1811, to take over the office of Chief Justice from Mr. Coke, who We the undersigned Dutch Inhabitants and Burgers of Colombo had retired. having learnt that your Lordship is about to quit this Island, on leave of absence from his Eoyal Highness the Prince Regent, cannot refrain Under Sir Alexander Johnston's impulse Ceylon now led the from availing ourselves of this opportunity, in declaring, as the tribute vanguard of Indian reform. A system of popular education was set un of our heart, in the most unequivocal and public manner, the sentiments foot, religious liberty was established. The owners of slaves were lul we individually and collectively entertain for your Lordship and the to agree to their complete emancipation, public employment was largeh lasting and deep sense which we cannot but entertain for the manifold opened to the indigenous population, while Europeans were permitted instances of your Lordship's unwearied zeal and upright exertions for to acquire land—a right which was hitherto denied them. In the promoting the public weal. matter of Justice, trial by jury was established, and a considerable advance was made in the preparation of a code of law in which pro\i- It is now, Hon'ble Sir, on the verge of 17 years, since your first sion was made for the due preservation of the views and usages of the arrival in this Colony, and during this long period, we have with real Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. pleasure and delight both witnessed and experienced, that the administration of Justice could not be placed in better hands, nor our It was perhaps Sir Alexander Johnston's early training under the most gracious Sovereign select a more abler character than yourself, to venerable Swartz, which fitted him for the part he had to play in hold the sacred office of Judge. For this mark of His Majesty's Royal afterlife as an honourable friend and well-wisher of Christian Missions *Note:—Sir Alexander Johnston has himself made a note on this contempory in Ceylon. The Wesleyan Mission and the Church Missionary Societ; copy of the Original that is was from ''all the Dnteh inhabitants of were both greatly indebted to him as many contemporary writings go Colombo." 36 1HE JOTMAL OF TB:^ DtJTfiH StjRGrtEit TJKfdN 37 favour we now beg to return our most heartfelt thanks and gratitude and trespassing on your invaluable time compel us to forego this act of to return your Lordship also our sincere thanks for the exemplary pleasure. We beg to assure you, however, that they are duly appreciated manner in which the important duties of that high office have been by us and that they will never be forgotten by us nor our posterity. fulfilled. It is with similar pleasing sensation of heart, that we have to dwell'on the goodness of heart ever evinced by your Lordship, that Having now, Hon'ble Sir, by this public testimony of our true and easiness of access to your Lordship on all occasion ; that suavity and faithful sentiments, performed a duty congenial and grateful to our urbanity of manners and that attention and watchfulness to our interests feelings, we beg now to request that you will accept of our most ardent and welfare and in short, that sameness in every respect which characte­ wishes for a safe and pleasant voyage to yourself and much respected rized your Lordship on first landing on these shores :—all of which, pre­ Lady and family, of whose safe arrival we shall be truly happy to eminently gratifying, we beg to assure your Lordship, are strenuously learn.

Load more

  46

Copy Link