History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

34 HISTORY OF THE PARSIS. [CHAP. I.

purpose of ruining one of the most respectable firms at Surat, and with other acts unbecoming an officer of his high repute and standing.” With these painful charges hanging over him, the principal Sadar Amin was suspended from his office, and a searching investigation was instituted, which happily terminated in a complete and honourable acquittal. This satisfactory issue of the inquiry, ably and impartially conducted by Mr. Remington, assistant resident at Baroda, was readily acknowledged by the Government at a darbar held under the direction of Mr. Andrew, the official representative, for the purpose of publicly exonerating the accused, and reinstalling him in his office of principal Sadar Amin with due pomp and ceremony. The words employed on this occasion by the presiding officer, and quoted below, convey in fitting terms the opinion of Government as to the result of the inquiry, and their unfeigned gratification at 1ts issue :—

“As the best consolation I can offer you for all that you have suffered, I would suggest to you my conviction, that you will hereafter not regret the painful prosecution and anxiety to which you have been subjected, for the glorious result in which they have issued under such peculiarly disadvantageous circumstances must have the effect of disabusing the most sceptical of any doubts and suspicions they may have hitherto entertained of your conduct and character, and in that another opportunity has been afforded to Government to honour you in the eyes of the community. “Tt now only remains for me thus publicly to present to you the orders for your resuming charge of your offices of ‘kotval’ and