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The Hindoos, it is true, have not had iron fetters on their wrists and ankles like the slaves of the West-Indies, but they have had for centuries fetters on the mind, far more efficacious for the debasement of the immortal spirit of

man

"Is there no tyranny but that

Of blood and chains? The despotism of vice-
The weakness and the wickedness of luxury—
The negligence, the apathy, the evils

Of sensual sloth, produce ten thousand tyrants,
Whose delegated cruelty surpasses

The worst acts of one energetic master,

However hard and harsh in his own bearing."

Let me not however be mistaken: I perfectly agree with Captain Macan, that the natives of India have prejudices to be humoured, affections to be won, and passions to be dreaded,―nay I will go farther, and venture to addvirtues to be cherished and esteemed as well as developed ; for to all who have studied their character, it must be a matter of astonishment that they possess so many amiable qualities in spite of the mental and bodily slavery to which for ages they have been subjected. I have made great sacrifices (comparatively speaking) for the natives of India; I would, were it requisite, make more, not because they are Hindoos-not because they are British subjects-but because they are human beings; but I will not allow my enthusiasm to run away with my discretion; I will not by a rash act or word assist to plunge again into Cimmerian darkness, millions, who are just beginning to perceive the ascending sun of enlightenment and virtue; for by doing so I would deserve a greater punishment than mortal

Sardanapalus. The chapter on "education," will shew the efforts that are making to remove the "despotism of vice."

could inflict, I would perish with the maledictions resounding in my ears of every man whose heart throbs for human suffering; for my intentions, however well meant, would be forgotten in the breaking up of the social structure, which is now being built up and cemented throughout the Anglo-Eastern Empire.

CHAPTER III.

ANALYSIS

OF THE HOME GOVERNMENT OF INDIA-THE COURT OF PROPRIETORS, THE COURT OF DIRECTORS, AND THE BOARD OF CONTROL THEIR RELATIVE POWERS AND PATRONAGE-REFUTATION OF THE WESTMINSTER REVIEW FOR JULY 1832-DANGER OF FURTHER INTERFERENCE BY MINISTERS IN THE GOVERNMENT INDIA.

OF

THE Home government of India has been represented as a dangerous imperium in imperio,-as "a mystery of state,”—as “regal authority without public responsibility;" and the Court of Directors as "a self-elected corporation, with a patronage of £600,000 a year; for maintaining which the people of England alone pay a couple of million per annum, in the shape of an overcharge for indifferent tea, and the people of India every thing that can be got from them."*

I propose to examine into the truth of these allegations. The share possessed by the Ministers of the crown, through the medium of the Board of Control, in the government of India, will shew whether it be an empire within an empire; the voluminous published documents, and official and parliamentary proceedings demonstrate whether it be "a state mystery ;"-the numerous contested elections for Directors; and the independence of the Proprietors,

* Westminster Review for July 1832, p. 100.

There have been twenty since 1814; and if the reviewer will glance at the advertizing-column of the Times, he will see a list of candidates for the situation Mr. Jenkins has so deservedly been elected to fill. There are also many other embryo candidates, whose names are not before the public.

evince that the idea of "self-election" is absurd;-the taxation of the people of England to the extent of two million for indifferent tea, I have proved to be totally devoid of truth; *—the amount of patronage will be inquired into, and as to "regal authority without public responsibility," the reviewer will permit me to reverse the language he has addressed to Colonel Galloway: "when he was intrepid in assertion, he ought in discretion to be at the same time accurate in fact."

The debates in the Court of Proprietors are open to the reporters of the public press. As regards the measures of the Court of Directors and Board of Control, any member of either house of Parliament may move for copies of all papers, correspondence, &c. relative to proceedings in India or China; for instance, the whole of the Court of Directors and India Government Correspondence with the Select Committee at Canton, relative to the recent disputes there, have been laid before both Houses and printed, although they occupy very many folios; they may be had or read by any individual;—besides, according to several Acts of Parliament, the commercial and financial accounts of the Company, as well as all legislative enactments passed in India, are annually laid before Parliament. The truth is, Indian topics since the days of Burke and Sheridan, men who could " lend a grace to deformity," have had little or no attraction for the bulk of the English nation; there is, or rather has been, a departmental feeling, if I may so term it, in Englishmen, which keeps them more alive to every thing which is passing nearer home, a sort of selfishness in regard to personal enjoyments, which although repulsive individually, has been in the aggregate

* Vide "Past and Present State of the Tea Trade of England and of the Continents of Europe and America." Parbury, Allen, and Co.; 1832.

productive of much wealth and happiness in their own country. This exclusive attention to "number one," is I admit now wearing away, in corroboration of which I could not adduce a better illustration than the sympathy felt for foreigners; but if the Westminster Reviewer wishes to put the English public to the test respecting India, let him establish a periodical-a weekly newspaper or magazine, devoted to an impartial review of eastern subjects; he will meet with every facility at the India House, but from the public I unhesitatingly assert from a perfect knowledge of the fact, he will not receive in twelve months, as much as would defray his bare printing expenses for one month! It is therefore stretching a point too much, to blame the home government of India, for not making the people of England actively interested in their proceedings. I proceed to explain the system of home administration, beginning at the base.

THE COURT OF PROPRIETORS.

The source whence the more immediate governing power of India springs is the Court of Proprietors, composed of the shareholders of East-India stock to a certain amount, who elect from their own body by ballot a certain number of representatives (twenty-four), to whom the proprietory confide the planning and carrying into effect whatever measures may be deemed most conducive to the interests of India and of England, reserving to themselves a surveillance and limited control over the proceedings of the delegated authority.

The "General Court" affords a striking instance of a popular senate; there is no distinction as to citizenship, the Englishman, the Frenchman, the German, the inhabitants of any nation are eligible as members; there is no

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