Retrospect of the last Twenty-five Years. 
at least, to receive, as some compensa- 
tion for the subjugation in which it is 
held by a more civilized and enlightened 
nation, Foach 
Nevertheless, in spite.of all these im- 
pediments, English. intelligence is per- 
haps of some advantage to India, It 
is a lighthouse, whose rays just pierce 
through, the. mists and darkness at an 
immense distance—a beacon that glim- 
mers, faintly, it is true, upon the eye, 
but. occasionally discloses the shadows 
of -interposing objects, and gives some 
idea of the course of discovery that 
might be pursued. 
The social system in Hindostan is not 
much better than that of the West-Indies, 
But it is improving, Even. the sove- 
reign monopoly of Leadenhall Street is 
not entirely independent of the para- 
mount sovereignty of popular opinion ; 
and the merchant-kings of this vast de- 
pendency are compelled, in some degree, 
to listen to the voice of the, English 
people. That voice is unanimously in 
favour of India—partly from the honest 
feeling of national liberality and bene- 
volence, and partly from the jealousy 
pretty generally entertained of “ the 
Honourable Company,” whose char- 
tered monopoly is regarded as alike 
injurious to the general interests of com- 
merce, and to the consumers of the im- 
ported produce,—the supply and price 
of which in the market the monopolists, 
it is supposed, enhance and control, in 
some degree, at discretion. 
Certain itis, that, whatever has been 
done for the advantage of India, has 
-been done through the influence of po- 
pular opinion in England : an influence 
that will become greater in proportion 
as it shall be understood that govern- 
ment is not a mere enterprize of com- 
mercial speculation, in which profits 
and losses,are.to. be computed by 
pounds, shillings, and pence; but that, 
as between government and_ people, 
there is a reciprocation of duties; so, 
between a nation and its dependencies, 
there is a like reciprocation also: and 
that, as on the part of the governed, the 
claims of right are primary and predo- 
minant; so, on the part of the goyer- 
nors, the duties are most imperious.* 
* This is a proposition that seems never 
to have been placed, with sufficient clear- 
ness, in a proper point of view. Yet nothing 
can be more certain, than that, as the sole 
legitimate object of the institution of 
government is the preservation’ of the 
rights of the people, the duties of the 
governors are absolute——those of the peo- 
“Marquis of Hastings. 
597. 
They have a royal task—a sacred duty. 
to fulfil. 
In whatever manner the power may 
haye fallen into the. hands of him who 
exerts it, his mission is the same, He 
ought to employ this power entirely for 
the welfare of the people committed to 
his charge: not only for their physical 
welfare, and their prosperity, but, for 
their, moral, and intellectual advance- 
ment. ..The Company, is accountable 
to England, . England is accountable to 
humanity, for the eighty, or a hundred 
tuillions of fellow-beings, of whose des- 
tinies it has made itself the absolute 
disposer. To this vast numberof the 
human. species it owes knowledge, vir- 
tue, happiness. and freedom :.it owes, 
to say the least, all the adyantages of 
its own vaunted institutions, We.do 
not mean to say, that this mighty duty; 
can be discharged all at once,,,. Time is 
necessary to draw the people of India 
from their deep. degradation; . but, the 
will is necessary also; and the, will of 
the Company is, that all should: remain 
stationary. It is the will of the English 
Nation that must; counteract. this, per+ 
verseness. .. Unfortunately, . however, 
generally, speaking, the will of, the 
Government, coincides, with the, Com- 
pany. There have been, nevertheless, 
some, glorious. exceptions, particularly 
during the late administration of the 
Of the natives of subject India, the 
greater mass follow the worship of Bra- 
mah ;—the descendants of their. former 
conquerors, the Moguls, are Mohame- 
dans. Other religions are professed only 
by strangers. [Fora more particular classi- 
fication. of religious sects and castes, see 
Supplement of the preceding vol. M.M, 
vol. lviil. p. 567.] Experience has. suf; 
ficiently demonstrated that both these 
religions 
ple only conditional. The former may be 
at liberty to abdicate their authority; and 
leave the people to choose another govern- 
ment : but they are’not at liberty (morally 
considered) to neglect their duties to: the 
people, while they continue to hold. their 
offices. The people, on the contrary, owe 
no: duties to their governors, but inicon- 
sideration of the duties their governors per- 
form; and, if those dutiesare neglected, 
morally, they owe them none. The duties ofa 
nation towards its dependencies are, in fact, 
still more imperious: for those dependen- 
cies, as they are called, are, in reality, pos- 
sessions seized by fraud or violence; and 
the superior state has an-injary to atone, as 
well as duties to discharge-—Eprr, 
