GENERAL HISTORY. 



[63 



desirous of going to, and remain- 

 ing in India, for the purpose of 

 accomplishing thosebenevolent de- 

 signs." 



Lord Castlereagh premised his 

 motion for this resolution with 

 some observations to correct the 

 misconceptions which had prevail- 

 ed on this matter. He said that a 

 very general idea had gone forth, 

 that it was intended to encourage 

 an unrestrained resort of persons 

 to India for religious purposes, on 

 the same ground as it was ima- 

 gined that an unrestrained com- 

 mercial intercourse for commercial 

 purposes with that country would 

 be permitted. The House would 

 now be aware that the latter was 

 a mistaken notion ; and he could 

 say the same of the former. It 

 was, however, thought by the 

 framers of the resolution in ques- 

 tion, that no danger would arise 

 from allowing a certain number of 

 persons, under the cognizance of 

 the court of directors, who were 

 again controlled by the board of 

 commissioners, to proceed as mis- 

 sionaries to India. As the House 

 had adverted to the interests of re- 

 ligion in the charter granted in 

 1793, it would seem as if they 

 were now less disposed to the 

 cause of Christianity than former- 

 ly, if such a proposition had been 

 omitted. He then made some ob- 

 servations to show that there were 

 no grounds for apprehension from 

 such an allowance, under proper 

 control, and tliat great good 

 might result from it. He then 

 moved the resolution. 



A long debate ensued, in which 

 Mr. Wilberforce particularly dis- 

 tinguished himself as the advocate 

 for proselyting attempts. In his 

 sptech he adduced a number (A' 



facts, many of which had appeared 

 in publications on the subject, and 

 the purpose of which was to do 

 away the notion of the impossibi- 

 lity of working any change upon the 

 religious opinions of the Hindoos, 

 to show the present wretched state 

 of their morality and the mischiefs 

 of their superstitions, and toanswer 

 some of the charges made against 

 the missionaries. After several 

 other members had spoken on each 

 side of the question, a division 

 took place, when there appeared, 

 for the resolution, 89; against it, 

 36. Majority, 53. 



On June 28th, Lord Castlereagh 

 moved for the House to go into a 

 committee of the whole House on 

 the bill for continuing the charter 

 of the East India Company, with 

 its new regulations. On this oc- 

 casion, as if nothing had already 

 been said on the subject, speakers 

 arose, who at great length gave 

 their opinions on the various to- 

 pics connected with it ; in parti- 

 cular, the friends and partizans of 

 the Company fought theirj battle 

 with great vigour, though with no 

 new weapons. The bill was at 

 length committed, and a day was 

 appointed for receiving the re- 

 port. 



The committee being resumed 

 on July 1st, Lord Castlereagh re- 

 quested that gentlemen would in 

 this stage con6ne themselves to the 

 consideration of the particular 

 clauses of the bill, without any 

 previous discussion on the general 

 principle. On the reading of the 

 second clause, relative to the trade 

 with China, Mr. Canning rose, in 

 pursuance of a former notice, to 

 move a limitation with respect to 

 time. After some preliminary ob- 

 servations to show that the conii- 



