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India are in accord that point is direct taxation. 

 Ag'ainst this the voice of the nation unmistakeably 

 declared itself, and looking* to the anomalous posi- 

 tion of the British Government in India, and its ex- 

 pressed determination to govern with, and not against 

 the will of the people, there seems to be some contra- 

 diction of principles involved in this measure and the 

 declared objects and reasons for its introduction, that 

 it would be well to consider, before it is too late. I 

 trust my remarks will not be misconstrued into an 

 arrogant attempt to dogmatize on points of principle 

 and policy, which are disputed by persons and 

 authorities of infinitely greater wisdom and expe- 

 rience in the philosophy of Government. The ques- 

 tion under review involves interests of far too great 

 magnitude for the admission into its discussion, by 

 any conscientious person, of feelings other than those 

 which spring from an anxious desire for the good of 

 this great Empire. Whatever then my views are ; they 

 are the honest results of my experience of the people 

 amongst whom I have lived for the better part of 

 a quarter of a century, and the only object I have 

 in stating them, is to endeavour to throw such light 

 on this very difficult question, as any opportunities 

 of observation I may have had, enable me. It would 

 be well, I say, to consider this point now, because 

 the time when the tax-gatherer should knock at the 

 peoples' doors, will not be the most convenient for 

 the purpose, nor yet the most favourable for expla- 

 nations. I have already shown how the Zemindars 



