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be borne in mind that the people of India are very 

 ignorant. The masses cannot read and write. They 

 are clearly, in these matters, in a state of infancy. 

 Of this great question which so deeply concerns 

 every man in the country which has agitated 

 Anglo-Indian, and a larg-e section of English society 

 for the past year, and been discussed in almost every 

 English Journal and Review in both Countries, not 

 one in twenty thousand of our Indian subjects has 

 even so much as heard.* Should the Zemindars, 

 then, when the time comes for Government to legis- 

 late for the deficiency of revenue, disclaim all know- 

 led g'e of the intention of the previous law, it appears 

 to me that it would be awkward. But should the 

 Community, by that time more enlightened and in- 

 dependent, take higher ground, and admit an ac- 

 quaintance with the intention, but demand a distri- 

 bution of taxation in such a manner as to effect the 



* It is a curious fact, that the raiyitwari Settlement of 

 Madras is a perpetual settlement, and when first made was 

 declared to be so, a declaration which has since been repeatedly 

 re-asserted by the highest authority. The Madras Board of 

 Revenue in 1857, in pointing out the erroneous impression 

 that prevailed, regarding the Bombay settlement of 30 years, 

 giving a greater permanency of tenure than the Eyotwari settle- 

 ment of Madras, observed : " This is altogether an error, for 

 the Madras Ryot is able to retain his land in perpetuity with- 

 out any increase of assessment, as long as he continues to fulfil 

 his engagements." And the Madras Government in the same 

 year stated : " The proprietary right of a Ryot is perfect, and 

 as long as he pays t\\e fixed assessment on his land, he can he 

 ousted by no one." The new assessments now being made, 

 are subject to revision after 50 years, a modification of which 

 the people, I should thiuk, have no knowledge whatever. 



