221 



of India in this matter is helpless. The Government 

 of Great Britain concludes a treaty, and forthwith 

 the Governor- General is ordered to pass an Act to 

 carry out its provisions. Such an Act has lately 

 been passed by the Legislative Council of the Go- 

 vernor-General, to legalize the emigration of native 

 labour to the Danish Colony of St. Croix ; and it is 

 to be hoped that the very interesting debate on that 

 measure, will attract such attention in England, as 

 will at once cause an end to be put to the conclusion 

 of treaties with foreign powers to deprive India of 

 her most precious wealth. 



I conceive India to be under the deepest obliga- 

 tions to my esteemed friend the Hon'ble. Mr. Ellis, 

 the Member of Council for Madras, for the able, 

 lucid, and fearless manner in which he laid this 

 matter in all its bearings before the Legislative 

 Council ; " In reality/ 7 said Mr. Ellis, "the future 

 progress of India, speaking not of particular portions 

 of the country, but, of the Empire generally, ran a 

 serious risk of being interrupted and delayed, by the 

 want of a sufficient population. This deficiency of 

 labour was likely to retard an object in which His 

 Lordship's predecessor in the Government of this 

 country, and the English public generally, had 

 shown so great an interest, the reclaiming of the 

 vast tracts of jungle and waste land, and the appli- 

 cation of the soil of English capital under the super- 

 intendence . of English settlers. When he reflected 

 upon the vast extent of Railways still remaining 



