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peasant magistrates elected from among their own class. 

 I have been in Courts where the Russian peasant sat along 

 with the noble in the administration of justice. Arising 

 from this is the tendency to decentralised administration. 

 Open courts, trial by jury, a greater freedom of the 

 press, and a desire for education are among the fruits that 

 are springing up. Soldiering is not as popular as it was 

 in Russia. 



Ample illustrations of the benefit of peasant proprietor- 

 ships might be drawn from Switzerland, Norway, Belgium, 

 and France. But one of the most striking instances is 

 the case of Prussia. After the expulsion of Napoleon's 

 troops, it was felt there was no security for-the national 

 independence so long as the peasant had not his rights ; 

 accordingly, under the firm hand of Baron Stein, that 

 system of peasant rights was secured, which has led to so 

 many social and moral blessings in Prussia, and which was 

 a main cause of enabling Prussia to take the position of 

 leader of Germany. 



AVith this awakening up of millions in Russia and 

 America to a consciousness of their dignity as men, how 

 long is the Bengal ryot to remain a helot, a semi-serf, a 

 mere machine, a blot on the fair fame of England. In 

 1793 he was handed over bound hand and foot to the 

 tender mercies of land jobbers. Even now the ryot re- 

 ceives no education from the State ; 97 per cent cannot 

 read intelligently, his ignorance renders him the victim of 

 superstition, the prey of the usurer, and the petty lawyer. 

 The late famine has filled up the cup of his misery, one 

 million and a half at least have fallen victims to famine and 

 its consequences. Were the authorities found napping ? 



I am no advocate for a dead level : I believe a landed as 

 well as an intellectual aristocracy is necessary for India, to 

 give cohesion to the mass, to serve as a link between the 

 foreign rulers and the million, and I am glad to mention 

 that there are Zemindars in Bengal who try to improve the 



