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We all recollect the corn laws, their action, the 

 excitement their proposed abolition gave rise to in 

 Great Britain, and the intention and objects of 

 that measure. Before the abolition of protection, 

 the universality of some of the most important the- 

 ories of Political Economy had not been submitted to 

 the test of practical proof; and on this account, 

 the result of that great measure was doubtless 

 looked for with deep anxiety, by the thinking part 

 of Europe. That it has triumphantly vindicated 

 the truth of those principles on which sound Econo- 

 mists took their stand, I need not mention ; but 

 I desire to draw attention to the warm and anima- 

 ted discussions that took place in the House of 

 Commons at the time, and the very strong party of 

 protectionists as they were called, that rallied 

 round the leaders who opposed this measure, as 

 evidencing that, short a time ago as this was, free 

 England had not then, generally, given in. her 

 adhesion to all the principles of a science which 

 now, it would appear, an influential section of her 

 people expect to be well known and acted on in 

 remote regions of the despotic East. But it will 

 be long, centuries I am afraid, before India, will 

 be in a position to comply with this expectation, 

 at present wholly unreasonable. Nor do I think 

 a blind adherence to the naked principles of Econo- 

 mic Science, as applied to an island many cen- 

 turies in advance of her in civilization, will in 



