163 



that time is come, the duty will be a burden on her 

 Government, which, for its own sake, for the sake 

 of its subjects, it will be compelled to accept ; for, 

 let it perform the task through its own agency, 

 through the agency of foreigners, or by any other 

 means, the responsibility will rest where it was at the 

 beginning with the Government, and the Govern- 

 ment will not be able shake it off. The Govern- 

 ment, therefore, if it desires to be free, should be 

 active and not passive ; seizing with avidity on every 

 opportunity of opening up new fields of wealth, and 

 preparing them for those who it decides shall work 

 therein. But let Finance, Education, Commerce, 

 these three, be placed on a sound basis let there be a 

 competent head appointed for each, and I have little 

 doubt that all necessity for the direct interference of 

 Government will soon vanish, and India, wealthy, 

 enlightened, and prosperous, putting off her swad- 

 dling clothes, will walk alone, leaving her Govern- 

 ment to look after such affairs of State only, as 

 older nations, by the common consent of the 

 people, think it better for their national honor and 

 welfare, should be managed by persons appointed 

 for the purpose. 



And here I think it as well to mention that there 

 is no necessity to see in this view a tendency to 



irn the Government of India into a ' Royal Mer- 

 jhant trading to the East Indies/ or to establish 

 it on the model of the old Merchant Company 



