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this measure he was acting in the spirit, and in full 

 accord with the principle, of the despatch of Lord 

 Stanley, which contemplated disposing of these 

 lands in accordance with his recommendation, either 

 'for terms of years, or in perpetuity '; and with his 

 ripe experience of India, that he should be unwill- 

 ing to leave a measure, fraught with interests of 

 such magnitude to the country he had governed 

 for six years so successfully, to be carried out by a 

 new Viceroy, is perfectly intelligible. In this sense, 

 it is probable, he acted ; and as he had no defined 

 instructions from Home, it is not surprising that 

 differences of opinion should have arisen on points 

 of detail between the two powers. These differences 

 have been freely commented on, the public journals 

 teeming with articles, as regards the waste land 

 question, generally adverse to the modifications 

 of Her Majesty's Government. That necessity 

 compelled the publication of these differences was 

 unfortunate ; for there can be no question, that in the 

 present condition of the people of India, it is of 

 paramount importance that the authority of the 

 Viceroy should, if not in reality, in appearance, be 

 almost supreme; but the occasion, as involving an 

 act to be felt, in its effects, for eve?', was one 

 of that singular importance to the future of India, 

 that had the highest authority, refrained out of 

 deference to a principle in favor of which it can 

 hardly be doubted considerable concession was- 



