262 



mothers, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, brothers' 

 wives, daughters, uncles, aunts, &c., share the 

 paternal estate, under one roof, living in the con- 

 stant turmoil, toil and trouble, of female broils and 

 disputes, and native gentlemen, brought up in 

 English schools and colleges, are unable to shake 

 themselves free of this community of interests and 

 property inherited with their birthright, because 

 it is the custom of their country. 



If then, the theory that individuality of property 

 is the condition of society in its highest or most 

 artificial state, admitting progressive development, 

 it will be self-evident that to attempt to introduce or 

 to carry out the principle in India now, would be 

 absurd ; and if the application of this idea, seems 

 absurd from this, the abstract principle or lowest 

 point of view, how much more so will it appear, when 

 viewed practically ? It is not my intention to go over 

 here, all the arguments for and against the alienation 

 of the revenue of State derived from land, by its 

 commutation for an immediate payment. These 

 will be found far more ably discussed in books 

 on political economy, and in the state papers, 

 already before the public, on this subject.* There 

 are one or two points, however, which as I have 

 already travelled far beyond the limits proposed in 



* Vide particularly the very able minute of Mr. Ross D. Mang-les, 

 of the Indian Council, and the opinion of Sir John Lawrence. Par- 

 liamentary papers 21st^ July 1862. 



