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)rinciple, but fiscally mischievous, if not politically 

 dangerous in its results. 



As to the advantages which it is said would be 

 gained by the redemption of the land revenue, they 

 are I believe of a two-fold nature political and 

 material. In regard to the first it is believed that 

 in selling the land, the British Government would 

 purchase the loyalty of its subjects, and consequent 

 immunity from sedition, rebellion, and disaffection. 

 But the loyalty of a whole people cannot be pur- 

 chased with gold, nor yet 1 fear with land, its price. 

 The experience of history from the earliest ages 

 down to our own times teaches us this. The holders 

 of maafee, or rent-free tenures, are in the position of 

 persons who have redeemed the laud revenue. They 

 were not one whit more loyal than others in 1857. 

 The people of Bengal now, are not more loyal than, 

 the people of the North West, but on the contrary, 

 if they had the power, would certainly be the 

 very first to drive us out of the country. It has 

 been the invariable custom moreover, in the many 

 struggles for dominion which have deluged India 

 with blood, for the various Rajas and great Jageer- 

 dars or land -holders, to make terms with that one 

 of the contending parties which appeared to be the 

 strongest; and it would be unreasonable to suppose 

 that any intelligent foreign power who might dis- 

 pute the sovereignty of this realm with us, instead 

 of endeavouring to strengthen its arms, by holding 





