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centuries approved and acquiesced in, not only by 

 the people of India, but by the people of t all Asiatic 

 countries. 



A Governor General of India brought up in an 

 English school of politics, can have no knowledge 

 whatever, from personal intercourse with the na- 

 tives and practical experience of the country, of 

 many circumstances necessary to the complete 

 understanding of an Indian question. Of necessity, 

 therefore, on those points requiring this special 

 knowledge he must be guided by the opinions of 

 his advisers. The late Earl Canning in sanctioning 

 the redemption of the land revenue of India was 

 apparently fully sensible of the momentous nature 

 of the question with which he was dealing. He 

 foresaw the important bearing such a measure, if 

 carried into effect, must have on the finances of 

 the State, on the prosperity of the country, and the 

 welfare and happiness of the people. Above all he 

 foresaw that such a measure,'if once passed, was 

 irrevocable. His information was detective ; he 

 knew it, and his cautious wisdom suggested that in 

 legislating on so important a point a point on which 

 opinions so widely differed, experience, the truest 

 of all tests in matters involving doubts and diffi- 

 culties, would be his best and safest guida. He 

 determined, therefore, before committing the Govern- 

 ment to a measure involving such serious conse- 

 quences, to fortify his judgement by experiment. 



