343 



"Ignorance neglect, and misconduct worse than 

 either, on the part of those intrusted with the care of 

 immigrating bands of coolies" again says the Com- 

 mittee report " have been brought to light in the 

 course of our enquiry, and of these, the legitimate 

 results are disease and death." 



But it is unnecessary to quote further from 

 official documents. The above extracts, though 

 they tell but half the sad tale, contain sufficient 

 to show that something was very wrong in the 

 state of Bengal; and it will naturally be asked who 

 was to blame ? Not the Contractors, surely for 

 if men could be allowed the free and uncontrolled 

 exercise of their will, there would be no need of 

 Laws. Even Manu quaintly, but truly, tells us that 

 "if a King were not to punish the guilty, the stronger 

 would roast the weaker, like fish on a spit" Nor 

 yet the planters, for having to pay for the dead as 

 well as the living freight, besides the unfortunate 

 coolies, they were the greatest and only sufferers. 

 Again it has been shown that they not only warned 

 the Government of their utter inability to make effi- 

 cient arrangements : but declared their perfect will- 

 ingness to pay all expenses. I have no desire to fix 

 blame on any individual ; but I do desire to point out 

 what very serious mischief what extreme cruelty may 

 possibly result from the barren discussion of ' sound 

 principles', when the urgent necessities of a crisis 

 require that men should be up and doing ) not what 



