NEW SYSTEM OF POLICY. 171 



gave rise to painful feelings as to the endless duration of 

 Indian hostility. The company, strongly influenced by 

 public opinion, and struck by the enormous expenditure in 

 which the campaign had already involved them, determined 

 to change entirely the system according to which their 

 affairs were conducted. In place of the Marquis Wellesley, 

 who, with or without reason, had acquired completely the 

 reputation of a war-governor, they substituted the Marquis 

 Cornwallis. This nobleman had not, indeed, while in 

 power, pursued a course materially different ; yet his char- 

 acter was generally esteemed moderate and conciliatory, 

 and he was understood to disapprove of the extent to which 

 conquest had now been carried. His instructions were to 

 proceed on principles every way opposite to those in ope- 

 ration, — to conclude peace almost at any price, — to form a 

 defensive line beyond which British interference was not 

 to extend ; and to allow the native powers to treat and to 

 fight with each other as if they were situated at the extrem- 

 ity of the globe. 



Admitting that the policy of Marquis Wellesley was not 

 quite so pacific as his friends contended, it was very doubt- 

 ful how far it could now with safety, or even with justice, 

 be thus abruptly relinquished. A great power can seldom 

 be justified in withdrawing from all concern in the contests 

 of its neighbours ; from endeavouring to protect the weak 

 against the strong ; and thereby preventing any one of 

 them from acquiring a decided preponderance. It was 

 perhaps chimerical to suppose that the principal native 

 chiefs would cultivate habits of sincere peace, or entertain 

 a solid attachment for the British government. They 

 were for the most part usurpers, who had started up amid 

 the ruins of one great empire, each seeking to aggrandize 

 himself at the expense of the rest, and viewing undivided 

 dominion as a prize at which he might aim. They had all, 

 however, through the interposition of the company, seen 

 their aspiring views checked or baffled, their armies van- 

 quished, and some of the brightest gems plucked from 

 their diadems. There could be little doubt, therefore, that 

 when left to themselves there would be a struggle for 

 mastery ; and that either by him who should succeed in 

 this object, or by a league of all united, an effort would be 

 made to overthrow the ascendency of England, and regain 



