INDIAN GOVERNMENT—THE ENGLISH THE FIRST CIVILIZERS OF ASIA. TOPICS OF
THE DAY.
THE East India Directors and his Majesty's Ministers have held a symposium and interchanged eulogies. The Company's Chair-
man extolled the Administration, and the heads of the Administra- tion extolled the Company. There is no reason for questioning the sincerity of these mutual testimonies of good-will ;—the Company need wish no better fortune than to have their monopoly decided on
during the life-time of the present Government. " We feel," said the Duke of WELLINGTON, " anxious to conciliate our duty with the
interests of the Company." This remote allusion, which of itself affords no ground to build a conjecture on as to the intentions of Ministers on this head, was the nearest approach to a men- tion of the subject which was, perhaps, not furthest from the thoughts of the persons assembled.
The internal government of India was made the subject of self- commendation by the Chairman ; and though one might reason- ably demur to going absolutely the length of saying, that " the
India Company has for two centuries dispensed happiness to the countless inhabitants of that vast empire ;" yet it may be allowed —and this is much—that having committed the iniquity of ap- propriating by hook or by crook whatever they were tempted to make their own, the Company are now proceeding in a course of iaternal administration which no friend of his species would wish to see interrupted.
On principles of justice and philanthropy, the separate interests of this country are but as dust in the balance weighed against the interests of India. Whatever, therefore, may be the detriment wrought by what remains of the Company's commercial monopoly, he who considers, on the one hand, the hundred millions over whom the Chairman boasted that the Company's sway extended, and whose absolute weal or wo is at stake,—and, on the other, measures the interest of the thousands at home whose penny or shilling in the pound will be lost or gained by this or that arrange- ment,—will think it of mighty little importance to the general ac- count of human happiness, whether the Company lose or retain their monopoly, so that the spirit of the Indian government con- tinue the same. It is a worthy rule of judging that would decide upon measures afthcting the welfare of a nation in the East solely by reference to the tea-chests of a people in the West !
The Company's empire is positively the most remarkable phe- nomenon in history. " The United Company of Merchants," as the new President of the Board of Control said, " are sovereigns of one of the most extensive provinces in the world." But however curious may be the growth of this mustard-seed, which, like the vine in the old Modish king's dream, has overgrown an empire, it
is much more interesting to dwell on its present state, and to look forward to the future. It is a never-to-be-forgotten fact, that under the Company's auspices, European civilization is now, for the first time, taking root in the East ; and that English prineiples and institutions are gradually dawning on the understanding of an Asiatic people, and working themselves into the frame of Asiatic society. For the first time within the period of authentic history, the Orientals have before their eyes the example of a government, which, however despotic, does not exist merely for itself, but makes a point of giving something in return for what it takes. This is a great stride towards political amelioration ; for, hitherto, the Asi- atics have been in the habit of considering government as the dispen- sation of an angry Providence, or as an evil like the cholera mot-bus or the plague, incident to humanity, and, like them, to be borne with what fortitude humanity may. An Arabian proverb enumerates three inflictions as irresistible and inevitable,—Time, the Sultan, and Fire.. The Persians liken their " God upon earth and brother of the Sun" to a burning fire ; whilst the favourite image of the Turks presents the head of government—" the master of human blood"—in the shape of an unmuzzled lion. The form under which the Company is said to visit the imagination of its subjects, is that of an ancient lady—an improvement certainly on the fire and the lion. And what must serve to impress this image on the minds of men, are the mildness and considerateness or her deal- ings with her people, as compared with the unceremonious proceed- ings of native despots. For we believe that our Indian Government in its transactions with its subjects is as considerate and upright, as in those with its neighbour despots it has shown itself harsh and unscrupulous. The fame of this peculiarity has gone abroad into the neighbouring states, if we may believe our countrymen ; who tell us, that whilst the Shah, for example, has evinced a jealousy of our cuckoo-like mode of insinuating ourselves into empires, the better informed among his subjects have privily hinted that they should not be displeased to see the British serve the Shah as they have served the native Foyers of India. The Persians would be glad to compound, by the sacrifice of one half of their property, for a secure enjoyment of the other; whereas the Shah takes more than his half, without concerning himself about protecting the residue.
We had the other day a gratifying instance of the progress of English institutions in the East, in the actual introduction of Native Juries into the judicial system there. The answer of the natives to the invitation of the Supreme Court showed a just appreciation of the purposes of the institution ; particularly in that part where they desire that the practice of associating Europeans with them in this duty may be discontinued, as soon as they are qualified to sit alone. Whatever in a well-regulated commonwealth may be the value of the institution of juries as compared with that of sole, responsible judges, there can be no doubt that, in the case of India, as in that of every country which wants to be civilized, the first is much to be preferred. It diffuses a knowledge of the principles of justice, and accustoms the people to interest themselves in the administration of it, and to look upon themselves in some measure as its guardians. The purposes of justice might have been secured
perhaps as well by judges without juries ; but the purposes of civi- lization would not have been so well answered. Should any con- vulsion hereafter overthrow the English domination, the natives will have gained light enough under it to maintain at least a better order of things than has usually prevailed in the East. EDMUND BURKE, in one of his declamations against the Indian Government, made it a topic of vituperation, that the English had
executed no great works of public utility. All former conquerors of India had left behind some monuments—aqueducts or reser- voirs—to attest their public spirit and munificence ; but " were the English to be swept out of India to-morrow, nothing would remain to show that the country had been occupied by anything better than the ouran-outang or the tiger." A nation which can find employment for all hands in multi- plying the necessaries and comforts of life, is not in a condition to erect stupendous monuments even at home, much less abroad.
But what will remain to intimate the character of these once rulers of India, after they have had their day, in the shape of ideas, principles, and practices, is more than enough to exempt them from the apprehension of being ever suspected of having worn tails or talons. Of all the Western nations, who, in the me- mory of man, have planted colonies or held dominions in Asia, the British are the only people who have been at any pains to as- similate the condition of the Asiatics to their own. " It has been
truly said," observed Mr. PEEL at the dinner, " that in India there is an established system of laws, calculated to protect the weak from the strong, and to preserve to honesty the fruits of industry.'
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