THE ORIENTAL HERALD. No. 52.-APRIL, 1828.-VOL. 17. PROCEEDINGS IN INDIA TO PETITION PARLIAMENT FOR OPENING THAT COUNTRY TO COLONIZATION. WE hail with pleasure the continued developement of increasing public spirit among the British inhabitants of India; and rejoice to find, that they can pass from the narrower view of the evils of a Stamp Tax to the more enlarged consideration of the curse of Monopoly generally, and more especially of that worst of all its features, the arbitrary power which it holds, in terrorem, over the heads of all who would dare to question its infallibility. The latest Papers that have reached England from Bengal, contain reports of the proceedings of a Public Meeting convened at Calcutta, for the purpose of passing certain resolutions, ostensibly of a commercial character, and founding thereupon Petitions to both Houses of Parliament; which Petitions are most probably by this time in the hands of the distinguished individuals, to whom the duty of presenting them has been confided. We wish we could offer any reasonable ground of hope for their speedy success; but even had the late Administration remained in power, (a circumstance on which the Indian petitioners most probably relied,) we do not believe that they would have done more than may be obtained from the present Ministers-bad as they are on any question affecting such remote interests as those of India are always considered here. Whatever is to be done before the expiration of the present Charter, in the way of relaxing the restrictions now imposed on Colonization in India, will not be done with the cheerful consent of the party in power, be they Whig or Tory; but must be forced from ministers by the influence of public opinion, expressed through the independent portion of the Legislature. It is fortunate, therefore, perhaps, as far as India is concerned, at least, that the parties to whom the late petition on the Stamp Tax, and this on the Sugar Duties and Colonization, have been confided, are now not in office; because they will be more free to bring them forward with effect, and be more likely to obtain for them the supOriental Herald, Vol. 17. B 409241 |