The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-09-30 00:00:00

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INFANTICIDE.

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Front the Papers lately printed by order of the House of
Commons, respecting the practice of Infanticide in India,
e extract the following documents, from which may be
wen 'iv origin and extent of this crime among two consi-
di rable Hindoo tribes. The servants of the East India
ektinpiny have, it appears, at all times exerted themselves
so the utmost to suppress this revolting and unnatural atro-
city. hut we fear with too little success, though their zeal
and sincerity admit of no doubt :
Vbserrsti.ins of Sir John Shore, afterwards Lord Teignmoath, on
. the Infanticide of the Ilajekoomars ; in an Extract Iran a Paper
an the Customs and Practices of the Ilindous, printed in the 4th
'Nvlunte of the Asiatic Researches.
That the Practice of Infanticide should ever be so general as to
become R custom with any sect or rare of people requires the most
unexceptionable evidence to gain belief; and I am sorry to say,
tat the general practice, as far as regards insole infants, is fully
subsea, dated with respect to a particular tribe on the frontiers of
Juanpore, a district of the province of Benares, adjoining to the
muntry of Mle. A race of Ilindoos called Rajekoomars, reside
here ; mid it ass discovered in 171111 only, that the custom of put.
Cog to death their female offspring by causing the mothers to starve
them, Lad long subsisted, and did actually then very generally
prevail amongst them t the Resident at &flares, in a circuit which
he made through the country where the Rajckoomars dwell, had
an opportunity of authenticating the existence of the custom from
their own confessions ; he conversed with several : all unequivo-
cally admitted it, but all did not fully acknowledge its atrocity i
sail the only reason which they assigned for the inhuman practice
was the great expense of procuring suitable matches for their
deal:Men: if they allowed them to grow up. It is some satisfaction
es add. that the custom. though general, was not universal, as na-
tarat BM:0Mo, or some other motive, had induced the fathers of
some lia2,•ltoomar families tobring up one or mare of their female
issue; but the instances where more than one daughter had been
spared, were very rare. One village only furnished a complete CI.
cepint to the general custom; and the Rajekoomar informant who
noticed it, supposed that the inhabitants hail sworn, or solemnly
plcd;cd themselves to each other, to bring up their females; m
prof.): of his assertion in favour of the village in question, he ad.
tied, that several old maids of Ilajekootnar tribe then actually ex-
iined there, and that their celibacy proceeded from the difficulty of
srocuring husbands for them, in consequence of the greet expenses
attending the marriages of this class of people.
It will naturally occur to the Society, to ask by what mode a
race of men multi be continued under the existence of the horrid
custom which I have described. To this my documents enable me
to reply, parade from the et ceptlons to the general custom, which
were occasionally admitted by the more wealthy Rajeltoomars,
more particularly those who hasmmerl to have no male bate, but
eitieby by intermarriages with other najepoot families, to which
the Najd :owners were compelled by necessity.
A prohibition enforced by the denunciation of the severest tam-'
lanai penalties, would have little efficacy in abolishing 'custom
which existed in opposition to the feelings of humanity and natural
ulticlimi; and the sanction of that religion which the Rajekoomars
professed, was appealed to in aid of the ordinances of civil autho-
rity ; upon this principle, an engagement, binding themselves to
desist in future from the barbarous practice of causing the death
of their female children. was prepares!, and circulated amongst the
lajekoomars, for their signature; and as it was also discorered that
lie same custom prevailed, though in a less degree, amongst a
smaller tribe of people, also within the province of Denary',
cz.ited Rajcbunses, measures were adopted at the same time to
make them sensible of its iniquity, and to procure from them a
subscription similar to that matted frourthe Rajekoomars.