The Sun.
London, England, 1823-09-06 00:00:00

•
'
f3ty,' 3

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1823.

INDIA,

THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS.

From his MAJESTY'S pOSSeSSiOnS in Asia rising
daily into higher importance, both political and
commercial, and from the increasing attention
they have attracted throughout the whole of the
British Dominions, it Is our intention to dedicate
our columns to every thing connected with
their, happiness and Welfare. The unexpect-
ed banishment of Mr. BuctuNattAm from In-
dia, by Mr.. JOHN ADAM, the temporary Go-
vernor-General, has already excited much interest
in every one connected with British India, and
cannot fail to give rise to discussions of the most
serious nature. For the present we shall forbear
entering further on this subject, in order that
Mr. BucKiNGitAst may have the opportunity of
stating fairly his own case, by our insertion of his
letter. At the same time we shall, with equal
readiness, insert any communication from' the
friends of Mr. JOHN ADAM, who appears to US to
have commenced his Government with a very
bold and hazardous measure. What effect these
discussions will have on the public mind of India
we will not anticipate ; but if nothing should
occur to disturb .the happiness of that portion of
the British Empire but that which may arise
from the freedom of the Press, we shall entertain
no apprehensions in that respect. We haveour fears,
however, that, from other causes, the...seeds of
dissatisfaction have been sown, which will re-
quire all the vigilance and circumspection of the
High Authorities, at home and abroad, to guard
against.

LIBERTY OF THE PRESS IN INDIA.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE • • • •

Sin—.ln your Journal of Saturday, I read an extract of a
Report of proceedings in the Supreme Court, at Calcutta, on
the SOth of March, professedly copied from the Bombay Courier,
of the 19th of April :—and as my name is introduced in that
Report, coupled, with an opinion of the Learned Judge then on
the Bench, calculated to produce an unfavourable impression
as to the nature of the publication. which 1 superintended in
India, under the title. of The Calcutta Journal, 1 have to re.
'Twat you will do me the justice of inserting in your extremely
circulated Paper the few observations that I think it neces-
sary, for the present at least, to make on the matters touched
on in the Report alluded to.
I shall go no further into the history of the India Press, than
• to state that in the days of Warren Hastings, when our indiah
• Empire was considered to be surrounded with greater dangers
than any that have subsequently threatened it, the Press was
free, and the Newspapers of Calcutta, at that time commented
on all the acts-of the Government, both at home and abroad,
with the same freedom that is seen in your own pages, and
those of your contemporaries, on the acts of his Alajesty's
Ministers in England. Yet,, though the Press was then unre-
strained by any other check than that ef being subject to the
Courts of Law and a Jury, there is no proof on record of its
having produced a single evil of a public nature, nor was it
thought necessary to curb its freedom (or licenciousness, us its
enemies would say) by any legislative enactments, either in
England or Indio. '
It was not until the (iovernor-Generalship of the Alarquess
Wellesley that a censorship was put on the Indian Press, by
which ill Editors were commanded to submit their proof sheets
to the Chief Secretary to Government, who was empowered to
exercise his discretion,' and strike out whatever lie thought
proper ; the Editor being at the same time informed, that it he
dared to publish any thing after it should have been marked for
suppression by. the Censor's pen, he would incur the Governor-
General's, severe displeasure, and be instantly banished from
the country, without a trial.
As long as the Indian GoVernnient NUM this power of' ba-
nishing any individual for any fault a Writ they may deem
sufficient cause, they can of course use the threat Of this
severe punishment to Intimidate an Englishman from the exer.
cise of any right he may think he possesses'—the right of pro..
perty as well as the right of opinion—and if lie dares to persist
in making any use of his faculties which may be displeasing to
the Governor ibr the time being, lie may be banished for so
doing, hoviever legal or lust his pretensions may be. •
This state of slavery ?for it is no misapplication of the term
to apply it to a state in which a man's person, property, and
even thoughts, are made suNect to the arbitrary will of an.
other, to dispose of as he may see tit, without the intervention
of any protecting power) is the happy lot'of Englishmen ONLY.
Native Indians, of whatever caste or religion, and foreigners
of every denomination, are exempt front this arbitrary power.
They can reside in any part of India without a license from the
East India Company; and not being liable, therefore, to pu-
nishment for not having such license, they can only be tried
and sentenced for any fault they may commit, according to
law. An Englishman, however, is less free than the native In-
dian or the foreigner, being merely tolerated or permitted to
reside in the country by the especial favour of' the East India
Company; their Governor thus alimonies the power of with.
drawing that favour whenever he .pleases ; wed the unhappy
En lishman, being first stripped, by the Governor's mandate,
of the license by.virtue of which he resides in India, is then
banished for a misdemeanour, for not having in his possession
the license of which the Governor himself has wantonly and
capriciously deprived him 1 The threat of this punish.
trent: being the only mode in which they could enforce the
obedience of that illegal order which put the Press of India
under a Censorship, this power was soon discovered to be not
binding on Any but Englishmen. Accordingly, it soon hap-
pened also, that Gentlemen who enjoyed the exempting mi.
vilege of ndict,' birth, resisted subjection to the Censorship,
and either refused to submit their proof sheets to the Chief
Secretary for revisal, or printed as much of the suppressed pa-
raphs afterwards as they thought proper. It was by a writer
of this class, an Indo-Briton, that a well-known publication,
entitled The Gazeteer, was published; and what no Ear/ish
Editor could have printed, without risking immediate ba-
nishment from the country, was printed by the Indo-Bt itisli
Editor with confidence, from his being exempt from this ar-
bitrary power, and being subject only to the Courts Of Law
and a Jury.
At this period,the Marquess of Hastings had the penetration
to perceive that it was unwise and absurd to leave the Press
free in the hands of that class who, from birth, habit, feeling,
and even education, were likely to be hostile to The Govern-
ment; and at the same time not to permit an equal degree of
freedom to another class, who, from the same Causes, were
likely to be friendly to Government. With this view of the
case, Lord Hastings removed the Censorship from
.the Indian
Press, avowedly for the purpose of putting native-born and
English Editors exactly on the same footing of responsibility
to the laws, for any abuse which they miglit make of this re-
stored liberty.
The praises bestowed on the Marquess of Hastings for this
supposed emancipation of the Press rom all its shackles, save
only the wholesome restraints of the law, and the complacent
manner in which his Lordship received and acknowledged alt
these eulogies from every quarter, must he fresh in the recol.
lection of your Readers. I will content myself, therefore, with
referring particularly to one or two paragraphs of the reply
given by Lord !lasting% to an Address from the Britlah In-
habitants of Madras, with so much of the latter as advert,
ed to the emancipation of the Indian Press from its previous
slavery.
At the close of their Address, Ilk
British Inhabitants of Ma-
dras introduced the following redi r paragraph
" While contemplating this important subject (injunction of
the native population), it must have occurred that to the at..
tainment of truth; freedom of inquiry was essentially neces-
sary ; that public opinion was the strongest support of just
Government; and that liberty of discussion served but to
strengthen the hands of the Executive. Such freedom of dia_
cussion was the gift of a liberal and enlightened mind ; an in.

valuable and unequivocal expression of those sentiments evinced
by the whole tenor of your Lordship's Administration." -
At the close of Lord Haitings' reply to this Address, which
was not spoken in a corner, but delivered amidst a large as.
semblage of the principal Functionaries of the Civil and Mili-
tary Government of India, in the Hall of the Government
House at Calcutta, and then received with the most unequi.
vocal marks of delight and approbation, were the following pro-
fessions respecting this important subject of the Press :
" One topic remains. My removal of restrictions from the
Press has been mentioned in laudatory language. I might
easily hare adopted that procedure without any length of cau-
tious consideration, from. say het&it of-regarding the freedom
of publication as a natural right of my fellow-suldects, to he
narrowed only by special and urgent • cause assigned. The
seeing no direct necessity for those invidious shackles, might
have sufficed to make me break them. I know myself, how-
ever, to have been guided in the step by a positive and well_
weighed policy. Hour motives of action are worthy, it must
be wise to render them intelligible through an empire, our
hold on which is opinion. Further—it is salutary for Supreme
Authority, even when its intentions are most. pare, to look to
the controul of public scrutiny. While conscious of rectitude,
that authority can lose nothing of its strength by its exposure
to general comment. On the contrary, it acquires incalculable
addition of force. That Government which has nothing to
disguise, wields the most powerful instrument that can apper-
tain to sovereign rule. It carries with it the united reliance
and effort of the whole mass of the governed. And let the
triumph of our beloved country, in its awful contest with ty-
rant-ridden France, speak the value of a spirit to be found only
in men accustomed to indulge and express their honest senti-
ments."

If these words mean anything, they clearly admit--Ist. That
the•" natural right" of Englishmen to freedom of publication,
belonged to them as fully and as certainly in India as in Eng-
land. 2tlly. That there was nothing contrary to safe and good
policy in allowing the freest exercise of the right: 4thly. That
there were the strongest reasons for its being peculiarly suited
to an empire, which we held only by opinion. othly. That juu
thing but unworthy motives could justify its being.put under
restraint. tithly. That it was doing an essential service to Su-
preme Authority to exercise public scrutiny intuits acts, as by
means of such scrutiny •an upright Government must be
strengthened and supported. 7thly. That the most effectual
way to secure the rehanCe of the mass of the governed, is to
chew that the Governors have nothbig to disguise or co weal,
and therefore permit all their acts to be freely canvassed.—
lithly. That nothing could bemore valuable or virtuous than
that spirit • which. impels men freely to indulge and freely to
express their honest sentiments, particularly on questions in
which tyranny of Government is concerned.
After such open and public professions as these, the British
Public will scarcely think it credible that the Noble Marquess
should have threatened an Englishman with banishment and
ruin for • exercising that " natural right," which he so highly
esteemed ; for accepting the challenge of public scrutiny,
which he had so magnanimously ofltred and for indulging in
that proud spirit to be found only in men who express their
honest sentiments; yet such are the aberrations of the human
heart and human understanding, that the distinguished indivi-
dual, who was literally overwhelmed with praise from all quer-
tent of the globe, fot this oriental display of liberality towards
the Indian Tress, before the echo of these praises had ceased to
he heard, should have so far forgotten all his fornier profes-
sions, as to threaten banishment without trial, and without even
a diseussion of the case, for any publication through the Press,
of any thing that niight •he displeasing to the Government of
which he was at the head !
The
.warmest friends and admirers of the Noble Lord may
well lament this irretrievable blemish on the consistency of his
political character : and no one laments it more deeply. or
more sincerely than myself; but the time is arrived when Jus-
tice requires this to be mentioned if but to be deplored. It
may still, however, be urged on his Lordship's behalf, that
though he threatened, he never so deeply stained T's political
• reputation as to put his threat into execution ; and T am will.
lag to yield him all the credit which can be due to this area.
sure of forbearance. It was reserved fbr his temporary suc-
cessor, Mr. John Adam, who had no public name or political
reputation to lose, to venture on this long-contehiplated and
often-threatened act. 11e had been formerly the Censor of the
Press when Chief Secretary to the Indian Government;
and though always treated by It with the greatest considera-
tion and respect, was known to entertain feelings of the most
deep-rooted hostility towards that freedom of discussion and
nubile scrutiny which Lord Ilastingi so highly extolled: The
Noble Marquess quitted India on the Ist of .January, 1823,
up to which period, there had been nothing ever published
in The Calcutta Journal, during neatly five ' years that
1 superintended it as Proprietor and Editor, which had
been thought sufficient to warrant my banishment from the
-
country ; or that had been condemned as libellous or even im-
proper by verdict of a Court of Law. Up to that period,
therefore, I am justified in saying that my writings were.inno-
cent in h legal point of view, and I may add also acceptable in
a moral or popular sense, as my labours were patronised and
supported by nine-tenths of the Civil and Military Officers of
the Indian Government, and most of the higher: functionaries
at all the Presidencies of India, the immediate Members of
Council and Public Secretaries
.perhaps alone excepted. It is
well known that in India there is no class but the higher oue
that can either understand or afford to pay for English news-
papers. There are no lower Orders—no rabble (as it is the
fashion to call the uneducated at home) —no persons suffering
under the pressure df distress,. whose wants are such as to ren-
der their passions easily inflamed. The only readers of Eng-
lish Journals in India are men of fortune—men Of education—
Men of correct principles and conduct-'-and by far 'the great
majority of .these are civil and military servants
of the East
India Company itself, and necessarily attached by interest and
habit to the support or the Government they serve. When I
add, that at the termination of my labours in India, after an
experience of five years, in which conducted my Journal as a
Daily Paper, I was in the receptor alxm t 16,000 rupees a-month,
or nearly twenty thousand pounds sterling per annum, from
their unsought and voluntary payments, unaided by the in-
fluence of any power but that which my writings themselves
commanded by appeals to their reason and good sense, it must
be granted, I think, that my Paper could not have contained
any thing that was offensive to the community at large or dan.
gerous to the safety of the Indian Government.
That my writings were disagreeable to the Public Seeretaries
and Members of Council I am aware, because the whole re-
sponsibility of the Indian Government resting eventually on
them, they were offended at the exposure of any abuses even '
in the inferior departments, as reflecting on their want of vigi.
lance to discover, or want of wisdom to correct them. But
though it might wound their pride to be reminded of their pub-
lic duties through the Press, the great mass of the civil and
military servants of the Government (to say nothing of the mil-
lions of native Indians who are unfortunately made of little or
no account in the consideration of Indian affairs) were satis-
fied that in making my Paper the channel for .bringing
to light deeds that their authors would gladly have con-
cealed in darkness, I was rendering the most essential
service to the Government itself, to the whole body
of its Functionaries, to the mass of the Indian popu-
lation at large, to my country, to humanity, and even to
the East India Company at home, whose profits, as well as
security, must mainly depend on the activity and integrity of
their servants abroad. It was for this alone that I received
their firm and unshaken support, to an extent never before
given to any Indian publication since the country has been
blessed with a press of any description; and, at the period of
my leaving it, such was the general desire to contribute to my
labours, even after 1 quitted the country, that on an announce-
ment made of my intention to publish an Indian Journal in
England, nearly 400 names were sent me from the English in-
habitants of Calcutta alone, as supporters of such a work, with-
in as many days, and before the announcement was circulated
in the interior of the country. '
These facts, of which I am prepared to offer proof to any
man who may question their accuracy, ought I think to be re-
ceived .as evidence of the general respectability and well-earned
eplorsseisaroittYsoliaetyP,apitserpthriactecaiirocnuelarteesdtrwichtoinllgy anit itoon
ttalth:laas,highaser being four times as expensive as any daily paperin chi land,,
and taxed besides with a postage that• amounted to 40001. per
annum. It is therefore diflicult to conceive that my Paper
would have received such continued support, from such a
body of men,. Whose family connexions, college education,
and early possession of splendid majsrios and extensive powers,
are all calculated to give them an Aristocratical bias; and it is
quite impossible to suppose that this support would have been
continued for a day if my paper had ever contained any thing
which was calculated to endanger the Safety of the Government
of which they formed a part, or to pm the lives and property, of
Englishmen in jeopardy., unless they can be supposed to be so
senseless as to assist in sharpening the weapon which is to be

PRICE StvEtrftil/4xtii.

used to their own deitruction.. The trade is, , that therelerio
country on earth where. a free press is .lean. likery. to do lutritre
or more likely Ludo good than in India. It existedineheemea
alarming times of Warren Hastinge, and no one there thought
of attributing w its influence any thing dangerous nre prejudi-
cial to the interests of the State. It existed nettle early part of
Lord Wellesley's trying and arduous Adrninistintion, and twit
then was productive of no public evil. It existed, doting eke
last five years of the Marquess of.llastinge-Goverrinient e and.
when its enemies are raked to point out& single Metance Of
public injury being inflicted by the pre et (hiring the *thole or
that period, they are unable to do so. ':= • ' .
The particular instance* which the Goyerninent of India'
selected from the whole mass-of matter Published in my Papee
for nearly five years (amounting WO large queen) pagan every
day), have been the following:— ,
let. For stating that 3lr. Elliott, the Governor ofi.Madrail,
was to continue three years longer in hip office,. txutch:tq the
regret of the inhabitants of that part of. India,. and complaining
of the Censor of the Preei there *oppressing an interesting
Letter from the late Princess Charlotte to her late pereeciattel
and injured mother the Queen, both of these eirtaitostanci
being undeniably true.
2d. For stating that the Government °Madras has Unjustly
prevented the circulation or the Calcutta Journal through their
territories, by imposing an extra postage on them through
every part of their districts, although the Supreme Government,,
at Calcutta had guaranteed their free circulation through ale
their territories, in consideration of my paying them. three
thousand rupees per month, or nearly four thousand
sterling per annum . which facts were undeniably true.
ad. }'or stating, that a Chaplain at a large military station
in the interior, had left his post and his duties, without leav:i
from the civil or military authority there, much to.the tlie•
satisfaction of the British community, as the sick, the dying,
and the dead, required his presence for the lastrites .of religiosi,
as well as those in health for the performance of their stated
duties,. and for suggesting at the same time the expediency
of making such Chaplains so far subject to the local, authority
as to be unable to quit their stations without leave ; the lea
itself of such unwarranted absence being perfectly true.
4thly. In stating that " transportation without trial, .. for
y'
offences committed through the press, is a punishment wholl
unknown to the law of England ;" for contending 44 that no
rule or regulation, duly registered as such, exists in the Statute
book for restraining the press in India;" and for adding, that:
" the more the monstrous doctrine of transmission ((for this is
the gentle name by which transportation without trial is known
in India) is examinedthe more it must excite the abhorrence
of all just minds." Tice facts and opinions given in this case
being equally true with the former.
These are the points which the Indian Government were'
able to select out of a daily publication of five years standing., as
deserving their reprobation; and on all of them I was enabled
to offer such justification' as induced them to withdraw' their
threat of banishment; and in one instance also to wane their.
demand of an apology, which they at first peremptorily insisted'
on, but which I as firmly refused to make, as I had said no..
thing of which I had reason to repent. Other cases were se-
lected for legal and publieprosecutton, but in these I came- off
as triumphantly as on all the cases they had chosen for pritette
remonstrance, never having been once convicted by a Jury of
any crime. It is fair to suppose that a Government bent ore
the punishment of an individual would select the strongest
Cases against him that they could find. Such es I hive enu--
merated, anti I have given them with accuracy and fidelity,-
will cause many Englishiren to smile at the weakness of. any
Government deeming them sources of danger to the State,'`
They ate, however; the strongest and the sued dangerous which'
the Government, with all its scrutiny, could discover; and the
nature of my writings may be judged of accordingly. The
truth is, I had done nothing which they themselves thought-
worthy of punishment up to the period of Lord Hastings re.'
signing the Government of India, and so unwilling wev:
they to let their correspondence with mf en this subject go be.
fore the world, that when I solicited permission to publish it in
'lndia, that the community at large might see what had been
the extent of my otiencea, and what were the recorded opinions'
of the Government thereon, I was denied even an answer to this,
just and reasonable request.
It remains only-for me to speak of the conduct of the India
Govemmerl, after Lord Hastings' resignation, up to which
period I might be held as innocent in ids estimation, or at
least as not deserving banishment for any thing I had writ-
ten or done. Mr. . Adam succeeded to the temporark
tiovernor-Generalship, until Lord Amherst's arrival, on the
12th of January, 1823, Some of his first acts were to displace
officers whom Lord Hastings had appointed to situations of
trust and emolument, and to put into their stead dependants
and expectanta of his own, who were not publicly known to.
have any better pretensions to these favours than their subser-
viency and devotion to his will and pleasure. Among other
gross mis-applications of his patronage, was that of bestowing
on the Reverend James Bryce, a Doctor of Divinity, a mem-
ber of the. General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, the only'
Minister of his persuasion in Bengal, and the head of the'
Presbyterian religion in • India—a man who had no higher'
claim to distinction than his political -agency. in stirring me
the community to strife with one another, and endeavouring to
bring into disesteem the most strenuous advocates of a free
press in India, the ill-suited and extraordinary place' ora
" (Act kto the Conirnittee of Stationery"--a post that required'
tithe Reverend Doctor to examine, inspect, anti report upon the',
quantities, qualities, and prices of all the several articles of
stationery supplied by contract for the use of the public service
in Bengal, for which he was to receive a salary of 600 i. a-yetue
though it was impossible that he could understand or find time
to discharge its duties adequately, being at the same moment
Editor of an Oriental Magazine—Secrentry to a Committee for
collecting Subscriptions for a Statue and Picture of the late '
Governor-General---a constant writer in The John Bull News.
piper • of India,—sand the whole duties of the Presbyteriah'
Church in Bengal being of themselves so pressing that the Rev.
Dr. had not long before given up the unpaid situation of a
'Secretary to the-Bible Society, on the plea of not having health
or time to perform its duties !
It was a duty to the cause of' rellOon, to the public of Indin,
to the East India Company's Service at large, and even to the
'Court of Directors and proprietors of India Stock in England,
to point out pn the spot,. the incongruity, not to . say injustice,.
of giving to a Presbyterian Divine, a place so ill suited to his
spiritual functions, and one which he' was likely to be so in.'
competent to fill, with justice to. himself or his entployente or ,
with honour to the sacred cause in which he was engaged. ..1
ventured to perform this duty, in a manner, however, that Was
Nohow acrimony or violence of any kind, and was more ree.,
markable for a spirit of gentle irony, than for any feeling of
hostility either to the Reverend Doctor or his Patrons. Theo
appointment was in itself, however, so glaring, improper, and
inanity,soit
edveesreetir td• ealltri
vrninte)
rel.unpopularipnasretii
ta,uttilirloarnltygt
the
la lel
li
oi?
publication
slt
ihecta
tinorn congregationt
of
te
mlnyd l
remarks
no
corn-
tr e- . '2. .
omit found a universal sympathy, and redered justly ridicu—
lous an appointment which the Governor-General no doubt
wished to be attended with profit and honour to the objeet
of Ins peculiar regard, if not with gratitude and praise, Sit himtelf.

•
It was for this act of duty, as a mani a patriot, and a
Chris...' •
tian, that I was selected as a victim for punishment s—the tern—
parer), Governor. General having long determined to distinguish
his expected regency or interregnum by this display of his
power ; and despairing, no doubt, of any monger Cake if he ►
should omit the present opportunity, as no other might' occur
before Lord Amherst's arrival, when his " brief authority
would be at an end. It should be added, that at the periodof
this publication, I was engaged in two suits in the Supreme
Court, in one as a plaintiff, seeking damages for injury sus,.
tanned; in another, ova defendant against the Government
entyonfuotrtitheier
itself. If, in the comments I had made, there were any
thing objectionable, the Courts of Law were stilt open for re.
dress, and no disposition could be wanting in the *Bench to in-
flict the utmost measure of punishment which the law-would
admit. line, knowing that I had committed nothing that the
vest
ioaiwsyu
Court
desirablehd
ethdceeonucoasnutnersyceinwataltieriidehhmalev:ol.ldtkinveaopwnpeilnlaiglerattilisitoeorittrhoarntetr
laws, as the Most summary way a getting rid of an individual'
to remove me at once from the country and "
who was bold enough to comment on the acts of his suparkas,
and disinterested enough" to .value the conscientious disolituv
of his duty above all'other considerations of fortune, fiivour; '
or reward.
•

•
I was at this time tesiding in India, under the authority of.a
license from the East India Company, regularly and honour-
ably obtained. The lawfulness and even utility ofmy pursuit*
had been acknowledged by the India tlovernment ita 1t [had
actual property embarked in my concern to the•artmunt of
20,0001. in positive outlay of capital, and a productive value of'
40,0001. in ray establishment at business, in which nearly one
hundred members of the Indian community were lately blade

. .
-*lusters with Melly purchase; and. the value of that property
e chiefly depended on my continued superintendence of it. lid,
as a
.punishment for daring to say that the duties of a Clerk of
Stationary were unsuited to the character of a Minister of the
''-Church, I was sentenced, by the mere will of the Governor-,
General, 'without a hearing, it trial, or defence, to instant
banishment from iny property, my connexions, and my honest
and lawful,pros.pects offortune; forced to break up My haute,.]
awl returrrto England, with one portion' of my, family to ac-S
• company me,,and another expected out to join me, whom, by'
inakieg a rapid ramp, we fortimately.arrived to meet three:
days enlybefore they-were-to have einbeeked from England e
and all thbrat-avery Considerable...olm 'nioney,elseeides the
sacrifice of tinie, and the:pain -it 'neeessarily 'inflicted on the
muster of those who were Were:iced my 'fate, .I'liere is no
-.men breathing 'whol-an lay IdSheridon'his heart, _and say truly
Oat pis was not a unishment infinitely. beraniftlie nature of
the oWente, even admitting thee expreseion of my the
to
her'e ennitituted one. It is a punishment equal to -refine of
Ithatlble, and banishment for seven year.; to any country'Setnote
treniahat in allie.h a man's hopes and expectations are centred ;
si,Ponislimentein whore that no Englisli Miry • would inflict for
tbeeneet atrocioue libel, that --dull& tie ' tittered; though it has
been inflicted on 'Me, fee the perfiiiinanee of an inneeent and
even an honourable duty, of wliieb, were I to live a bundled
yearieel hope 1 sltnttlil always be honeitly proud.
_ 'es 1 had taken the-eeelimmary steps necessary to the bring.
ing this-affirifbeilate the -India, Ilonse, the Courts of Law, and
the Parliement.of England, before (vatted India, 1 have re-
mained tremeuilly and happily 'retired in the bosom of my
sinte my return to -fengland, which has been only a few
weeks, patiently -nwaitiur the arrival of the authenticated do.'
connotes: which were to Milan me, muter the iteal of the Su-
Terme Curt in India, before i ventured to intrude myself
or my. case either on the East India Company, or any
'other public body e---for I have only the attaiement of justice
in view, end.' desire to pursue the legal and conetitutional
orreiirsms, in a way Omit will, I luipe, be unobjee-
tionahle to ell.pseties, and as acceptable to the East India Gen-
pany, Whoee antereits I was defencling in the very case for
which I am made to suffer, &I to the Chiuseli of Scotland, whose
purity I was anxious to preserve, and torthe British people at
large., who must desire to see the affairs of their Indian Empire,.
-administered with justice and integrity. In this spirit of patient -
abstinence from any hasty or irritating proceedings, I declined
tanking any applications to the Prot% of this country to espouse
my cause ; and even repressed, in more instances than one, a
cleave expressed to me by Others, to admit of their appeal to
the public en my behalf. For the same reason also I remained
silent under a most wanton and unprovoked attack .in the
-Asiatic stournol of the last month, published by the East India
- Company's booksellers ; but I am sure as much disapproved of
by the Gentlemen who form that body, as it was despised by
inc.' When however, Papers like your own, ,ofecknowledged
popularity and extensive circulations contain the opinion of a
-.fudge, coupled with i allusions to my case and the mention of my
name in a manner that is at least calculated to produce an
isrtoneous as well as an unfavourable impression, I can no longer
remain inactive ; but owe it as a duty to myself, to the Public
of India, whose distinguished support 1 so long enjoyed, as
well as to the Public of England, before whom the whole case
will shortly be laid, to state as 1 have done the leading features
of it, for their consideration, until they. see the details which
"will, 1 doubt not, still more excite their surprise and indig-
eetion.
If I had not already extended this Letter far beyond the li-
mits I at first proposed to myself when I Jet down, 1 should
'venture to spew the errors with which the Report copied into
youe Paper of Satunlay abounds. As it comes, however,
through an intermediate channel, the Bombay Courier, there
slay be many inaccuracies in it; and we shall, no doubt, have
a fuller and more correct edition when the Calcutta Papers of
the same date arrive. I must entreat your indulgence, how-
ever, for, a few lines only on some parts of it, reserving the
main pbints till we shall see the Report in a more authentic
shape.
let. The Learned JUdge admits by his argument, that before
any rule or regulation can be considered as passed int a Law
for the Government of' India, it must be tegistered in the Su-
preme Court, tinder the sanction of the Judges, who are bound
to see that such. regulation contains nothing repugnant to the
laws of England. Yet the regulation for restraining the prima,
:or an alleged breach of which I was deprived of my license to
remain in India, never was registered in the Supreme Court,
nor passed into a law ; besides which, it is in entire repugnance
to the freedom of publication permitted by the laws of Eng-
bud, and regarded by Lord Ilaetinge as the natural right"
of his fellow-subjects even in India. Therefore, such restrict..
tions were lieeeed; and my banishment without trial, on the
Enema of infringing them, an act .as repugnant to law as it Is
at variance with every principle of justice.
ld. The Learned .indge says it 14 a4sumed in the erg-time:it
(meaning I sup se the argument of Counsel which welfare
riot saan)ethat Catliattta le as tree a land as England; and he
iteerne to doubt this. 'lt It fitnerally admitted that wherever
Englishmen are settled under their own flag, they are free to
do every thing that is not prohibited by law. If this be the
freedom they enjoy in England, this is also the only freedom
they ask in India. if there is no law of England, there is
certainly no law of India that forbids the free exercise and' free
expression of opinion on all topics, religious, moral, or poll.
trial, such opinions being subject only to punishment, stibse.
Jent to publication, if declared criminal by a Court and
ury. In this respect, therefore, Calcutta is as free a land as'
England, to all p,ersons of Indian birth and it is only less free
to men of English birth, because the latter can be punished
without' trial, whereas the former cannot.
ed. The Learned Judge says he shall always rejoice at the
fpread of liberty; but he adds that " the introduction of
liberty into India would be "Mai than the, most °diens
tyranny' 1" Have it is to 'Spica if countries that do not pose
Selig it are .ever to remain without it—l shall not attempt to ex-
plain butif Sir William Jones ever used the expressions here
attributed to him (which I doubt), it is as lamentable an in-
stance of weakness, combined with splendid talent, as thostal.
ready given, of Lord Hastings' irreconcileable contradictions
and would not be true, thetigh Sir William Jones should rise
,fterna the dead to repeat it. Alia Mill, the author of the ad-
mirable History of British India, whose work compriseernore
philosophie and comprehensive rievreof the interests of that em-
pire than were ever before enieftaineilliy any one man, contain-
ing indeed the essence of all the talent that hail been before
brought to the consideration of that vast subject, is a much
better authority than Sir William Junes or Sir Francis Mac-
tueeliten eminent and estimable as their testimony may be in
many other respects : and Mr. Mill, I am satisfied, will fur-
nab a thousand proofs as will/ es arguments ter the contrary of
their assertions.
ette. The Learned Judge asks upon what principle we can
feared oar, right nefreedom of opinion in linlia, (for this is the
efibjectlif diepute). ' He might be answered exactly upon the
tame principle as man founds his right to the free exercise of
every other faculty ; namely, because his Creator has furnished.
him with the power to use it for good an 4 lawful purposes ;
and because no man ought to be deprived of its exercise, ex.
eept it should be decided by 'a verdict of the law, that he exer.
easeed it to the manifest injury of the society in which lie lived.
This is the principle on whichet/lour rights are, or ought to be,
grounded, and is as applicable to India as treany other country
under the sun.
.fith., The Learned .Tudge says, he knows of no place where
'there is more rational liberty than in Calcutta, or where indi.
'Maids are more free than there, since they have nothing
to tear front.. the freest expression of their sentiments :
What Ilia notioli of " rational liberty" may be, is not easy to
define; but is there nothing to fear, when men may be sentenced
tq initani,banishment and ruin en expressing their tentitheents,
soul that, too, not in the freest manner, but with great oration
and. temperance? 13r, Maclean was sent en board ship like a
osiminal, at the point of the bayonet, for expressing leis honest
eesajsuentee Colonel Runineini, or his Majesty's 24th regiment
of toot, prNi er.deria inetioney . to leave the country, rend march
Rats the interior, se=veral hundred inileieta the sea coact to eme
bet*, though in a state of ill health (of which he died before
be reached England), and: in * tnost unhealthy season, for
venturing to express its honest sentiments, though in a court-
ntartiat which he ,dernantied at ,Bombay he Was acquitted of
tiei principal charges urged against hitn. The Rev. Mr. Willis,
a ,Oergyrium oldie Church pi Eeglantle was banished from the
country neatly about the same time, for something displeasing
to the etoyernment in his expressions, Mr. Adam, a Gentle-
man, who, being a Christian Illissionary in the country, pro-
fessed the Unitarian faith, and associates with the Learned
• Brahmin, Rain Mohan Roy, to establish a Unitarian Chapel.
Unitarian Schools, and a Unitarian Press in Calcutta, was ori
the point of being banished, at the urgeht request of the late
Bishop, for daring to express his, honest sentiments rte 'to his
belief in one God, though the idolatrous Hindoos, who believe
in three hundred and thirty-three millions of deities, are suffer-
tio
ed ursue their horrid rites and sacrifices without hindrance.
IlliMary Officers of the highest character und talentte have been
Moat unjustly passed over and superseded, ohly because they
were known to have supported The Calctitia downed, and en-
couraged its honest strictures on the Measures of GOveannient.
And have been tiocibly banished from the country,
as well as paM and suffering,-
avid sentenced to irreparable loss,
for suturing to.express honest opinion as to the oppeslieg
duties of a Christian Divine and a Stationer's Clerk !—Who,
then, after tide, can put any faith in a Judge who says therein
nothing to fear in Calcutta front any men expressing freely hitt
Milton sentiments ?
6th. Theis/earned Judge says, that the Indian Government
ennnot stand before a Free Press—that they are incompatible,
and cannot be co-exietent. 'Phis. is a bold confession ; and if
it were made any where but on the Bench, Would, I imagine,
be deemed criminally' libellous.- Lord Ilastings said, that a
pet Government hall nothing to fear from its exposure to go-
/104 comma : from witioil it would lose no strength ; but,

on the contrary, would gain an incalculable addition of force.
What then is the inference? The Learned Judge cannot
haw! meant to say that the present Government of India
is not a just one : and yet, without this admission, it
is difficult to see why it could not Stand before a- Free
Press. I contend, even in opposition to this high authority;:
that a'Ftee Press and the - Indian Government are perfectly
`compatible, and thatthey can be and ha. been
The days of n co
Warrettlastings were full df danger and alarm.
The Tress-of India was never more free than at that period,—
yet the Government stood firm and unmoved. In Lord
Hastings' time it has been the same ;, anti th,e.Nohle Lord,
I himself will testify, Lam sure, if this should reach hk eye,
that during his long and successful administration he saw
no incompatibility whateVer between a Free Press and an In-
dian Government, hut that he thought the one the bebeat secu-
ritynf the other. The world ought by this time to have expe-
rience enough to enable them to determihe ihefther Govern-•
ments that permit Free Presses are more secure than those
that do "not. Compare, for instance„ the security of the GO-
vernmentes of America and England, with the security of the
Government„ of Turkey and its dependencies. Ask the Stock-
holders on the Foreign Exchange *hose securities would sell
best? and•there are no better judges of the stairility of Govern-
ments than they are. Ask, indeed, the East India Directors
themselves; `whether their Stock is considered less safe from the
existence :Of a Free Press, to -point . out whatever may require
amendment in their Government abroad ; and 3 will engage
that no one among the whole oftheir respectable body will, indi-
vidually, enter the lists to establish such a position, however
.they may think it necessm'y to act in their collective capacity.
This conclusion is inevitable. qf the Government of India be
conducted on honourable piincifila, :and with worthy motives,
it must, be wise to give their acts thb utmost publicity, perticue
larlyethrough an empire which they profess to rule by opinion.
If, on the contrary, the
,objects of their Government be unjust
and unworthy, thou, -and then only, can it be said that a Free
Press and such a Government cannot long stand together.
7thly. The Learned Judge has been made to say. (for I con-
fess I strongly &mkt the accuracy of. the report), that after I
bad openly, bearded the WA/eminent, and used every means of
defiance towards them, they had acted with " great leniency"
towards me in eending me home. ,This is indeed a strange opt-
nion for an English judge. If I had bearded Or defied the Go-
vernment improperly, I asked only the common privilege of a
trial by Jury, and was always ready to submit to its verdict; I
wanted net their "-leniency.' Such surrey was almost (leash.
I . asked:6r .an open trial ; they gave me a secret decree. I
asked for fiupartial justice ; they gave me a sentence of their
own body, being themselves accuser, witness, judge, add ex-
ecutioner in one. I asked for .Inry of my countrymen ;
thergaVe me an order of immediate banishment, signed by
their, Secretary. This is the " great leniency" which the
Learned Judge extols ! I," said he, 4! would not have per-
mitted a paper of Mr. Buckingham's to havequitted Cal-
cutta by my post."i
Let the people of Englandimagine the
Members of his Majesty's Cabinet issuing an order to the Post-
Meeter.Generalof England not toreceive into the Post-office any
copieivofehe English Papers advocating the cause of the people,
becailee some of their strictures were unpleasant to the said Cat
binet,'Alinisters, however just in themselves ; anti they will
have an Aatt,idea of the Measure which the Learned Judge on
the Calcutta Bench would have executed, had he been a Alem.
her of the Council in qu'estion ! ! lie Wks of Air. Bucking.
ham's paper containing " outrages" (I must still doubt the ac.
curacy of the report) which rendered it the bounden duty of
the Indian Government to send him home ! What ! was theie
no Advocate-General in India to present an indictment, or file
an information, for such " outrages ?" Was there no Bench
to try, and no Airy to condemn the publisher of the " out-
rages' in question ? Alas ! such ." outrages" never existed ;
or if they had, the keen eye of the Government Functionaries
would never have suffered' them to pass unnoticed, or un-
punished with the utnuist severity that the law could inflict.
There is tine Confeeselein in hie Report which gives me, how.
ever, great pleasure; it is this—ln speaking of the power to be
given by the new egidation for Licensing Presses, the
Learned Judge says," if the Government abuse the hewer it
vests in them, they are responsible for It." lam ,satisfied with
this ; and 1 hope the day will soon arrive whets this great slues.
tion of the responsibility of Italia. Governors to their country
alliteme for abuses of power abroad, will be heard under all the
solemnity which its extreme importance to the country and to
mankind deserves. In the mean time, I beg to say, that havin'g
thus, by your indulgence, enjoyed the opportunity of explaining
what must otherwise have niade en erroneous and einfavenrable
impression regarding the state of the press in India, I shall return
1 to that silence and retirement from which I should not yet have
come forth, but for the necessity which has drawn me thus
earlier than I intended before the tribunal of 14 countrymen at
home. When my documents arrive from India, I shall pursue
my steady course in the great object I have in view, of bringing
the whole question before the constitutional authorities, tit the
land. Till then, I think it prittlent to abstain from further
controversy ; but, in the mean tithe, the friends of a free Press
in India, and those members of the Religious, Political, and
Commercial Bodies of England, who desire, to see that vast
field, covered as it now is with a hundred millions of degraded
human beings, more accessible to the enterprise of British
seal, British talent, and British industry, may rest enured that
to the latest period of my life I shall retain that lively interest
in the welfare otindia which will induce me to feel the greatest
pleasure in .doing all that iny humble effbrhs can effect, to pro..
mote its moral and intellectual improvement.
I reirlain, Sir, your most obedient Servant,
el, S. BUCKINMEIL
No, 11, Cornwall Terrace, Regent's Park,
Sunday, Aug. 31,11123.

A RULE, ORD LATAArCE, aid RE GULITIO,Y fokihe
rood Order and Civil Government of the Settlement of Fort
William in'llengal, mode apd passed by the Honourable the
Governor General in Connell, of and or the- Presidency of
Fort if illiam in Beurd, the Fourteenth Day of March, in
, the Year of Our Lord Ora thousand eight 'hundred and
twenty-three.
Whereat matters tending to bring the Government of this
country as by law established into hatred and contempt, and to
disturb the peace, harmony, and g?od Order Of Society,
.have'of
late been frequently printed and circulated in the Newspipprs
and other Papers published in Calcutta, foi tite prevention
whereof it is deemed expedient to regulate by law the Printing
and Publication with ,the Settlement of Fort William, in Ben-
gal, of Newspapers, and of all Magazines, Registers, Pamph-
lets, and other Printed Books and Papers, in any language or
character; pUblialied periodically, containing., of purporting to
contain, public neivs, and intelligence or strieturea on the acts,
measures, and proceedings of Government, or any political
events or tranaactionsi whatever.
1. Be it therefore ordained, hy the authority of the Governor
General in Council, of and for ate Presidency of Fen William
in Bengal,. at and Within the said Settlement or Factory of 1
Fort William in Bengal aforesaid, by and in virtue of and um- 1
der the authority of a certain Act, of Parliament, made and i
passed in the thirteenth year of the reign of his late Majesty
King George the Third, intituled An Act for the better Ma.;
nagement of the Affairs of the Last India Cinnpany, as well in
India as in Europe," and by a certain other Act of Parliament
made and passed in die 40th year of the reign of his said Ma-
jesty King Geo. HI. idtituled " An Act for establishing further
Regulations for the GovernMent of the British Territories in
India, and the better Administration of Justice within the
same," that to irteen days after the date, due registry, and
publication cf this Rule, Ordinance, and Regulation in the
Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William in Bengal, with
the consent and approbation of the said Sarre= Court, if
the said Suprente Court shall in its diicrean approve of and
consent to the registry Lind, publicatio# of the same, no person
or persons shalt, within the said Settlement of Fort William,
print or publish, or cause to be printed or published any,
Newspaper or 'Magazine, Register, Pamphlet, or other printed
Book or Paper whatsoever, in any language or , character
whatsoever, -published periodically, containing or purporting to
contain public news and. intelligence or strictures on. the
adts,' melt:arrest, and proceedings of Government, or any po-
litical event* or transactions whatsoever, without having ob-
tained a license for that purpose irons the GovernorAleneral in
Council-, signed by the Chief Secretary of Ocriernment for the
time being, or other person officiating and acting as such Chief
Secretary.
. If. And bb it further ordained, by the authority aforesaid,
that every person applying to the Governor-General in Council
for such licence as aforesaid, Shall deliver to the Chief Se,
cretary of Government for the tulle being, or other person
acting or officiatine, as 0.0, an affidavit specifying and setting
forth the real and true nAmes, additions, descriptions, and
places of abode of all and every person d,r. persons who is or
are intended to he the printer and printers, publisher and
publishers of the Newspaper, Magazine, Register, Pamphlet,
or- other printed book or paper in the said affidavit named,
and of all the proprietors of the same, if the number
of such proprietors, exclusive of the Printers and Pub-
lishers, dews not exceed two; and in case the same shall
exceed such number, then of two of the proprietors resident
within the Presfdency of Fort William and places thereto sub-
ordinate, who hold the largest shares therein, and the true de-
scription of the house or building, wherein any such News-
papa., Magn;ine, Register, Pamphlet, or other printed Books
Or Paper aforesaid; is intended to be printed, and likewise the
tide of such Newspaper, Magazine, Register, Pamphlet, or
other printed Boa or Paper.
111. And' be it frttier ordained, by tbe authority aforesaid,
that every such Afhdavit shall be in Writing and signed by the
person or peratins making the same, and shall be taken with-
Out any cost or charge by any Justice of the Peace acting in
and for the Min af Calcutta.
IV. And be it further o:dti:nee,. by the authority aforesaid,
that where the persons concernedatf printers and publishers of

•
1, •
any such newspaper, magazine, rUiater, pamphlet, or other '
printed book or paper as aforesaid, together with such number
of Proprietors as are herein before required to be nailed in such
affidavit as afOresaid, sfill not altogether exceed the number of
four persons, the affidavit hereby required shall be sworn and
signed by all the said. persons who arc resident in or within
twenty Miles of Calcutta, and when the number of such per-
sons shall eXceed four? the same. hall he signed and sworn by
four of such persons if ressident in or within twenty milks of
Calcutta, orlayam many of them as are soresident.
V. And be it 'further ordained, by the authority aforesaid,
that an affidavit or Jlidavits of the like nature and imp,oo shall
be made, signed, and delivered in like manner, as often as any
of the Printers, Publishers, or Proprietors, named in such
affidavit or affidavits, shall be changed? or hall change their
respective plitcea of 'abode, or their printing-houses ,'place, or
office, and as often as the tide of such Newspaper, Magazine,
144,j-titer, Pamphlet, or other Printed Book or Paper shall be
changed, and as often as the Governor-General in Council
shall deem it expedient to require the same; and that when
such further and new affidavit, as last aforesaid, shall be so
required by
sthe.,Gayernor-Oeneral in Council, noece thereof,
signed by the. aaoi Chief Secretary, or other person acting and
officiating as such, shall be given to the persons named in the
affidavit, to which the said notice relates, as the Printers, Mi-
r lishers, or Proprietors of the Newspaper, Magazine, `Register,
Pamphlet, or other Printed Book or I'aper, in such affidavit
named, such notice.te be left at such place, an is mentioned in
the affidavit last delivered, as theplace at which the Newspaper,
Magazine, Register, Pamphlet, or other Printed Book, or Paper,
to which such notice shall relate, is printed ; and lit failure of
making such affidavit on the said several cases afdreshid, re-
quired, that such NeivsPaper, Magazine, Register, Pamphlet,
or other Printed Book or PaPer shall be deemed, and taken to
belirinted and published without license.
VI. And be it further ordained, by the authority aforesaid,
that every liicense which shall and may be granted in manner
and form aforesaid, shall and may be resumed and ridded
by the Governor-General in Council, and from and inini
id Chief
after notice in writing of such recall, signed. by the sa
Secretary, or other person acting and officiating as such, shall
have been given to the person or pereetis to whom the said license
or licenses shall have been granted,. sitcli.notice be left at such
place as is mentioned in the affidar.it last delivered, as theplace
at which tile Newspaper, Magazine, Register, Pamphlet, Or
other printed book or paper to which such notice shall relate,
is printed, the said, license or licenses shall be considered null
and void, and the Newspapers, Alagizines, Regiiters, Pam-
phlets, printed Books or Papers, to which such •-license or
licenses relate, shall be taken and considered as printed and
published without license ; and whenever any Fitch license as
aforesaid shall be /evoked and recalled, notice of such revoca-
tion and recall shall be forthwith Oren in the 'Government Go.
cede, for the time being, published in Calcutta.
VII. And be it further ordained, by the authority aforesaid,
that if any person within the settlement of Fort William shall,
knowingly or wilfully, print or publish, or cause to be printed
or publishes], or shall knowingly and wilfully, either sal Pro.
prietor thereof, or as agents, or as servants of such Proprie-
tor or otherwise, sell, vend, or deliver out, distribute, or dis-
pose of, or if any Bookseller or Proprietor, or Keeper of any
Reading-room, Library, sltop, or place of public resort, shall
'knowingly and wilfully receive, land, give, or supply for the
purpose of perusal or otherwise, to any person whatsoever any
such Neispaper, Magasiine, Register, Pamphlet, or other
printed book, or Oilier as aforesaid, such Licence as is required
by this Rifle, Ordinance and Regulation, not having, been first
obtained, or after such License, if previously obtaiped, shall
have been recalled as aforeaald, such erson shall forfeit for
ever such offence, a sum not exceeding Sicca Rupees 400.,
VIII. And be it further ordained by the authority aforesaid,
that all oftbnees cothinitted, and 'all pecuniary forfeitures and
penalties had or incurred under or against this rule, ordinance
and regUlation, shall and 'lity b heardaind adjudged and de-
termined by two or more of the aforesaid Justices of' the Peace,
Who are hereby empowered and authorised to hear and deter-
mine the same, and to issue their sarntnons or warrant for bring.
ing the party or parties complained of before them, and upon
his or their appearance, or contempt and default to hear the par:
ties, examine witnesseu, and give judgment or sentence accord-
; ing as in and by virtue of this rule, ordinance and regulation, is
ordained and directed, and to award find issue out warrants un-
der their hands and seals, for the levying of such forfeiture,Aind
ioitreleinaldteriess,aasnndiatyo
lea'euisnlePrftleedtouPbe nti goods and chattels of the
made of the gOads and chat-
tels, if they shall not be redeemed within six days, rendering
to the party the surplus; If any be, after dedUcting the amount
of such forfeitures and penalty, and the costs and charges at-
tendin., the levying thereof: and in case sufficient distress shall'
not he found, and midi forfeitures and penalties shall not be
forthwith paid, it shall and may be lawtill for such Justices of
the Peace, and they sic hereby authorised and required, by
warrant or warrantlituntler their hands and seals, to cuti4e such
offender or offendera to be committed to the, c'ominbn Gaol of
Calcutta, there to restrain for any time tibt exceeding four
months, unless suck forfeitures and penalties and all reason.
able charges shall be paper paid and satisfied, and that all the
said forfeitures when. paid 01. levied shall be from time tti tinfe
paid , into the, Treasury of the United Company of the Mer-
chants of Enland trading to the. East Indies, and be employed
and disposed of according to the order and directions of his
Majesty's said Jttitices dl' the Peace, at their general quarter
or other sessions.
IX. Praided always, and be it further ordained; by the an;
thority aforciaid,, that nothing in this Rule; Ordinance, and
Regulation contained, shall be deeiffed or taken to extend' and
apply to any printed Book.or Paper tontillifing only Shipping
Intelligence, Advertisements of Sales, Current Prices of C,otn.
modities, Rates of Eilchange; or other intelligence solely of a
commercial nature.
J. ADAM. f JOIIN FENDALL:
EDWARD PAGET. J.• 11. -HARRINGTON.
W. B. BAY LEY, Chief Secretary to the Government.
Read and published this 15th March, 1112 a.,
A. MACTIER, Reading Clerk.
(A title Copy.) .J. W. 110t1U, Registrar:
I‘lllll DENI4ItARA: •

AN ACT,
By his Excellency Major-Genetal John Murray, Lieu-
tenant-Governor imand over the United Colony of Ilemerara
and Essequibo; and its dependent districts, Command/9in;
Chief, &c. do., and thelionettrable the ourt of Policy of
. thg said Colony, &c. Unto all to whom these presents shall
come, greeting: Be it known :
Whereas differences frequently arise between purchasers and
sellers, with respect In the quality and measurement of deals,
planks, boards, scantling, and Other, timber, &c: • the weight
of cod and scale fish, and.Wher. O 'tie/es usually imported
into-this colony, and sold by weight; alio from the want of a
fixed standard to regulate the -dimensions and merchantable
quality of articles imported and winelly sold by tale, such as
Shooks, staves, and heading, wood hoops, clap-boards, shingles,
&c. • and as well r• betWeentpurchasers and sellers of colonial
produce,' respecting the weights, gauges, and .prhilf.i
slitereof.
With a view therefore to provi against the inconveniences
arising from such differences, we haste thought fit toenacii,lo,o
be it enacted accordingly, that from and after the expiration of
six calendar months troth the publication of these presents, no
person residing in this colony shall sell, barter, or dispose of
any deal °rather hoards, lumber, scantling, or other timbersold
by measure, which shall have been imported therein, or any
packages of cod or scale fish, until he shall Intife., caused such
lumber and packages to be measured and Weighed respectively,
'and stamped with the colonial stamp by a sworn office attpoint-
ed for that purpose, in the manner. set forth in his instructions
hereinafter inserted, under a penalty of 1,000 guilders for every
offence:- '-
..
And fie it &titter emitted,-'that the stamp to Ire toed, as di.,
rectal by this act, shall consist of the letters I). and E. ,
And be it further enacted, that from and after the expiration
of six calendar tnontits from the publication hereof, the follow.*
Mg shall be established as the Colonial Merchantable Standard
of the articles hereinafter recited, iIS", t— ' '.. : . •
Clapboards shall be four and a half feet in lengi ilt fiveinches
wide, and at least half an inch thick at the thfCkestedge, clear
of sap.
' Shingles,
wide, and 248ceinc—heCsylporne: , .
or cedar shingles shall be 22 inched.
in length, and 4 inches in breadth.. White pine shingles, of
Boston chips, each bundle eo be 12 inches thick, 18 incites
Staves. First Class Staves shall be. 42-inches long, 4 inches
and not less than
limed, and seven-eighths of an inch in thickness ; but if dress-
ed, 'ix-eigbaltref an inch thick.
ia, hot ,ih' thickness, or five:
Second Chats Staves shall be 42 inches-long., 3 inches broad,
six-eighths of
'
eighths if dressed. , , . .
Shooks--First Class Shooks shall contain 28 staves, 4 inches
wide, five-eighths of an inch thiCk, and 42 inchei long.
lleadir% ihall consist of 1:2 pieces for each shook, each piece
29 to 30 inches iong, ' and n
.ot leis than five inches broad, and
.
five-eighths of an inch thick. .
Second Class Shooks shall contain 36 staves, 42 inches long;
and not less'than three inches wide, and five-eighths of an inith
thick. ~.
Heading lo consist of lbpieces, to 30 fnehei long, and not
less than live or six inches broad, and tiVe-eighths of an mei thick.
Wood Hoops, long, not to be less than 14 feet in length.
Short, not to be less than njfet iniengill;e i
And he it further enacted, 4174
t *urn anu after tae expiration
of the six calendar months trim» the publication hereof, no per-
son or persons shall sell or offer for sale, :is of the colonial mer-
chantable standard, any of the beforeouentiontd articles that
may be imported into and expsettl'fig e4e in this colony, being
of less dimensions than is hereinbefore described ; nor any ar-
ticles of the second class of the said standard, as being of the
first, under A penalty of 1,001) guilders fofeverY offence.'

BRUSSELS PAPERS.

CARLSRVIIE, At m 27.—Our Gazette contains
ilie.followin,g article
" It results from Roports of the Central Committee at May-
frenii'the late events at Leimig, Halle, and Berlin,
that secret assoeiailons among the stitektits have not yet ceased,
notwithstanditt Al the measures adopttel by the Governments
to hinder them. .But as the Societies, v.hich are entirely se-
cret, are most intimately connected with those which are less
so, and which are known in the Universities under various
names, and lis'theTniti:ticiinn-of the German youth can derive
no advantages from the barbarous language which insulates
them, or from a costume which is often very expensive, and
lietly, as the advantage and profit of the innkeepers in Uni-
versities is essentially different from that of the country, there
is reason to expect, very shortly, the establishment
lance over the private conduct of the students, which would
be introduced at the same time in all the Universities,iaad from
which the happiest influence might be expected."
Auosn u no, Auo. private letter film Breslau says,
that the Supreme Tribunal of Breslau has coedeenteed to six
years solitary confinement in it fortress two young teen who be-
longed to a secret society of apolitical nature.
The penalties and exclusion from ptptic offices, lately pro-
nounced at Berlin against the Students who, belongehi d to the
Society called the Armenia, hake been mitigate by
s Ma-
jesty's orders.
Our readers remember that, in consquence of the massacre
of the Greeks at Pergamo by, the Turks, after a descent made
by some of the islanders of Ipsara, the Sultan sent Ibrahiam
Pacha with 2,000 men to the spot. The Alvmeine Zeitang
says. under the head of Smyrna, July 18; " In consequence of
the landing of the Greeks, the Asiatics have burnt and murder..
ed all that came in their way in the environs of Pete's.. mo; the
Janissaries (according to a letter from Broupa), who were sent
from this place to restore order, have joined the Asiatic !eq.
diery, and are likewise in complete insurrection. This news
has been brought by coariers to the Paella. All this adds to
our alarm." .
FRANKrORT, Ira. 2.—A lettei ft:OM Zante, of 16th July,
gives long deteile of a great battle at the end of June between
the Turks commanded by Mahomet Pacha, Muetapha Pache,
and Bede niche, raid the Greeks tinder Odysseus, Coloco-
troni, and .Nketigt, in the plains of St. Luke, between Thebes
and Livadia, in which the Turks are said to hive last 2000
killed, end 000 prisoners, and 3000 wounded. All the artillery,
procifions, tend ammunition, with a great number of camels
and borees,-p-lye taken by the Greeks,, who say, they never made
such a rleTehooty. [This does not „agree with the news from
Sit)onicha of the Ilth July, grin from Seres cif the 30th, which
affirmed that Mehmet was still at 4.-Ampi on the 21st July, and
Odysseus at Zeitouny, and that notting of importance had taken
Bit ussu es, STPT. I.—The wise Decree of bis Majesty, of
the 20th ult. presenting measures of retaliation against France
for its prohibitory system, has excited great sensation in that
kingdom e but the places where it effects will be the most
seriously felt arc the countries along the Meuse and the Mo-
selle, in Loraine, which produce vast quantities of wine, the
gyeater part of which used to be exported by land by way of
Belgium. The Decrece has been received with gratitude in
our Manufacturing provinces. If tile beneficial measure could
he extended to the manufactures of another Power, which re-
fuses to admit ours, the wishes of our neinttfacturers would be
accomplished., The detachment of troops which have lately
marched to bur frontiers have already occupied the posts as-
gn O th
sied them. n e other hand we learn that France
to draw close its triple lice of, custom house officers on us
Northern frontier. .
At the departure orthe last courier from Rome it was as-
serted that the Emperor of Austria would stop but a fe* digs
at Milan, and would then visit the capital of the Christian
World. This report has caused some sensation•there.
The Antwerp. Journal of Commerce has letters from Rio
de Janeiro of the 24 July, which state that the llinperor
had just had fall from his horsend broken two ribs and
dislocated his shoulder, but that hisa Majesty's life was not
iii danger.

7----
PUBLIC LEVPURE at' the CROWN AND ASIGiIOB,
STRAND, on WEDNESDAY EVENING, the 10th of
Sctember, at SEVEN o',OLOCEL
liviclt. II AMI LTO N, rttlin,quishing the . testi,:
mony of several thousand Pupils formed in an En-
lightened Nation, is desirous of submitting to a pritish Audience
his Pretension,s to the Merit of a successful Innovator. It is
intended to Demonstr'ate in this Lecture the EFFICACY of
the HAMILTONIAN SYSTEM, by enabling every Lady
and Gentleman who rosy honour it with their presence, to Beall
several Verses of the Greek and French Testaments—to Pro-
nounce the Wools of them with the same Propriety as the
Lecturer—and to Translate them with the utmost accuracy of
Grammatical Analysis, in the short space of one. Hour and a
Half.. ,Every Person will be invited to verify, hy, Rx.pericaent,
the reality of the Talent thus instantaneously communicated ;
and the compliance of a certain number will afford' a perfect
idea of the Facility, Certainty, and Celerity with which a
Language may be thtis acquired.-ADMITTANCE TWO
SHILLINGS.
.
. „ .

*4* For an interesting Account Of the OrENINO of the NEw
Dogs at-StlEEttxEss, see the Fonith Page.

PRIC.t OF STOCKS
TIII9 YAT ciNE.Wcf,c)Cti.
India Stuck
India Bonds ea.
South Sca Stock
Old Annuities
Ex. Bills 34 38 pr.
Ditto Small
Bank for Act.
India for Con. Acct.
Cons. for Atic. B.li

Rank gl6oi
3 per Cent. Rect. ;' shut
3 per Cent. Cons. . '' ....
3i per Cent.
4 per Genf. { ()Id shut
New 101/
5 pr Cents. 1797
Blink Long Ann. shut
3 per Cents. -

PRICE OF FOREIGN STOCKS ix LONDON, Szrz. G.

AT ONE O'CLOCK.
Five per Cents. Oti.
bfr.iP7 2A Ilt•
Stk. per Cents. 00.
Five per Cents. (Metallic) 00.
Ditto New 83i.
Five per Cent. Bonds, 00.
Five per Cents. (Metallic) 00.
irhie per Cent. Bonds, 111.24, 00,,
Ditto 1821,- 3fii.
Ditto • : 1822, 00.
Prils.:ian j Five per Cent. Wilds, Bit
1 Ditto New, 86g.
Five per Cent. ponds, 00.

French

Russian

Neapolitan
Austrian

Spanish

Vanish
Chili
Colombian Six per Cent. Bowls, 53i
New Loan, 00.
Bank Shares £2l 14s.
Seven per Cent. 00:
Six per Cent. 9:4-10f1
Five per Cent. 98-100.
,Three per Cent. 70.

Americii

111011 NITA TER
AintAing, mbio

iT LONDON MUDGE TO-MORROW,
:'es after 3. 1 gientitg, 48 minutett after 3

- -7
u-NT

SOL!4I QUIS DICERE F4f.SUM AElllt;47`

LONDON,
SATUIUi4Y, SEPTEMBER 6, 18231

We are still without decisive intelligence from
Cadiz. The French Papers, indeed, are u►►-
usually barren of itileresting information from any
quarter. The subjoined extracts are little else
than' repetitions of their former contents. The
Qiiolidienne endeavours to keep up the spirits of
the partisans of the war by a pompous statement
of the preparations for the attack on Cadiz, and
of the confident hopes of success entertained' by
the Prince Generalissimo.

" The preparations for the bombardment Of CadiXhave been
carried on with extraordinary activity. From all parts, am..
munition, artillery, and all that is necessary for a siege which
it is intended to push with vigour, had been collected. Zllean-
while reinforcements arrived. Thirty-tWo thousand men are
in Erie on the shores of the Bay. These fine and experienced
troops are" full of ardour; of Royalism, and of unbounded-con.
ilidence Wale Chief by whom they are commanded. It had

. .
been proposed in the Council of Wat to grant only 24 hours to
the Cortes to return an answer : the Prince has given them
five days. 4 I will not,' said he, expose myself to the
re-
proach of not having allowed sufficient time to the Cortes to
weigh my proposals and take a determination, which, if it be
favourable, will prevent the effusion of blood.' We await tlutit
answer calmly. No sooner shall it arrive and be known, than
we shall enter Cadiz, or else tight. Our enemies know what
men we are. They have tried us once, and have not since
shown themselves."

PEttPIGe tw, AUG. 2(1.—( Retracts of private Letters.)--'
" The enemy commanded by_Milans and Idobera, after the affair
of the 14th between Manresa and Moya, effected their retreat.,
on Mont Blanc, and were but feebly pursued. Our troops ar.
rived on the 20th at Villafranca, so that we and the enemy oc-
cupied on that day the same positions as before Aug. 10.
" Our troops were to put themselves in motion on the 20th to-
wards Mont Blanc. &isms that the Marshal has decided to
attack the enemy in the positions he occupies. We know not
if Milano will defe.nd the Cal do Saint Christine, or If he will
give battle on the height of Mont Blanc, or if he will effect
his retreat on Tarragona, or on Benz, or on Tarrega by Verde ;
in this latter position he would be able to retreat to Lerida. 4

" The task of the Marshal is much more difficult. lie may
cut offthe enettty front Tarragona, by sending a corps of troops
on the road from this town to Mont Blanc by Lovendrell and.
the tower of Des Barrts, but it is not very probable. that ii
will, by this means, be able to prevent the retreat of the enemy
by Reuz or on Lerida. If 31ilans decides on giving battle, he
may defend the Cot of Saint Christine, and fight in the t►atue
position as General Saarsfield occupied when he fought the
Italian General Eugene in the war of independence. 'We
shall not be long in ignorance of the movements of the two
armies." .

it is rcpoxted that the Emperor of Russia was to leave St.
l'etersburgh on the 15th (.17th) of August, for his grand tour
through iiis vast states; he is first to inspect the second, grand
army, and afterwards to visit Odessa. 'hence he will go to
Bessarabiti, and return to Bretz Lettwsky, a city between
Rus.sii and Poland to review the t:'ss:0111liled Polish army, as
well as the Russian corps cantoned in that kingdom. Eighty
thousand men will be reviewed under the orders of the Grand
Dulie Constantine, Commanderin Chief. It is said that I.N
Miije'ity will be two months abient.

CITY, Twelvc o'Clock.—Consols opened this.
morning at B}, went up to 84-4, at which price'
they remain steady, with scarce any business

doing.

Although it is reported that the French Rentei
have come lower, we cannot ascertain that any
Express has really arrived from Paris. The ex-
pected attack on Cadiz is, therefore, not belle,ved
to have taken place on the 28th; as it Is nine days
since that period, and it would have been knowti
in seven days at Paris.

some persons believe that nothing would be
done until the arrival of Mr. WARD at Cadiz.-L-
Mr. WAnn is the bearer of dispatchesisupposo4
to be inipOrtiini, from this country.
'toothier report prevails, that the French have
been defeated in an attempt on the Trocadero;
and that their funds have in consequence fallen
to 92f. 30c.

FOREit;N MARitEr:—Nothin.g is doing except
in Colombian and Spanish. The fluctuation in • Colombian
Bonds has been onntinual they opened at 53, 52}, 541, ;
Russia, Bii; Spanish Bonds, 364 j ; French Scrip, 2to tait
pr.

`We have received the subjoined communica-
tion, on the subject of the Colombian Loan,
from a Gentleman who is intimately acquainted
with the merits of that extraordinary and unfor,
tunate transaction.—We cheerfully contribute
by inserting the letter of our Correspondent, all
that is in our power towards the exposure of the
juggles which have entailed "ruinous lOsies on
so many of our fellow subjects. The whole affair
seems to have been engendered in fraud, and
conducted upon a systematic scheme of impose,
ture and delusion, well calculated, amongst other
results, to terminate in the ruin of 'the specu-
tutors,- and in. covering the promoters of the
iniquity with disgrace.

FOR TIJI SUN. ,
(COLOMBIAN LOAN.]

Mn. Etirro.n--Of all the delusions and impositions prac/
tised on a credulous Public, perhaps none has been kept up
with more chicanery and trick than this Colombian Bubble;
and I must say, it, is little creditable to the'retros, whose duty it
is to protect the Public, that they have not taken more pains to,
expose to the light facts that were well knOwn to a few, and
ought to have been made well known to all. When the whole of
this disgraceful transaction is exposed, and all the falsehoods
and scandalous misrepresentations detected, as they must be in
the end, nothing in the annals of Stock jobbing will match it.—
The Decree of the Congress of Colombia has at length arrives,
and will awaken those ,who have repuse4 in c.ofider.:.!. gn the
Vold assertions and statements of the Contractort. At 10'4'1
•
sent great is the abuse of the Colombian e lover:mem.'
but when Mr. Guat.la detail of this proceeding, as laid
before CoOgresis, shall be published here, it will be found,
that there are two sides to a story;" and it will be
seen if the blanie of this scandaloui transaction belongs
to parties on this of on the other side of the water. Mean,
while I have looked to hear of a public meeting to itulehT
into the business, that the whole might be probed tO
bottom : And I would ask, why do 'these- bold contractors
npt come forward now, and give explanation to the public ? Is
it, that they dare not meet those who haVe been so egregiously
duped ? The time will come when the' whole.will be brought to
light, however long delayed, and it behoves those who may
still remain interested to make themselves well' informed as
to the probable result.. The language of Congress in °alit
decree is unequivocal, however sophistry may etempt to
pervert it--they are ‘, severe anti inflexible" In justice
to
-themselves as to otherz, and they will admit only so much
have
..
debt of this Loan as it shall be proved they
value fez,. The queries then a Nirliat value have they have received
re-
ceived for Mr. ZEA'S debentures, issued at various rates,
and for viriOus unsubstantiated -and unfounded claims ?—1
The public will be deluded grossly if theyexpect this
wil.btar at the utmost one-third proportion of the amotiitt charged;-1