The Sun.
London, England, 1824-08-30 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

FREE PR ESS-
(No. VII.)
SHORT FACTS, AND HONEST OPINIONS.
'‘ So drives self-love, thro' just and thro' unjust,
To one man's poir, ambition, lucre, lust,
The same self-love in all becomes the cause
Of what restrains him, Government and Laws."

In -my foregoing half dozen of letters I have
studiously avoided offending the feelings of any
one, and have scrupulously refrained from in-
dulging in any thing like party spirit, cant, or
affectation of sentiment, all of which I cordially
detest. I have spoken of things truly as they
exist, and being fully aware of my feeble power
in the art of persuading persons into my opinions,
or changing the sentiments they have already
adopted, as neither nature nor education has
given me the power ascribed by Eupolis, when
speaking of Pericles—

" On his lips persuasion hung,
And powerful reason rui'd his tongue ;
Thus he alone could boast the art
To charm at once and sting the heart."

Lacking " honeyed accents," we have only to
depend on plain straight-forward reasoning, antimatter of fact
detail. For the purpose, however, of putting the Subject of the
Free Press in India in a clear light before the British Public,
we will introduce two or three official opinions and records. In
our subsequent letters, we will review the question in a gene.
ral way, and look at it tom the first time the point was mooted
down to the present day, and as we pass on, will take a glance
at the sentiments of sevsral public men, who have advocated
the cause, in and out of the House of Commons. The first do-
cument we extract is of recent date, and its brevity is another
recommendation. I leave it to the sensible and impartial public
of England, whether, considering the nature of our dominion in
the East, the character of the heterogeneous, fiery and fanatical
millions over whom we rule, and bearing constantly in mind
that they sayer possessed a max CONsTITUTION, or any
chartered rights; I say, considering these paramount reasons,
will it be said that there is any thing harsh or unjustifiable in
the ordinances contained In the subjoined record : _

" Fort William, April 5, 1823.
" The Governor-General in Council, with reference to the
" bye-law passed on the 14th ult., and registered in the Su-
" creme Court on the 4th inst., deems it proper to notify to the
" Proprietors and Editors of Newspapers and other Periodical
" Works, as specified in the aforesaid bye.law, that the publi-
" cation in any such paper or periodical work, of matter corn.
" ing under any of the following heads, will subject them to be
" deprived of the licence under which such paper or periodical
" work may be conducted:—
" 1. Defamatory or contumelious reflectionsagainst the King
" or any of the Members of the Royal Family.
" 2. Observations or statements touching the character, con-
" stitution, measures, or orders of the Court of Directors, or
" other Public Authorities in England connected with the Go-
" vernment of India ; or the character, constitution, measures,
" or orders of the Indian Governments; impugning the mo.
tives and designs of such Authorities or Governments, or in
" any way intending to bring them into hatred or contempt, to
" excite resistance to their orders, or to weaken their authority.
" 3. Observations or statements of the above description, rale-
" five to allied or friendly native powers, their Ministers, or
" Representatives.
" 4. Defamatory or contumelious remarks or offimsive insi.
" nuations levelled against the Governor-General, the Gover.
" norm or Commanders-in-Chief, the Meinbere of Council, or
" the Judges of his Majesty's Courts at any of the Presiden.
" cies, or the Bishop of Calcutta ; and publications of any
" description tending to expose them to hatred, obloquy, or
" contempt; also libellous or abusive reflections and insinua-
" tions against the public officers of Government.
" 5. Discussions having a tendency to create alarm or sus-
" picion among the native population, of any intended official
" interference with their religious opinions and observances,
" and irritating and insulting remarks on their peculiar usages
" and modes of thinking on religious subjects.
" 6. The republication from English or other papers of
" passages coming under the foregoing heads.
" 7. Defamatory publications tending to disturb the peace,
" harmony, and good order of society.
" 8. Anonymous appeals to the public relative to grievances
" of a professional or official nature, alleged to have been sus.
" tained by public officers in the service of his Majesty or the
" lion. Company."
The generous feeling of the British is soon ex-
cited, when a case of private wrong is inflicted on an indivi-
ittud by the Government, or by persons in power : h is a
natural feeling in the nation, and 1 hope never to see it cease,
or that the day may arrive when they view with apathy any
vindictive or unjust measures of their rulers. It was glorious
see with what alacrity and zeal the public took up the case
of Cornet Battier, and the more shameful treatment experi-
enced by Mr. O'Callaghan. This proud feeling of resisting,
injuring, and succouring the weak and oppressed, did the Press
and the Public the highest credit. Other nations may talk of
'their chivalrous actions, their love of justice, and their zeal in
the
c uset of liberty, but it is the Briton who understands and
NV hen India is concerned, unfortunately from
ignorance of the country and people, great misapprehension Is
entertained : knowing nothing of facts, and only seeing decep.
dye and falsified statements, they are easily misled. Ever on
the vive, when the right of the subject is supposed to be
compromised, their zeal and enthusiasm often outruns that
calm investigation of circumstances ; and that unbiased judg-
ment is lost sight of, by the aid of which alone they can arrive
at any fair conclusion.
An idea exists even among well-informed men,
that the acts of the Government abroad solely originate with the
Governor-General--whereas he is only a party in the acts Of
the State. The Supreme Council at Calcutta (as well as the
subordinate Councils at Madras and Bombay) consists of the
Governor-General, generally a Nobleman of high rank and
character, and always appointed by his Majesty 1m Ministers,
free from any influence of' the East India Company. The
other Members are the Commander-in-Chief, appointed under
similar circumstances to the Governor-General ; and from being
a servant of the Crown, and in every way independent of the
Company, one would suppose him to possess honest and un-
prejudiced sentiments, and from being strangers to the country,
he tree from local partialities or feelings. in every way they
are unrestrained by any ideas of dependence or expectation of
favour from the East India Company. The remainder of the
Council is formed by a selection from the old and tried civil
Servants of the Establishment; and in die selection the Direc-
tors at home, for their own interest, take especial care to select
able and talented men, not only that their great experience and
knowledge are of the first moment to the welfare of the State,
but that the Directors may have men in the Council, on
whom they can depend in the hour of danger and trouble;
and it must be evident how necessary their influence and aid
must be, whew the other two Members are strangers to every
thing connected with and concernieour vast Empire in Asia.
It may be asserted that these two Members being servants of
the Company arc their dependants, this Ido deny. No public
officers, perhaps, of any Government can be more Independent
than the Member of the Supreme Council. In the first place,
he has risen to the highest post he can attain ; from this lie
cannot be removed till the expiration of his five years of Coun-
cil. In a recent Board of Council the two civil servants were
personally unknown to twenty.two of the Directors out of the
twenty-four, of which number that body consists, so that it is
but honest to conclude that no favouritism or sycophancy had
an influence in the then nomination ; in short, as both of them
had not quitted India for upwards of thirty years ; it must be
clear that their personal influence could not have much weight in
Leadenliall-street. These two very Gentlemen were the per.
sons that the eloquent Mr. BROUGHAM described in Parliament
as being two of the most eminent men in India, yet these re.
spectable men were both hostile to a Free Press. It would be
rather unkind to suppose that they did not possess integrity
and judgtnent, knowledge of that which was right, and a detes-
tation of that which was wrong.' It is certainly extremely weak
and unchristianlike to assert that four individuals of high pub.
lie character, greet private worth, and always possessing the
esteem and confidence of their fellow-men, should be set down
by a few insulated (and comparatively speaking unknown) in.
dividuals as idiots, tyrants, or sycophants, simply because they
have the misfortune to differ with men, who on every public
question, right or wrong, are sure to be found in opposition.
o. O
N L
I need not instance the sentiments of two or throe individuals
of' experience, judgment, and integrity. lire have a host of
public men whose opinions can be nothing else than convincing,
The lion.. Mr..EnviriNSTOXE is decidedly hostile to the Free
Press, and he is the man whom the Edintrirgh Review tie.
" indisputably at the head of the Company's
t
page 404.) No man in his senses ever accuse thateele.
crichivesilasservice being,
ge in political talent and knowled."--4

brated Review of subserviency, or anti-liberal principles. Sit
CHARLES FORBES himself, formerly a free merchant in Ind:a,
and while there, for upwards of thirty years, living under tut
restrictions to which all Europeans are subject, is averse to s
Free Press. " India was not (he thought) at present in a
" situation to admit a Free Press." This is the public opinion
of an eminent individual, known at home by the designs:ion of
the " liberal-minded Indian," and abroad as the Prince of
Merchants. Lord HASTINGS, unhappily (for himself ) With a
noble and generous mind that did him the highest honoan
tried the experiment, and was obliged to abandon the scheme.
Ile found it would wit answer. The 'great Sir the_
Jobs havdeclared, theta Five Press in India ivould'he
" worse than the most odious despotism." Mr. JENKINS, st
Najpore, possesses similar sentiments ; he is a man inferior to
none that I have spoken of, in character, experience, and know.
ledge. Sir THOMAS Muxno has his objections on record lie.
will certainly allow to a man, who has raised himself from being
an Ensign in. the Army to the Government of Madnet, Or°
' little weight in our discussion, and would almost be dis-
posed, were it not for giving offence to the advocates of the
measure, to put his judgment and information in competition
with any three of our opponents. Mr. RANDLE JACKSON haS
so ably expressed his opposition to a Free Press, that nothing
who his
remains fur me to say, further, than that no man
never been out of England, possesses better information, .01
takes a clearer view of India topics than Mr. J. True it is We,
that as he is employed by the Directors, as their legal adviser ;
his opinions are partial. Persons,in making this illiberal charn
do not recollect, that five hundred instances may be fu.r.
,unn
where he is in direct opposition to the Court of Directors. "x
IMPEY'S eloquent and able expose of the whole Free NO
business is well known, and you very properly, Mr. Vito!!
(considering how extensively your Journal is read by
'Ane
Indians) gave it entire in your SuN of the 19th July.
Thus, Mr. Editor, we are strengthened hi
the opinions of some of the ablest men. We hare the 11,11Avi
nimous body of the Court of Directors, likewise the
Commissioners for the affairs of India ; we have a vast inaje•
jority of proprietors of Stock ; last but not least, Lord Art
E sT, the new Governor-General, and to conclude, the sriltet;
body (with one solitary exception in an Evening PAPer),o,f„ s
enlightened and generous, Mends to the (and I may
question of this nature " tenacious") Free Press of Great 'M.-I.:J.
have with true dignity and honour passed by the question
awe
R •
ritentio. BUONAPATE, the idol of some persons, and tilos'
maybe found, censuring the restrictions placed on the Press r.
India, forget that the late Emperor imposed the strietat
sorship on the Press, and even went so far as to °lnn let,.tl;
improper. With the Ex-Emperor, all this
and prevent their transmission, when they contained ArY thing
was a man (according to the opinion of some people)
could hot do wrong, and the British Administration ca
right; and although what has been done is strictly und'r_A
sanction of the Legislature, in open day, with every ref ,r.
consistency and liberality, yet what a clamour has been To
and what censure has been bestowed on public men, wifytt,ly
no more than their duty, a duty which they werelniP;eer:t by
called upon to perform, and in enforcing it were just"'
laws, circumstances and time.
We have now seen what Europeans say on of
Free Press; it remains to be seen what some wealthy natile.
Calcutta think on the same question. ' 40'
It is but very lately that these wealthy (0 .0.
men have taken it into their heads to reflect upon 111,e British
men
and its public Acts; this is a Orcc'nu',. eo.
taste of what they would think and do hereafter; r°,ir, of
tures, they are more to be pitied than censured; A Juw"thoy
WO right.
nonsense has been crammed into their brains, which tn,
neither understand, nor care about, but urged on by design?
and ill-disposed Europeans who have made a eats'-Pnwaid
them (as the renowned Mr. HUNT, and Dr. WAslogt I.
to their countrymen at home) and have had the singular „
frontery to present a petition to the Governor-General, Pr
:110
ing against registering the late ordinance, subjecting new
Press, and periodicals to a licence. The Petition is 41.
by half a dozen persons ; one whom I know (Dwarlaa-S1011;
another is the well known and eccentric Rani Molnin lug'
man who has pretended to become a Christian cni_lebo
and has written and spoken a good deal of nonsense, Anu '
the bye, after all his professions, has turned Unitarian.
A wore precious piece of jesuitical reasonisi;
and impudence I never met with, coming from men ~M
,1721.;
reuron, every day
.in their lives, to thank God they are
our rule ; but it is our own fault—the West as well as
I East Indies afford melancholy proofs of our ignorance ar''

- -
Poll,y
I`o get rid of the nauseous hypocrisy and Of'
ing subterfuges contained in the document, we will at
lest we get atckened with such impertinence' and insult,lol
an extract
41 E ,rfectiO ei
It

every good ruler, who is convinced of the impel. , ov;
human nature, andreverences the Eternal Governor
World, must be conscious of the great liability to crre $
managing the of of airs a vast Empire, and Tiicatf°,ll;,/
' he will be anxious to afford to every individual the rt,Ohi,
' moans of bringing to his notice whatever may reveiro,,
interference. To secure this important object, taelif,,
strained liberty of publication is the only effectual 1"-
" that can be employed."
What shall we say to this, coming as it din art'
intelligent persons, who know we have no right to be „1,,,n oa
and that they themselves live under a foreign yoke. 4r,(1
earth can be more absurd than the foregoing observation
Ivo
what on earth can be more dangerous than temporizilify....
these natives of rank, who are alike ambitious and
.cr!,
.."
haughty and rich, men who possess an inconceivable !!!;13
over the minds of the great mass of the conquered 1111,0 ct
our astonishing Empire in British Inella.—One mom
equally cogent and sound with the preceding shall suffice:fly
" Your Lordship may have learned, from the works "'pi
" Christian Missionaries, and also from other SCY!'4Ctoirn
" ever since the art of printing has become gene, .4 .hoe
" among the natives of Calcutta, numerous publication, "ow.
" been circulated in the Bengallee language, which,_,°l theta
" clueing free discussion among the natives, and indoe°lo. :4
'7 to reflect and inquire after knowledge, have alresd1.:;100
" greatly to improve their minds and ameliorate theitO"u't
" This desirable object has been chiefly promoted bX
" blishment of four native newspapers ; two in the I,s‘'lT
the
" and two in the Persian language; published for the P she
" of communicating to those residing in the intcrl?r sobs
" country accounts of whatever occurs worthy of n0t4.1,
" Presidency or in the country ; .and also the interesozi-jo
" valuable intelligence of what is passing in Entkriltai nee
" other parts of the world, conveyed through the I.'nfr—
" papers or other channels." resSer
A Paragraph more warily written, or with
subtlety, never was presented to the Supreme GovernTcafit
According to them the natives are to read nothing that an!
for them to know—never by any chance to speak or %II ;Or
thing improper. Oh ! no—meek—loyal—and on„,he
tures—they only seek after knowledge and science. io
to communicate no intelligence to refractory Prin‘',o...se"
interior—no censures or falsehoods regarding their no 00,
from pure friendship they are to refrain from ape at
is passing in England—a time of troubles or distresses., 0, fa•
would be unnoticed, and the native Prince would he tiTiboiel
main quiet, love his conquerors, and regularly PaY bilyurneet;:l
hut a case in point is worth' a camel-load of a„„r%),ltici,,_„o'
The Madras disturbance would have passed bY (1°:-01
by these worthy, disinterested, and peaceably-disr
veyors of intelligence to the Interior." , .nvoterfite
What besotted ignorance, what I" miabts,,d°
apathy, in out Government, and how stupid and ona, Ayr
they appear in not granting the wishes of these Ilintiuteit:%l°
50Ptters and Quid nuns 11—who now for the Fla
beginning to THINK, and who, if let alone, Wool"
to ACT.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your very obedient Servant%ELy,
nforJallN s' • 1
Captain, Bombay 14
Wyke, Dorset, Aug. 2t3, 1924.

14
UNEXPECTED 'SUPPRESSION _ Or'~ 111w 1111

TERLY REVIEW

A Oil'
--4.--
A Letter from Madras, dated the 3 °g
rope
the latest from that Presidency, the following rY
which may be relied upon as authentic : 1.,4 ork., TM
" I have seen here the prospectus of an intenG... 9. Atli
Oriental Herald. They are actually afraid here t°,t 0 II
Quarterly Itroiew, in which this prospectus is*.
of I.
locked up in a secret place. I learnt from the 'agent, Ur tall;
Journal here, that the book was to be sold at a partica4,"
and went with him there to procure it;
that they had it, and so it ls f its hill° tl4
was broug..t out from en too
The man, however, observed, that he could not s te.
or
they cool . g 00,
book, but would knd it to me,
_as every copy was be Na
"'lt is included among the advertisenienu of the
The Quarterly Reriere.

e n
A letter from Northumberland give Lin. ththe ioot
gratifying account of the weather. In an dircc!t}:7 $ Obfe.:
[armor is seen on the fields superintending the J°7- 6,
jog.' oe,
of the harvest. The cutting of the corn now nocico,oo,4
general; and should the present propitious we-Ad:leo gysOwtiss
(which Heaven grant !) it will not be long ere ' joio 0
are filled with a plenty which cannot fail indeed W tflosee4
heart of man. As a proof of the productivenefai__,Of,
a head of oats, containing 311 pickles or gnuni,,,Th"
plucked in a field at Alatud-meaburn, 'At