Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-08-14
HOUSE or COMMONS Jryr on

~ owen buxton rose Ia bring on his motion for
copies and extracts of MI COMMUNICATIONS from India
respecting the burning of females Ii might he suai
cenl Tor las purpose 10 the extent 10 which this
sl1Ckn practice had hpcn carried In one Pres;den
cY a'one--te meant TIN; OF Fort William Within
ne last four yeas, in that Presidency 1866 females
hu been seen to ascend and perish uron the ftner,
EHes OF tncir deceased husbands. That was the num-
hef that had openly pctishcd under tho eve. Of Tho
'hd|iSunrv, exclusive al the arnbCr which had been
consumed IN secret, orhy the conniyancc of a ner.
'e'"'y p"ucr By the Mahommedan law the prac-
're was diScounien1nccd, and therefore in many
EHccS discontinued bat IL to be regretted that
~ SIN prevailed ton great extent in countries under
ne british jurisdiction. Not only had the dsc,ies of
9.ih9mct Abolished this practice, hut thu French,
iE'lci, ana Dimes had accomplished the same oh
1ott IN their a.. !nIil settlements NIonv or tho ~,
Eve princes amongst whom were the Raiah Travan-
sc; aud the Pclshwl, The latter of whom was a
h'hioo ana BrIlrnil, had aisn mt an end TO This
revolving custom lie hoped thnt when tho nroror
TINE arrived, the British government would exert
tneT utmost efforts 10 distinguish so great an evil and
sloW mat 'iey would not bc bchindhand with their
Predecessors "a thc great work OF Justice and huma-
my Many u! The murders (iur, although they were
oAitd voluntary sacrifices he considered them TO he
ME cIse than mur'lers) took place contrary 10 the
Ii'"'"o ia" hse!i.-by that law. females under I6
years OF age we're allowed to ;Scrnd the, r,neyJ
phe yer, 1t would appear from the papers for which
TIC WIS inout 10 move, that the e,rS of IL, - and
Yeas ol age had been sacrificed and in one instance
child OF eight years old became a victim OF this
oTbrouS custom. BY the Himdoo law those widows
are also cxcmpicj, who, in the event of their death
SiOilu lc'tNc children behind them under three
ooi ayr unless some security given that the in
ianis would he taken Oft was also sncciica.
SCI GOWN, that the sacrifice should he pei iecty vo
IhhtarF-tt no drugs shpud be administered for the
purpose oil causing noNicalion but these provisions
o; The tiindoo law moi complied with = No IA.
ter than Tuesday he had conversation on this sub
lec' with most respectable gentleman. the Rev MIR
4 thompson one al ihe East India Comnan.'s chan
l1nS; vino stated, tai he was sailing on Il river IN
the mcighborhood OF Calcutta he observed crowd
on me bank and found that the people had assem-
hiid Tor the purpose OF Witnessing the burning OF
widow, who was then performing her last ablution
When that p1rt of the ceremony was concluded she
WiS od TO the pilc but she tainted repeatedly: The
pSop'c begun to grow impatient and she was at last
placed on the Pile in nsensiic state and dashed
TO the dead body of her husband. The unfortunate
creature, however, recovered her senses, and strur
ged TO escape. y Brahmn immediately placed
torch ~ the hands of one of her children and set fire
10 The Pile. In that case, the child of the prrtcs A.
h1nt TO be consumed began nv applying fire to the face
ct ms deceased father, and thrn proceeded TO nace
The fame beneath the body OF the living mother The
irc soon took eject, hut il was considerable time
before the suiierings Of the unhappy woman were
terminated Though he did not think it would he
p'"perio put an end TO this practice by force yet he
was OF opinion that the natives of India ought To be
restrained within the laws Of their own religion Be
yond these they should not he suffered to depart All
thcsc evils arose from one cause.-the ignorance OF
the htuvcs.; and the only for them was nsr,c-
tion livery person, therefore, must perceive how
imperative was on the government OF tire country
u extend, Is far rs possible. tho benefits of education
w iit niAtlFtS pI iUClH. nc hon. gentleman then
moved " Tor copies OF extracts Of all communications
received from India relative the burning OF fe-
males on tic funeral piles OF their deceased hus-
blinds"
Mr.. Bathurst Observed TINT if the LEGISLATURE took
up tbs question, the necessary consequence must be
the ere cntion OF public officers 10 prevent ,reach-
es OF te ftinlsoo law by tho natives hemselyes-an
Intervention, he it observed connecte1 viii, o;,ts
the most delicate tlat could he conceived These
persons would have 20 inquire whether a woman was
fcAiy 10 make voluntary sacrifice Of her existence
enc !! thcy Iound mat she acted voluntarily and
therefore DID not fall within any Of the exceptions of
the lllnGoo law, then the natural and unfortunate
consequence would be, That the ceremony Thus prac-
tseb would be described as taking place after the in
spceiOn and u"dcr the sanction OF British officer
u was an extraordinary circumstance, that since the
profuusation Of certain regulations on this subject
thc number oi persons who have sacrificed thcm-
selves had been doubled ln 1873 the number ,yoe
90 ~ 1916, liz IN 1917, 7U7 IN 1919 $50
In Calcutta alone, the numbers were, in 1915 I53 :
"a 1876, $50 in 1917 ne ; IN 1915 81 --IJudorh-
edp inc increase was ~ some measure attributable
10 40 c1ndcmlc Disorder which ragged w the country
tie ranges OF which had deprived many women Of
tlicIr husbands The Indian government doubted ye-
~ much the policy Of the Interference which had al
ready taken place il was Tor The iorsc In consider
Whether u woull not j." brUcr 20 trust to the gradual
anolorHon ni hr liIdp,5 ly the cNtcnsion of etlu.
cation, thC foundation Of which bud hnppily been
lpd' ana on "htch moral supcrstrncture might be
rclrgd, rather ilnu 10 sanction any legislative mea-
sure Tor the purpose Of putting down this practice
lie fd not Object tc he production ofthc papers bot
~ hoped ihp hon mcmber would not call OH the le-
gsloUte 10 suction any active interference with tie
fGligiors pr'iulicrs Of the natives Of India
Mr. Wilboriorcc briefly spoke in favor Of the mo-
ton
Mr. Hume i-hcd 10 know how far tho motion ol
bis hon freud eNtended' Because, II did not
Comprise :he regulations of l7J2, l7g3 and l7gt il
would be detective. lio had lived at Bcnarcs where
the Brahmips had tier college, and which indeed
might be considered the cradle ofa their n~lrditios;
aud there, he believed, the regulations had produ-
cod u good ofoct His belief was, that under the
Regulations OF Gov. DOukin, IL was absolutely ncce,-
stry 10 enquire of every person about to be mmoiated
whether % wis voluntary act, done IN conformity
Wai the Iiirdoo law. No individual was allowed To
Do burnt To- Bcnarcs, Hnlcss the regulations Of ho 60.
tcrngert Wcrc complied with. Ho doubted very much
Toe correctness Of fe observation made by the right
bon. gentleman W.. Bathurstl whom bc said that
snN was h"t proper snJect Tor The consideration OF
Parliament twas most extraordinary That q mem.
brr Of as Aait ~ government who had voted for
bill % pres cnt cfiiC's bting ezoctstd ewis a4sgs