The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-09-28
A CHANGE OF AFFAIRS IN BRITISH
INDIA

The last OF the many charters OF the great East
India Company having expired without renewal
on the first of September Fiat INSCRIPTIONS corpo-
ration has ceased to exist, and state of affairs has
been inaugurated in British India, which we trust
will be in better keeping with the requirements of
humanity than any the Hindoos have known since
the fall of the vast empire of Aurungzebe. 1t is
hardly too much to say that all the terrible crimes
which have stained the English name in the adj
ministration of their eastern policy may be traced
to that colossal establishment which stood between
the crown and the people, welding the supreme
authority without mercy and without remorse.-
The object held in view by every servant Of the
Company was to get rich. They cared little for
the cultivation of the land and the elevation of the
natives in the scales of moral excellence. India
was to them no Sparta to be adorned with the re-
suits Of modern enlightenment. 1t was simply a
field for amassing wealth. rich place from which
to dig out laos of rupees, to be brought home as
the basis of an ostentatious and vulgar magnii-
cence. Each newly appointed offce-holder, from
the Governor General down to the humblest clerk,
coOy made the calculation, before he took ship for
Madras or Calcutta that after the lapse of so many
years more or less, if he did not die of fever, he
would return to England splendid nabob to roll,
for the rest of his life in profusion of gold as gilt
tering as that which surrounded the aurferous
Miss Killmansegg The legitimate consequence
of this extortion, rapacity, pecuation OF all
kinds were practsed upon the poor creatures who
two thousand miles distant from the high con-
troll of the Empire, were absolutely beyond The
reach of protection. few Of these outrages upon
the inferior and subject race to the dignity of
national offences and challenged the indignation of
mankind. The genius and eloquence of Edmund
Burke preserved for eternal and infamous remem-
brance the atrocities of Warren Hastings, but even
his cruel tyranny failed to meet with an adequate
punishment, and the merciless sway Of the compa-
fly was unchecked and unmitigated, save by the
intervention of subsequent Governors General,
who vainly endeavored to establish rule Of justice
tempered by Kindness. Avarice, however, defeat
ed these efforts as left to its course, it will al
ways counterv-il the best plans of philanthropy,
and the company continued to the last to Cypress
and defraud the hopeless victims of their rule
The Honorable @ East India Company is now,
however, extinct, and it remains for England to
establish her dominion the Ganges, upon a
lan altogether different from that which, begun
in cruelty, has ended in blood. She must set her
self to coonizing India with the view to the per-
manent improvement and ultimate regeneration of
the cotliitry. She must strive to make her Indian
subjects sympathise with her measures, and feel
that under the Anglo-Saxon their land will enjoy
higher degree Of prosperity than it could ever at
tain barbarouS power, even of the first Glass;
Such a policy will rebound to the credit of Eng
land and will more surely enrich her in the end
than the rapacious system heretofore practiced by
soulless, irresponsible and relentless corporation.
Petersburg Express.