Our Indian empire

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Charles Knight, 1844
 

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Page 58 - Every servant of a British factor was armed with all the power of his master ; and his master was armed with all the power of the Company. Enormous fortunes were thus rapidly accumulated at Calcutta, while thirty millions of human beings were reduced to the extremity of wretchedness. They had been accustomed to live under tyranny, but never under tyranny like this.
Page 80 - I resolved," — these are the words of Hastings himself, — "to draw from his guilt the means of relief to the Company's distresses, to make him pay largely for his pardon, or to exact a severe vengeance for past delinquency.
Page 80 - Sir, the Nabob having determined to inflict corporal punishment upon the prisoners under your guard, this is to desire that his officers, when they shall come, may have free access to the prisoners, and be permitted to do with them as they shall see proper.
Page 3 - The truth is," says one of the greatest authorities in Indian affairs, " that, from the day on which the company's troops marched one mile from their factories, the increase of their territories and their armies became a principle of self-preservation ; and at the end of every one of those numerous contests in which they were involved by the jealousy, avarice, or ambition of their neighbours, or the rapacity or ambition of their own servants, they were forced to adopt measures for improving their...
Page 99 - Dundas) remark, that there was something in the first frame and constitution of the Company, which extended the sordid principles of their origin over all their successive operations ; connecting with their civil policy, and even with their boldest achievements, the meanness of a pedlar and the profligacy of pirates.
Page 58 - Under their old masters they had at least one resource : when the evil became insupportable, the people rose and pulled down the government. But the English government was not to be so shaken off. That government, oppressive as the most oppressive form of barbarian despotism, was strong with all the strength of civilisation.
Page 69 - On the 10th of May of the following year, 1773, on the order of the day being read for taking into consideration the report of the select committee appointed in the preceding session, and also certain reports lately presented from a similar committee appointed in the present session, Colonel Burgoyne, who, as chairman, had brought them up, declared the said reports contained an account...
Page 274 - Still, however, their depredations during this campaign or season of 1816-17 had embraced a more ample expanse of territory than had ever before been attempted, extending from shore to shore of the peninsula of India, and including all the intermediate provinces they had omitted the preceding year. By this time it was very completely demonstrated that stationary posts of defence could not prevent the Pindarrees from crossing the Nerbudda and getting into our territories ; and that it would not be...
Page 87 - This was the golden cup of abominations ; this the chalice of the fornications of rapine, usury, and oppression, which was held out by the gorgeous eastern harlot ; which so many of the people, so many of the nobles of this land, had drained to the very dregs.
Page 3 - The increase of our revenue is the subject of our care, as much as our trade : — 'tis that must maintain our force, when twenty accidents may interrupt our trade: 'tis that must make us a nation in India...

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