u  He  was  aware  that  nothing  could  be  more  difficult  than
to  digest  a  plan,  which  should  at  once  confirm  and  en-
large the  advantages  derived  to  this  country  from  connec-
tions with  India,  to  render  that  connection  a  blessing  to
the  native  Indians,  and  at  the  same  time  preserve  unvio-
late  the  essence  and  spirit  of  our  own  constitution  from
the  injuries  to  which  this  connection  might  eventually  ex-
pose it.     Gentlemen  would  recollect,  with  a  degree  of
horror,  to  what  dangers  that  happy  constitution  was  ex-
posed last  year,  when  a  bill  was  introduced  into  parlia-
ment, which  wonld  have  established  a  system  dangerous
to  every  thing  that  Englishmen  held  dear :  they  would
recollect  that  the  liberties  of  this  country  had  nearly  suf-
fered shipwreck ;  the  danger,  however,  was  happily  over ;
and  the  legislature  had  now  an  opportunity  to  consult
about  the  means  the  most  likely  to  reconcile  and  secure
the  interests  of  the  people  of  this  country,  of  the  people
of  India,  and  of  the  British  constitution,  as  far  as  it  might
be  effected  by  the  connection  with  India.     To  his  lot  fell
the  arduous  task  of  proposing  to  the  House  a  plan  which
should  answer  all  these  great  purposes.     He  was  aware
that  no  plan  could  be  devised,  to  which  some  objections
would  not  lie ;  he  was  aware  that  it  was  not  possible  to
devise  a  plan  that  should  be  free  from  imperfections ;  he
should  therefore  console  himself  if  he  should  be  able  to
suggest  the  means  of  doing  the  most  good  to  India,  and
to  the  East  India  company,  with  the  least  injury  to  our
constitution.     In  die  arrangements  he  should  propose,  it
would  be  impossible  to  proceed,  without  giving  to  some
body  of  men  an  accession  of  power ;  but  it  was  his  duty
to  vest  it,  where  he  should  have  reason  to  think  it  would
be  least  liable  to  abuse,  at  the  same  time  that  it  should


Digitized  by  VjOOQI^


150  ON  THE  GOVERNMENT  OF  INDIA.
