wretch grossly ignorant,—­the common instrument of his bribery and peculation,—­he has enthroned him, I say, on the first seat of ecclesiastical jurisdiction, which was to decide upon the castes of all those people, including their rank, their family, their honor, and their happiness here, and, in their judgment, their salvation hereafter.  Under the awe of this power, no man dared to breathe a murmur against his tyranny.  Fortified in this security, he says, “Who complains of me!”—­“No, none of us dare complain of you,” says the trembling Gentoo.  “No! your menial servant has my caste in his power.”—­I shall not trouble your Lordships with mentioning others; it was enough that Cantoo Baboo, and Ginga Govind Sing, names to which your Lordships are to be familiarized hereafter,—­it is enough that those persons had the caste and character of all the people of Bengal in their hands.  Through them he has taken effectual security against all complaint.  Your Lordships will hence discern how very necessary it is become that some other personage should intervene, should take upon him their representation, and by his freedom and his power should supply the defects arising from their servitude and their impotence.  The Commons of Great Britain charge themselves with this character.

My Lords, these Gentoo people are the original people of Hindostan.  They are still, beyond comparison, the most numerous.  Faults this nation may have; but God forbid we should pass judgment upon people who framed their laws and institutions prior to our insect origin of yesterday!  With all the faults of their nature and errors of their institutions, their institutions, which act so powerfully on their natures, have two material characteristics which entitle them to respect:  first, great force and stability; and next, excellent moral and civil effects.

Their stability has been proved by their holding on an uniform tenor for a duration commensurate to all the empires with which history has made us acquainted; and they still exist in a green old age, with all the reverence of antiquity, and with all the passion that people have to novelty and change.  They have stood firm on their ancient base; they have cast their roots deep in their native soil,—­perhaps because they have never spread them anywhere else than in their native soil.  Their blood, their opinions, and the soil of their country make one consistent piece, admitting no mixture, no adulteration, no improvement:  accordingly, their religion has made no converts, their dominion has made no conquests; but in proportion as their laws and opinions were concentred within themselves, and hindered from spreading abroad, they have doubled their force at home.  They have existed in spite of Mahomedan and Portuguese bigotry,—­in spite of Tartarian and Arabian tyranny,—­in spite of all the fury of successive foreign conquest,—­in spite of a more formidable foe, the avarice of the English dominion.