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Danger of interfering with the Religion of the Hindoos.

My lords, I served in India for a considerable length of time; but I never saw—­I never heard of—­anything so revolting in the religious ceremonies of the natives as has been described by the noble duke and by the right reverend prelate.  The whole army, while I was in India, except about 50,000 men, consisted of idolaters; but they were as good soldiers as could be found anywhere.  They performed, in the best manner, any service that was required of them; and certainly, at that time, the object of the government, and of every man in the service of the government, was to avoid, not only interference, but even the semblance of any interference, in any manner, in the idolatrous rites and ceremonies of the country.  I have not read one of the dispatches which have been alluded to; and I must say that I have seen too much, in my own experience, to encourage the practice of encouraging documents of this description.  I beg your lordships to recollect, that with the exception of about 20,000 of her majesty’s troops, and, with the exception of the civil servants of the government, and the few European residents in the country, there is not a man in India who is not an idolater, to manage the affairs of that most extensive and important empire.  I would entreat your lordships never to lose sight of that fact.  I know, too, from experience, for I have seen the missionaries at work, the little progress which they make; and I know at the same time that their labours create a good deal of jealousy.  I warn the government not to go too far in their measures against the idolatry of India; for the Indian empire is one of great importance, and they must not expect to convert 100,000,000 of idolaters to our holy religion by the small means at their disposal.

August 13, 1839.

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Never said one thing and meant another.

I will not make any professions of my own anxiety to put down the slave trade.  I have passed a long life, I trust with honour, in the service of her majesty’s predecessors.  I served her majesty’s predecessors in diplomatic situations and in councils, as well as in the army, and I believe people cannot accuse me of saying one thing and meaning another.

August 19, 1839.

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Impotent Colonial Administration of the Whigs.

We have sacrificed 20,000,000 l. of money to terminate slavery in the British colonies; and we are now calling upon other nations—­upon the United States, upon Spain, upon the Brazils, and upon various powers which possess slaves—­to imitate and to follow our example; but what have we done to secure the co-operation of those great countries in the great object that we have in view?  We have offered no inducement to those nations to imitate our example, by the establishment