But whatever might have been the intentions either of the Directors or the Presidency, both found themselves unequal to the execution of a plan which went to defeat the projects of almost all the English in India,—­possibly comprehending some who were makers of the regulations.  For, as the complaint of the country or as their own interest predominated with the Presidency, they were always shifting from one course to the other; so that it became as impossible for the natives to know upon what principle to ground any commercial speculation, from the uncertainty of the law under which they acted, as it was when they were oppressed by power without any color of law at all:  for the Directors, in a few months after they had given these tokens of approbation to the above regulations in favor of the country trade, tell the Presidency, “It is with concern we see in every page of your Consultations restrictions, limitations, prohibitions, affecting various articles of trade.”  On their side, the Presidency freely confess that these monopolies of inland trade “were the foundation of all the bloodsheds, massacres, and confusions which have happened of late in Bengal.”

Pressed in this urgent manner, the Directors came more specifically to the grievance, and at once annul all the passports with which their servants traded without duties, holding out means of compensation, of which it does not appear that any advantage was taken.  In order that the duties which existed should no longer continue to burden the trade either of the servants or natives, they ordered that a number of oppressive toll-bars should be taken away, and the whole number reduced to nine of the most considerable.

When Lord Clive was sent to Bengal to effect a reformation of the many abuses which prevailed there, he considered monopoly to be so inveterate and deeply rooted, and the just rewards of the Company’s servants to be so complicated with that injustice to the country, that the latter could not easily be removed without taking away the former.  He adopted, therefore, a plan for dealing in certain articles, which, as he conceived, rather ought to be called “a regulated and restricted trade” than a formal monopoly.  By this plan he intended that the profits should be distributed in an orderly and proportioned manner for the reward of services, and not seized by each individual according to the measure of his boldness, dexterity, or influence.

But this scheme of monopoly did not subsist long, at least in that mode and for those purposes.  Three of the grand monopolies, those of opium, salt, and saltpetre, were successively by the Company taken into their own hands.  The produce of the sale of the two former articles was applied to the purchase of goods for their investment; the latter was exported in kind for their sales in Europe.  The senior servants had a certain share of emolument allotted to them from a commission on the revenues.  The