half centuries, the East India Company was buried decently and in order in the autumn of 1858; and the Queen's Government assumed control of the administration. The change was formally accomplished by the Act for the better government of India, passed on August 2, 1858; and on November 1, it was announced in a noble and heart-stirring proclamation addressed by the Sovereign to her Indian subjects.
After calling upon all subjects to bear true allegiance to the Crown, and nominating Lord Canning to be first Viceroy and Governor-General, the Royal Proclamation said: 'We hereby announce to the Native Princes of India that all treaties and engagements made with them by or under the authority of the Honorable East India Company are by Us accepted and will be scrupulously maintained, and We look for a like observance on their part. We desire no extensions of Our present territorial possessions; and, while We will permit no aggression upon Our dominions or Our rights to be attempted with impunity, We shall sanction no encroachment on those of others. We shall respect the rights, dignity, and honour of Native Princes as Our own; and we desire that they, as well as Our own subjects, should enjoy prosperity, and that social advancement which can only be secured by internal peace and good government. We hold ourselves bound to the natives of Our Indian territories by the same obligations of duty which bind us to all Our other
