could bring home to the reverend gentleman, the defendant, the fact of the publication of the Nil Durpan. He felt certain that the jury would agree with him that such a publication was not the method best calculated to promote the spread of the Gospel, nor to ensure the safety of the lives of those Europeans who resided alone among thousands of natives without any hope of assistance in the hour of need. The fault was not the less grave, let it arise from what it may, even if from a misplaced over-zeal to promote Christianity.
Had we not seen by what a tender thread we hang? Have not the late mutinies taught us how unsafe is our position? Can we permit persons, impelled by over-zeal, to endanger our safety and induce the belief among people in England, already too prone to believe evil of their countrymen at a distance, that Englishmen in India are guilty of the wrong and disgraceful conduct imputed to them? Was this publication carried out as it was, calculated to promote Christianity? Was it calculated to "turn the wicked from his wickedness" and do that which is lawful and right? The late Right Reverend Bishop of Calcutta frequently denounced individuals, and spoke to them from the pulpit. Such a proceeding might not be in accordance with the usages of society, but it was the proof of an honest intention, there was no concealment about it, and the bold man was the good man. How different was his proceeding to that of the publisher of that Bengali document! Was that the act of a kind and Christian adviser? No, to say the least of it, it was rather the act of a fanatic. It was the duty of a missionary to regard the white and black population with the same kindly feelings; it was the duty of a missionary to be the propagator of the Light and Truth, and not the propagator of slander. Christian love itself would incline the Gospel preacher to speak kindly to his Christian brethren. If his intention was to do good, why did he not send information to the heads of mercantile houses here, who have large capital at stake, of the atrocious proceedings of which he accused the Indigo planters? This he did not do, but contented himself with publishing the calumnies contained in a Bengalee play. For even if the translator be a Native, he, by the fact of publishing the play, adopted it. Why did he not send a copy to the parties concerned, to the Landholders' and commercial
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