different parts of India, and the conductors of the English press remote from the scene of controversy, might take some little interest in a genuine expression, however exaggerated, of Native feeling by Native authors.
The copies sent home were addressed to gentlemen holding different political opinions, and these gentlemen had, several of them, been furnished with copies of published documents, relating to the Indigo question. But while I contend that my conduct has been straightforward and honest, I have no hesitation in expressing my most sincere regret that any such publication should at all have taken place. It has excited great irritation; it has given rise to much misconstruction both as to the Government of Bengal and to individuals; it has seriously offended a very respectable and influential body of men for whose difficulties I have every sympathy, and whom, officially and unofficially I have always desired to assist, even when I differed from their views and opinions; and it has resulted in the successful prosecution of a very excellent Missionary of the Church of England. At the same time, while fully acknowledging the error committed in this instance, my earnest conviction is that, putting aside the heat which the indigo question has excited, and looking to ordinary times, it is not the transmission of such publication to editors and to official and unofficial Englishmen that is likely to do mischief, but their circulation among the Native public unnoticed by the Government and unknown to the European community. Under this conviction I acted without (as I must on reflection admit) sufficiently considering at the time, the peculiar circumstances which rendered the publication of this work unwise.
I must now offer a few remarks on some parts of the publication itself. With some of the great questions to which the late trial has given rise, I shall not attempt to deal.
I leave the question of including purely dramatic fictions or satires amongst libellous publications, exposed to the penalties of criminal laws as well as the vital question of discussion and of the liberty of the press, to be dealt with by those within whose province such question should strictly come; I will only state, on this head, that a play representing fictitious characters, and treating the subject in the style of dramatic exaggeration put into the mouth of these characters, being looked upon as a serious attack upon
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