This error, therefore, for our sake, for your sake, for
the sake of the Indian public, and for the sake of all those who shall
hereafter go in any station to India, I think it necessary to disprove
in every point.
I mean to prove the direct contrary of everything that has been said on
this subject by the prisoner's counsel, or by himself. I mean to prove
that the people of India have laws, rights, and immunities; that they
have property, movable and immovable, descendible as well as occasional;
that they have property held for life, and that they have it as well
secured to them by the laws of their country as any property is secured
in this country; that they feel for honor, not only as much as your
Lordships can feel, but with a _more_ exquisite and poignant sense than
any people upon earth; and that, when punishments are inflicted, it is
not the lash they feel, but the disgrace: in short, I mean to prove that
every word which Montesquieu has taken from idle and inconsiderate
travellers is absolutely false.
The people of India are divided into three kinds: the original natives
of the country, commonly called Gentoos; the descendants of the Persians
and Arabians, who are Mahometans; and the descendants of the Moguls, who
originally had a religion of their own, but are now blended with the
other inhabitants.
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