Civil Disobedience in Indian Tradition, with Some Early Nineteenth Century Documents c6.s3.54

c6.s3.54

immediate superintendence. That grand source of Revenue in Bengal namely the land is unalterably placed at a certain amount not to be increased in consequence of any permanent augmentation of establishments how necessary so ever or of any other contingency. Since the completion of this important arrangement so highly beneficial to the proprietors of landed property the adoption of certain military arrangements has considerably increased the amount of the permanent charges and various circumstances rendering an augmentation of the native troops and the introduction of several additional regiments of his Majesty’s, necessary to the preservation of our dominions have swelled our military disbursements to an enormous amount; the means of defraying the additional expenses without adding to the Company’s debts deserve your attention. From the before mentioned arrangement for fixing the tribute from the land and from the several judicial institutions which followed for the security of private rights and property and individual protection which latter were effected at an expense to the Company of upwards of 34 lacs of rupees per annum, we have every reason to believe that the inhabitants of our provinces are in general experiencing, an unexampled and increasing degree of prosperity and happiness. When such blessings to a country are derived from the wise and salutary measures adopted by the protecting power it is natural to expect that those in the enjoyment of them should contribute to its preservation on which their own is so intimately involved. The increase of wealth, commerce and population evidently flowing from the above arrangement must naturally suggest to you who are on the spot, the modes in which the public might be brought to contribute towards the exigencies of the state. The customs, the stamp duties and the tax on spirituous liquors we understand may admit of considerable improvement either in the mode of collection or by the variation of the rates, and other resources of revenue may probably be devised without injury to the state, oppression to the people or violations of the principles on which the permanent settlement of the lands was made. We therefore recommend this very important subject to your most serious attention.