The new policy-introduced by Bird, Fane, and Thomason (names ever to be reverently mentioned as master builders in the glorious work of the thirty years' settlement), has utterly failed in this particular : and should be abandoned. Their policy extinguished the close watch upon the standing crops, which have ever been, under native Governments, the main security for the payment of the Government Revenue. A collector might be negligent-might go to sleep; and on finding the crops removed, and his revenue unpaid, when he awoke; had only to transfer the property; or sell it, and thus satisfy the Government demand. This policy, however suitable to the thrifty peoples of the West, is at war with the genius and habits of the East. The people trembled at and hated the penalty; and yet incurred it! And the infliction of these penalties, together with the far more intolerable evil, sales of land by decree of Court, ar, I earnestly trust I shall be believed, bitterly detested throughout the length and breadth of North-Western India. b |