our Committee, in observing on the failure of this act, do not consider
the intrinsic defects or mistakes in the law itself as the sole cause of
its miscarriage. The general policy of the nation with regard to this
object has been, they conceive, erroneous; and no remedy by laws, under
the prevalence of that policy, can be effectual. Before any remedial law
can have its just operation, the affairs of India must be restored to
their natural order. The prosperity of the natives must be previously
secured, before any profit from them whatsoever is attempted. For as
long as a system prevails which regards the transmission of great wealth
to this country, either for the Company or the state, as its principal
end, so long will it be impossible that those who are the instruments of
that scheme should not be actuated by the same spirit for their own
private purposes. It will be worse: they will support the injuries done
to the natives for their selfish ends by new injuries done in favor of
those before whom they are to account. It is not reasonably to be
expected that a public rapacious and improvident should be served by any
of its subordinates with disinterestedness or foresight.

II.--CONNECTION OF GREAT BRITAIN WITH INDIA.

In order to open more fully the tendency of the policy which has
hitherto prevailed, and that the House may be enabled, in any
regulations which may be made, to follow the tracks of the abuse, and
to apply an appropriated remedy to a particular distemper, your
Committee think it expedient to consider in some detail the manner in
which India is connected with this kingdom,--which is the second head of
their plan.

The two great links by which this connection is maintained are, first,
the East India Company's commerce, and, next, the government set over
the natives by that company and by the crown. The first of these
principles of connection, namely, the East India Company's trade, is to
be first considered, not only as it operates by itself, but as having a
powerful influence over the general policy and the particular measures
of the Company's government. Your Committee apprehend that the present
state, nature, and tendency of this trade are not generally understood.

[Sidenote: Trade to India formerly carried on chiefly in silver.]

Until the acquisition of great territorial revenues by the East India
Company, the trade with India was carried on upon the common principles
of commerce,--namely, by s