APPENDIX-N6. 1.

Copy of a Letter from the Court of Directors to the Governor General in Council, at Fort William, in Bengal, dated 17th June, 1823:

"We have had before us your proceedings, with "the various documents recorded and referred to in

your consultations of the 30th July, 1819, rela"ting to Suttees. You are aware that the attention "of Parliament and the Public has lately been "called to this subject. We are disposed to give

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you a large discretion in regard to the pre"vention of Suttees, because we are persuaded "that no general rule can be laid down with either "safety or efficiency, and that the adaptation of "particular measures to local peculiarities can only "be effected by the Indian Governments.

"After an attentive consideration of all that has "been lately received from the several Presidencies "on this subject, and the very various opinions "concerning Suttees, which have been received "from the public Officers, it appears that the prac❝tice varies very much in different parts of India, "both as to the extent to which it prevails, and the "enthusiasm by which it is upheld. The necessity,

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"therefore, as well as the policy and probable effect "of strong measures of repression, must vary "the varying circumstances of the district.

"The line of distinction which you have drawn " in the Circular orders of 1817, between the differ"ent cases of Suttee, proceeds upon a more gene❝ral principle.

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"It is undoubtedly the policy of our Government "to abstain from interference with the religious opinions and prejudices of the natives; and it is, "therefore, upon an intelligible ground that you "have adopted the rule which permits the sacrifice, "when it is clearly voluntary, and conformable to "the Hindoo religion, and authoritatively prevents " it in all other cases."

"To us however it appears very doubtful (and "we are confirmed in this doubt by respectable au

thority) whether the measures which have been "already taken, in pursuance of this principle, "have not tended rather to increase than to diminish "the frequency of the practice. Such a tendency

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'is, at least, not unnaturally ascribed to a regula"tion which, prohibiting a practice only in certain

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cases, appears to sanction it in all others. And it " is to be apprehended, that where the people have "not previously a very enthusiastic attachment to "the custom, a law, which shall explain to them the "cases in which it ought not to be followed, "may be taken as a direction for adopting it in all "others. Indeed in a district wherein the prac66 tice, if ever known, has fallen into disuse, any

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public mention of it whatever would appear impolitic, although it would be highly desirable to "resist any attempt to revive it.

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"It is, moreover, with much reluctance tha twe "can consent to make the British Government, by a specific permission of the Suttee, an ostensible party to the Sacrifice; we are averse also to the 66 practice of making British Courts expounders and " vindicators of the Hindoo Religion, when it leads "to acts which, not less as Legislators than as Christians, we abominate."

"This reasoning we will at present push no far"ther than to ENJOIN you, for this, as well as for "other considerations, TO INTERFERE AS LITTLE

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AS POSSIBLE.* We will not forbid you to act 66 upon the Regulation to which we have referred, if you really find that its application diminishes the "evil. We wish, however, that neither this plan "of discriminating and qualified permission, nor any plan of repression, should be positively and

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generally prescribed to the Magistrates; there "should in no case be more than a Licence, to be "used according to the discretion of those who "are acquainted with local circumstances. In a "matter so delicate, the same Regulation may be safe and wise, or dangerous and impolitic, accord

* In the Answer of LORD AMHERST and his Council to this Letter, dated 3rd December, 1824, it is observed-" The whole "course of our proceedings has been, in conformity with the principle enjoined by your Honorable Court, to interfere as "little as possible!"

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ing to the character of the Officer by whom it is to "be executed. We know of instances in which a

66 Magistrate, having acquired by praiseworthy me"thods an influence among the Natives, has been "readily obeyed in a positive prohibition of the sa"crifice of a Widow. It may be true, that where "this occurred, the prejudice was not deeply rooted, "but still, much was unquestionably owing to the ju"dicious conduct and experience of the Magistrate, "and an attempt to imitate him by a person not "possessing the same qualifications, might be more "than unsuccessful.

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"Instances of this nature, therefore, would not "warrant us to authorize a general prohibition; "but connected with the opinions expressed by many intelligent men that the practice of Suttee is "not a tenet of Religion to which the people are en"thusiastically attached, but rather an abuse, fost"ered by interested Priests or Relations, these "instances of partial success do lead us to regard "the notion of prohibition, modified according to "circumstances, of this barbarous custom, with "rather less of apprehension than it has generally

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produced. We say this without hesitation, "because we are not at all afraid that you will "act imprudently upon our declaration. You "will take it, as it is meant, for an encouragement "to you seriously to consider the subject, and an assurance of our disposition to co-operate in such "measures as your superior means of estimating consequences may suggest to you. Assuredly,

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