[ Jacob Bosanquet, Chairman of the East India Company? ] Corrected Draft of anonymous unpublished manuscript regarding 'the present condition of our E. Indian Possessions', and justifying the actions of the British. .

6pp., folio. On two bifoliums. In good condition, on aged paper. All four leaves with a central vertical fold as guide for each page to be laid out in two columns, with the body of the text in one column and emendations in the neighbouring one. The document begins: 'My Dear Sir, | I had yesterday a conversation with Mr. - respecting the present condition of our E. Indian Possessions, which I endeavoured to turn principally upon those Topics which you mentioned in your last, and I am happy to say that far from confirming the opinion I had entertained of the Instability of the Company's Power in that Quarter, the Information I obtained from this Gentleman tended rather to encourage hopes to the contrary.' His interlocutor admitted 'that there existed many defects in the mode of governing our E. Indian Possessions', but contended that 'upon the whole the general system was calculated to attach the Inhabitants to the Company & by improving their condition from what it formerly was, to enduce them from motives of self Interest to support the Compy.' He contrasts the 'condition of the Lower orders' under 'the former Governors of the Indian Empire' (with reference to the 'Zemindars or Collectors'), with events after 'the Company got possession of the Country'. He proceeds to explain how 'The Government of the Provinces is carried out by various Codes of Regulations, & justice administered according to the Mohammadan Law, although the Proceedings are carried on in the same way as in our Courts of Law.' There has been 'such an accumulation of Causes that in the beginning of the present year they were trying those of 1813'. Next he gives the opinion of his 'friend' on to 'the condition of the People & the systems of Govt.', and the 'many attempts' being made 'to propagate the truths of the Gospel in that part of the Globe'. Regarding missionary work, 'it must be considered that the Hindoos are perhaps the most bigotted nation in the world, and more attached to the Tenets of their Religion. By converting them we completely change their Political and moral existence which is so closely connected with the Religion that in fact we cannot destroy the one without completely changing the other & making quite another'. The document concludes: 'The moment a Hindoo changes his Religion he loses his cast [sic] is abandoned by all his Friends & Relations and becomes an outcast. -' The identity of the author of the document is not certain, but it derives from Bosanquet's papers.