"That the Petitioners, convinced of the Divine Origin and univer"fal Obligation of the Chriftian Religion, and deeply impreffed with the belief of its beneficial tendency to "advance the Virtue and Happiness of Mankind, have "devoted their Lives and Talents to the Studies and "Labours of the Chriftian Ministry: That the Peti❝tioners have reflected with unfeigned Commiferation on the Intellectual and Moral Condition of the Native Population of India now fubject to the British Em"pire, a Condition which the Petitioners, from irre"fragable Evidence, regard as moft deplorable in the

guished by fanguinary Cruelties, the most revolting "Obfcenities and many other Immoralities, which ex"tinguish the beft Principles of our Common Nature, "occafion a tremendous Deftruction of Human Life, "and are as inimical to the Existence and Growth of

Fidelity, Honour, Loyalty and every focial Virtue, "as they are oppofed to the Acknowledgment and "Worfhip of the true God: That the Petitioners re"garding the Chriftian Religion as the appointed In"trument of Providence for the removal of Moral "Disorder and Mifery in the present State, no less than "for the Attainment of fuperior Felicity in a future Life, "cannot but devoutly wifh for the univerfal diffufion "of that Divine and only true Religion, yet not by "Force, Artifice or Allurement, nor by any other "Means than thofe which are addreffed to the Under

1

"Lives to the noble Charity of inftructing the Hindoos
"in Christian Principles, by tranflating, printing and
circulating the Holy Scriptures in the various Lan-
guages of the East, by rational Argument and peace-
"able Exhortation, and by maintaining Schools for the
"Education of the Native Children; in the Profecution
"of which humane Purposes their Lives and Conduct
"have been moft exemplary, and their Succefs not
"inconfiderable: That the Petitioners alfo conceive
"the Security and Extenfion of Chriftian Worship and
"Inftruction in India to be in a high degree defirable
"for the Religious Welfare and Comfort of Our
"Countrymen and their Families, who are established
"in the different Stations: That the Petitioners not
"only take the common Intereft of Men and Christians
" in thefe Works of enlightened and most difinterested
"Benevolence, but they have a strong feeling of Per-
"fonal Concern in them; as poffibly fome of them-
"felves, but with much probability their Children and
"Friends, will be defirous of devoting themselves to
"the Miniftry of the Gofpel in the important Field
"which the Indian Provinces prefent for fuch Labours:
"That, for thefe Reafons, great and weighty in the
"Eftimation of the Petitioners, and from the fincereft
"Attachment to their Country and its Government, as
"well as from general Benevolence to Mankind and a
"Senfe of Duty to God," the Petitioners humbly and
earnestly pray," That in any Charter or other Enact-
"ments for the future Government of Britib India,
"which this Houfe may be pleafed to fanction, a full
"Provifion may be made for the Liberty of Religious
"Worship, preaching, teaching and difperfing the
"Holy Scriptures, and for the Security of the Miffion-
"aries, Ministers, Schoolmasters, or other Perfons who
may be therein employed, fo long as they fhall ap-
prove themfelves to be loyal, dutiful and orderly
"Subjects of the British Crown:"

- 66

It is ORDERED, That the faid Petition do lie on the
Table.

Kirkby Upon reading the Petition of the Perfons whofe Names
Wodehouse: are thereunto fubfcribed, being Supporters and Friends
of the Baptift Miffion in India, resident in and near
Kirkby Wodehoufe, in the County of Nottingham:

Whitehaven :

66

66

"to ufe their Exertions to carry into Effect the following
"Refolution of The Honorable Houfe of Commons,
"paffed in the Year 1793, " That it is the peculiar
and bounden Duty of the Legiflature to promote, by
"all just and prudent Means, the Interest and Happiness
"of the Inhabitants of the British Dominions in India;
"and that for thefe Ends, fuch Measures ought to be
"adopted as may gradually tend to their Advancement
"in ufeful Knowledge, and of their Religious and Moral
"Improvement:" The Petitioners confiding in the
Wisdom of their Lordships, therefore humbly pray,
"That as the Renewal of the Charter of The East In-
"dia Company, is now under Confideration, a Clause
may be introduced in the new Charter, by which fuch
"Protection may be afforded to the Miffionaries already
in India, that fo long as they fhall in all Civil Con-
"cerns be obedient to the Government, they fhall be-
"allowed to purfue the important Work in which they
"are engaged without Interruption, and by which
"Claufe, the Friends of this Society in this Kingdom
"may be permitted to send out, in British Ships, other
"Miffionaries to promote the fame benevolent and im-
portant Objects:"

Religion and of Chriftian Inftruction: That the Peti"tioners being Members of and fincerely attached to the Epifcopal Church established in this United Kingdom, "are anxious that the Bleffings enjoyed by themselves"in the Communion of that Church, fhould be imparted "to their Countrymen in India, and to thofe of the "Chriftian Natives who are willing to enjoy thefe Pri

It is ORDERED, That the faid Petition do lie on the
Table.

1

of Bristol:

vileges: That, in the Opinion of the Petitioners, it
"would be an Act of Injuftice to debar their Country-
And alfo, Upon reading the Petition of the Perfons men in India from the Religious Privileges, equally
whofe Names are thereunto fubfcribed, being Supporters" as much as from the Civil Liberties of Englishmen;
and Friends of the Baptift Miffion in India, refident in "and that the Government of India fhould feel them-
and near Whitehaven, in the County of Cumberland; "felves as ftrongly bound to provide for the former as the
feverally fetting forth, "That in the Year 1793, cer- "latter:" The Petitioners therefore humbly pray, "That
"tain benevolent Perfons, who had formed themfelves "if the Charter of The Eaft India Company fhould be
"into a Society for propagating the Knowledge of Chrif-renewed, Provifion may be therein made for an Epif-
"tianity among the Heathen Nations, regarding with "copal Eftablishment in British India, adapted to the
deep Concern, the Millions of their Fellow Creatures "Extent of its Chriftian Population :"
"and Fellow Subjects in British India, funk by grofs
Superftition, Ignorance and Vice, into the lowest
"State of Moral Degradation, were influenced to fend
"and did fend Chriftian Miffionaries among them:
"That the Petitioners acknowledge with Gratitude the
"favorable light in which fuch Miffionaries have been
"and are held by the Government in India; notwith-
ftanding which the Petitioners, being themselves
deeply fenfible of the Value of a legal Toleration, are
"anxiously folicitous, that the Protection of the Law
may be extended to their Brethren in India, in fuch a
"Measure as to the Wisdom of Parliament may feem
"meet: That the Petitioners humbly conceive, that
"after a Probation of nearly Twenty Years, during
"which Period, their Miffionaries are allowed to have
"conducted themfelves with Propriety, and in which
"the incalculable Benefits arifing from their Labours
"are evident, that as British Subjects warmly attached
"to British Interests, they hereafter may be entitled to
"legal Protection from the British Government, fo long
"as they fhall, in all Civil Concerns, prove themfelves
"obedient to that Government: The Petitioners do not
"wifh for any exclufive Privileges, but are defirous that
"the fame Facilities and Protection fhould be afforded to
"Chriftians of other Denominations as to themselves,
"fo that all Claffes of Chriftians may thus be permitted

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Inhabitants
City of Bristol, whofe Names are thereunto fubfcribed;
fetting forth, "That the Petitioners are deeply impreffed
"with the Moral Degradation of the immenfe Popula-
"tion of the British Dominions in India, and lament that
"fo little has hitherto been done, although The Honor.
"able the Houfe of Commons was pleafed in the Year

British Dominions in India; and for thefe Ends, fuch "Means ought to be adopted as may gradually tend to "their Advancement in useful Knowledge, and to their "Religious and Moral Improvement:" That the Peti"tioners moft cordially concur in the juft and humane "Sentiments contained in the above Refolution: The "Petitioners therefore, being convinced of the great Im"portance of the Chriftian Religion to the well being "of Men both in this Life and in that which is to come, "are anxious and moft humbly pray, That fuch Mea"fures may be adopted for the Purpofe of its being "peaceably and prudently propagated amongst their

"Fellow

Lauder:

Oxford:

"Fellow Subjects in Hindoftan, as their Lordships in their
Wisdom fhall deem proper :"

It is ORDERED, That the faid Petition do lie on the
Table.

And alfo, Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants, Caftle Don-
of Caftle Donnington and Shardlow, with their Vicinity, nington &
in the Counties of Derby and Leicester, whofe Names are
thereunto fubfcribed; feverally fetting forth, "That
"the Petitioners cannot contemplate without Pain the
"Moral Degradation of the immenfe Population of the
British Dominions in India, and that Humanity.
mourns over the Thousands of Widows that there
annually perish in the Flames with their deceased
"Hufbands, and over the Tens of Thousands of
"wretched Victims to inhuman and debafing Supersti-
❝tions, that perifh yearly in other ways: That the
"Petitioners conceive, that the diffufion of Chriftian
"Knowledge would gradually remove these horrid

Evils, and that The Honorable the Commons House, "in the Year 1793, was pleafed to adopt a Refolution, "declaring it to be the peculiar and bounden Duty of "the British Legiflature to promote, by all juft and

prudent Means, the Happiness of the Inhabitants of "British India, by adopting fuch Measures as might "tend to their Advancement in ufeful Knowledge, and "to their Religious and Moral Improvement:" The Petitioners therefore implore their Lordships, "That "fuch Provifions may be inferted in the new Charter "to be granted to The East India Company, as fhall "afford full Facility to all fuch benevolent Perfons as "fhall be defirous of going to India for the Purpose of

communicating to its Population the Bleffings of "ufeful Knowledge, and Moral and Religious Improve"ment, and alfo fuch Provifions as fhall prevent the "Obftruction of their Endeavours for promoting their

Object in that Country, fo long as they fhall conduct
"themselves in a peaceable and orderly Manner :"
It is ORDERED, That the faid Petitions do lie on the
Table.

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of Cauld. Cauldwell,
well, Lullington and Walton-upon-Trent, in the County &c:
of Derby, whofe Names are thereunto fubfcribed; fetting
forth, "That the awful State of Moral Degradation, and
"the dreadful Superftitions prevalent among the immenfe

Popu ation of British India, are fufficient to fill with
"painful Emotion every Heart that glows with Christian
"Charity: That the Petitioners conceive that the dif-

J

Leeds:

"Perfuafion and exemplary Conduct, to promote the
"Religious and Moral Improvement of their Fellow
"Subjects in India, and that in future, no Obstacle be
"permitted to be thrown in the way of fuch pioufly
"difpofed Perfons, of whatever Sect, while they
"demean themselves in all refpects in an orderly and
"peaceable Manner :"

It is ORDERED, That the faid Petition do lie on the
Table.

"fufion of Chriftian Knowledge would gradually" British-born Subjects to endeavour, by Means of
remove these horrid Evils; and that The Honorable
"Houfe of Commons, in the Year 1793, was pleased to
"adopt a Refolution, declaring it to be the peculiar and
"bounden Duty of the Legislature to promote the
"Interest and Happiness of the Inhabitants of British
"India, by adopting fuch Measures as might tend to
"their Advancement in useful Knowledge, and to their
Religious and Moral Improvement :" The Petitioners
therefore implore their Lordships, "That fuch Provi-
"fions may be inferted in the new Charter to be granted
"to The Eaft India Company, as fhall afford fufficient
"Facility to all fuch benevolent Perfons as fhall be de-
"firous of going to India for the Purpose of communi-
"cating to its Population the Bleffings of Religious
"Knowledge, and alfo fuch Provifions as fhall prevent
"the Obftruction of their Endeavours for promoting
"that great End, fo long as they fhall conduct them-
"felves in a peaceable and orderly Manner :"

New Sarum:

It is ORDERED, That the faid Petition do lie on the
Table.

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of Leeds
and its Vicinity, whofe Names are thereunto fubfcribed;
fetting forth, "That the Petitioners contemplate with
"the deepest Concern, the prefent degraded State of
"the immenfe Population of the British Dominions in
"India, both as it refpects their Morals and their Re-
"ligion: That under these Impreffions, the Petitioners
"most heartily concur in the truly Christian and humane
"Sentiments contained in the following Refolution,
"unanimously agreed to by The Honorable the House
"of Commons, in the Year 1793, videlicet, "That it
"is the peculiar and bounden Duty of the British Legif-
"lature to promote, by all just and prudent Means,
"the Interefts and Happiness of the Inhabitants of the
"British Dominions in India; and that for these Ends,
"fuch Measures ought to be adopted as may gradually
"tend to their Advancement in useful Knowledge, and
"to their Religious and Moral Improvement:" That the
Petitioners do therefore humbly implore their Lordships,
"That fuch Provifions (confonant to the above Refo-
"lution) may be inferted in the new Charter to be
"granted to The Eaft India Company, as fhall afford
"fufficient Facilities to thofe benevolent Perfons who
"shall be defirous of going to India for the Purpofe
"of communicating to its vaft Population the inefti-
"mable Bleffings of Chriftian Inftruction and Moral
"Improvement, so long as they fhall conduct themselves
"in a peaceable and orderly Manner :"

It is ORDERED, That the faid Petition do lie on the
Table.

Upon reading the Petition of the Perfons whofe Names Nantwich: are thereunto fubfcribed, belonging to a Congregation of Protestant Diffenters affembling for Religious Worfhip at Nantwich, in the County of Chefter, or being Friends for the Purport and Meaning of the fame Peti tion, refiding in the faid Town, or the Vicinity thereof; fetting forth, "That the Petitioners, under a painful "Senfe of the Moral Degradation of the immenfe Popu"lation of the British Dominions in India, beg Leave "refpectfully to advert to a Refolution paffed by The "Honorable Houfe of Commons in the Year 1793, ""That it is the peculiar and bounden Duty of the "British Legislature to promote, by all just and prudent "Means, the Interests and Happiness of the Inhabitants "of the British Dominions in India; and that for these "Ends, fuch Meafures fhould be adopted as may gra

dually tend to their Advancement in ufeful Knowledge, "and to their Religious and Moral Improvement:" "That the Petitioners most cordially concur in the juft " and humane Sentiments contained in the above Refo"lution; and that the Petitioners being deeply and "awfully impreffed with the ineftimable Value of "Chriftian Truth, earnestly hope that Meafures, the "most effectual to the Diffemination of Christianity "throughout the British Dominions in the Eaft, will "be adopted by their Lordships in the Regulations "which may be enacted for the future Government of "India:"

It is ORDERED, That the faid Petition do lie on the
Table.

Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of Kin- Kinross; ros and its Vicinity, whofe Names are thereunto fubfcribed; fetting forth, "That the Petitioners are deeply

66

66

impreffed with the degraded Character and Condition "of the immenfe Population of the British Dominions in "India, and lament that fo little has hitherto been done "for the Removal or Alleviation of this great Evil, al"though The Honorable the House of Commons was "pleased, in 1793, to refolve, "That it is the peculiar "and bounden Duty of the British Legiflature to promote, by all juft and prudent Means, the Interests and Happiness of the Inhabitants of the British Dominions in "India; and that for these Ends, fuch Measures ought to be adopted as may gradually tend to their Advance"ment in ufeful Knowledge, and to their Religious "and Moral Improvement:" That the Petitioners most "cordially concur in the juft and benevolent Sentiments "contained in the above Refolution :" The Petitioners therefore implore their Lordships, "That fuch Provi"fions may be inferted in the new Charter to be granted "to The East India Company as fhall afford Encourage"ment to the Diffufion of the facred Scriptures in the "various Languages of British India, together with the "free Admiffion and unmolefted Refidence among the "Natives of Proteftant Teachers of known Prudence, "Refpectability and peaceable Habits, who would "fhew themselves equally folicitous to give no Cause of "Offence to Government, nor to fhock the Prejudices or Feelings of the People; and likewife that our own "Countrymen living in India may have Religious Ordi"nances difpenfed to them according to thofe Forms to "which they have been accustomed; and that such "Steps fhall be taken, as Parliament in its Wisdom "fhall fee fit, to secure Religious and useful Instruction "to the young, who are able to receive the Benefit of "it, both of our own Countrymen and the Native "Indians:

Upon reading the Petition of the Friends of Humanity
and Religious Toleration in the City of New Sarum and
its Vicinity, in the County of Wiltshire, whofe Names
are thereunto fubfcribed; fetting forth, "That the Pe-
"titioners beg leave to reprefent to this House, that
"they have long reflected with Pity and Horror on the
"Moral Degradation and confequent Sufferings of the
"6 many Millions of their Fellow Creatures under the
"Influence of British Dominion in India, and have
"observed with deep concern, that the Efforts of pious
"Individuals to emancipate them from their deplorable
"Condition, by imparting the Bleffings of Christianity,
"have been discountenanced rather than encouraged:
"That the Petitioners recollect with unfeigned Satis-
"faction and Delight, that the House of Commons (in
"the Year 1793) was pleafed to refolve, "That it is
"the peculiar and bounden Duty of the British Legif.
"lature to promote, by all juft and prudent Means,"
"the Interest and Happiness of the Inhabitants of the
"British Dominions in India; and that for these Ends,
"fuch Meafures ought to be adopted as may gradually
"tend to their Advancement in useful Knowledge, and
"to their Religious and Moral Improvement:" The Pe
titioners therefore implore this House, "That such
"Provifions may be included in the Charter to be
"granted to The Eaft India Company, as shall enable