Page:Adam's reports on vernacular education in Bengal and Behar, submitted to Government in 1835, 1836 and 1838.djvu/365

Rh highest degree inexpedient hastily to substitute any other language for that which has, during a long course of years, been appropriated to the transaction of public business. He is satisfied that in many parts of the country a sudden and violent change would produce serious public inconvenience, and that it would reduce many old and useful servants of the public to distress,—such as no humane Government would willingly cause. At the same time His Lordship in Council strongly feels it to be just and reasonable that those judicial and fiscal proceedings on which the dearest interests of the Indian people depend should be conducted in a language which they understand. That this great reform must be gradual, that a considerable time must necessarily elapse before it can be carried into full effect, appears to His Lordship in Council to be an additional reason for commencing it without delay. His Lordship in Council is, therefore, disposed to empower the Supreme Executive Government of India, and such subordinate authorities as may be thereunto appointed by the Supreme Government, to substitute the vernacular languages of the country for the Persian in legal proceedings and in proceedings relating to the revenue. It is the intention of His Lordship in Council to delegate the powers given by this Act for the present only to the Governor of Bengal and to the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-Western Provinces, and he has no doubt that those high authorities will exercise these powers with that caution which is required at the first introduction of extensive changes, however salutary, in an old and deeply-rooted system.”

In conformity with this Resolution Act XXIX. of 1837 was passed, making it lawful for the Governor General of India in Council by an order in Council to dispense with the provisions which enjoin the use of the Persian language and to prescribe the language and character to be used in its stead, and further empowering him to delegate those powers to any subordinate authority. Such a delegation of powers having, accordingly, been made to the Deputy Governor of Bengal, that authority passed the following Resolution:—

“The President of the Council of India in Council having been pleased on the 4th ultimo, in conformity with Section 2, Act XXIX. of 1837, to delegate to the Deputy Governor of Bengal all the powers given to the Governor General in Council by that Act, the Deputy Governor has resolved that, in the districts comprised in the Bengal division of the Presidency of Fort William, the vernacular language of those districts shall be substituted for the Persian in judicial proceedings and in proceedings relating to the revenue, and the period of twelve months from the 1st instant shall be allowed for effecting the substitution. His Honor is sensible that this great and salutary reform must be introduced with caution, involving as it does