Page:Allan Octavian Hume, C.B.; Father of the Indian National Congress.djvu/67

 or nations, self-sacrifice and unselfishness are the only unfailing guides to freedom and happiness."

This appeal — from one trusted and beloved by the Indian people — was not made in vain. The men re- quired as founders to initiate the movement, were forthcoming from all parts of India ; and the " Indian National Union" was formed. It was arranged that a Conference should be held at Poona, to enable "all those most interested in this Union to exchange opinions and authoritatively adopt an organization that, in the main, shall approve itself to all." In the meantime a Preliminary Report was issued to members, containing suggestions and conclusions, "the result of the discussion of the subject with all the most eminent and earnest politicians of this Empire." In the first place it is stated that "the Union, so far as it has been constituted, appears to be absolutely unanimous in insisting that unswerving loyalty to the British Crown, shall be the key note of the institution. The Union is prepared when necessary to oppose, by all constitutional methods, all authorities, high or low, here or in England, whose acts or omissions are opposed to those principles of the government of India laid down from time to time by the British Parliament, and endorsed by the British Sovereign, but it holds the continued affiliation of India to Great Britain, at any rate for a period far exceeding the range of any practical political forecast, to be absolutely essential to the interests of our own National Development." Amongst the qualifications for membership most commonly insisted on are the following : (i) An unblemished record, public and private ; (2) an earnest and unwavering desire to improve the status, either material, mental, moral or political of the People of India ; (3) marked natural intelligence, adequately developed by education ; (4) a willingness to sink,