Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/605

558 sented to the late Legislative Council of India, ringing to the notice of the Council, the grievous and revolting abuses of the practice of polygamy in Bengal and praying for a legislative enactment for the prevention thereof.

'It is superfluous for your petitioners to dilate on the evils which result from the pernicious custom under notice, or to reiterate the reasons and considerations which require the interference of the Legislature in this vitally important subject. They have been described and stated at length in the petitions, referred to above, and your petitioners, many of whom had signed the said petitions, desire to mention that they fully subscribe to the allegations, suggestions, and prayers therein contained.

"Occupying the position which the British Government does in India, it is, your petitioners respectfully submit, its manifest duty to meet the wants and wishes of the people by such legislative and administrative measures as may be deemed necessary for the suppression of any social abuses, which are the remnants of customs neither founded on abstract reason nor on the national religions. And this obligation, it is needless to add, becomes the more imperative, when the people, as in the present instance, are themselves the most forward in seeking the aid of the Legislature.

"Your petitioners are not aware of the reasons which influenced the late Legislative Council in not responding to such a large, influential and