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marking the genesis of modern Extremism in Bengal with its further developments, I should say it was the chapter of events that took place at Barisal in 1906, in connexion with the break-up of the Bengal Provincial Conference. There was then an upheaval among the leading men of Bengal assembled at Barisal, the like of which I have not witnessed. Even a man like Mr. Bhupendra Nath Basu, lately a member of the Executive Council, a public man so sedate and calculating, used language which neither he nor I would care to repeat. It was a time of intense excitement; and our faith in the efficacy of constitutional agitation was shaken. If that was the temper of tried politicians, the attitude of the younger generation, who mustered strong at Barisal, may be inagined. This was in 1906. The Alipore Conspiracy Case was discovered in 1908. I returned home from Barisal full of indignation, with my unshakable opti- mism sensibly impaired; and one of the first things that I did was to sever what remained of my connexion with the Government. For the moment, I became a Non-Co-operator, one of the earliest apostles of that cult, and resigned my office as Presidency Magis- trate of Calcutta and Honorary Magistrate of Barrackpore. The resignations were a protest against the action of the Barisal autho- rities, and did not represent my acceptance of a definite policy or principle. I did the same thing when in 1899 I resigned my office as a Municipal Commissioner of Calcutta along with twenty-seven members of the Corporation. There are occasions when we must ' non-co-operate' and follow it up as a protest. But I altogether repudiate a persistent policy of non-co-operation, especially at a time when the Government is prepared to move along progressive lines, though the pace may not be as rapid as we should like it to be.

It was in an atmosphere of extreme views that the Reforms came under discussion. I gave notice of a resolution to be moved by me in the Imperial Legislative Council, where Moderate opinion would have fair play and would strengthen the cause of the Reforms. I was not disappointed. It was a full-dress debate with the Viceroy in the chair. The case for the Reforms was argued from every possible point of view. The support accorded to the Resolution was gratifying. The whole House with two exceptions voted in favour of it. Let me here set forth the terms of the Resolution:

(1) 'This Council thanks His Excellency the Viceroy and the Secretary of State for India for the Reform Proposals, and recognizes them as a genuine effort and a definite advance towards the progressive realization of responsible government in India.