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who were working for the uplift of their country to co-operate with the Government for its realization. We of the Indian Association at once set to work. We issued a circular letter, and we sent round delegates inviting the rate-payers of our mofussil towns to move the Government for the re-organization of their municipalities upon a popular and elective basis. I myself visited various parts of Bengal, including Bhagalpore, Monghyr (now in Behar), Rajshahi, Bogra and Pabna. Public meetings were held in these places, at which I spoke. Our delegates visited many other centres in the interior. In those days there was no Criminal Investigation Department and the police did not think that it was a part of their duty to dog the footsteps and watch the movements of political workers. Our work was therefore easy; and our countrymen everywhere received us with open arms.
Political work in the mofussil was then a new thing, and the new-born enthusiasm for political progress that we were able to evoke in the most distant parts of the province is one of the most pleasant and enduring reminiscences of my life. Everywhere the Bar lent us firm support, and the zemindars hardly ever failed us. The truth is that political work in those early days was not regarded with suspicion by the official classes; and the people, left to their own impulses and unhampered by the spirit of Non-co-operation, did their duty. Of course, it was impossible to visit every town or to send delegates to every considerable place in Bengal. From such places as we could not visit we obtained written opinions on the subject of Local Self-government. Having thus ascertained the views of the country on the Viceroy’s proposals, we drafted a memorial and convened a public meeting at the Town Hall.
We took advantage of this demonstration to thank the Viceroy for the repeal of the Vernacular Press Act, and to press for the abolition of the Arms Act. I moved the resolution on the subject of Local Self-government, which was in these terms:
‘That this Meeting feels deeply grateful to His Excellency the Viceroy, for his recent Resolution, which seeks to confer upon the people of this country the inestimable boon of Local Self-government; and ventures to express its earnest and confident hope that the measures adopted by His Excellency for the purpose will be of such a character as to secure a fair and satisfactory working of the scheme. And with this view this Meeting would respectfully beg to make the following recommendations: (1) That the constitution of the Local Boards and of the Municipalities should be
based on the elective system; (2) that their Chairman should be an officer