Page:A General Biography of Bengal Celebrities Vol 1.djvu/50

HIS POLITICAL CAREER. 41 He is now in the zenith of his profession, highly respected by all classes of people, both European and Native. - CHAPTER III. HIS POLITICAL CAREER. We have already said in a previous chapter, that Mr. Bonnerjee had evinced a strong desire to take part in the politics of his country, long before he went to England. It was he, who with Babu Bacharam Chatterjee helped the late Babu Greesh Chunder Ghose to start the Bengalee newspaper. While, in England, he took an active part in establishing the "London Indian Society," having Mr. Dadabhoi Naoroji as its President Mr. Bonnerjee was the Secretary of this society for spme time ; and its inaugural meeting was held at the residence of Babu Gyanendra Mohun Tagore in England, in 1865. This society was after* wards amalgamated with the " East Indian Asso- ciation." It appears from the Journal of the "East Indian Association" (No. 1. for the quarter ending August 1867) that Mr. Bonnerjee delivered a long and an admirable speech on "representative and responsible Government of India," at a meeting held on the 25th July 1867, the late Sir Herbert Edwards, K.C.B. C.S.I., being in the chair, (vide page 158, Journal E. I. A.) In this able and well-reasoned speech Mr. Bonnerjee shewed that a representative form of Government was necessary alike for the permanency of the British rule in India, as well as for the welfare of his country. The -space at our disposal being too short, we remain content with the following extract from that memorable speech : — — "There is no time to discuss the particular way in which C