भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

really Responsible Government meaning thereby at least a substantial
majority in the Viceregal Council—without of course the fetish of a
Council of State kept presiding over it and mixing a curse with every
blessing the first may confer on the land—if I say a substantial majority of
the elected be granted in the Viceregal Council, and such a grant be
accompanied with a graceful and general amnesty of the P.P.s, including
the Exiles in other lands such as America and Europe—then I for one and
many whom I know, would consciously accept such a constitution as that
and would, if thought fit by our people and given a chance to do so by the
Government, work under it and try to fulfil the Mission of our life through
the council chambers, which have up to this time been bearing nothing but
ill will towards us and have spared nothing to embitter our hearts against
them and their policy. Where is the man who would run the ordeals of fire
or would tread the paths of furies with bleeding feet-for sheer amusement!
That is rare, and rarer it is to find true patriot and humanitarian, who would
indulge in reckless and bloody and necessarily outrageous revolutions—if
but and even when a safer, nobler, more certainly moral because entirely
effective and employing least resistance, if but such a path, the path of
constitutional progress be open and accessible to him? It is a to talk of
constitutional agitation where there is no constitution at all; but it is worse
than a mockery—a crime to talk of revolutions as if it was a work of Rose-
water even when there is as elastic and progressive a constitution as say
there is in England or in America.
This word for word, I wrote in October last to the Government and the
recent changes give me a hope that if properly and organisedly pressed, the
bill when it comes before the Parliament would grant us acceptable scheme.
And I would like to bring this to the notice of the Viceroy once more and
ask whether the Indian Government have come to any definite decision as
to my petition.^2 I received an answer on 1-2-18 from the Viceregal
Government that the ‘petition for the Amnesty of political prisoners’ is
being considered by the Government. After that I have reason to think that
the Government mentioned to submit the question of such a release
immediately after the war. Please do enquire directly yourselves, as it takes
a lot of cajoling—the Red Tape System for me—to enquire often.
You asked in your last letter about the advantages we reap in being
promoted to the second class; Well, going out of the jail? No! Being
allowed to keep writing material? No! Being allowed to live with or even to