Mahatma Gandhi, his life, writings and speeches/Speech at the Madras Law Dinner
MADRAS LAW DINNER
[Speech delivered by Mr. M. K. Gandhi on the occasion of "Madras Law Dinner" held at Madras on 24th April, 1915, under the presidency of the Advocate-General]:—
My Lord Chief Justice, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen:—During my three months' tour in India, as also in South Africa, I have been so often questioned how I, a determined opponent of modern civilisation, and avowed patriot, could reconcile myself to loyalty to the British Empire of which India was such a large part, how it was possible for me to find it consistent that India and England could work together for mutual benefit. It gives me the greatest pleasure this evening at this great and important gathering to re-declare my loyalty to the British Empire, and my loyalty is based upon very selfish grounds. As a passive resister I discovered that he has to make good his claim to passive resistance, no matter under what circumstances he finds himself, and I find that the British Empire had certain ideals, with which I have fallen in love, and one of these ideals is that every subject of the British Empire has the freest scope possible for his energies and for whatever he thinks is due to his conscience, I think that this is true of the British Empire, as it is not true of any other Government that we see. I feel, as you have, perhaps, known that I am no lover of any Government, and I have more than once said that the Government is best which governs that least; and I have found that it is possible for me to be governed least under the British Empire hence my loyalty to the British throne.