Speeches and Addresses of His Highness Sayaji Rao III Maharaja of Baroda

I have merely mentioned a few instances to show what work is being done in the Native States of India and to acknowledge with sincere gratitude the encouragement and approbation of the public and rsponsible statesmen of India and England in respect of our humble efforts in our States to follow in the wake of the mighty British nation in the work of beneficence. [...] In the interest of efficient government and with the utmost solicitude for the good of the Empire I am prompted to suggest to the British Goverment that the ancient privileges be now fully restored to their Friends and Allies of old. [...] Let me rmind Your Highness that at the time of the inauguration of the Reforms Scheme in British India the position of the Ruling Princes and the Indian States was most carefully and scrupulously considered ; and the sanctity of treaties and the intention to preserve and maintain the rights and privileges of the Indian Princes was specially and solemnly reaffirmed by His Majesty the King-Emper [...] At the same time without prejudice to the relations susisting between the Paramount Power and each individual 727State the Ruling Princes as a body by the institution of the Chamber of Princes were given an opportunity of taking a wider part in the destinies of India and the Empire by offering counsel in questions affecting the States as a whole or the States in British India and by associati [...] One has to study environments the history of the past the events of the present and the possibilities of the future.