E-Book - Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi – His Life & Timesequals... But if you cannot see your way to deal with these evils and if myletter makes no appeal to your heart, on the eleventh day of this month I shallproceed with such co-workers of the Ashram as I can take, to disregard theprovisions of the Salt Laws... It is, I know, open to you to frustrate my designby arresting me. I hope that there will be tens of thousands ready, in adisciplined manner, to take up the work after me...If you care to discuss matters with me, and if to that end you would like me topostpone publication of this letter, I shall gladly refrain on receipt of atelegram...This letter is not in any way intended as a threat but is a simple and sacredduty peremptory on a civil resister. Therefore I am having it specially deliveredby a young English friend who believes in the Indian cause...I remain,Your sincere friend,M. K. GandhiThe messenger was Reginald Reynolds, a British Quaker who later wrote a bookon beards. Clad in khadi and a sun helmet, he entered the Viceroy's house anddelivered the letter to Irwin who had flown back from the polo matches atMeerut to receive it.Irwin chose not to reply. His secretary sent a four-line acknowledgementsaying, 'His Excellency... regrets to learn that you contemplate a course ofaction which is clearly bound to involve violation of the law and danger to thepublic peace.'This law-and-order note, which disdained to deal with matters of justice andpolicy, caused Gandhi to say, 'On bended knee I asked for bread and I receivedstone instead.' Irwin refused to see Gandhi. Nor did he have him arrested. 'Thegovernment', Gandhi declared, 'is puzzled and perplexed.' It was dangerous notto arrest the rebel, and dangerous to arrest him.www.mkgandhi.org Page 302