An Eye for Prices, an Eye for Souls: Americans in the Indian Subcontinent, 1784-1838

摘要: Benjamin Crowninshield was dreaming about his youth. "I dream home, India, 8c indeed any thing but Washington," he wrote wife from the national capital in November 1816. Appointed Madison's Secretary of Navy two years before, found himself longing for days as a young merchant-mariner Indian Ocean. To desk-bound former captain, East Indies remained fresh and exotic world where skillful men could hone their honor engineer fortunes. In travels, had that genteel native population India included rational, like-minded individuals with whom American merchants deal on more or less equal footing. even gone so far to once give speech against sending Ameri-can missionaries India. As member Massachusetts State House Representatives, vehemently argued extending charter Board Commissioners Foreign Mis-sions 1812. Drawing lengthy experiences ports "had become acquainted amiable manners mild, much misrepresented people," proclaimed seat Indians were "perfectly satisfied own reli-gion, + wanted no change." Striking surprisingly modern pose intercultural respect, "the manners, address learning principal among Hindoos" comparable "those who it contemplated send out instruct them." What more, "there those them exam-ined our religion-f familiar its doctrines."1Crowninshield may have been one tolerant generation, not alone; many other made landfall locales first twenty independence managed disentangle themselves prejudice, at least enough do business. This especially case South Asia, officers merchantmen dealt extensively upper class Indi-ans. Desirous enjoying financial success, sea arrived willingness set aside cultural, religious, racial differences. While all readily relinquished suspicions when dealing Indians, needed build up personal rapport businessmen order be successful. Although these relationships ranged friendly respectful condescending patronizing, constructed varying degrees trust, familiarity, cultural sensitivity. (See Fig-ure l.)2The golden age trade lasted only few decades; after War 1812, shifting domestic economy new legislation jettisoned most persistent business entirely. 1810s, America's predominant vision denizens began change gradually came replace mer-chants dominant travelers early republic. Their characterization civilization dark, diabolic, bar-baric differed dramatically mercantile predecessors. By casting spiritual saviors pagan pro-lific missionary press, evangelicals forged new, supercilious paradigm non-Christian antebellum Americans.3The historians followed Americans venturing into Brit-ish missed this crucial transformation. Most dwelt either merchant-mariners missionaries, both. G. Bhagat, pioneering work, India: 1784-1860, com-bined both commercial analysis. Yet by focusing mainly captains, Bhagat also explicitly left story, finding "discussion contacts would require separate volume." Susan S. Bean carried Bhagat's work further, arguing her Yankee Commercial Cultural Encounters Age Sail, abroad subcontinent formed own, uniquely reflected values well realities. …