Indian Speeches (1907-1909) is a collection of speeches by John Morley, the British Secretary of State for India from 1905 to 1910. The speeches were delivered during a period of great political and social change in India, and they reflect Morley's views on the British Empire, Indian nationalism, and the future of India. In his speeches, Morley argued that the British Empire was a force for good in the world, and that it had a responsibility to help its colonial subjects develop their own cultures and institutions. He also argued that Indian nationalism was a natural and positive development, and that the British should work with Indian nationalists to build a more democratic and just India. Morley's speeches were controversial at the time, and they continue to be debated today. However, they are an important historical record of a critical period in the history of British India.
John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn (1838-1923), was a prominent British Liberal statesman, writer, and newspaper editor. Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, Morley began his career as a journalist and editor, working for the Pall Mall Gazette. He entered politics as a Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party in 1883. Throughout his political career, Morley held several important positions, including Chief Secretary for Ireland, Secretary of State for India, and Lord President of the Council. In his later years, Morley played a significant role in the passage of the Parliament Act 1911, which curtailed the powers of the House of Lords. However, he resigned from the Liberal cabinet in 1914 due to his opposition to British entry into World War I as an ally of Russia. In his memoirs, titled "Recollections," Morley expressed his thoughts on old and new liberalism, criticizing the policies of the Liberal Party in power at the time. At the age of 84, Lord Morley passed away from heart failure at his house in Flowermead, Wimbledon Park, south London, on September 23, 1923, the day the viscountcy was abolished. His remains were interred in Putney Vale Cemetery after being cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.
