the state of the country, and the anarchy and confusion that prevailed in it; and that when the nabob did write, his assertions were contrary to the real state of things. Now this irregular correspondence, which he carried on at Lucknow, and which gave him, as he pretends, this contradictory information, was, as your lordships will see, nothing more nor less than a complete fraud.

Your lordships will next observe, that he tells the vakeel his reason for turning him out was, that he had been patronized by other gentlemen. This was true; but they had a right to patronize him; and they did not patronize him from private motives, but in direct obedience to the order of the court of directors. He then adds the assurance which he had received from Mr. Bristow, that he would be perfectly obedient to him, Mr. Hastings, in future; and he goes on to tell the vakeel, that he knew the vizier was once well pleased with him (Mr. Bristow), and that his formal complaints against him were written at the instigation of Mr. Middle

ton.

Here is another discovery, my lords. When he recalled Mr. Bristow, he did it under the pretence of its being desired by the nabob of Oude; and that consequently he would not keep at the nabob's court a man that was disagreeable to him. Yet, when the thing comes to be opened, it appears that Mr. Middleton had made the nabob, unwillingly, write a false letter. This subornation of falsehood appears also to have been known to Mr. Hastings. Did he, either as the natural guardian and protector of the reputation of his fellow servants, or as the official administrator of the laws of his country, or as a faithful servant of the company, ever call Mr. Middleton to an account for it? No, never. То every body, therefore, acquainted with the characters and circumstances of the parties concerned, the conclusion will appear evident, that he was himself the author of it; but your lordships will find there is no end of his insolence and duplicity.

He next tells the vakeel, that the reason, why he postponed the mission of Mr. Bristow to Lucknow, was lest the people of Lucknow should think he had obtained his appointment in consequence of orders from Europe, and contrary to the governor's inclination. You see, my lords, he would have the people of the country believe, that they are to receive the person appointed resident not as appointed by the company, but in consequence of his being under Mr. Hastings's particular patronage; and to remove from them any suspicion, that the resident would obey the orders of the court of directors, or any orders but his own, he proceeds in the manner I have read to your lordships.

You see here the whole machinery of the business; he removes Mr. Bristow, contrary to the orders of the court of directors. Why? Because, says he to the court of directors, the nabob complained of him, and desired it. He here says, that he knew the nabob did not desire it, but that the letter of complaint really and substantially was Mr. Middleton's. Lastly, as he recalls Mr. Bristow, so he wishes him to be called back in the same fictitious and fraudulent manner. This system of fraud proves that there is not one letter from that country, not one act of this vizier, not one act of his ministers, not one act of his ambassadors, but what is false and fraudulent. And now think, my lords, first of the slavery of the company's servants subjected in this manner to the arbitrary will and corrupt frauds of Mr. Hastings! Next think of the situation of the princes of the country, obliged to complain without matter of complaint; to approve without satisfaction, and to have all their correspondence fabricated by Mr. Hastings at Calcutta!

But, my lords, it was not indignities of this kind alone. that the native princes suffered from this system of fraud and duplicity. Their more essential interests and those of the people were involved in it; it pervaded and poisoned the whole mass of their internal government.

Who was the instrument employed in all this double deal

ing? Gobind Ram, the vizier's diplomatic minister at Calcutta. Suspicions perpetually arise in his mind, whether he is not cheated and imposed upon. He could never tell when he had Mr. Hastings fixed upon any point. He now finds him recommending Mr. Middleton, and then declaring that Mr. Middleton neglects the duty of his office, and gives him, Gobind Ram, information that is fraudulent, and directly contrary to the truth. He is let into various contradictory secrets, and becomes acquainted with innumerable frauds, falsehoods, and prevarications. He knew that the whole pretended government of Oude was from beginning to end a deception; that it was an imposture for the purpose of corruption and peculation. Such was the situation of the nabob's vakeel. The nabob himself was really at a loss to know who had and who had not the governor's confidence ; whether he was acting in obedience to the orders of the court of directors, or whether their orders were not always to be disobeyed. He thus writes to Gobind Ram, who was exactly in the same uncertainty.

"As to the commands of Mr. Hastings, which you write. on the subject of the distraction of the country, and the want of information from me, and his wishes that, as Mr. John Bristow has shown sincere wishes and attachment to Mr. Hastings, I should write for him to send Mr. John Bristow ; it would have been proper and necessary for you privately to have understood what were Mr. Hastings's real intentions. Whether the choice of sending Mr. John Bristow was his own desire, or whether it was in compliance with Mr. Macpherson's; that I might then have written conformably thereto; writings are now sent to you for both cases. Haying privately understood the wishes of Mr. Hastings, deliver whichever of the writings he should order you, for I study Mr. Hastings's satisfaction; whoever is his friend is mine, and whoever is his enemy is mine; but in both these cases, my wishes are the same; that having consented to the paper of questions which Major Davy carried with him, and hav

ing given me the authority of the country, whomever he may afterwards appoint, I am satisfied; I am now brought to great distress by these gentlemen, who ruin me; in case of consent, I am contented with Majors Davy and Palmer. Hereafter, whatever may be Mr. Hastings's desire, it is best."

Here is a poor, miserable instrument, confessing himself to be such, ruined by Mr. Hastings's public agents, Mr. Middleton and Mr. Johnson; ruined by his private agents, Major Davy and Major Palmer; ruined equally by them all; and at last declaring in a tone of despair, "If you have a mind really to keep Major Davy and Major Palmer here, why I must consent to it. Do what you please with me; I am your creature; for God's sake, let me have a little rest.”

Your lordships shall next hear what account Hyder Beg Khân, the vizier's prime minister, gives of the situation in which he and his master were placed.

Extract of a Letter from Hyder Beg Khân; received 21st April, 1785.

"I hope that such orders and commands as relate to the friendship between his highness and the company's governments and to your will, may be sent through Major Palmer, in your own private letters, or in your letters to the major, who is appointed from you at the presence of his highness, that, in obedience to your orders, he may properly explain your commands, and whatever affair may be settled, he may first secretly inform you of it; and afterwards his highness may, conformably thereto, write an answer, and I also may represent it. By this system, your pleasure will always be fully made known to his highness, and his highness and we will execute whatever may be your orders, without deviating a hair's breadth; and let not the representations of interested persons be approved of, because his highness makes no opposition to your will; and I, your servant, am ready in obedience and service, and I make no excuses."

Now, my lords, was there ever such a discovery made of the arcana of any public theatre? You see here behind the ostensible scenery all the crooked working of the machinery developed, and laid open to the world. You now see by what secret movement the master of the mechanism has conducted the great Indian opera, an opera of fraud, deceptions, and harlequin tricks. You have it all laid open before you. The ostensible scene is drawn aside; it has vanished from your sight. All the strutting signors, and all the soft signoras, are gone; and instead of a brilliant spectacle of descending chariots, gods, goddesses, sun, moon, and stars, you have nothing to gaze on but sticks, wire, ropes, and machinery. You find the appearance all false and fraudulent; and you see the whole trick at once. All this, my lords, we owe to Major Scott's trunk, which, by admitting us behind the scene, has enabled us to discover the real state of Mr. Hastings's government in India. And can your lordships believe, that all this mechanism of fraud, prevarication, and falsehood, could have been intended for any purpose but to forward that robbery, corruption, and peculation, by which Mr. Hastings has destroyed one of the finest countries upon earth! Is it necessary, after this, for me to tell you, that you are not to believe one word of the correspondence stated by him to have been received from India? This discovery goes to the whole matter of the whole government of the country. You have seen what that government was, and by and by you shall see the effects of it.

Your lordships have now seen this trunk of Mr. Scott's producing the effects of Aladdin's lamp; of which your lordships may read in books much more worthy of credit than Mr. Hastings's correspondence. I have given all the credit of this precious discovery to Mr. Scott's trunk; but, my lords, I find that I have to ask pardon for a mistake, in supposing the letter of Hyder Beg Khân to be a part of Mr. Hastings's correspondence. It comes from another quarter, not much less singular, and equally authentic and unimpeachable. But