The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke

the same, and did himself understand it to be his duty so to do, and that he was therein
warranted by the spirit of the treaty of Chunar, as well as by other universal powers of
control, and even of supersession, supposed by him to exist in the relation between the
British government and that of Oude; and accordingly he did, in his instructions to the
Resident Middleton, to which he required his most implicit obedience, direct him to an
interference in and control upon all the affairs concerning the revenues, the military
arrangements, and all the other branches of the Nabob's government.

LIII. That, upon his recall of the said Middleton, he, in his instructions to the Resident
Bristow, dated 23d of October, 1781 [1782?], did at large set forth the situation of the court
and government of Oude, the situation and character of the Nabob, of the acting minister,
and of the British Resident at that court, and did plainly, distinctly, and without reserve,
describe the extent of the authority to be exercised by the last of these persons, as well as
the unqualified compliance to be expected from the two former. And he did accordingly
declare, that, "from the nature of our connection with the government of Oude, and from the
Nabob's incapacity, a necessity will forever exist, while we have the claim of a subsidy
upon the resources of his country, of exercising an influence, and frequently substituting it
ENTIRELY in the place of an avowed and constitutional authority, in the administration of
his [the Nabob's] government"; and he did further in the said instructions, namely, in
instruction the fourth, direct the said Resident in the words following: "I must have recourse
to you for the introduction of a new system in that government; nor can I omit, whilst I
express my reliance on you for that purpose, to repeat the sentiments which I expressed in
the verbal instructions which I gave you at your departure, that there can be no medium in
the relation between the Resident and the minister, but either the Resident must be the slave
and vassal of the minister, or the minister at the absolute disposal of the Resident." And he,

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