The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke

myself to write in such plain and declaratory terms, without a clear insight into all the
consequences of it, and a fixed determination upon them."

LXX. That the aforesaid being the tenure of the power of the said minister, and such his
character, as given by the said Warren Hastings himself, who did originally compel the
Nabob to receive him, who did constantly support him against the Nabob, his master, as
well as against the Company's Resident,—the delivering over to such a person his master,
his family, his country, and the care of the British interests therein, without control or
public inspection, was an high crime and misdemeanor.

LXXI. That the next person whom the said Hastings did invest with power in the said
country was a certain opulent and powerful native manager of revenue, called Almas Ali
Khân, closely connected with the said Hyder Beg Khân, and to whom the said Hyder Beg
Khân, as the said Hastings has admitted, "had intrusted the greatest part of his revenues,
without any pledge or security for his fidelity." And afterwards the said Hastings charges
the said Almas Ali with an intention of removing from the Nabob's dominions: he states,
"as taking with him," and therefore being possessed of, "an immense treasure, the fruits of
his embezzlements and oppressions, and an army raised for its protection."

LXXII. That the said Warren Hastings was, or pretended to be, impressed with the evil
character, dangerous designs, and immoderate power of the said Almas Ali; that he did
insert among his instructions to the Resident Bristow an order of a dangerous and
unwarrantable nature, in which, upon his, the said Hastings's, simple allegation of offences,
not accurately described or specified, with regard either to the fact, the nature of the
offence, or the proof, he was required to urge the Nabob to put him to death, with many
qualifications in the said instructions, full of fraud and duplicity, calculated to insnare the

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