The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke

the city, meaning Warren Hastings, to pay him annually thirty-six thousand rupees a year,
and also to his banian, Cantoo Baboo, four thousand rupees a year, out of the salary above
mentioned. That by the thirty-fifth article of the instructions given to the Governor-General
and Council, they are directed "immediately to cause the strictest inquiry to be made into all
oppressions which might have been committed either against the natives or Europeans, and
into all abuses that might have prevailed in the collection of the revenues, or any part of the
civil government of the Presidency, and to communicate to the Directors all information
which they might be able to obtain relative thereto, or to any dissipation or embezzlement
of the Company's money." That the above petition and instruction having been read in
Council, it was moved that the petitioner should be ordered to attend the next day to make
good his charge. That the said Warren Hastings declared, "that it appeared to him to be the
purpose of the majority to make him the sole object of their personal attacks; that they had
taken their line, and might pursue it; that he should have other remarks to make upon this
transaction, but, as they would be equally applicable to many others which in the course of
this business were likely to be brought before the board, he should say no more on the
subject";—and he objected to the motion. That by the preceding declaration the said Warren
Hastings did admit that many other charges were likely to be brought against him, and that
such charges would be of a similar nature to the first, viz., a corrupt bargaining for the
disposal of a great office, since he declared that his remarks on that transaction would be
equally applicable to the rest; and that, by objecting to the motion for the personal
attendance of the accuser, he resisted and disobeyed the Company's instructions, and did, as
far as depended on his power, endeavor to obstruct and prevent all inquiry into the charge.
That in so doing he failed in his duty to the Company, he disobeyed their express orders,
and did leave the charge against himself without a reply, and even without a denial, and
with that unavoidable presumption against his innocence which lies against every person

<<   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   >>

More intriguing information