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lation of the police and government of those districts, with a particular view to preventing extortion and the oppreffion of the lower claffes of the native in

habitants.

7. That it appears to this Committee, That, in conformity to the orders of the Court of Directors, a committee of five Members of Council was appointed, but were prevented from proceeding in the discharge of their duty by the confufions which took place during the government of Lord Pigot; and that, at the conclufion of his government in the month of Auguft, 1776, the fucceding .Governor and Council deviating from the letter of the Company's orders, by reafon of the reduction of the number of counsellors, preferved the fpirit of them, and appointed three of the Company's fervants near to the rank of counsellors, in conjunction with two Members of the Board, to fulfil the Company's orders, and gave them written inftructions in exact conformity to the Company's orders of the 12th of April, 1775.

8. That it appears to this Committee, That a letter was written by the Governor and Council of Fort Saint George, dated the 21ft of September, 1776, acquainting the Court of Directors with the necessary deviations from the Jetter of their orders, which was read before the Board of Directors on the 2d of April, 1777, whilft Sir Thomas Rumbold was a member of that Board; and that fuch deviation was not then, or at any fubfequent time, objected

to.

9. That it appears to this Committee, That, in January, 1777, a competent number of the Committee of Circuit began to carry the Company's orders into exeucution; and that, in December following, notwithstanding fome impediments which had arifen, the Prefidency determined on the vigorous profecution of that bufinefs, and proceeded to fill up the vacancies which had happened in the Committee from among the fervants of the Company inferior to the Council; which became neceffary from the ftate of the Council at that period; and that the Committee, fo conftituted, continued their investigations until foon after the arrivial of Sir Thomas Rumbold at Madras, on the 8th of February, 1778.

10. That it appears to this Committe, That Sir Thomas Rumbold, having arrived at Madras on the 8th of February, 1778, did, on the 24th of March, move the Council to difcontinue the Committee of Circuit, and to order the Zemindars of the northern Circars to repair to Madras, and there to fettle their annual tribute; Madras being fituated at the distance of about 550 miles from Vizagapatam, a place nearly in the centre of the Circars, and Ganjam, the nor thren extremity, being diftant about 720 miles; and that the measure of aboJifhing the Committee of Circuit was inftantly acceded to by the Council, without fubftituting any other mode of executing the Company's orders in its place, although Meffrs. Whitehill, Smith, Johnson, and Perring, had in December preceding expreffed their fenfe of its utility, and had therefore filled up the vacancies which had happened in that Committec.

11. That it is the opinion of this Committee, That Sir Thomas Rumbold and the Council of Fort Saint George, in diffolving the Committee of Circuit of the Jaghire lands and northren Circars, difregarded the fpirit of the or ders of the East India Company, and acted in direct oppofition to fome of its moft valuable and effential interefts; that the declared object of the Company's infructions ftill remains unattained, and the Eaft-India Company ftill unpoffeffed of

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the defired information; and that fuch mifconduct is chiefly to be imputed to the influence of Sir Thomas Rumbold.

12. That it appears to this Committee, That the calling down of the Zemindars to Madras was remonftrated against from the Eaft India Company's three fubordinate Councils of Mafulipatam, Ganjam, and Vizagapatam; who stated as their objections to the measure, that it would impede the collection of the Company's revenues, already much in arrear, and would diftrefs the Zemindars, who were both averfe to the journey, and ill able to fupport the expence of it; but that, notwithstanding this, Sir Thomas Rumbold, and the majority of his council, perfevered in the measure, and, by repeating their orders, inforced obedience to them; and that, notwithstanding thefe remonftrances, accompanied with complaints from the Zemindars themselves, feveral of them were brought down and detained at Madras for many months, and that Vifieram Rauze in particular was detained till the month of December, 1778, and that Sitteram Rauze remained there from November, 1777, to December, 1778. 13. That it appears to this Committee, That, whilft the Zemindars were at the Prefidency, the treaties for their respective cowles (or leafes) were carried on by Sir Thomas Rumbold only; and that the grounds of fuch treaties were in no inftance laid before the Council or Select Committee collectively, fo that the Eaft-India Company might have the means of forming a judgement upon them, with refpect to their duration, or the propriety of the tribute or rents referved.

14. That it appears to this Committee, That the Governor and majority of the Council of Fort Saint George did, by menaces and harsh treatment, compel Vifieram Rauze, the Rajah of Vifianagrum, to employ Sitteram Rauze as the Duan or manager of his Zemindary, in the room of Jaggernaut, a man of probity and good character; and did alfo compel him to a reconciliation, with the faid Sitteram Rauze, who appears, by the former proceedings on the records of the fettlement, to have been a man of bad reputation, and difaffected to the Company's interefts; and that Sir Thomas Rumbold was the chief promoter and adviser of the harsh and unmerited treatment of the Rajah, and that he was fupported in it by Mr. Whitehill and Mr. Perring.

15. That it is the opinion of this Committee, That the compulfive menaces made use of towards the Rajah Vifieram Rauze, and the grofs ill treatment which he received at the Prefidency, were humiliating, unjuft, and cruel in themselves, and highly derogatory to the interefts of the Eaft-India Company, and to the honour of the British nation.

16. That it appears to this Committee, That, about a month after the arrival of Sir Thomas Rumbold, the chief and Council of Vizagapatam reprefented, by a letter of the 11th of March, 1778, which was read at the Board on the 10th of April following, that they were poffeffed of undeniable proof, that 130,000 rupees had been remitted to Sitteram Rauze, then at Madras; that a farther fum of 70,000 rupees was negociating on his account; and that great oppreffion of the inhabitants of this diftri&t had been used in order to raise the fums above-mentioned.

17. That it appears to this Committee, That Sitteram Rauze contracted by bond to pay Mr. Redhead, then private Secretary to Sir Thomas Rumbold, one lack of rupees; the confideration of which was, That Mr. Redhead should ufe

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A. 1782. ufe his influence in obtaining for him the Duanfhip of Vifianagrum, a reconçiliation with his brother, a confirmation of the adoption of his fon by Vifieram Rauze, the poffeffion of the Zemindary of Ancapilly, and the restoration of the Fort of Visianagrum; all of which were obtained from the Governor and Council; and that notwithstanding the difcovery of this corruption, by means of a judicial appeal to themfelves, the Governor and Council did not take any notice of it in their correfpondence with the Court of Directors.

18. That it appears to this Committee, from a codicil annexed to Mr. Redhead's will, That Omeir-ul-Omrah had an order from his father to pay him the fum of one lack of rupees.

19. That it appears to this Committee, That Anthony Sadlier, Efq. late Chief of Mafulipatam, and now one of the Council of Fort Saint George, did, by a letter to Sir Thomas Rumbold, dated the 5th of May,, 1778, inform him of various gratuities, amounting to very large fums, ftipulated for and in part received by three of the Company's fervants, namely, Mr. Whitehill, Mr. Floyer, and Mr. Craufurd, who had preceded Mr. Sadlier in the Chieffhip of Mafulipatam, and, in proof thereof, inclofed the translation of a written account of the particulars, the original of which had been delivered to Mr. Sadlier, on his fuccecding to the Chieffhip, by the Company's Dubaih, or chief interpreter; and that Sir Thomas Rumbold did not, in his answer to an accompanying letter of the fame date, take any notice whatsoever of the Dubafh's account, nor did he, as far as appears by the evidence before this Committee, even communicate the fame to the Council at Fort Saint George, or the Court Directors.

20. That it is the opinion of this Committee, That Sir Thomas Rumbold, in thus fuppreffing Mr. Sadlier's information of the pecculation of the EaftIndia Company's fervants at Mafulipatam, both form the Council of Madras, and from the Court of Directors, greatly failed in his duty as Prefident and Governor of Fort Saint George; and alfo acted in direct breach of that part of his written covenants with the Eaft India Company, by which he expreffly engaged with all convenient speed to give notice to the Court of Directors of all deceits, abufes, and breaches of order, which he fhould know, hear of, or fufpect, with the names of the offending parties; and that, by fuch fuppreffion and concealment, he, the faid Sir Thomas Rumbold, was guilty of a -great breach of the truft repofed in him.

21. That it appears to this Committee, That by a letter of inftruction, dated the 12th of April, 1775, which ordered the establishment of a Com-mittee of Circuit of the Jaghire lands and the northern Circars, the Court of Directors expressed their sense of the good confequences which would refult from taking the Jaghire lands into the Company's immediate poffeffion, and that the Nabob fhould in no cafe rent them without agreeing to fuch arrangements as the Company should deem neceffary;, to which order it was added, That the Governor and Council might agree with the Nabob for a leafe of one year only.

22. That it appears to this Committee, That by a revenue letter from Fort Saint George to the Court of Directors, dated the 5th of February, 1778, being only three days previous to Sir Thomas Rumbold's arrival at Madras, the then President and Council of Fort Saint George informed the Company

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of their having continued the leafe of the Jaghire lands, in conformity to their repeated inftructions, for the current year only; but apologized for the measure, as doubting whether the Company might not expect to have thofe lands taken into their own immediate poffeffion, and therefore defired to have express directions upon that fubject.

23. That it appears to this Committee, That Sir Thomas Rumbold, in a Minute delivered by him to the Council at Fort Saint George, the 20th of July, 1778, obferved, That this valuable poffeffion of the Company was fhamefully neglected and oppressed by thofe employed by the Nabob in his collections; and added a recommendation to advertife the letting them from three to five years, to avoid the deftructive fyftem of letting them from year to year; that they were accordingly advertised for three, five, and ten years, on the 4th September, 1778, and that various propofals were fent by private perfons to the Board.

24. That it appears to this Committee, That in confequence of a letter from the Nabob of Arcot to Sir Thomas Rumbold, dated the 9th of September, 1778, the Select Committee on the 5th of October came tó a refolution, which was ftrongly recommended by Sir Thomas Rumbold, to grant to the Nabob a leafe of the Jaghire lands for a period of three years.

25. That it is the opinion of this Committee, That thus granting a lease of the Jaghire lands to the Nabob for three years, was in direct difobedience to the repeated positive orders of the Eaft-India Company, and contrary to the practice which before the adminiftration of Sir Thomas Rumbold had uniformly prevailed at Madras in confeqence of thofe orders; and that this disobedience is highly aggravated by the cogent reafons of convenience to the Company and of public policy, which were known to be the chief grounds of reftraining the leafe of thofe lands to the Nabob to one year only; and that Sir Thomas Rumbold, Baronet, as the principal adviser and promoter of this mcafure, and John Whitehill, Charles Smith, Samuel Johnson, and Peter Perring, Efqrs, who concurred in it, are feverally guilty of a great breach of trust, and of a high crime and mifdemeanor.

26. That it appears to this Committee, That by feveral treaties entered into by the East India Company with the Nizam of the Decan, in 1766 and 1768, it was expreffly ftipulated, as a condition of his confirming the ceffion of the northren Circars, That the Guntoor Circar fhould continue to be poffeffed by Bazalet Jung during his life, or until it were his highness's pleafure that the Company fhould take poffeffion of it.

27. That it appears to this Committee, That in the month of April, 1779 a treaty was entered into by Sir Thomas Rumbold, Baronet, with Bazalet Jung, for the immediate poffeffion of the Guntoor Circar, without the confent or knowledge of the Nizam; and that, in confequence of fuch treaty, a military Force, under the command of Colonel Harpur, was ordered to attempt a march to Adoni, the capital of Bazalet Jung's other territorries, through a part of the dominions of Hyder Ally Cawn, without his permifion.

28. That it appears to this Committee, That on the 22d of February, 1779, the Governor and Council of Fort Saint George acquainted Mr. Hollond, their minister at the Nizam's court, with the steps they had taken refpe&ting *the Guntoor Circar; who, by a letter, dated the 17th of May, informed Sir Thomas Rumbold, that the Nizam was thereby offended in a very high degree; but that fuch letter was never entered on the Company's records at

Fort

Fort Saint George, although Sir Thomas Rumbold acknowledged the receipt of it on the 10th of June, 1779.

29. That it appears to this Committee, That on the 4th of October, 1779, Sir Thomas Rumbold laid before the Select Committee of Fort Saint George a letter from the Nabob of Arcot, bearing date the 19th of September preceding, requesting to have a leafe of the Guntoor Circar for the fpace of ten years; which was carried by the votes of Sir Thomas Rumbold, Sir Hector Munro, and Mr. Whitehill, although Mr. Smith defired time only till the next committee fhould affemble, in order to form his judgment upon a point of fuch magnitude and importance.

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30. That it is the opinion of this Committee, That Sir Thomas Rumbold, Baronct, in treating with Bazalet Jung without the participation of the Nizam, in marching troops into the country of Hyder Ally Cawn without having obtained his confent, and in granting a ten years leafe of the Guntoor Circar to the Nabob of Arcot, difregarded the true intereft of the Company, by a grofs breach of folemn treaties with the Nizam, ftained the national honour, and was thereby guilty of a high crime and misdemeanor.

31. That it appears to this Committee, That on the 12th of June, 1780, the Supreme Council pofitively ordered the immediate restoration of the Guntoor Circar to Bazalet Jung; but that such restoration was by Mr. Whitehill, then Governor, and the Select Committee of Fort Saint George, deferred on frivolous pretences till the 23d of September, fubfequent to the irruption of Hyder Ally Cawn, which occafioned the fufpenfion of Mr. Whitehill from the government, by authority of the Supreme Council.

32. That it appears to this Committee, That John Whitehill, Efq. in two feveral minutes, entered by him, of record the 7th and 8th of November, 1780, on the fubject of his fufpenfion, difputed the authority of the Supreme Council, derived from an act of the legislature, and otherwife conducted himself with great difregard to legal fubordination; and that he declared, in a minute addressed to Sir Eyre Coote, that should he be difinclined to fubmit, and force were used to drive him from his honourable station, it would be a fubverfion of government, and that it would depend on his prudence and difcretion, if he should not give birth to the horrors of civil war in the Settlement, in a moment when unanimity and co-operation were effentially neceffary to the prefervation of the Carnatic, and the fafety of Madras.

33. That it is the opinion of this Committee, That John Whitehill, Esq. by not paying immediate and implicit obedience to the orders of the Supreme Council, and by his intemperate and contumacious conduct on the 7th and 8th of November, 1780, held out an alarming example of difobedience to the orders of his lawful fuperiors, and of difrefpect to the acts of the British legiflature; and was thereby guilty of a high crime and misdemeanor, aggravated by his reprefenting it as an act of forbearance in himself, if he should involve the fettlement in the horrors of a civil war.

34. That it appears to this Committee, That, according to the exprefs terms of the treaty of 1768, between the Nizam of the Decan and the East India Company, confirming the ceffion of the five northern Circars, a tribute of five lacks of rupees was payable to the Nizam of the Decan.

35. That it appears to this Committee, That by a letter written by the Select Committee of Fort Saint George to the Government, General, dated the 7th of

February

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