tined to be the original founders of the projected colony, together with an amply supply of provisions, plantation tools, and stores of every kind for their comfortable settlement*. At the close of this session, the Speaker enumerated to the King several of the measures which had engaged attention; particularly the promising state of the finances, and the aid which had been granted to the Prince of Wales. The King acknowledged, with thanks, the liberality of Parliament; but his speech contained no matter that could be considered new or striking, except an allusion to troubles prevailing in Holland, at which, as a friend and well-wisher to the Republic, he expressed real concern. Accounts of this Voyage were published by Governor Phillip, Captain Hunter, John White, Esq. Surgeon-general, and some others. The narrations are all interesting, and, for information in natural history and other particulars, very valuable. It is worthy of remark, that this voyage, which then occupied more than ten months, can now be accomplished in four. СНАР. LX. 1787. Close of the session. CHAPTER THE SIXTY-FIRST. 1784-1787. Affairs of India.-Efforts to restore order.-Mr. Hastings goes to Lucknow-wretched condition of the country.-State of Shah Allum.-Mr. Hastings retires from the government. Succeeded by Mr. Macpherson.-Meeting at Calcutta on Mr. Pitt's act.-Petitions against the new judicature.--The government offered to Lord Macartney.-Lord Cornwallis appointed.-Motion in Parliament to amend Mr. Pitt's act -opposed by Mr. Dundas-and lost.-Mr. Dundas brings in a bill-observations of Mr. Burke.—Amendment moved by Mr. Sheridan to divide the bill into two-adopted.— Debates in the Lords-the bills passed.-Lord Cornwallis goes to India.-Debts of the Nabob of Arcot-directed to be paid without deduction. Mr. Fox's motion on the subject-celebrated speech of Mr. Burke.-Motions in the House of Lords.-Departure of Mr. Hastings from Indiahonours paid him-he writes a narrative.-Opinions respecting him pronounced in Parliament at the India House. Mr. Burke's motion respecting Almas Ali Khan.—Papers moved for by Mr. Francis.-- Mr. Burke moves for papers preparatory to his charges against Mr. Hastings-observations of several members - papers granted.- Mr. Burke proposes to examine witnesses at the bar-produces twenty-two charges.- Copies allowed to Mr. Hastings.-His answer to the charges witnesses examined.- Mr. Burke moves the first charge which is rejected.—Mr. Fox moves the second.-Mr. Pitt declares in favour of the motion-impeachment voted.-Oude charges.-Mr. Sheridan's celebrated speech.--Impeachment on this charge voted. Further proceedings.- Other charges moved by other members. Proceedings reported-Committee ap pointed to frame charges.-Impeachment prosecuted at the bar of the House of Lords by Mr. Burke.-Mr. Hastings held to bail.--Observations on the conduct of Mr. Pitt.Situation of Mr. Francis.-Motion for impeaching Sir Elijah Impey. He defends himself.-Motion rejected. CHAP. LXI. 1784. PUBLIC attention was powerfully attracted, during the last few years, to the affairs of India; the earnestness with which they were debated in Parliament having added much to the interest, which, from their Affairs of intrinsic importance, they were calculated to create. India. store order. When peace with Tippoo had restored tranquillity Efforts to reto the British possessions, the first care of the Governorgeneral was to resume the operations which had been suspended; to reanimate industry, and revive prosperity. The state of Oude, in particular, called for attention; daily robberies and murders were perpetrated; no regular courts of justice had been established; the attempt which had been made to form a police was unsuccessful, the office of its chief had fallen into contempt; the subordinate functionaries were destitute of pay; and plunder and assassination raged without controul*. Mr. Hastings 1784. Invested by the Council with full powers to remove abuses and redress grievances, Mr. Hastings proceeded goes to to Lucknow, where he found the reality far more dis- Lucknow. tressing than even the gloomy picture which had in- Feb. 14. duced him to undertake the journey. A bad season, Wretched occasioned by the failure of the periodical rains, had condition of exhausted the country; the beds of rivers sent forth the country. clouds of dust; the roots of the former herbage were dried up, and the only relief from this general desolation was, where fields of grain, irrigated by means of incessant labour, presented a view of present verdure, and a hope of future supply. But, although the pressure of misery occasioned many complaints, Mr. Hastings felt no alarm for the future: relying on the gratitude and unbounded confidence of the Nabob, he * Proceedings, &c. against Warren Hastings, Esq. vol. i. p. 344. CHAP. 1784. 11th April. State of Shah anticipated success as the final result of his measures. He continued engaged in operations of finance, retrenchment, and regulation*, when his attention was arrested by what he termed "an uncommon phenomenon." This was, the appearance at Lucknow of the prince Jewan Buklit, eldest son of Shah Allum, and who had held the most active post in the small remainder of his administration. He had lived at Delhi in a state of comparative affluence, and even splendour; but the condition of his father, who was, in fact, a captive, the passive instrument by which the will of others acquired the stamp of authority, although entirely repugnant to his own, and who was kept in a state of abject penury, impelled this virtuous prince to give up the comforts of his own station, and, by escaping clandestinely, to incur the dangers attending a recapture, that he might solicit the intervention of the Nabob Vizier and the English government. He obtained an interview with the Governor-general; but the state of the finances, the necessity of repose, and the other usual apologies for withholding succour, were alleged, and the Prince gained no benefit to his father by his generous effort†. Shah Allum was, in fact, a person to whom no beneficial aid could be effectually extended: apathy and indolence made him incapable of retrieving his affairs; his mind fluctuated between occasional bursts of obstinate and immovable self-will, and an implicit and helpless submission to the dictates of others; a temper which can neither conciliate affection, nor enforce respect. Had he been differently constituted, he might have risen high among the powers of India. His name, his family, assured a certain degree of estimation, and his rights were acknowledged by all, although none espoused them. Of three persons who had lately assumed the administration of his affairs, two had been assassinated, and his total subjection was completed by Madajee Scindiah, who obtained for the Peishwa the royal grant (for the degraded monarch Letter from Warren Hastings, Esq. to the Court of Directors, dated 30th April, 1784. + See Papers on the Trial of Warren Hastings, vol. ii. p. 1234 to 1252. was still made to execute powers injurious to himself) of the office of Wakeel Muttaluk, a dignity of special appointment, and rarely known in the annals of the house of Timour*. CHAP. LXI. 1784. Mr. Hastings ment. Soon after the return of the Governor-general to Nov. 4th. Calcutta, his authority terminated. A year and eight retires from months had elapsed since he had written to the Court his governof Directors, tendering his resignation, leaving a sufficient interval for the appointment of a successor; but to this intimation no attention was paid. About the time of his departure for Lucknow, a rumour was circulated from Madras that he had been dismissed with disgrace; but time dispelled the illusion. Mr. Hastings himself again wrote to the Directors, reminding them Nov. 22. of his former application, and announcing his resolution to quit the government in the following spring. Until his final departure, he employed himself in giving effect to the regulations and plans he had previously Feb. 8. devised‡. son. 1785. As senior member of the council, and not by any Succeeded by express appointment, Mr. Macpherson, succeeded to Mr. Macpherthe vacated chair. The brief period of his government affords no event of a striking historical character; his attention was chiefly directed to the improvement of finance, an operation for which he was well qualified by the experience gained in an administration of nineteen years. His government was expected to be short; but it was protracted by occurrences both in India and at home. At the time of Mr. Hastings's departure for Lucknow, the existence of Mr. Fox's India bill was not known. Intelligence of the changes intended by it was speedily succeeded Meetings in by Mr. Pitt's act; a measure which, although generally Calcutta on considered beneficial, was, in one respect, the cause of great dissatisfaction. The clause for establishing a new and unheard-of tribunal in England, for the trial of offences committed in India, appeared peculiarly July 25, oppressive; and the Sheriff of Calcutta, on the requisi Hastings's Review of the State of Bengal, p. 96. + 20th March, 1783. See Review of the State of Bengal, p. i.-Mill, vol. iv p. 441. Mr. Pitt's act. |