has taken the responsibility upon himself; nothing but the most urgent necessity could warrant the measure; nor can any thing short of full proof of such necessity, and of the propriety and utility of the extraordinary step taken on the occasion, entitle the Governour-General to the approbation of the Court of Directors; and therefore, as in the former instance, relative to the sum advanced and paid into our treasury, we must also, for the present, suspend our judgment respecting the money sent to the Berar army; without approving it in the least degree, or proceeding to censure our Governour-General for this transaction. APPENDIX B. N° 8. EXTRACT of Bengal Secret Consultations, the 9th January 1781. THE following letter from the Governour-General having been circulated, and the request therein made complied with, an order on the Treasury passed accordingly. Honourable Sir and Sirs, Having had occasion to disburse the sum of three lacks of Sicca rupees on account of secret services, services, which having been advanced from my own private cash, I request the same may be repaid to me in the following manner:-a bond to be granted me upon the terms of the second loan, bearing date from the 1st of October, for one lack of Sicca rupees a bond to be granted me upon the terms of the first loan, bearing date from the 1st October, for one lack of Sicca rupees: a bond to be granted me upon the terms of the first loan, bearing date from the 2d October, for one lack of Sicca rupees. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. (Signed) Fort William, 5th January 1781. Warren Hastings. APPENDIX B. N° 9. An ACCOUNT of Bonds granted to the Governour-General, from 1st January 1779 to 31st May 1782, with interest paid or 1,74,000 23d November1780 at 8 per cent. 1,16,000 1st D° 50,000 17th March 1781 4 per cent. D° 8 per cent. D° Do D° D° 6,76,600 There does not appear to have been any interest paid on the above Bonds to 31st May 1782, the last accounts received. In the Interest Books 1780-81, the last received, the GovernourGeneral has credit for interest on the first six to April 1781, to the amount of CR3. 21,964. 12. 8. East-India House, 5th June 1783. (Errours excepted.) Auditor of Indian Accounts. VOL. XI. B B ARTICLES ARTICLES Of Charge of High Crimes and Misdemeanors, against WARREN HASTINGS, Esquire, late Governour-General of Bengal. Presented to the House of Commons upon the 4th day of April 1786. I. ROHILLA WAR. HAT the Court of Directors of the East-India TH Company, from a just sense of the danger and odium incident to the extension of their conquests in the East Indies, and from an experience of the disorders and corrupt practices, which intrigues and negotiations to bring about revolutions among the Country Powers had produced, did positively and repeatedly direct their servants in Bengal not to engage in any offensive war whatsoever :-that the said Court laid it down as an invariable maxim, which ought ever to be maintained, that they were. to avoid taking part in the political schemes of any of the Country Princes; and did, in particular, order and direct, that they should not engage a certain prince called Sujah ul Dowla, Nabob of with Oude, Oude, and Vizier of the empire, in any operations, beyond certain limits in the said orders specially described. That Warren Hastings, Esq. then Governour of Fort-William in Bengal, did, with other members of the Council, declare his clear understanding of the true intent and meaning of the said positive and repeated orders and injunctions; did express to the Court of Directors his approbation of the policy thereof;-did declare, that he adopted the same with sincerity and satisfaction, and that he was too well aware of the ruinous tendency of all schemes of conquest, ever to adopt them, or ever to depart from the absolute line of self-defence, unless impelled to it by the most obvious necessity;-did signify to the Nabob of Oude the said orders, and his obligation to yield punctual obedience thereto; and did solemnly engage and promise to the Court of Directors, with the unanimous concurrence of the whole Council, "that no object or considera❝tion should either tempt or compel him to pass "the political line, which they (the Directors) had "laid down for his operations with the vizier;" assuring the Court of Directors, that he "scarce saw a possible advantage, which could compen"sate the hazard and expense to be incurred by a contrary conduct:"-that he did frequently repeat the same declarations, or declarations to the same effect, particularly in a letter to the Nabob himself BB 2 |
