A. Letter to the Court 
 of Directors of the filast- 
 India Company. 
 
 by 
 pen Hastings
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 AT LOS ANGELES
 
 A 
 
 L E T T E R 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 Court of Directors 
 
 O T H E 
 
 EAST-INDIA COMPANY 
 
 FROM 
 
 WARREN HASTINGS, Efq. 
 Governor-General of Bengal. 
 
 Dated, Fort-William, March 20, 1783. 
 
 LONDON: 
 Printed for GEORGE ROBINSON, in 
 
 f PATER-NOSTERROW. 
 
 MDCCLXXXIU.
 
 J3S 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 9 i ^ H E following LETTER was read 
 -*- on the 23d inftant at a General 
 
 Court of Proprietors. The gentlemen 
 who were prefent wifhed it might be 
 < publifhed 5 to which there can be no ob- 
 
 OD 
 
 ~ jection, becaufe a copy if it lies at the 
 
 India-Houfe for every body to perufe. 
 
 For the better underftanding the Letter, 
 
 5 it has been thought proper to print, from 
 
 S the Reports of the S cleft Committee, 
 
 fuch parts of the Company's General 
 
 Letter as are alluded to by Mr, Haftings. 
 
 London, 
 J September 27, 1783. 
 
 4 
 
 i 
 
 A z. EX- 
 
 354
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 EXTRACTS 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 GENERAL LETTER to BENGAL, 
 
 Dated the 28th of Auguft, 1782. 
 
 OUR proceedings, refpe6ling' 
 
 Mr * Francis Fowke ' are really 
 furprifing to us. Mr. Fowke's 
 firft appointment, to be Refident 
 at Bcnaris, was in Auguft, 1775. 
 He was recalled from thence in Auguft, 1776, 
 and Mr. Graham appointed to fucceed him. 
 
 Our
 
 Our orders, however of the goth of January, 
 1778, were pofuive for his reftoration , but 
 they were rendered ineffectual by your refolu- 
 tion, in July, 1778, to fufpend the execution 
 of them. In May, 1779, we repeated the or- 
 ders refpecting Mr. Fowke; and, in confe- 
 quence thereof, Mr. Fowke was again appointed 
 to proceed to Benaris. But judge of our afto- 
 nifliment, to find that, in January, 1/81, in 
 contempt of our authority, Mr. Fowke was 
 once more removed from his ftation at Benaris. 
 So far from a charge having been brought a- 
 gainft him, on which ground alone his removal 
 could be juftified, we find his conduct approved 
 and his character efteemed ; and, in lieu of the 
 ftation from which he is thus removed, another po- 
 fitive order of the Company was broken through, 
 by his being appointed agent for the provifion of 
 boats to be employed for the military fervice of 
 your establishment, with a comrnifTion of 1 5 per 
 cent, upon his difburfements, and an allowance 
 given him of rupees, 1000 per month, until the 
 expiration of the then-fubfifting contract. 
 
 Without
 
 c 7 
 
 Without pretending to difapprove of the 
 conduct of Mr. Markham, who was ap- 
 pointed to fuccccd Mr. Fowke at Benaris, 
 but merely to vindicate the authority of the 
 Court of Directors, we hereby direct, that Mr. 
 Fowke do immediately refume his ftation at Be- 
 naris. As to the boat-agency, that appoint- 
 ment muft be immediately annulled, and the 
 bufmefs performed by contract, in the manner 
 repeatedly laid down for your guidance. 
 
 Equally extraordinary and unwarrantable 
 have been your proceedings refpecting Mr. John 
 Briftow. He was appointed Refident at Owde, 
 in December, 1774. In December, 1776, he 
 was recalled, without the fhadow of a charge 
 being exhibited againft him. By our letter, of 
 the 4th of July, 1777, we fignified our difap- 
 probaiion of the proceedings againft Mr. Brif- 
 tow, and directed that he mould be reftored to 
 his ftation, which direction we confirmed by 
 our fubfequent letter of the 23d of December,, 
 
 1787.
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 1778. Mr. Briftow arrived in India in Febru- 
 ary, 1780 ; and, in October in the fame year, 
 i was refolved, by your Board, that Mr. Brif- 
 tow fhould return to Owde, but that his ap- 
 pointment (hould be limired folely to the; con- 
 duct of political negotiations, Mr. Middleton 
 being, at the fame time, nominated to fettle 
 pecuniary matters with the Vizier. On the 2lft 
 of May, 178'!, upon receiving a letter from 
 the Vizier, exprtfllng a dcfire that Mr. Briftow 
 fhould be removed from his court, he was a- 
 gain recalled. -Bur, vuthv! ut entering into the 
 confideration of this matter, and in order to 
 vindicate our authority, We do hereby pofi- 
 tively direct, that Mr. Briftow do forthwith 
 proceed to Owde, in the ftation of our Refident 
 there. We do not mean in the leaft to reflect 
 on the character and ability of Mr. Middleton, 
 who muft be immediately recalled from thence ; 
 but ic is a duty incumbent on us thus to main- 
 tain the refpeftdue to the orders of the Court 
 of Directors. You are likewife to obferve, that 
 We mall not fuffer any other perfon to proceed to 
 Owde for the management of the finance; one 
 per Ton being, in our opinion, fufficient to 
 tranfact our bufinefs there, as principal in both 
 
 . departments ;
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 departments j aid we expect our orders, re- 
 fpeding the fucceflion to that Refidency, to be 
 fully complied with. 
 
 The proceedings of your government, re 
 fpecting Rajah Cheit Sing, have been, for fome 
 time, under our ferious confideration. Our en- 
 quiry commenced with the death of Sujah 
 Dowlah, in 1 775; when the Governor-general 
 and Council concluded a treaty with his fuccef- 
 for, by which the Zemeendarry of Benaris, 
 with its dependencies, was furrendered, in per* 
 petuity, to the Company. 
 
 Previous to the conclufion of the before- 
 mentioned treaty, we find that, on the 1 3th of 
 Februay, 1775, the Governor-general pro- 
 pofed, that each member of the Board mould 
 deliver in his fentiments of the conditions to b* 
 required or acceded to for the new treaty. This 
 was accordingly done ; and, on the opinions 
 then delivered, the Governor-general propofed, 
 that the perpetual and independent pofTefTion of 
 ' v B the
 
 the Zemeendarry of Benaris, and its dependen- 
 cies, be confirmed and guaranteed to Rajah 
 Cheit Sing and his heirs for ever ; fubject only 
 to the annual payment of the revenue hitherto 
 paid to the late Vizier, amounting to Benaris 
 Sicca rupees 23,71,656 12 ; that no other de- 
 mand be made upon him, either by the Nabob 
 of Owde or your government ; nor any kind of 
 authority or jurifdiction exercifed by either 
 within the dominions afligned him. The Go- 
 vernor-general's obfervations on this propofition 
 are as follow : " The Rajah of Benaris, from 
 " the fituation of his country,which is a frontier 
 " both to the provinces of Owde and Bahar, 
 " may be made a ferviceable ally to the Com- 
 " pany, whenever their affairs mall require it. 
 " He has always been confidered in this light, 
 *' both by the Company and the fucceffive 
 " members of the late Council j but, to enfure 
 " his attachment to the Company, his intereft 
 *' mult be connected with it, which cannot be 
 " better effected than by freeing him totally 
 " from the remains of his prefent vaflalageun- 
 " der the guarantee and protection of the Com- 
 ** pany, and, at the fame time, guarding him 
 againft any apprchenfions from this govern- 
 
 < ment,
 
 ( II ) 
 
 " ment, by thus pledging its faith that no 
 " encroachments (hall be made on his rights by 
 " the Company." 
 
 On the 3d of March, the Board refume the 
 confideration of the bufinefs, and the Governor- 
 general propofes the following queftions : 
 " Whether it (hall be made a condition of the 
 " new treaty, that Rajah Cheit Sing (hall exer- 
 " cife a free and independent authority in his 
 " own dominions, fubject only to the payment 
 " of his tribute ?" 
 
 This queftion was refolved in the affirma- 
 tive. 
 
 Every preliminary being fettled with the Vi- 
 zier, and the treaty executed, the Governor- 
 general, on the 1 2th of June, 1775, laid be- 
 fore the Board a minute, with obfervations, 
 refpefting the arrangements to be made with Ra- 
 jah Cheit Sing, in which he declares his readi- 
 nefs to acquiefce in any plan which may be pro- 
 pofed, on terms by which more effectual provi- 
 fion may be made for the intereft of the Com- 
 B 2
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 pany, without an encroachment on the juft 
 rights of the Rajah or the engagements a<5lu- 
 ally fubfifting with him. He propofes, that 
 Cheit Sing (hall pay to the Company, in equal 
 monthly payments, the yearly revenue of 
 22,48,449 Sonaut rupees ; that he (hall be em- 
 powered to exercife a complete and uncontrolled 
 authority over his Zemeendarry, under the ac- 
 knowledged fovereignty of the Company j that 
 he (hall maintain, in conflant pay, a body of 
 2000 horfe, for the fervice of the Company, 
 whenever they (hall be required j and that, 
 while the Rajah (hall continue faithful to thefe 
 engagements and pundlual in his payments, 
 and (hall pay due obedience to the authority of 
 your government, no more demands ihall be 
 made upon him, by the Company, of any kind ; 
 nor, on any pretence whatfoever, (hall any per- 
 fons be allowed to interfere with his authority, 
 or tod ifturb the peace of his country. At the 
 conclufion of this Minute, the Governor-general 
 obferves, " That voluntary reftrainr, made by 
 " the government on its own actions, will af- 
 " ford the Rajah the greateft confidence ; and 
 " naturally infpire him with fentiments of fide- 
 f* lity and attachment both from the principles 
 
 of
 
 ( 13 ) 
 
 " of gratitude and felf-intereit. Without fome 
 " fuch appearance, he will expect, with every 
 " change of government, additional demands 
 *' to be made upon him ; and will, of courfe, 
 " defcend to all the arts of intrigue and con- 
 " cealment practifed by other dependent Rajahs, 
 " which will keep hirh indigent and weak, and 
 " eventually prove hurtful to the Company. 
 *' By proper encouragement and protection, he 
 " may prove a profitable dependent, an \ifeful 
 " barrier, and even a powerful ally, t> the 
 *' Company ; but he will be neither, if the 
 " conditions of his connection with the Com- 
 " pany, are left open to future variations." 
 On the 5th of July, the Board agree with the 
 Governor-general, except in the article to oblige 
 Rajah Cheit Sing to keep up a body of 2000 
 horfe. They relolved, indeed, to recommend 
 the fame to him j but declare there ihall be no 
 obligation on him to do it ; the Governor-gene- 
 ral at- the. fame time obferving, that it was far 
 from his intention to prppqfe this or any other 
 article to be impofcd on the Rajah by compul- 
 fion. 
 
 \Vt
 
 We are much furprifed at the conduct of the 
 Governor-general towards the Rajah on his ar- 
 rival at Benaris, when we obferve that, by the 
 inftru&ions he received for his guidance, pre- 
 vious to his departure from Calcutta, the ar- 
 rangements he was to make with Cheit Sing 
 were to be confonant to tie mutual relation and ac- 
 tual engagement sfubjifiing between the Company and 
 him. 
 
 The imprifonment of his perfon in the midft 
 of his country, which, for time immemorial, 
 has been the refidence of the moft refpedlable 
 perfons of Hindoflan, thereby difgracing him 
 in the eyes of his fubjefls and others, was un- 
 warrantable and highly impolitic, and may 
 tend to weaken the confidence which the native 
 princes of India ought to have in the juftice 
 and moderation of the Company's govern- 
 ment. 
 
 The
 
 The refolutions of the Court of Directors, 
 on your proceedings relative to Cheit Sing, are 
 as follow : 
 
 " That it appears to this Court, that, on the 
 " death of Snjah Dowlah, 1775, a treaty 
 " was made by his fucceflbr, by which 
 " the Zemeendarry of Benaris, and its 
 *' dependencies, was ceded in perpetuity to 
 " the Company. 
 
 " That it appears to this Court, that Rajah 
 " Cheit Sing was confirmed, by the Go- 
 " vernor-general and Council of Bengal, 
 *' in the management of the faid Zemeen- 
 " darry, (fubjecl: to the fovereignty of 
 " the Company,) on his paying a certain 
 " tribute to the Company, which was 
 " fettled at Sicca rupees 22,&6,i8o; and 
 " that the Bengal government pledged it- 
 tl felf that the free and uncontrouled pof- 
 " feflion of the Zemeendarry of Benaris and 
 '* its dependencies mould be confirmed and 
 " guaranteed to the Rajah, and his heirs, for 
 " ever, fubjed to fuch tribute ; and that no 
 *' other demand fhould be made upon 
 
 4 him,
 
 C i* ) 
 
 " him, nor any kind of authority or jurif- 
 " diction exercifed within the dominions 
 " affigned him, fo long as he adhered to 
 " the terms of his engagements. 
 
 " That it appears to this Court, that the 
 *' Governor-general and Council did, on 
 " the 5th of July, '1775, recommend to 
 " Rajah Cheit Sing to keep up a body of 
 *' 2000 horfe ; but at the fame time de- 
 <c clared, there fhould be no obligation on 
 * { him to do it. 
 
 " That it appears to this Court, that Rajah 
 " Cheit Sing performed his engagements 
 " with the Company, in the regular pay- 
 '* ment of his tribute of Sicca rupees 
 " 22,6^,180. 
 
 ** That it appears to this Court, that the 
 " conduct of the Governor-general to- 
 " wards the Rajah, whilft he was at Be- 
 " naris, was improper; and that the inv 
 " prifonment of his perfon, thereby dif- 
 " gracing him in the eyes of his fubjecls 
 " and others, was unwarrantable and 
 " highly impolitic, and may tend to 
 " weaken the confidence which the native 
 *' princes of India ought to have in the 
 
 '* juftice
 
 <{ juftice and moderation of the Compa- 
 *' ny's government." 
 
 Such farther refolutions, as we may think 
 proper to come to on this very important Tub- 
 ject, will be communicated to you by a future 
 conveyance ; but we cannot avoid remarking, 
 that, by the Governor-general's laft Narrative, 
 the real object of his journey to Benaris was to 
 exact from Cheit Sing 40 or 50 lacks of rupees, 
 or to remove him from his Ztrneendarry, as ap- 
 pears by a confidential converfation, which paf- 
 ied between the Governor-general and Mr. 
 Wheler (as dated in the Narrative; previous to 
 the Governor-general's departure. 
 
 N. B. The letter, from which the foregoing 
 extracts were taken, was figned by the two 
 Chairs and eleven Directors.
 
 ( '9 ) 
 
 TO THE HONOUkA^LE 
 
 COURT of DIRECTORS 
 
 OF THE HONOURABLE 
 
 United EAST-INDIA COMPANY, 
 
 FORT-WILLIAM, 20th March; 
 
 Honourable Sirs$ 
 
 IN your letter to the Governor-general and 
 Council, dated the 2 8th of Auguft, 1782, you 
 have been pleafed to enter into a large difcuffion 
 of my proceedings at Benaris, and to apprife 
 the Board of certain refolutions, comprehend- 
 ing your judgement upon them, Thefe refolu- 
 tions, as the immediate caufe and fubjecT: of my 
 prefent addrefs, I fhall, to avoid the perplexity 
 of frequent and remote reference, herexd fub- 
 join: 
 
 C 2 f c That
 
 ( 20 ) 
 
 " That it appears to this Court, that, on 
 " the. death, of Sujah Dowlah, 1775, a 
 " treaty was made with his fuccefibr, by 
 " which the Zuwendarry of Benaris, with 
 " its dependencies, was ceded in perpe- 
 " tuity to the Eaft-India Company. 
 
 " That it appears to this Court, that Rajah 
 * c Cheyt Sing was confirmed by the Go- 
 " vernor-general and the Council of Ben- 
 gal in the management of the faid Ze- 
 " mindarry, (fubjedb to the fovereignty of 
 " * e the Company,) on his paying a certain 
 " tribute, which was fettled at Sicca ru- 
 { pees 22,66,180; and that the Bengal 
 Government pledged itfelf, that the free 
 " and uncontrolled pofleflion of the Ze- 
 <c mindarry of Benaris, and its^dependen- 
 " cies, Ihould be confirmed and guaran- 
 " te^d to the^ajah and his heirs for ever, 
 " fubjecT: to fuch tribute ; and that no o- 
 " ther demand mould be made upon him, 
 " nor any kind of authority or jurifdidion 
 " exercifed within the dominions affigned 
 <c him, fo long as he adhered to the terms 
 " of his engagements. 
 
 " That
 
 ( 21 ) 
 
 ." That it appears to this Court, that the 
 " Governor-general and Council did, on 
 " the 5th of July, 1775, recommend to 
 * Rajah Cheyt Sing to keep up a body of 
 *' 2000 horfe ; but at the fame time de- 
 " clared there (hould be no obligation on 
 /' him to do it. 
 
 " That it appears to this Court, that Rajah 
 " Cheyt Sing performed his engagements 
 " with the Company, in the regular pay- 
 " ment of his tribute of Sicca rupees 
 " 22,66,180. 
 
 " That it appears to this Court, that the 
 " " conduct of the Governor-general to- 
 " wards the Rajah wh^lft he was at Be- 
 ' naris was improper, and that the'im- 
 " prifonment of his perfon, thereby dif- 
 " gracing him in the eyes of his fubjects 
 <c and others, was unwarrantable and high- 
 <{ ly impolitic, and may tend to weaken 
 " the confidence which the native princes 
 " of India ought to have in the juflice 
 " and moderation of the Company's go* 
 " vernmcnt." 
 
 I underftand that thefe refolutions were either 
 publifhed or intended for publication. As they 
 have proceeded from an authority fo refpect-
 
 ( 22 > 
 
 able, every reader of them will naturally and 
 without hefitatidn believe, that the facts, on 
 which they necefiarily and indifpenfably depend j 
 have been fully eftablifhed. And who are 
 the readers ? not the proprietors alone, whofe 
 intereft is irtfmediately concerned in them, and 
 whofe approbation I am impelled, by every 
 motive of pride and gratitude, to folicit ; but 
 the whole body of the people of England* 
 whofe paffions have been excited on the gene- 
 ral fubject of the conduct of their fervants iri 
 India; and before them I am arraigned and pre- 
 judged of a violation of the national faith in 
 acts of fuch complicated aggravation, that, if 
 they were true, no punifhmenr, fhort of deathj 
 could atone for the injury which the intereft 
 and credit of the public had fuftained in them; 
 I hope, therefore, I fhall not be thought to 
 give unneceflTary trouble in calling your atten- 
 tion to a fubjecT. not wholly perfonal, nor to 
 fail in the refpect, in which I have never yet 
 failed, to your Honourable Court, in the mode 
 of my vindication, which will not -admit of the 
 common delicacies of expreffion ; for t cannot 
 admit fads, however affirmed, which I know- 
 to have no exigence, and by which my charac- 
 ter
 
 ter has been blafted ; nor will a fnnple denial 
 or refutation of them be fuffitient againft fuch 
 a charge, if I can at the fame time appeal to 
 your own knowledge, proved by the evidence 
 of your own arguments, and to what your Ho- 
 nourable Court poflfefics of candour for my firft 
 purification and acquittal. 
 
 The fats affirmed, or exprefied in terms 
 equal to affirmation, in your refolutions, are as 
 follow : 
 
 I. That the Bengal Government pledged it- 
 felf, that the free and uncontrolled poflcffion 
 of the Zemindarry of Benaris, and its depen- 
 dencies, mould be confirmed and guaranteed tp 
 |he Rajah and his heirs for ever. 
 
 II. That it pledged itfelf that no other de- 
 mand mould be made upon him, nor any kind 
 of authority or jurifdiclion exercifed wichin his 
 dominions affigned him, fo long as he adhered 
 to the terms of his engagements. 
 
 III. That the Governor-general required 
 him to keep up a body of 2000 horfe, contrary 
 to the declaration made to him by the Governor- 
 generai and Council on the 5th of July, 1775, 
 
 that
 
 ( 24 ) 
 
 *hat there fhould be no obligation on him to 
 do it. 
 
 IV. That Rajah Cheyt Sing was bound by 
 no other engagements to the Company than for 
 the payment of his tribute of Sicca rupees 
 22,66,180. 
 
 V. That Rajah Cheyt Sing was a native 
 prince of India. 
 
 The judgement pafled on my conduct, 
 as deducible from thefe facts, is, that it was 
 " improper, unwarrantable, and highly impo- 
 " litic, and may tend to weaken the confi- 
 <c dence which the native princes of India 
 *' ought to have in the juftice and moderation 
 *' of the Company's 'Government." Here I 
 muft crave leave to fay, that the terms tc im- 
 " proper, unwarrantable, and highly impoli- 
 " tic," are much too gentle as deductions from 
 fuch premifes ; and, as every reader of the let- 
 ter will obvioufly feel as he reads the deduc- 
 tions which inevitably belong to them, I will 
 add, that the Uriel performance of folemn en- 
 gagements on one part, followed by acts direct- 
 ly fubverfive of them, and by total difpoifef- 
 fion on the other, (tamps on the perpetrators 
 
 of
 
 ( 25 ) 
 
 of-the krter, the guilt of the greateft poffible 
 violation of faith and juftice. 
 
 But this, and every other conclufion from 
 the facts adduced in proof of them will fall, if 
 the fads themfelves have no exiftence. I do 
 therefore mod positively and folemnly deny 
 their exigence. 
 
 I deny that the Bengal government pledged 
 itfelf, that the free and uncontrouled pefieffion 
 of the Zemindarry of Benaris and its dependen- 
 cies mould be confirmed and guaranteed to the 
 Rajah and his heirs for ever. 
 
 I deny that the Bengal government pledged 
 itfelf that no other demand fhould be made 
 upon him, nor any kind of authority or jurif- 
 diction exercifed within the dominions afligned 
 him, fo long as he adhered to the terms of his 
 engagements. 
 
 I deny that I ever required him to keep up 
 a body of 2000 horfe, contrary to the declara- 
 tion made to him by the Governor-general and 
 Council on the 5th of July, 1775, that there 
 mould be no obligation on him to do it. 
 
 My demand, that is, the demand of the 
 
 Board, was not that he mould maintain any 
 
 fpecific number of horfe , but that the number 
 
 D which
 
 which he did maintain fhould be employed for 
 the defence of the general State. 
 
 I deny that Rajah Cheyt Sing was bound by 
 no other engagements to the Company, than for 
 the payment of his tribute of Sicca rupees 
 22,66,180. 
 
 He was bound by the engagements of feal- 
 ty, and of abfolute obedience to every order of 
 the government which he ferved. The vari- 
 ous and repeated profefllons of his letters are 
 proofs and acknowledgments of this conftruc- 
 tion of his vaffalage ; and his own cabuleeat, or 
 the inftrument by which he engaged to perform 
 the duties of his Zemindarry, exprefies it in the 
 acknowledgment of the Company's fovereignty. 
 
 I deny that Rajah Cheyt Sing was a native 
 prince of India. 
 
 Cheyt Sing is the fon of a collector of the re- 
 venue of that province, which his arts, and the 
 misfortunes of his mafter, enabled him to con- 
 vert to a permanent and hereditary poflefTion. 
 This man, whom you have thus ranked amongft 
 the princes of India, will be aftonimed, when he 
 hears it, at an elevation fo unlooked-for, nor 
 lefs at the independent rights which your com- 
 mands have affigned him ; rights which are fo 
 
 foreign
 
 foreign from his conceptions, that I doubt 
 whether he will know in what language to af- 
 fert them, unlefs the example which you have 
 thought it confident with juftice, however op- 
 pofite to policy, to fhew, of becoming his 
 advocates againft your own inters, fhould 
 infpire any of your own fervants to be his 
 advifers and instructors. 
 
 I forbear to detail the proofs of thefe denials. 
 In legal propriety I might perhaps claim a 
 difpenfation from it, and require the charges to 
 be proved, not myfelf difprove them. But 
 I have already difproved them in my narrative 
 of my proceedings at Benaris, which has been 
 long fince in your hands, and is, 1 hope, in 
 the hands of the public. To that I think it 
 fufficient to refer, and to point out the ninth 
 and following pages of the copy, which was 
 printed in Calcutta, for a .complete explana- 
 tion ; and I prefume as complete a demonftra- 
 tion of the mutual relation of Rajah Cheyt 
 Sing, the vaflal and fubjecl: of the Company, and 
 of the Company his fovereign. 
 
 The fubject to which I now proceed, and 
 
 on which I reft my fulled acquittal, is too de- 
 
 Ikate to admit of my entering upon it without 
 
 D 2 requefting
 
 requefting your indulgence and pardon for what- 
 ever may appear offensive in it, and de- 
 claring, that I mould have fubmitted in filence 
 to the fevereft expreflions of cenfure which you 
 could pafs upon me, had they been no more 
 than exprefiions, and applied to real fads ; but, 
 where the cenfures are not applied to real fads, 
 and are fuch as fubftantially affect my moral 
 character, I fhould be myfelf an accomplice in 
 the injury, if I fuffered the flighted imputation 
 to remain, which it was in my power wholly 
 to efface. 
 
 A breach of -faith neceffarily implies antece- 
 dent and exifting engagements, and can only 
 be conilrued fuch by the exprefs terms of thole 
 engagements. I have been guilty of this crime 
 in my treatment of Cheyt Sing, or of none ; 
 and I may be allowed to regret, that, while you 
 ilated fuch facts as implied it, you did not in 
 terms declare it. There is an appearance of 
 tendernefs in this deviation from plain conftruc- 
 tion, of which, however meaflt, I have a right 
 to complain, becaufe it impofcs on me the ne- 
 ccffity of framing the terms of the accufation 
 againft myfelf, which you have not only made, 
 but have flated the leading argument to it fo 
 
 ftrongly,
 
 ( 29 ) 
 
 ftrongly, that no one, who reads thefe, can avoid 
 making it, or not know to have been intended. 
 
 But, permit me to afk, May I not prefume 
 that this deviation arofe from fomething more 
 than a tendernefs for my character or feelings ? 
 that it was dictated by a concipufnefs that no 
 fuch engagements exifted ? For, if any fuch 
 did exift, why were they not produced in fup- 
 port of the charges ? 
 
 Even the facts, which are affirmed in the refo- 
 lutions, are fuch as muft depend upon fome evi- 
 dence, for they cannot exift independently. If the 
 Bengal government " pledged itfelf," its pledge 
 muft be contained in the written inftruments 
 which were exprefsly formed, and declared to 
 define the reciprocal relation and obligation of 
 the Rajah and the Company. 
 
 The refolutions of your honourable Court, as 
 they ftand unconnected in their original ftate, 
 muft be accepted as the conclufions from cer- 
 tain and eftablifhed evidence j and this evi- 
 dence, I muft prefume, you meant to pro- 
 duce in the long procefs of detailed argument 
 which precedes them in your general letter. 
 This ccnfifts of pieced extracts, from opini- 
 ons delivered by me in the dtbates of Council, 
 
 which
 
 ( 30 ) 
 
 which not only preceded the fcttlement, made 
 with the Rajah Cheyt Sing, when his Ze- 
 mindarry became the property of the Company ; 
 but, ftrange as it will appear, which paftrd on 
 an occafion wholly foreign from it, and at a 
 time when the Company had not obtained the 
 cefTion of the Zemindarry. At the point of the 
 fettlement your detail flops. Had it proceeded, 
 it muft have exhibited the conditions of the fet- 
 tlement, which would have contradicted every 
 fact which you have aflerted ; and every man of 
 candour will believe that this was the only reafon 
 why it did not proceed. For why are my fpe- 
 culative opinions on the claim made upon the 
 Nabob Aflbf ul Dowlah at the ceffion of the 
 Zemindarry of Benaris, which 1 thought an 
 infringement of a treaty already fubfifting with 
 him ; and upon the mode by which we mould 
 allow Rajah Cheyt Sing to exercife the ma- 
 nagement of his Zemindarry, when it had be- 
 come the property of the Company, quoted in 
 evidence againft me ; when the actual deeds 
 which conveyed to Cheyt Sing his pofkffion of 
 the Zemindarry, and all the conditions on which 
 he held it, were the only criteria by which my 
 conduct towards him could be tried ? The de- 
 bates
 
 ( 3' ) 
 
 bates fr.im which my opinions are extracted, arc 
 fo voluminous, and my (hare in them bears fo 
 large a proportion, that it would take up much 
 time and argument to prove, what I could 
 prove, that in their collective and relative fenfe 
 they are perfectly confident, fo far as they can 
 apply at all to my fubfequent conduct ; but, 
 were it other wife, iht-y were not to be made 
 the rules of my conduct ; and God forbid that 
 every exprefllon dictated by the impulfe of 
 prefect emergency, and unpremeditatedly ut- 
 tered in the heat of parry contention, fhould 
 impofe upon me the obligation of a fixed prin- 
 ciple, and be applied to every variable occafion. 
 The wifdom of the Legiflature has declared, 
 that the whole collective body of the Governor- 
 general and Council (hall be bound by the opi- 
 nions of the majority ; but the doctrine implied 
 in your quotation of my opinions is the rtverfe 
 of that obligation, if my opinions were not con- 
 formable to thofe of a majority of the Board ; 
 and, if they were, the aits of the Board, formed 
 on fuch concurrent opinions ought to be quo- 
 ted as the ru'es of my conduct, not the opi- 
 nions which only led to them. 
 
 Having
 
 Having folcmnly pronounced that Rajah 
 Cheyt Sing had performed his engagements 
 with the Company, and that my conduct to- 
 wards him was ' improper and unwarrantable," 
 you proceed to fay, that " fuch farther refo- 
 <e folutions, as you may think proper to come 
 " to on this very important fubject, will be 
 <c communicated to us by a future conveyance." 
 This I cannot otherwife underftand than as an 
 indication of your intention to order the refto- 
 ration of Rajah Cheyt Sing to the Zemindarry 
 of Benaris. It will be expected, after the 
 judgement which you have pafled, as an act 
 of indifpenfable juftice ; and, wheneverthis pro- 
 mifibry declaration is made public, as it muft 
 be, if not already known, what may have been 
 expected will be regarded as a certainty. If 
 any thing were wanting but the exprefs notifica- 
 tion of ycur intention to confirm it, the recall 
 of Mr Markham, who was known to be the 
 public agent of my own nomination at Benaris, 
 and the re-appointment of Mr Francis Fowke 
 by your order contained in the fame letter, 
 would place it beyond a doubt. This order 
 has been obeyed ; and, whenever you fhail be 
 pleafed to order the reiteration of Cheyt Sing, 
 
 I will
 
 ( 3d! ) 
 
 1 will venture to promife the fame ready and 
 exact fubmiflion in the other members of your 
 Council. 
 
 OF the confequences of fuch a policy t for- 
 bear to fpeak. Mod happily the wretch, whofe 
 hopes may be excited by the appearances in his 
 favour, is ill-qualified to avail himfelf of them ; 
 and the force which is (rationed in the province 
 of Benaris is fufficientto fupprefs any fymptoms 
 of internal fedition : but it cannot fail to create 
 diftruft and fufpenfe in the minds both of the* 
 rulers and of the people, and fuch a flate is al- 
 ways productive of diforder. 
 
 But it is not in this partial confideration that 
 I dread the effects of your commands. It is in 
 your proclaimed indifpofition againft the frit 
 executive member of your firft government in 
 India. It is as well known to the Indian world 
 as to the Court of* Engiifii Proprietors, that the 
 firft declaratory inftruments of the difToluuon of 
 my influence, in the year 1774* were Mr, John 
 Briftow and Mr. Francis Fowke. By your an- 
 cient and known conftitunon the governor has 
 been ever held forth and underftood to pcflVfs 
 the oftenfible powers of government. .All the 
 correfpondcnce with foreign princes is conduc- 
 E ted
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 ted in his name ; and every perfon, reGdent with 
 them for the management of your political con- 
 cerns, is underftood to be more efpecially his 
 reprefentative, and of his choice : and fuch 
 ought to be the rule ; for how otherwife can, 
 they truft an agent nominated againft the will 
 of his principal,-, or how, knowing him to aft 
 under the variable instructions of a temporary 
 influence, or the cafual dictates of a majority, 
 can they rely on the meafures which he may 
 propofe, .and which a fudden change of influ" 
 ence, always expected in a deviation from con- 
 ftitutional forms, may undo, and fubject them, 
 in every inftance of their connection, to a con- 
 tinual fluctuation of affairs ? 
 
 When the ftate of this adminiftration was 
 fuch as feemed to admit of the appointment of 
 Mr. Briftow to the refidency of Lucknow, 
 without much diminution of my own influence, 
 I gladly feized the occafion to fhew my readi- 
 nefs to fubmit to your commands. I propo- 
 fed his nomination : he was nominated, and 
 declared to be the agent of my own choice. 
 Even this effect of my caution is defeated by 
 your abfolute command for his re-appointment, 
 independent of me, and with the fuppofuion 
 
 that
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
 that I fhould be adverfe to it. I am now whol- 
 ly deprived of my official powers, both in the 
 Province of Owd and in the Zemindarry of Be- 
 naris. 
 
 Nor will the evil flop at thefe lines. My 
 general influence, the effects of which have 
 been happily manifefted for the fupport of your 
 inierefts, is now wholly loft, or what may re- 
 main of it fuftained only by the prefcription of 
 long poffeflion, and fomething perhaps of per- 
 for al attachment, impreffcd by the habits of 
 frequent intercourfe. 
 
 I almoft (hudder at the reflection of what 
 might have have happened, had thefe denun- 
 ciations, againft your own minifter, in favour 
 of a man univerfally confidered in this part of 
 the world as juftly attainted for his crimes, the 
 murderer of your ft rv ants and ibldiers, and the 
 rebel to your authority, arrived two months 
 earlier. You will learn, by our common dif- 
 patches, what difficulties Mahdajee Sindia has 
 had to furmount in reconciling the different 
 members of the Maratta ftate to the ratification, 
 and even, when ratified, to the interchange of 
 the treaty, concluded by him in May laft, with 
 this government, I dare to appeal even to your 
 
 judgement
 
 ( 36 ) 
 
 judgement for the reply, and to afk, whether 
 the minifters of the Peihwa, poffeffing the know- 
 ledge of fuch a circumftance, would not have 
 availed themfclves of it to withhold their con" 
 fent to the treaty, either claiming to include 
 Cheit Sing as a party in it, or either overtly or 
 fecretly fupporting his pretenfions, with the 
 view of multiplying our difficulties -, or, which 
 is moft probable, waiting for the event of that 
 chsnge in the fuperior government of Bengal, 
 "which fuch fymptoms portended, before they 
 precipitated their interefts in a connection with 
 a declining influence, which they might ob- 
 vioufly conclude would render this, with all 
 its other ads, obnoxious to that which fucceed" 
 cd it. 
 
 Their counterpart of the treaty is ratified, and 
 jn our actual pofirffton ; and, fuch is the cha- 
 racter of the man whom we have made our 
 principal and the guarantee ofir, thit it will 5n- 
 fure us againft any change or fentiment, which 
 might arilc, from any caufe, in the breads of his 
 countrymen. I am happy in having been {he fole 
 inftrument of the accomplishment of fo great an 
 event. It orig nated in a fcene of univerfa] 
 revolt encompaffing my own perfon : it began 
 
 with
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 with the immediate reparation of the firft pow-. 
 er of the Maratta ftate from the general war, 
 and was followed by the inftanc and general 
 ceffation of hoftilhies; in effect, by a perma- 
 nent peace ; for I have a right now to affirm, 
 this, having pofitively afiured you that it would 
 prove fuch, while the formal confirmation of it 
 remained fo long in a ftate of fufpenfe. In 
 ev-ry progreffive ftate of it, it has met with 
 obftructions which might have difcouraged 
 even the mod determined perfeverance ; in the 
 known indifpofition of the prefidcncy of Bom- 
 bay j in the calamities of the Carnatic ; in the 
 alarming interference of the Prefident and Se- 
 lect Committee of Fort St. George, by the ex- 
 aggerated portrait of their affairs in a letter ad- 
 drefled to our minifter, and fent in circulation 
 th ough the midit of Deccan and Indoftan, 
 intreating him at all events, and with whatever 
 facrifices, to precipitate the conclufion of the 
 treaty, and fave them from deftruction ; but, 
 above all, in the vehement exclamations for 
 peace from men of every defcription in Great- 
 Britain. To all thefe counteractions I have 
 oppofed the principle t.f firmnefs arid defiance ; 
 and, aided by the peculiar talents, and warinefs, 
 
 and
 
 ( 3* ) 
 
 and incomparable perfeverance, of Mr. David 
 Anderfon, I have at length brought my wilhes 
 and yours to their deftined point. Perhaps with 
 a lefs able minifter I might yet have failed ; but 
 even the merits of his fervices I claim as my 
 own* for it was my choice which called his 
 mind into action, and my confidence that gave 
 it its beft exertion. Padon, honourable Sirs, 
 this digreflive exultation. I cannot fupprefs 
 the pride which I feel in this fucccfsful atchieve- 
 ment of a meafure fo fortunate for your inte- 
 refts and the national honour; for that pride 
 is the fource of my zeal fo frequently exerted in 
 your fupport, and never more happily than in 
 thofe inftances in which I have departed from 
 the prefcribed and beaten path of action, and 
 aflumed a refponfibility which has too frequently 
 drawn on me the moft pointed effects of your 
 difpleafure. But, however I may yield to my 
 private feelings in thus enlarging on the fubject, 
 my motive in introducing it was immediately 
 connected with its context, and was to contraft 
 the actual ftate of your political affairs derived 
 from a happier influence with that which might 
 have attended an earlier diffol ution of it.
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 It is now a complete period of eleven years 
 fince I firft received the nominal charge of 
 your affairs. In the courfe of it I have invari- 
 ably had to contend, not with ordinary difficul- 
 ties, but fuch as moft unnaturally arofe f.om 
 the oppofition of thofe very powers from which 
 I primarily derived my authority, and which 
 were required for the fupport of it. My exer- 
 tions, though applied to an unvaried andconfif- 
 tent line of action, have been occafional and de- 
 fultory : yet I pleafe myfelf with the hope thar, 
 in the annals of your dominion which (hall be 
 written after the extinction of recent prejudices, 
 this term of its adminiftration will appear not 
 the leaft conducive to the intereftof the Com- 
 pany, nor the lealt reflective of the honour pf 
 the Britifli name ; and allow me to fugged 
 the inftructive reflection of what good might 
 have been done, and what evil prevented, had 
 due fupport been given to that adminiilratioa 
 which has performed fuch eminent and fubftan- 
 tial fervices without it. 
 
 You, honourable Sirs, can atteft the patience 
 and temper with which I have fubmitted to all 
 the indignities which have been heaped upon me 
 in this long fervice. It was the duty of fideli- 
 ty
 
 ty which I effentially owed to it , it was the re- 
 turn of gratitude which I owed, even with the 
 facrifice of life, had that been exacted, to 
 the Company, my original mafters and rnoft 
 indulgent patrons. To thefe principles hive I 
 devoted every private feeling, and perfevered 
 in the violent maintenance of my office ; be- 
 caufe I was ccmfcious that I poflefled, in my in- 
 tegrity, and in the advantags of local know- 
 ledge, thofe means of difcharging the functions 
 of it with credit to myfelf, and with advantage 
 to my employers, which might be wanting in 
 more fplendid talents ; and becaufe I had always 
 a ground of hope that my long fufTerance would 
 difarm the prejudices of my adverfaries, or the 
 rotation of time produce that concurrence, 
 in the crifis of your fortune with my own, which 
 might place me in the fituation to which I af- 
 pired. In the mean time there was nothing in 
 any actual ftate of your affairs which could dif- 
 courage me from the profecutipn of this plan. 
 There was indeed an interval, and that of fome 
 duration, in which my authority was wholly 
 deftroyedj but another was fubftituted in its 
 place, and that, though irregular, was armed 
 with the public belief of an influence invifibly 
 
 upholding
 
 ( 41 ) 
 
 upholding it, which gave it a vigour fcarce lefs 
 effectual than that of a conftitutional power. 
 Befides, your government had no external dan- 
 gers to agitate, and difcover the loofenefsof its 
 compofition. 
 
 The cafe is now mod widely different. . 
 
 While your exiftence was threatened by wars 
 with the moft formidable powers of Eu/ope, 
 added to your Indian enemies ; and while you 
 confefiedly owed its prefervation to the feafona- 
 ble and vigorous exertions of this government; 
 you chofe that feafon to annihilate its conftitu- 
 tional powers. You annihilated the influence 
 of its executive member ; you proclaimed 
 
 its annihilation ; you virtually called 
 
 on his affociates to withdraw their fupport from 
 him, and they have withdrawn it. But you 
 have fubftituted no other inftrument of rule in 
 his flead, unlefs you fuppofe that it may exift, 
 and can be effectually exercifed, in the body of 
 your Council at large ; poffeffing no power of 
 motion but an inert fubmiffion to the letter of 
 your commands ; which, however necefiary in 
 the wife intention of the legiilature, have never 
 yet been applied to the eftablimment of any ori- 
 ginal plan or fyftem of meaiures, and feldom 
 F felt
 
 felt but in inftances of perfonal favour or perfo- 
 nal difpleafure. 
 
 Under fuch a fituation, I feel my^lf im- 
 pelled, by the fame fpirit which has hitherto 
 animated me to retain my poft againft all the at- 
 tempts made to extrude me from it, to adopt 
 the contrary line. The feafon for contention is 
 pad. The prefent ftate of affairs is not able to 
 bear it. I am morally certain, that my fuc- 
 ceflbr in this government, whoever he may be, 
 will be allowed to poflefs and exercife the necef- 
 fary powers of his ftation, with the confidence 
 and ftipport of thofe, who, by their choice of 
 him, will be intended in his fuccefs. I am be- 
 come a burthen to the fervice ; and would in- 
 flantly relieve it from the incumbrance, were I 
 not apprehenfive of creating worfe confequences 
 by my abrupt removal from it. Such an aft 
 would probably be confidered, by Mahdajee 
 Sindia, as a defertion of him in the inftant of 
 his acccmplifhment of the treaty, and defeat 
 the purpofes of it, which remain yet to be ef- 
 fefled by his agency. I am alfo perfuaded that 
 it would be attended with the lofs of the com- 
 mander in chief, in whofe prefence alone I look 
 for the refroraiion of [peace to the Carnatic, 
 
 which
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 Which he, perhaps, would think too hazardous 
 an undertaking with no other fupport than that 
 of a broken government. I have now no wifli 
 remaining but to fee the clofe of this calami- 
 tous fcene, and for that I hope a few months 
 will be fufficient. My fervices may afterwards 
 be fafely withdrawn ; but will ftill be due, in 
 my conception of what I owe to my firft confti- 
 tuents, until they can be regularly fupplied by 
 thofe of my appointed fucceffor, or until his 
 fucceffion (hall have been made known, and the 
 interval but fhcrtfor his arrival, 
 
 It therefore remains to perform the duty which 
 I hadaffigned tomyfelf as the final purpofe of this 
 letter j to declare, as I now moft formally do, 
 that it is my defire that you will be pleafed ro 
 obtain the early nomination of a perfon to fuc- 
 ceed me in the government of Fort William , 
 to declare that it is my intention to refign your 
 fervice as focin as I can do it without prejudice 
 to your affairs, after the allowance of a compe- 
 tent time for your choice of a perfon to fucceed 
 me ; and to declare, that if, in the intermediate 
 time, you fhall proceed to order the reftoraiion 
 of Rajah Cheit Sing to the Zemeendarry, from 
 which, by the powers I legally pofieffed, and 
 F 2 conceive
 
 conceive myfelf legally bound to affert, againft 
 any fubfequent authority to the contrary derived 
 from the fame common fource, he was difpof- 
 ftfTed for crimes of the greateft enormiry, and 
 your Council fhall refolve to execute the order j 
 I will inftantly give up my ftation and the fer- 
 vice. 
 
 To thefe declarations fuffer me to add this 
 refervation : that if, in the mean time, the acts, 
 of which I complain, fhall, on a mature revi- 
 fion of them, be revoked, and I mall find my- 
 felf poffefTed of, fuch a degree of your confidence 
 as fhall enable me to fupport the duties of my 
 ftation, I will continue in it until the peace of 
 all your pofTeffions fhall be reftored, or it fhall 
 be your pleafure to allow me to refign it. 
 
 I have the honour to be, 
 Honourable firs, 
 
 Your mod obedient 
 and faithful fervant, 
 
 WARREN HASTINGS. 
 
 P. S. Upon a careful revifal of what I have 
 written, I fear that an expreffion, which I have 
 ufed refpecting the probable conduct of the 
 
 Board,
 
 ( 45 > 
 
 Board, in the event of orders being received for 
 the refloration of Cheit Sing, may be conftrued 
 as intimating afenfe of diffatisfaction applied to 
 tranfaclions already paft. It is not my inten- 
 tion to complain of any one 5 but to vindicate 
 my own character, and to Hate the difficulties of 
 my fituation. Neither do I mean, by except- 
 ing one perfon, tocaft acenfure on any others. 
 Yet I feel, in my efteem for Mr. Wheler, and 
 in my folicitude to avoid even the imputation of 
 reflecting unjuftly on his conduct, a duty im- 
 pelling me to declare, that, in my experience 
 of it, fince the time that we were firft in the 
 habits of mutual confidence, it has been fair 
 and honourable to myfelf, and zealous to the 
 public ; equally free from profeffion and fub- 
 terfuge, and his fupport, given to me in every 
 inftance, equal to whatever claim I might have 
 to it. 
 
 When Mr. Haftings wrote the preceding 
 letter, no account had been received, in Bengal, 
 of the very honourable and effectual fupport, 
 which ten gentlemen in the direction, and 428 
 proprietors, had given him, in oppofition to
 
 { 46 ) 
 
 13 directors and 75 proprietors, who voted to 
 remove him for acts which did not originate 
 with him. The Secretary of State forbade the 
 Directors to fend intelligence of this event to In- 
 dia above ten months ago, nor has it been offi- 
 cially tranfrnitted to this moment. 
 
 Mr. Haftings has always declared, that he 
 would not abdicate, or run away from, his go- 
 vernment, while it was under the preffure of ib 
 great difficulties and fuch imminent dangers; but 
 he would continue no longer than until he faw 
 the Company fafe, and peace and tranquillity 
 reflored. Great progrefs was made in this defi- 
 rable work when his letter was written. Tip- 
 poO' Saib evacuated Arcot on the i3th of 
 March ; , and, on the fams day, our troops 
 took poifcffion of the place. He has fince en- 
 tirely quitted the Carnatic. Sir Eyre Coote 
 left Bengal, the 2gd of March, with ten lacks 
 of rupees and a reinforcement of European ar- 
 tillery. The Maratta peace was finally and ful- 
 ly fettled, and fome progrefs made in a featy 
 of alliance with the Marattas, which would, in 
 its confluences, effectually deftroy the power 
 ofTippooSaib. The provinces of Bengal, Bahar, 
 Benaris, and Owde, were in perfect tranquillity. 
 
 The
 
 ( 47 ) 
 
 The revenues increafing; and the fait- revenue, 
 from a fcheme folely owing to Mr, Haftings, 
 has increafed to fifty-feven lack of rupees per 
 annum. Very confiderable retrenchments had 
 been made in every branch of the public expen- 
 diture, and farther favings were about to take 
 place. Thefe great and important fervicts 
 were performed before there was any idea, in 
 India, of a peace in Europe ; and at a time, 
 too, when, by the tenor of the Company's let- 
 ters and the parliamentary proceedings, a dif- 
 folution of the government of Bengal appeared 
 to be near. " What might have been done, 
 " and what evil prevented, had due fupporc 
 " been given to that adminiftration, which has 
 ' performed fuch eminent and fubftantial fer- 
 f * vices without it !" 
 
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