The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 08 (of 12)Burke, Edmund
History
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 08 (of 12)
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1820; Political science -- Early works to 1800
The departure of Mr. Francis soon after for Europe opened a new scene,
and gave rise to a third revolution. Lest the arrangement with the
servants of the Company should have the least appearance of being
mistaken for obedience to their superiors, Mr. Francis was little more
than a month gone, when Mr. Fowke was again recalled from Benares, _and
Mr. Bristow soon after from Oude_. In these measures Mr. Hastings has
combined the principles of disobedience which he had used in all the
cases hitherto stated. In his Minute of Consultation on this recall he
refers to his former Minutes; and he adds, that he has "a recent motive
in the necessity of removing any circumstance which may contribute to
lessen his _influence_ in the effect of any negotiations in which he may
be engaged in the prosecution of his intended visit to Lucknow." He here
reverts to his old plea of preserving his influence; not content with
this, as in the case of Mahomed Reza Khan he had called in the aid of
the Nabob of Bengal, he here calls in the aid of the Nabob of Oude, who,
on reasons exactly tallying with those given by Mr. Hastings, desires
that Mr. Bristow may be removed. The true weight of these requisitions
will appear, if not sufficiently apparent from the known situation of
the parties, by the following extract of a letter from this Nabob of
Oude to his agent at Calcutta, desiring him to acquaint Mr. Hastings,
that, "if it is proper, I will write to the king [of Great Britain], and
the vizier [one of his Majesty's ministers], and the chief of the
Company, _in such a manner as he shall direct, and in the words that he
shall order_, that Mr. Bristow's views may be thwarted there." There is
no doubt of the entire cooeperation of the Nabob Asoph ul Dowlah in all
the designs of Mr. Hastings, and in thwarting the views of any persons
who place their reliance on the authority of this kingdom.
As usual, the Court of Directors appear in their proper order in the
procession. After this third act of disobedience with regard to the
same person and the same office, and after calling the proceedings
unwarrantable, "_in order to vindicate and uphold their own authority,
and thinking it a duty incumbent on them to maintain the authority of
the Court of Directors_," they again order Mr. Bristow to be reinstated,
and Mr. Middleton to be recalled: in this circle the whole moves with
great regularity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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