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
Par. 127. We have received a letter from our Governor-General,
dated the 29th of November, 1780, relative to an unusual tender and
advance of money made by him to the Council, as entered on your
Consultation of the 26th of June, for the purpose of indemnifying the
Company from the extraordinary charge which might be incurred by
supplying the detachment under the command of Major Camac in the
invasion of the Mahratta dominions, which lay beyond the district of
Gohud, and thereby drawing the attention of Mahdajee Sindia (to whom the
country appertained) from General Goddard, while the General was
employed in the reduction of Bassein, and in securing the conquests
made in the Guzerat country; and also respecting the sum of three lacs
of rupees advanced by the Governor-General for the use of the army under
the command of Chimnajee Boosla without the authority or knowledge of
the Council; with the reasons for taking these extraordinary steps under
the circumstances stated in his letter.
128. In regard to the first of these transactions, we readily conceive,
that, in the then state of the Council, the Governor-General might be
induced to temporary secrecy respecting the members of the board, not
only because he might be apprehensive of opposition to the proposed
application of the money, but, perhaps, because doubts might have arisen
concerning the propriety of appropriating it to the Company's use on any
account; but it does _not appear to us_ that there could be any real
necessity for delaying to communicate to us immediate information of the
channel by which the money came into his possession, with a complete
illustration of the cause or causes of so extraordinary an event.
129. Circumstanced as affairs were at the moment, it appears that the
Governor-General had the measure much at heart, and judged it absolutely
necessary. The means proposed of defraying the extra expense were very
extraordinary; and the money, as we conceive, must have come into his
hands by an unusual channel: and when more complete information comes
before us, we shall give our sentiments fully upon the whole
transaction.
130. In regard to the application of the Company's money to the army of
Chimnajee Boosla by the sole authority of the Governor-General, he knew
that it was entirely at his own risk, and he has taken the
responsibility upon himself; nothing but the most urgent necessity
could warrant the measure; nor can anything short of full proof of such
necessity, and of the propriety and utility of the extraordinary step
taken on the occasion, entitle the Governor-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 Governor-General for this transaction.
B. No. 8.
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