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
employed, after having actually received upwards of five hundred
thousand pounds in value to the Company, and extorted much more in loss
to the suffering individuals. And the said Bristow, being well
acquainted with the unmerciful temper of the said Hastings, in order to
leave no means untried to appease him, not contented with the letter to
the Governor-General and Council, did on the same day write another
letter _to him particularly_, in which he did urge several arguments,
the necessity of using of which to the said Hastings did reflect great
dishonor on this nation, and on the Christian religion therein
professed, namely: "That he had experienced great embarrassment in
treating with her [the mother of the reigning prince]; for, as the
mother of the Vizier, the people look up to her with respect, and any
hard measures practised against women of her high rank create
discontent, and affect our national character." And the said Resident,
after condemning very unjustly her conduct, added, "Still she is the
mother of the prince of the country, and the religious prejudices of
Mussulmen prevail too strongly in their minds to forget her situation."
LXX. That the said Warren Hastings did not make any answer to the said
letter. But the mother of the prince aforesaid, as well as the mother of
his father, being, in consequence of his, the said Hastings's,
directions, incessantly and rudely pressed by their descendant, in the
name of the Company, to pay to the last farthing of the demand, they did
both positively refuse to pay any part of the pretended balances
aforesaid, until their landed estates were restored to them; on the
security of which alone they alleged themselves to be in a condition to
borrow any money, or even to provide for the subsistence of themselves
and their numerous dependants. And in order to put some end to these
differences, the Vizier did himself, about the beginning of August,
1783, go to Fyzabad, and did hold divers conferences with his parents,
and did consent and engage to restore to them their landed estates
aforesaid, and did issue an order that they should be restored
accordingly; but his minister aforesaid, having before his eyes the
peremptory orders of him, the said Warren Hastings, did persuade his
master to dishonor himself in breaking his faith and engagement with his
mother and the mother of his father, by first evading the execution, and
afterwards totally revoking his said public and solemn act, on pretence
that he had agreed to the grant "from shame, being in their presence
[the presence of his mother and grandmother], and that it was
unavoidable at the time";[77]--the said minister declaring to him, that
it would be sufficient, if he allowed them "money for their _necessary_
expenses, and that would be _doing enough_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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