The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 09 (of 12)Burke, Edmund
History
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 09 (of 12)
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1820; Political science -- Early works to 1800
these provinces"; and that the said Resident proceeds to an instance of
oppression and rapine, "out of _many_ of the Nabob's, which has caused a
total disaffection and want of confidence among his subjects: he hoped
the board would take it into their humane consideration, and interpose
their _influence_, and prevent an act which would inevitably bring
disgrace upon himself, and a proportionable degree of discredit on the
national character of the English, which I consider to be more or less
concerned in every act of his administration."
LXXXVII. That no exception was ever taken by the said Warren Hastings to
the truth of the facts, or to the justness of the observation of the
said Resident, which he did transmit to the Court of Directors. And the
said Warren Hastings, in his letter from Chunar, dated the 29th of
November, 1781, speaking of the restraints which had been put by him,
the said Hastings, on the Nabob, relative to his own _mootiana_, or
forces for collection and police, and the necessity of giving the
Resident a control in the nomination of the officers of his army, has
asserted, "that the necessity of the reservation arose from a too well
known defect in the Nabob's character: if this _check_ be withdrawn, and
the choice left absolutely to the Nabob, the first commands in his army
will be filled with the most worthless and abandoned of his subjects:
his late commander-in-chief is a signal and scandalous instance of
this."
LXXXVIII. And the said Warren Hastings, in his letter to the Court of
Directors, dated Benares, the 15th of October, 1784, even after he had
made the aforesaid renunciation of the Company's authority and influence
to the Nabob, did write, "that the Nabob, though most gentle in his
manners, and endued with an understanding much above the common level,
has been _unfortunately bred up in habits_ that draw his attention too
much from his own affairs, and often subject him to the guidance of
_insidious and unworthy confidants_"; which, though more decently
expressed with regard to the Nabob than in his former minutes,
substantially agrees with them. And the said Warren Hastings did inform
the Court of Directors, after he had solemnly covenanted to withdraw all
the Company's influence on the assurances and promises of a person so by
himself described, that, for reasons grounded on his knowledge of the
imbecility of the character of the Nabob, he waited in a frontier town,
"that he might be at hand to counteract any attempt to defeat the effect
of his proceedings at Lucknow"; and in his letter to Mr. Wheler from the
same place he did write in the following words: "I am still near enough
to attend to the first effects of the execution, and to interfere with
my influence for the removal of any obstructions to which they are or
may be liable." He therefore found that there was none or but an
insufficient security to the effect of his treaty, but in his own direct
personal violation of it.
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