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
XXII. That the said Warren Hastings, upon this representation, did,
notwithstanding his late pretended opinion of the fitness and the right
of the Nabob to the sole administration of his own affairs,
authoritatively forbid him from any interference therein, and ordered
that the whole should be left to the magistrate aforesaid; to which the
Nabob did, notwithstanding his pretended independence, yield an
immediate and unreserved submission: for the said Hastings's order being
given on the 1st of September at Calcutta, he received _an answer_ from
Moorshedabad on the 3d, in the following terms: "Agreeably to your
pleasure, I have relinquished all concern with the affairs of the
Phousdary and Adawlut, leaving the entire management in Sudder ul Hock's
hands." Which said circumstance, as well as many others, abundantly
proves that all the Nabob's actions were in truth and fact entirely
governed by the influence of the said Hastings, and that, however the
said Hastings may have publicly discouraged the corrupt transactions of
the said court, yet he did secretly uphold the authority and influence
of Munny Begum, who did entirely direct, with his knowledge and
countenance, all the proceedings therein. For
XXIII. That on the 13th of the same month of September he did receive a
further complaint of the corrupt and fraudulent practices of the chief
eunuch of the said Munny Begum; and these corrupt practices did so
continue and increase, that on the 10th of October, 1778, he was obliged
to confess, in the strongest terms, the pernicious consequences of his
before-created unwarrantable and illegal arrangements; for, in a letter
of that date to the Nabob, he expresses himself as follows. "At your
Excellency's request, I sent Sudder ul Hock Khan to take on him the
administration of the affairs of the Adawlut and Phousdary, and hoped by
that means not only to have given satisfaction to your Excellency, but
that, through his abilities and experience, these affairs would have
been conducted in such manner as to have secured the peace of the
country and the happiness of the people; and it is with the greatest
concern I learn that this measure is so far from being attended with the
expected advantages, that the affairs both of the Phousdary and Adawlut
are in the greatest confusion imaginable, and daily robberies and
murders are perpetrated throughout the country. This is evidently owing
to the want of a proper authority in the person appointed to superintend
them. I therefore addressed your Excellency on the importance and
delicacy of the affairs in question, and of the necessity of lodging
full power in the hands of the person chosen to administer them; in
reply to which your Excellency expressed sentiments coincident with
mine; notwithstanding which, your dependants and people, actuated by
_selfish, and avaricious views, have by their interference so impeded
the business as to throw the whole country into a state of confusion,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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