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
In the evening scene the persons were more numerous. On the part of the
Company, Major Calliaud, Mr. Lushington, Mr. Knox, and the ambassador at
the Nabob's court, Mr. Warren Hastings. On the part of the Moorish
government, the Nabob himself, his son Meeran, a Persian secretary, and
the Nabob's head spy, an officer well known in that part of the world,
and of some rank. These were the persons of the drama in the evening
scene. The Nabob and his son did not wait for the Prince's committing
himself to their faith, which, it seems, Major Calliaud did not think
likely to happen; so that one act of treachery is saved: but another
opened of as extraordinary a nature. Intent and eager on the execution,
and the more certain, of their design, they accepted the plan of a
wicked wretch, principal servant of the then prime-minister to the
Mogul, or themselves suggested it to him. A person called Conery, dewan
or principal steward to Camgar Khan, a great chief in the service of the
Shahzada, or Prince, (now the Great Mogul, the sovereign under whom the
Company holds their charter,) had, it seems, made a proposal to the
Nabob, that, if a considerable territory then held by his master was
assured to him, and a reward of a lac of rupees (ten or twelve thousand,
pounds) secured to him, he would for that consideration deliver the
Prince, the eldest son of the Mogul, alive into the hands of the Nabob;
or if that could not be effected, he engaged to murder him for the same
reward. But as the assassin could not rely on the Nabob and his son for
his reward for this meritorious action, and thought better of English
honor and fidelity in such delicate cases, he required that Major
Calliaud should set his seal to the agreement. This proposition was made
to an English commander: what discourse happened upon it is uncertain.
Mr. Hastings is stated by some evidence to have acted as interpreter in
this memorable congress. But Major Calliaud agreed to it without any
difficulty. Accordingly, an instrument was drawn, an indenture
tripartite prepared by the Persian secretary, securing to the party the
reward of this infamous, perfidious, murderous act. First, the Nabob put
his own seal to the murder. The Nabob's son, Meeran, affixed _his_ seal.
A third seal, the most important of all, was yet wanting. A pause
ensued: Major Calliaud's seal was not at hand; but Mr. Lushington was
sent near half a mile to bring it. It was brought at length; and the
instrument of blood and treachery was completely executed. Three seals
were set to it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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