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
LII. That the foregoing instances of the penury, distress, dispersion,
and exile of the reigning family, as well as the general disorder in all
the affairs of Oude, did strongly enforce the necessity of a proper use
of the British influence (the only real government then existing) in the
province aforesaid for a regulation of the economy of the Vizier's
court, as well as for the proper administration of the public concerns,
civil and military, which were in the greatest disorder; and the said
Warren Hastings was under obligation to provide for the same, and did
himself understand it to be his duty so to do, and that he was therein
warranted by the spirit of the treaty of Chunar, as well as by other
universal powers of control, and even of supersession, supposed by him
to exist in the relation between the British government and that of
Oude; and accordingly he did, in his instructions to the Resident
Middleton, to which he required his most implicit obedience, direct him
to an interference in and control upon all the affairs concerning the
revenues, the military arrangements, and all the other branches of the
Nabob's government.
LIII. That, upon his recall of the said Middleton, he, in his
instructions to the Resident Bristow, dated 23d of October, 1781
[1782?], did at large set forth the situation of the court and
government of Oude, the situation and character of the Nabob, of the
acting minister, and of the British Resident at that court, and did
plainly, distinctly, and without reserve, describe the extent of the
authority to be exercised by the last of these persons, as well as the
unqualified compliance to be expected from the two former. And he did
accordingly declare, that, "_from the nature of our connection with the
government of Oude_, and from the Nabob's incapacity, _a necessity will
forever exist_, while we have the claim of a subsidy upon the resources
of his country, of exercising an influence, and frequently substituting
it _ENTIRELY in the place of an avowed and constitutional authority, in
the administration of his [the Nabob's] government_"; and he did further
in the said instructions, namely, in instruction the fourth, direct the
said Resident in the words following: "I must have recourse to you for
the introduction of a _new_ system in that government; nor can I omit,
whilst I express my reliance on you for that purpose, to repeat the
sentiments which I expressed in the verbal instructions which I gave you
at your departure, _that there can be no medium in the relation between
the Resident and the minister, but either the Resident must be the slave
and vassal of the minister, or the minister at the absolute disposal of
the Resident_." And he, the said Hastings, did state, in the same
article of the instructions aforesaid, that, though the conduct of the
said Hyder Beg Khan had been highly reprehensible, and that he was much
displeased thereat, he would prefer him to any other, on account of his
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