The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 10 (of 12) — John Shaqi
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 10 (of 12)Burke, Edmund
History
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 10 (of 12)
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1820; Political science -- Early works to 1800
Thus by his corrupt traffic of bribes with one scandalous woman he
disgraced and enfeebled the native Mahomedan government, captived the
person of the sovereign, and ruined and subverted the justice of the
country. What is worse, the steps taken for the murder of Nundcomar, his
accuser, have confirmed and given sanction not only to the corruptions
then practised by the Governor-General, but to all of which he has since
been guilty. This will furnish your Lordships with some general idea
which will enable you to judge of the bribe for which he sold the
country government.
Under this head you will have produced to you full proof of his sale of
a judicial office to a person called Khan Jehan Khan, and the modes he
took to frustrate all inquiry on that subject, upon a wicked and false
pretence, that, according to his religious scruples, he could not be
sworn.
The great end and object I have in view is to show the criminal
tendency, the mischievous nature of these crimes, and the means taken to
elude their discovery. I am now giving your Lordships that general view
which may serve to characterize Mr. Hastings's administration in all the
other parts of it.
It was not true in fact, as Mr. Hastings gives out, that there was
nothing now against him, and that, when he had got rid of Nundcomar and
his charge, he got rid of the whole. No such thing. An immense load of
charges of bribery remained. They were coming afterwards from every part
of the province; and there was no office in the execution of justice
which he was not accused of having sold in the most flagitious manner.
After all this thundering the sky grew calm and clear, and Mr. Hastings
sat with recorded peculation, with peculation proved upon oath on the
minutes of that very Council,--he sat at the head of that Council and
that board where his peculations were proved against him. These were
afterwards transmitted and recorded in the registers of his masters, as
an eternal monument of his corruption, and of his high disobedience, and
flagitious attempts to prevent a discovery of the various peculations of
which he had been guilty, to the disgrace and ruin of the country
committed to his care.
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