The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 11 (of 12)Burke, Edmund
History
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 11 (of 12)
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1820; Political science -- Early works to 1800
My Lords, having thus seen what the duty of a judge is in such a case,
let us examine whether Mr. Hastings observed any part of the prescribed
rules. First, with regard to the publicity of the matter. Did he ever
give any notice to the Supreme Council of the charges which he says he
had received against Cheyt Sing? Did he accuse the Rajah in the Council,
even when it was reduced to himself and his poor, worn, down, cowed, and
I am afraid bribed colleague, Mr. Wheler? Did he even then, I ask,
produce any one charge against this man? He sat in Council as a
judge,--as an English judge,--as a Mahometan judge,--as a judge by the
Gentoo law, and by the Law of Nature. He should have summoned the party
to appear in person, or by his attorney, before him, and should have
there informed him of the charge against him. But, my Lords, he did not
act thus. He kept the accusation secret in his own bosom. And why?
Because he did not believe it to be true. This may at least be inferred
from his having never informed the Council of the matter. He never
informed the Rajah of Benares of the suspicions entertained against him,
during the discussions which took place respecting the multiplied
demands that were made upon him. He never told this victim, as he has
had the audacity to tell us and all this kingdom in the paper that is
before your Lordships, that he looked upon these refusals to comply with
his demands to be overt acts of rebellion; nor did he ever call upon him
to answer or to justify himself with regard to that imputed conspiracy
or rebellion. Did he tell Sadanund, the Rajah's agent, when that agent
was giving him a bribe or a present in secret, and was thus endeavoring
to deprecate his wrath, that he accepted that bribe because his master
was in rebellion? Never, my Lords; nor did he, when he first reached
Benares, and had the Rajah in his power, suggest one word concerning
this rebellion. Did he, when he met Mr. Markham at Boglipore, where they
consulted about the destruction of this unhappy man, did he tell Mr.
Markham, or did Mr. Markham insinuate to him, any one thing about this
conspiracy and rebellion? No, not a word there, or in his whole progress
up the country. While at Boglipore, he wrote a letter to Lord Macartney
upon the state of the empire, giving him much and various advice. Did he
insinuate in that letter that he was going up to Benares to suppress a
rebellion of the Rajah Cheyt Sing or to punish him? No, not a word. Did
he, my Lords, at the eve of his departure from Calcutta, when he
communicated his intention of taking 500,000_l._, which he calls a fine
or penalty, from the Rajah, did he inform Mr. Wheler of it? No, not a
word of his rebellion, nor anything like it. Did he inform his secret
confidants, Mr. Anderson and Major Palmer, upon that subject? Not a
word, there was not a word dropped from him of any such rebellion, or of
any intention in the Rajah Cheyt Sing to rebel. Did he, when he had
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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