The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 12 (of 12)Burke, Edmund
History
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 12 (of 12)
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1820; Political science -- Early works to 1800
After the length of time which has elapsed since we first brought these
matters with their proofs, I shall beg leave, before you go to judgment,
to refresh your memory with a recital of a part of that evidence, in
order that your Lordships may again fully and distinctly comprehend the
nature and extent of the oppression, cruelty, and injustice committed by
Mr. Hastings, and by which you may estimate the punishment you will
inflict upon him.
_Letter from Captain Leonard Jaques to Richard Johnson, Esq.,
Resident at the Vizier's Court; March 6th, 1782._
"Sir,--The women belonging to the Khord Mohul complain of their
being in want of every necessary of life, and are at last drove to
that desperation, that they at night get on the top of the zenanah,
make a great disturbance, and last night not only abused the
sentinels posted in the gardens, but threw dirt at them; they
threatened to throw themselves from the walls of the zenanah, and
also to break out of it. Humanity obliges me to acquaint you of
this matter, and to request to know if you have any direction to
give me concerning it. I also beg leave to acquaint you, I sent for
Letafit Ali Khân, the cojah who has the charge of them, who informs
me their complaint is well grounded,--that they have sold
everything they had, even to the clothes from their backs, and now
have no means of existing. Inclosed, I transmit you a letter from
Mandall on the subject."
_Letter from Captain Jaques to Richard Johnson, Esq., March 7th,
1782._
"Sir,--I beg leave to address you again concerning the women in the
Khord Mohul. Their behavior last night was so furious that there
seemed the greatest probability of their proceeding to the utmost
extremities, and that they would either throw themselves from the
walls or force the doors of the zenanah. I have made every inquiry
concerning the cause of their complaints, and find from Letafit Ali
Khân that they are in a starving condition, having sold all their
clothes and necessaries, and now have not wherewithal to support
nature. And as my instructions are quite silent upon this head,
should be glad to know how to proceed in case they were to force
the doors of the zenanah; as I suspect it will happen, should no
subsistence be very quickly sent to them."
_Letter from Major Gilpin to John Bristow, Esq., Resident at the
Court of Lucknow; 30th October, 1782._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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