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
Now I have only to remark to your Lordships, that the first and
immediate operation of Mr. Hastings's regulation, which put everything
into the hands of this wicked woman for her corrupt purposes, was, that
the office of chief-justice was trampled upon and depraved, and made use
of to plunder the Company of money, which was appropriated to their own
uses,--and that the person ostensibly holding this office was forced to
become the instrument in the hands of this wicked woman and her two
wicked eunuchs. This, then, was the representation which the
chief-justice made to Mr. Hastings, as one of the very first fruits of
his new arrangement. I am now to tell you what his next step was. This
same Mr. Hastings, who had made the Nabob master of everything and
placed everything at his disposal, who had maintained that the Nabob was
not to act a secondary part and to be a mere instrument in the hands of
the Company, who had, as you have seen, revived the Nabob, now puts him
to death again. He pretends to be shocked at these proceedings of the
Nabob, and, not being able to prevent their coming before the Council of
the Directors at home, he immediately took Sudder ul Huk Khân under his
protection.
Now your Lordships see Mr. Hastings appearing in his own character
again,--exercising the power he had pretended to abdicate, whilst the
Nabob sinks and subsides under him. He becomes the supporter of Sudder
ul Huk Khân, now that the infamy of the treatment he received could no
longer be concealed from the Council. On the 1st of September, 1778, the
Governor informs the Nabob, "that it is highly expedient that Sudder ul
Huk Khân should have full control in all matters relative to his office,
and the sole appointment and dismission of the sudder and mofussil
officers; and that his seal and signature should be authentic to all
papers having relation to the business intrusted to him: I therefore
intimate to you, that he should appoint and dismiss all the officers
under him, and that your Excellency should not interfere in any one
[way?]."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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