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
plundered the property of Mr. John Gordon. The case is this. Mr.
John Gordon arrived at Taunda, a jaghire of mine, fighting with the
zemindars of Acberpore, which belongs to the Khalseh. Accordingly,
Mr. John Gordon having come to Taunda, my aumil performed whatever
appertained to his duty. Afterwards Mr. John Gordon wrote to me to
send my people, that he might come with them to Fyzabad. I sent
people accordingly to bring Mr. John Gordon, and the said gentleman
arrived here in complete safety; and Mr. John Gordon is now
present. Ask him yourself of these matters. Mr. John Gordon will
represent matters in detail; the truth will then become known, how
ill-founded the calumny is. Should you come here for a few days, it
will be very well, and if not, I will wait on you; and your coming
here is very necessary, that all my affairs may become arranged.
And send a speedy answer to my letters, and a letter to Asoph ul
Dowlah, and Mr. Middleton, and Hussein Reza Khân, and Hyder Beg
Khân, on the subject of ceasing to molest my jaghires. And send me
constantly news of your health, for my peace of mind depends
thereon."
This letter was transmitted to Mr. Hastings. I desire your Lordships
will remark upon this letter, for it is a most important one indeed. It
is hardly worth observing that all this correspondence came out of the
various trunks of which your Lordships have already heard, and that this
letter is out of the trunk of Mr. Hastings's private Persian secretary
and interpreter, Mr. Jonathan Scott. Now, my Lords, in this letter there
are several things worthy of your Lordships' observation. The first is,
that this woman is not conscious of having ever been accused of any
rebellion: the only accusation that ever came to her ears was, that
Captain Gordon said that his baggage had been robbed by one of her
aumils. She denies the truth of this charge; and she produces
testimonials of their good behavior to him; and, what is the essential
point of all, she desires Mr. Hastings to apply to this Mr. John Gordon,
and to know from him what truth or falsehood there is in that
accusation, and what weight there is in the attestation she produces.
"Mr. Gordon is now present," says she; "ask him yourself of these
matters." This reasonable request was not complied with. Mr. Gordon
swears before Sir Elijah Impey to the robbery; but he never mentions the
paper he had written, in which he confessed that he owed his life to
this very lady. No inquiry was made into this matter. Colonel Hannay
was then alive. Captain Gordon was alive, and she refers to him: yet
that very man was sworn before Sir Elijah Impey, and accuses his
prisoner. Did the prisoner at your bar make that attestation known to
the Begum, whose letter at that very time was in his possession, in Mr.
Scott's trunk,--that very letter in which he is desired to make the
inquiry from Captain Gordon?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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