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
"6. With respect to the resumption of the jaghires possessed by the
Begums in particular, and the subsequent seizure of the treasure
deposited with the Vizier's mother, which the Governor-General, in
his letter to the board, 23d January, 1782, has declared he
strenuously encouraged and supported, we hope and trust, for the
honor of the British nation, that the measure appeared to be fully
justified in the eyes of all Hindostan. The Governor-General has
informed us that it can be well attested, that the Begums
principally excited and supported the late commotions, and that
they carried their inveteracy to the English nation so far as to
aim at our utter extirpation.
"7. It must have been publicly known that in 1775 the Resident at
the Vizier's court not only obtained from the Begum, widow of the
late Sujah Dowlah, on the Nabob's account, thirty lacs of rupees,
half of which was to be paid to the Company, but also the
forbearance of twenty-six lacs, for the repayment of which she had
security in land, on the Nabob's agreeing to renounce all further
claims upon her, and that to this agreement the Company were
guaranties.
"8. We find that on the 21st December, 1775, the Begum complained
of a breach of engagements on the part of the Nabob, soliciting
your protection for herself, her mother, and for all the women
belonging to the seraglio of the late Nabob, from the distresses to
which they were reduced; in consequence whereof it was agreed in
consultation, 3d January, 1776, to remonstrate with the
Vizier,--the Governor-General remarking, that, as the
representative of our government has become an agent in this
business, and has pledged the honor and faith of the Company for
the punctual observance of the conditions under which the treaty
was concluded, you had a right to interfere, and justice demanded
it, if it should appear that those engagements have been violated.
And the board at the same time resolved, that, as soon as the
Begum's engagements with the Nabob, to which Mr. Bristow is a
party, shall be fulfilled on her part, this government will think
themselves bound to protect her against any further demand or
molestation.
"9. If, therefore, the disaffection of the Begums was not a matter
of public notoriety, we cannot but be alarmed for the effects which
these subsequent transactions must have had on the minds of the
natives of India. The only consolation we feel upon this occasion
is, that the amount of those jaghires for which the Company were
guaranties is to be paid through our Resident at the court of the
Vizier; and it very materially concerns the credit of your
government on no account to suffer such payments to be evaded.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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