blackened the English name in Asia, beyond all comparison the most atrocious, the most disgraceful to the character, the most degrading to the wisdom of this country, and is that which calls the loudest on our justice for correction and atonement. From the time on which I have had an opportunity of considering and fixing my opinion of the true nature and complexion of this action, I do solemnly declare, that of all the enormities I have ever heard of in the tyranny of man over man, of all the desperate or wanton exploits, either recorded in the history of human crimes, or conceived in the most extravagant and the wildest flight of imaginary and invented guilt, this one détestable act has always appeared to me to involve within its single self the greatest variety, the greatest complication, the most lofty accumulation of guilt, to stand the highest in the scale of offences, and to claim an undisputed pre-eminence in human crimes. I know, Sir, all the responsibility with which I now load myself in this heavy charge, yet I am not only confident of leaving this opinion with the Committee before I conclude, but I cannot even now persuade myself, that it has not been already adopted, even on the imperfect view of this transaction which has as yet reached your eye, and which presents but a small portion, a feeble and indistinct impression of the subject. It is my duty to day to fill up this sketch, to unfold the latent or half-perceived points of criminality, and to justify not only my own proposition: but, as I have said before, what I cannot but conceive to be already the general, though perhaps as yet, the unstudied opinion of the House itself. The difficulty, which one should suppose the greatest in this case, should be, not that of obtaining your final assent, but prevailing on you to suspend for a time those feelings, and that judgment, which the first blush of this case cannot fail of suggesting to just and virtuous minds; to deliberate where intuitive justice, as it were, calls out for sudden and instant decision; and to allow me time and cool attention sufficient to establish, by the slow course of argument and analysis, that of which our nature rejects all doubt. No opinion, however, which is right in itself, can suffer by examination; and although I may, indeed, reasonably fear that the manner in which I shall be capable of treating it, may blunt the edge of your feelings, and damp the flame which the [VOL. XXVII.]

subject itself must have kindled; yet I have this consolation, that, however uncreditable to myself, and however irksome and painful to you, the discussion is, I fear, likely to prove in my hands, yet, in the end, the matter itself is of so active and animating a nature, as to rouse again the fire I may have extinguished, and secure that triumph to the truth of my proposition itself, which its advocate would claim in vain

Sir, the order I would observe is thisI propose, first, to relate some of the principal facts in the cause. I shall then take the liberty of extracting from this relation the points which it furnishes for your consideration, together with such grounds and arguments as may establish the conclusions on which I shall support my motion for an impeachment.

The Committee will, naturally, first expect to be made a little acquainted with the station, circumstances, and character of him who was the unhappy victim in this transaction.

The Maha Rajah Nundcomar was a Hindoo native of Bengal, and was born at Moorshedabad. He was a Bramin, and of the highest cast of that order, being, indeed, as I understand, considered at the time of his death, as the chief or head of that body. When I have said he was a Bramin, I have said he was of the highest rank known in the society in which he lived, and of a rank the eminence of which we can form but a feeble idea of here, from any condition we are accustomed to respect in Europe; because, in addition to civil distinctions of the highest nature, the natives of India attach to the character of Bramin a religious reverence, the degree of which can, perhaps, only be conceived by those who have had occasion to know how much stronger on the minds of Hindoos are all religious impressions, as well as how much more intimately these are interwoven with all their civil opinions, and ordinary concerns and habits, than can be well imagined in these countries. Independent of this title to consideration, he was beyond dispute, the most eminent Hindoo with whom we had any acquaintance or connexion in Bengal, on account of his wealth, the high stations he had filled, his acknowledged superiority of abilities, and, in a word, the great influence, and the sway he had possessed in all the affairs of that kingdom. There was, indeed, but one man below the nabob himself, whether Gentoo or Mahomedan, who [Y]

could be put in any degree of competition with him, for rank and consequence. This was Mahomed Reza Cawn, who had also held the first employments in the state, who was considered, and who really was, his rival and competitor in the intrigues and politics of the nabob's court. These men had long headed two principal and powerful factions in Bengal, and each had had his day of triumph and depression; each in his turn had been reverenced and respected in the fulness of his fortune; and each had been traduced and vilified in its wane. It happened, at a particular period, to suit the views, or the passions, of a prevailing party in the Court of Directors, to ruin Mahomed Reza Cawn, and to remove him from the administration of the Nabob's affairs which he then held. They judged it proper to use his rival Nundcomar in this service, who was thought peculiarly qualified for the office, by his ambition, his activity, his abilities, his acquaintance with business, but above all the rest, by his competition with Mahomed Reza Cawn, and the personal animosity between these two men. They directed, accordingly, their government in Bengal to accomplish this object, and to employ this instrument. The commission was in a special manner entrusted to Mr. Hastings, who was president of their council-the Directors accompanied these orders with observations on the character for intrigue, and on the disaffection towards the English authority in Bengal, commonly ascribed to Nundcomar; and, while they directed their servants to employ his talents and his passions in carrying a favourite point, they cautioned them against placing too implicit confidence, or bestowing too much actual power on this person; instructing them, however, positively, so far as should be consistent with this caution, to reward the services of Nundcomar, by the improvement of his fortune and the gratification of any views not dangerous to their own affairs. Thus instructed, Mr. Hastings undertook this commission; and Nundcomar was actually employed under him, several years, in this most confidential and important business, searching for, and supplying the Council with proofs of malversation in the ministry of Mahomed Reza Cawn. To this service, he was stimulated by every inducement which either interest, or passion, could suggest. His resentments and his ambition were at once gratified by the flattering prospect presented to them, of erecting his own

fortunes on the downfal of a rival. There can be little doubt of his having exerted all his abilities and all his activity in the pursuit. His situation too was rendered such as should enable him to employ his own resources with effect; and Mr. Hastings invested him with all the power of official authority, and with all the influence belonging to a show of favour and protection from the British government. It was on this occasion, and, according to the profession of Mr. Hastings, it was for this purpose, that the arrangement took place in the settlement of the young Nabob's government, of which we have already heard so much. The Munny Begum, who is not altogether a stranger in this place, and concerning some of the probable motives for whose elevation, the House may, perhaps, in the course of its inquiries, have formed some conjectures, was appointed to the guardianship of the present Nabob, Mobarruk ul Dowla, during his minority. Rajah Goordass, the son of Nundcomar, was appointed Duan of the Household, or, in other words, prime minister. It was acknowledged, however, that so far as regarded his own personal qualifications, Rajah Goordass was totally inadequate in point of abilities, and totally unfit, in character and habits, for such a station. But it was contended that the incapacity and deficiencies of the son would be supplied by the talents and activity of the father, whose paternal authority and influence, it was said, would enable him to employ these qualities usefully in the service of the Nabob and the Company. were the reasons, or, rather, this was the apology given, in substance, by Mr. Hastings for the nomination of Rajah Goordass to this office; and it was clearly understood, and indeed expressed in the minute of Mr. Hastings on that occasion, that Rajah Goordass should possess only the nominal appointment while Nundcomar was to be considered as the real and effective minister in the Nabob's court. In these circumstances, with these inducements to animate, and with these means to enable him, Nundcomar entered on the prosecution of Mahomed Reza Cawn, under the orders of the Company, and under the superintendence of Mr. Hastings. The event, however, did not answer the expectations naturally formed by the Court of Directors on this occasion. The prosecution totally failed, and Mr. Hastings and Nundcomar, reciprocally, laid

These

the disappointment to the account of each other.

The connexion of this narrative with the business of the day, the Committee will hereafter see more distinctly; and, in the mean while, it will serve to show the eminent station which, even with our concurrence, Nundcomar had filled in that country, and the claims, not only for protection, but for distinction and reward, which his confidential participation in some of our most favourite schemes had given him. It will also furnish an observation or two on the general character of this person, which has always been, more or less, mixed in the discussion of his subsequent fate, although incapable, in sound reasoning, of affecting in any degree, the merits of that question.

I must begin by remarking, that so far as we have gone at least, there is nothing in the conduct of Nundcomar, which one should have thought, sir Elijah Impey, of all men, would have been disposed to rely on, either as marking his character with infamy, or as justifying a capital and ignominious punishment. For sir Elijah Impey will find it difficult to distinguish so nicely between the kingdom of Bengal, and the province of Oude; between the conduct of Nundcomar in 1772, and his own in 1781; between the information procured by Nundcomar against Mahomed Reza Cawn, and the affidavits collected by himself against the Begums; as to condemn the one to a gibbet, and deem the other meritorious and worthy of reward. By what logic, or by what maxims of English law, will he prove that an action, which was infamous and capital in an Indian politician against a rival statesman, was venial or praise-worthy, in an English judge against the royal and aged victims of his agency? With what grace or impartiality could he reject the plea of humanity, as the motive of Nundcomar, if he should have boasted, like sir Elijah Impey, of sympathy, compassion, and tenderness of heart, as his inducement for assisting his friend Mr. Hastings, in his distress, by enabling him to obey the orders, and answer the expectations of his angry and impatient masters, the Court of Directors? What other distinction will he find favourable to himself in this parallel, unless it be in the superior zeal and happier success of his own labours, which dispatched the Begums in a few weeks, and by the active diligence of a few days, while the lukewarmness of

Nundcomar, his want of dexterity or possibly his greater scruples between good and bad evidence, were not able to accomplish the destruction of his own rival in three years? With regard to the general character of this person, if we are disposed to allow to him the same measure of justice with other men, we shall not admit as conclusive, without distinction or inquiry, every surmise and every allegation, which can be raked out of the party debates, of his public and private enemies. Nundcomar passed a long life in all the action of a period, full of revolutions and events, in the most intriguing country in the world. The events, in which he was always a conspicuous actor, were productive of more important consequences, both to individuals, and to the state, and as they involved deeper interests, so they engaged more warmly the passions of the parties, than any the most furious dissentions we can witness here, will ever exemplify. Nundcomar was incontestibly, in his heart, the foe of the English interests in India; and we must, therefore, receive the report of his character from those to whom he was obnoxious. It is, nevertheless, worthy of remark, that although he was seven years under restraint, and, during the whole of that time, was dispossessed of all authority by his successful rival and competitor Mahomed Reza Cawn, who was invested with the same office which he had lost, and held, therefore, in his hands the means of tracing and detecting the irregularities of his administration; yet I cannot find that any charge of malversation was ever substantiated against him. He expressly affirms the contrary himself, and boasts of it in the face of his enemy, Mr. Hastings, whom he was accusing and endeavouring to ruin at the time; and he asserts it, so far as I am able to discover, without contradic tion. His words are: "I have now been ten years out of employment: Mahomed Reza Khaun ardently wished, during the whole time of his ministry, to discover some fault of mine in the settling the business of the country, or fraud, or delays in the method of transacting it; as nothing of that kind had been committed by me, he was able to produce nothing. Whoever occupies a great post, as well as faithful adherents, undoubtedly meets with discontented and turbulent men. The utmost search which Mahomed Reza Khaun could make, could not produce a single man who would lay his complaint