MOVI. DESTRUCTION OF THE RAJAH OF SAHLONE.. :

I.

THAT the late Nabob of Oude, Suja UI Dowla, did (on what reasons of policy, or pretences of justice, is unknown) dispossess a certain native person of distinction, or eminent Rajah, residing in the country of Sahlone," the lineal

descendant of the most powerful Hindoo family

in that part of Hindostan," of his patrimonial estate; and conferred the same, or part of the same, on his (the Nabob's) mother, as a Jaghire Tor estate] for the term of her life: and the mother of the Nabob, in order to quiet the country, and to satisfy, in some measure, the principal and other inhabitants, did allow and pay a certain pension to the said Rajah; which pension, on the general confiscation of Jaghires (made at the instigation of the said Warren Hastings), and by the letting the lands so confiscated to farmers at rack-rents, was discontinued, and refused to be paid; and the discontinuance of the said pension, on account

of the personal respect born to the Rajah, (as *connexions with him are sought for, and thought "to confer honour,)" did cause an universal discontent, and violent commotions, in the district

of Sahlone, and other parts of the province of Oude, with great consequent effusion of blood, and, interruption, if not total discontinuance, to the collection of the Revenues in those parts, other, than as the same was irregularly, and with great, damage to the country, enforced by British troops.

II.

That Mr. Lumsdaine, the officer employed to reduce those disordered parts of the province to submission, after several advantages gained over the Rajah and his adherents, and expelling him from the country, did represent the utter impossibility of bringing it to a permanent settlement merely by forcible methods; as in any of his (the Rajah's) incursions, it would not be necessary to bring even a force with him, as the "Zemindars [landed proprietors and freeholders] are much attached to the Rajah, whom they "consider as their hereditary prince, and never "fail to assist him; and that his rebellion against "Government is not looked on as a crime:" and Mr. Lumsdaine declared it " as his clear opinion, "that the allowing the said Rajah a pension, "suitable to his rank and influence in the country, "would be the most certain mode of obtaining a

permanent peace ;" alleging, among other cogent reasons," that the expense of the force neces

sary to be employed to subdue the country might

" be

*be spared, and employed elsewhere; and that the people would return to their villages with their it cattle and effects, and of course Government "have some security for the Revenue, whereas at

present they have none:" and the representation containing that prudent and temperate counsel, given by a military man of undoubted information, and perfect experience in the local circumstances of the country, was transmitted by the Resident Bristow to the said Warren Hastings, who did wilfully and criminally omit to order any relief to the said Rajah in conformity to the general sense and wishes of the inhabitants; a compliance with whose so reasonable an expectation his duty in restoring the tranquillity of the country, and in retrieving the honour of the English Government, did absolutely require. But, instead of making such provision, a price was set upon his head; and several bodies of British troops being employed to pursue him, after many skirmishes and much bloodshed, and mutual waste of the country, the said Rajah, honoured and respected by the natives, was hunted down, and at length killed in a thicket.

VII. CONTRACTS.

THAT the Court of Directors of the EastIndia Company had laid down the following fun. damental rules for the conduct of such of the Company's business in Bengal as could be performed by Contract; and had repeatedly and strictly ordered the Governour and Council of FortWilliam to observe those rules; viz. that all Contracts should be publickly advertised, and the most reasonable proposals accepted; that the Contracts of provisions, and for furnishing draught and carriage-bullocks for the army, should be annual; and that they should not fail to advertise for and receive proposals for those Contracts every year.

That the said Warren Hastings, in direct dis obedience to the said positive orders, and, as the Directors themselves say, by a most deliberate breach of his duty, did, in September 1777, accept of proposals offered by Ernest Alexander Johnson for providing draught and carriage-bullocks, and for victualling the Europeans, without advertising for proposals, as he was expressly commanded to do, and extended the Contract for three years, which was positively ordered to be annual; and, notwithstanding that extension of the period, which

ought

ought at least to have been compensated by some advantage to the Company in the conditions, did conclude the said Contract upon terms less advantageous than the precedig Contract, and therefore not on the lowest terms procurable:that the said Warren Hastings, in defiance of the judgment and lawful orders of his superiours, which in this case left him no option, declared, that he disapproved of publishing for proposals, and that the Contract was reduced too low already: thereby avowing himself the advocate of the Contractor, against whom, as representative of the Company, and guardian of their interests, he properly was party, and preferring the advantage of the Contractor to those of his own constituents and employers:-that the Court of Directors of the East-India Company, having carefully considered the circumstances and tendency of this transaction, condemned it in the strongest terms, declaring, that they would not permit the Contract to be continued, and that, "if "the Contractor should think, himself aggrieved, "and take measures in consequence, by which the * Company became involved in loss or damage, "they should certainly hold the majority of the "Council responsible for such loss or damage, and "proceed against them accordingly."-That the said Warren Hastings, in defiance of orders, which, the Directors say, were plain and unequivocal, did, in January, 17775 receive from George Templer a proposal

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