I have
desired permission to get a little rice from the northern countries for the subsistence of my people, without its being liable to seizure by your sepoys: this even has been refused me by Lord Macartney.
desired permission to get a little rice from the northern countries for the subsistence of my people, without its being liable to seizure by your sepoys: this even has been refused me by Lord Macartney.
Edmund Burke
To the growing interest on the debt of 1777, at six per cent.
The remainder to be equally divided: one half to
be applied to the extinction of the Company's debt;
the other half to be applied to the payment of growing interest at 101. per cent, and towards the discharge of the principal of the debt of 1767. This arrangement to continue till the principal of
the debt 1767 is discharged.
The application of the twelve lacs is, then, to be,
1. To the interest of the debt of 1777, as above.
The remainder to be then equally divided, -one half
towards the discharge of the current interest and
principal of the Cavalry Loan, and the other half
towards the discharge of the Company's debt.
When the Cavalry Loan shall be thus discharged,
there shall then be paid towards the discharge of the
Company's debt seven lacs.
To the growing interest and capital of the 1777
loan, five lacs.
When the Company's debt shall be discharged,
the whole is then to be applied in discharge of the
debt 1777.
If the Nabob shall be prevailed upon to apply the
arrears and growing payments of the Tanjore peshcush in further discharge of his debts, over and above
the twelve lacs of pagodas, we direct that the whole
of that payment, when made, shall be applied towards the reduction of the Company's debt.
We have laid down these general rules of distribution, as appearing to us founded on justice, and the
relative circumstances of the different debts; and
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 181
therefore we give our authority and protection to
them only on the supposition that they who ask our
protection acquiesce in the condition upon which it is
given; and therefore we expressly order, that, if any
creditor of the Nabob, a servant of the Company, or
being under our protection, shall refuse to express
his acquiescence in these arrangements, he shall not
only be excluded from receiving any share of tile
fund under your distribution, but shall be prollibited
from taking any separate measures to recover his
debt from the Nabob: it being one great inducement
to our adopting this arrangement, that the Nabob
shall be relieved from all further disquietude by the
importunities of his individual creditors, and be left
at liberty to pursue those measures for the prosperity
of his country which the embarrassments of his situation have hitherto deprived him of the means of exerting. And we further direct, that, if any creditor shall be found refractory, or disposed to disturb the arrangement we have suggested, he shall be dismissed the service, and sent home to England. The directions we have given only apply to the
three classes of debts which have come under our
observation. It has been surmised that the Nabob
has of late contracted further debts: if any of these
are due to British subjects, we forbid any countenance or protection whatever to be given to them, until the debt is fully investigated, the nature of it
reported home, and our special instructions upon it
received.
We cannot conclude this subject without adverting in the strongest terms to the prohibitions which have from time to time issued under the authority of
different Courts of Directors agailnst any of our ser
? ? ? ? 182 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
vants, or of those under our protection, having any
money transactions with any of the country powers,
without the knowledge and previous consent of our
respective governments abroad. We are happy to find
that the Nabob, sensible of the great embarrassments,
both to his own and the Company's affairs, which the
ellormous amount of their private claims have occasioned, is willing to engage not to incur any new debts with individuals, and we think little difficulty
will be found in persuading his Highness into a positive stipulation for that purpose. And though the legislature has thus humanely interfered in behalf of such individuals as might otherwise have been reduced to great distress by the past transactions, we
hereby, in the most pointed and positive terms, repeat
our prohibition upon this subject, and direct that no
person, being a servant of the Company, or being under our protection, shall, on any pretence whatever, be concerned in any loan or other money transaction
with any of the country powers, unless with the
knowledge and express permission of our respective
governments. And if any of our servants, or others,
being under our protection, shall be discovered in
any respect counteracting these orders, we strictly
enjoin you to take the first opportunity of sending
them home to England, to be punished as guilty of
disobedience of orders, and no protection or assistance of the Company shall be given for the recovery of any loans connected with such transactions. Your particular attention to this subject is strictly
enjoined; and any connivance on your parts to a breach of our orders upon it will incur our highest displeasure.
In order to put an end to those intrigues which
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 183
have been so successfully carried on at the Nabob's
durbar, we repeat our prohibition in the strongest
terms respecting any intercourse between British
subjects and the Nabob and his family; as we are
convinced that such an intercourse has been carried
on greatly to the detriment and expense of the Nabob, and merely to the advantage of individuals.
We therefore direct that all persons who shall offend against the letter and spirit of this necessary
order, whether in the Company's service or unde"
their protection, be forthwith sent to England.
Approved by the Board.
HENRY DUNDAS,
WALSINGHAM,
W. W. GRENVILLE,
MULGRAVE.
WHITEHALL, 15th Oct. , 1784.
Extract from the Representation of the Court of Diree
tors of the jEast India Company.
MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, --
It is with extreme concern that we express a difference of opinion with your right honorable board,
in this early exercise of your controlling power; but
in so novel an institution, it can scarce be thought
extraordinary, if the exact boundaries of our respective functions and duties should not at once, on either side, be precisely and familiarly understood, and therefore confide in your justice and candor for believing that we have no wish to invade or frustrate
the salutary purposes of your institution, as we on
our part are thoroughly satisfied that you have no
wish to encroach on the legal powers of the East In
? ? ? ? 1 84 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
dia Company. We shall proceed to state our objections to such of the amendments as appear to us to
be either insufficient, inexpedient, or unwarranted.
6th. Concerning the private debts of the Nabob of
Arcot, and the application of the fund of twelve
lacs of pagodas per annum.
Under this head you are pleased, in lieu of our
paragraphs, to substantiate at once the justice of all
those demands which the act requires us to investigate, subject only to a right reserved to the Nabob, or any other party concerned, to question the justice
of any debt falling within the last of the three classes.
We submit, that at least the opportunity of questioning, within the limited time, the justice of any of the debts, ought to have been fully preserved; and supposing the first and second classes to stand free from imputation, (as we incline to believe they do,) no iinjury can result to individuals from such discussion: and we further submit to your consideration, how far
the express direction of the act to examine the nature and origin of the debts has been by the amended paragraphs complied with; and whether at least the
rate of interest, according to which the debts arising
from soucar assignment of the land-revenues to the
servants of the Company, acting in the capacity of
native bankers, have been accumulated, ought not
to be inquired into, as well as the reasonableness of
the deduction of twenty-five per cent which the Bengal government directed to be made from a great part of the debts on certain conditions. But to your
appropriation of the fund our duty requires that we
should state our strongest dissent. Our right to be
paid the arrears of those expenses by which, almost
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 185
to our own ruin, we have preserved the country and
all the property connected with it from falling a prey
to a foreign conqueror, surely stands paramount to
all claims for former debts upon the revenues of a
country so preserved, even if the legislature had not
expressly limited the assistance to be given the private creditors to be such as should be consistent with our own rights. The Nabob had, long before passing
the act, by treaty with our Bengal government, agreed
to pay us seven lacs of pagodas, as part of the twelve
lacs, in liquidation of those arrears; of which seven
lacs the arrangement you have been pleased to lay
down would take away from us more than the half,
and give it to private creditors, of whose demands
there are only about a sixth part which do not stand
in a predicament that you declare would not entitle
them to any aid or protection from us in the recovery
thereof, were it not upon grounds of expediency, as
will more particularly appear by the annexed estimate. Until our debt shall be discharged, we can
by no means consent to give up any part of the seven
lacs to the private creditors; and we humbly apprehend that in this declaration we do not exceed the limits of the authority and rights vested in us
THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THE
AFFAIRS OF INDIA.
The Representation of the Court of Directors of the
-East India Company.
MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, -
The Court, having duly attended to your reasonings
and decisions on the subjects of Arnee and Hanaman
? ? ? ? 186 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
tagoody, beg leave to observe, with due deference to
your judgment, that the directions we had given in
these paragraphs which. did not obtain your approbation1 still appear to us to have been consistent with justice, and agreeable to the late act of Parliament,
which pointed out to us, as we apprehended, the treaty of 1762 as our guide.
Signed by order of the said Court,
THO. MORTON, Sec.
EAST INDIA HOUSE, the 3rd November, 1784.
-Extract of a Letter from the Commissioners for the Affairs of India to the Court of -Directors, dated 3rd November, 1784, in Answer to their Remonstrance.
SIXTH ARTICLE.
WE think it proper, considering the particular nature of the subject, to state to you the following
remarks' on that part of your representation which
relates to the plan for the discharging of the Nabob's
debts.
1st. You compute the revenue which the Carnatic
may be expected to produce only at twenty lacs of
pagodas. If we concurred with you in this opinion,
we should certainly feel our hopes of advantage to all
the parties from this arrangement considerably diminished. But we trust that we are not too sanguine on this head, when we place the greatest reliance on the
estimate transmitted to you by your President of
Fort St. George, having there the best means of
information upon the fact, and stating it with a particular view to the subject matter of these paragraphs. Some allowance, we are sensible, must be made for
the difference of collection in the Nabob's hands, but,
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 187
we trust, not such as to reduce the receipt nearly to
what you suppose.
2ndly. In making up the amount of the private
debts, you take in compound interest at the different
rates specified in our paragraph. This it was not our
intention to allow; and lest any misconception should
arise on the spot, we have added an express direction
that the debts be made up with simple interest only, from the time of their respective consolidation.
Clause F f.
3rdly. We have also the strongest grounds to believe that the debts will be in other respects considerably less than they are now computed by you; and consequently, the Company's annual proportion of
the twelve lacs will be larger than it appears on your
estimate. But even on your own statement of it, if
we add to the 150,0001. , or 3,75,000 pagodas, (which
you take as the annual proportion to be received by
the Company for five years to the end of 1789,) the
annual amount of the Tanjore peshcush for the same
period, and the arrears on the peshcush, (proposed by
Lord Macartney to be received in three years,) the
whole will make a sum not falling very short of pagodas 35,00,000, the amount of pagodas 7,00,000 per
annum for the same period. And if we carry our calculations farther, it will appear, that, both by the plan
proposed by the Nabob and adopted in your paragraphs, and by that which we transmitted to you, the
debt from the Nabob, if taken at 3,000,0001. , will be
discharged nearly at the same period, viz. , in the
course of the eleventh year. We cannot, therefore, be
of opinion that there is the smallest ground for objecting to this arrangement, as injurious to the interests
of the Company, even if the measure were to be con
? ? ? ? 188 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
sidered on the mere ground of expediency, and with
a view only to the wisdom of reestablishing credit
and circulation in a commercial settlement, without
any consideration of those motives of attention to the
feelings and honor of the Nabob, of humanity to individuals, and of justice to persons in your service
and living under your protection, which have actuated the legislature, and which afford not only justifiable, but commendable grounds for your conduct. Impressed with this conviction, we have not made
any alteration in the general outlines of the arrangement which we had before transmitted to you. But,
as the amount of the Nabob's revenue is matter of
uncertain conjecture, and as it does not appear just
to us that any deficiency should fall wholly on any
one class of these debts, we have added a direction to
your government of Fort St. George, that, if, notwithstanding the provisions contained in our former paragraphs, any deficiency should arise, the payments of what shall be received shall be made in the same
proportion which would have obtained in the division
of the whole twelve lacs, had they been paid.
No. 10.
Referred to from p. 103.
[THE following extracts are subjoined, to show the
matter and the style of representation employed by
those who have obtained that ascendency over the
Nabob of Arcot which is described in the letter
marked No. 6 of the present Appendix, and which
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 189
is so totally destructive of the authority and credit
of the lawful British government at Madras. The
charges made by these persons have been solemnly
denied by Lord Macartney; and to judge from the
character of the parties accused and accusing, they
are probably void of all foundation. But as the letters are in the name and under the signature of a
person of great rank and consequence among the
natives, - as they contain matter of the most serious
nature, --as they charge the most enormous crimes,
and corruptions of the grossest kind, on a British
governor, - and as they refer to the Nabob's minister
in Great Britain for proof and further elucidation
of the matters complained of, -common decency
and common policy demanded an inquiry into their
truth or falsehood. The writing is obviously the
product of some English pen. If, on inquiry, these
charges should be made good, (a thing very unlikely,) the party accused would become a just object of
animadversion. If they should be found (as in all
probability they would be found) false and calumnious, and' supported by forgery, then the censure
would fall on the accuser; at the same time the necessity would be manifest for proper measures towards
the security of government against such infamous accusations. It is as necessary to protect the honest
fame of virtuous governors as it is to punish the
corrupt and tyrannical. But neither the Court of
Directors nor the Board of Control have made any
inquiry into the truth or falsehood of these charges.
They have covered over the accusers and accused
with abundance of compliments; they have insinuated some oblique censures; and they have recommended perfect harmony between the chargers of
? ? ? ? 190 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
corruption and peculation and the persons charged
with these crimes. ]
13th October, 1782. -Extract of a Translation of a
Letter from the Nabob of Arcot to the Chairman of
the Court of Directors of the East India Company.
FATALLY for me, and for the public interest, the
Company's favor and my unbounded confidence have
been lavished on a man totally unfit for the exalted
station in which he has been placed, and unworthy of
the trusts that have been reposed in him. When I
speak of one who has so deeply stabbed my honor,
my wounds bleed afresh, and I must be allowed that
freedom of expression which the galling reflection of
my injuries and my misfortunes naturally draws from
me. Shall your servants, unchecked, unrestrained,
and unpunished, gratify their private views and ambition at the expense of my honor, my peace, and my happiness, and to the ruin of my country, as well as
of all your affairs? No sooner had Lord Macartney
obtained the favorite object of his ambition than he
betrayed the greatest insolence towards me, the most
glaring neglect of the common civilities and attentions paid me by all former governors in the worst of times, and even by the most inveterate of my
enemies. He insulted my servants, endeavored to
defame my character by unjustly censuring my administration, and extended his boundless usurpation to the whole government of my dominions, in all the
branches of judicature and police; and, in violation
of the express articles of the agreements, proceeded
to send renters into the countries, unapproved of by
me, men of bad character, and unequal to my man
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 191
agement or responsibility. Though he is chargeable
with the greatest acts of cruelty, even to the shedding the blood and cutting off the noses and ears of
my subjects, by those exercising his authority in the
countries, and that even the duties of religion and
public worship have been interrupted or prevented,
and though he carries on all his business by the arbitrary exertion of military force, yet does he not collect from the countries one fourth of the revenue that should be produced. The statement he pretends to
hold forth of expected revenue is totally fallacious,
and can never be realized under the management of
his Lordship, in the appointment of renters totally
disqualified, rapacious, and irresponsible, who are
actually embezzling and dissipating the public revenues that should assist in the support of the war.
Totally occupied by his private views, and governed
by his passions, he has neglected or sacrificed all the
essential objects of public good, and by want of coSperation with Sir Eyre Coote, and refusal to furnish
the army with the necessary supplies, has rendered
the glorious and repeated victories of the gallant
general ineffectual to the expulsion of our cruel enemy. To cover his insufficiency, and veil the discredit attendant on his failure in every measure, lie throws out the most illiberal expressions, and institutes unjust accusations against me; and in aggravation of all the distresses imposed upon me, he has abetted the meanest calumniators to bring forward
false charges against me and my son, Amir-ul-Omrah, in order to create embarrassment, and for the
distress of my mind. My papers and writings sent
to you must testify to the whole world the malevolence of his designs, and the means that have been
? ? ? ? 192 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
used to forward them. He has violently seized and
opened all letters addressed to me and my servants,
on my public and private affairs. My vackeel, that
attended him according to ancient custom, has been
ignominiously dismissed from his presence, and not
suffered to approach the Government-House. He has
in the meanest manner, and as he thought in secret,
been tampering and intriguing with my family and
relations for the worst of purposes. And if I express
the agonies of my mind under these most pointed injuries and oppressions, and complain of the violence and injustice of Lord Macartney, I am insulted by his
affected construction that my communications are dictated by the insinuations of others, at the same time that his conscious apprehensions for his misconduct
have produced the most abject applications to me
to smother my feelings, and entreaties to write in
his Lordship's favor to England, and to submit all my affairs to his direction. When his submissions have failed to mould me to his will, he has endeavored to effect his purposes by menaces of his secret influence with those in power in England, which he pretends
to assert shall be effectual to confirm his usurpation,
and to deprive me, and my family, in succession, of
my rights of sovereignty and government forever.
To such a length have his passions and violences carried him, that all my family, my dependants, and even my friends and visitors, are persecuted with the
strongest marks of his displeasure. Every shadow of
authority in my person is taken from me, and respect
to my name discouraged throughout the whole country. When an officer of high rank in his Majesty's service was some time since introduced to me by
Lord Macartney, his Lordship took occasion to show
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 193
a personal derision and contempt of me. Mr. Richard Sulivan, who has attended my durbar under the.
commission of the Governor-General and Council:of.
Bengal, has experienced his resentment; and Mr. :
Benfield, with whom I have no business, and who, as
he has been accustomed to do. for many years, has
continued to pay me his visits of respect, has felt the
weight of his Lordship's displeasure, and has had every unmerited insinuation thrown out against him,
to prejudice him, and deter him from paying me his
compliments as usual.
Thus, Gentlemen, have you delivered me over to,
a stranger; to a man unacquainted with government.
and business, and too opinionated to learn; to a mant
whose ignorance and prejudices operate to the neglect
of every good measure, or the liberal cooperation with
any that wish well to the public interests; to a man
who, to pursue his own passions, plans, and designs,
will certainly ruin all mine, as well as the Company's affairs. His mismanagement and obstinacy
have caused the loss of many lacs of my revenues,
dissipated and embezzled, and every public consideration sacrificed to his vanity and private views. I
beg to offer an instance in proof of my assertions, and
to justify the hope I have that you will cause to
be made good to me all the losses I have sustained
by the maladministration and bad practices of your
servants, according to all the account of receipts of
former years, and which I made known to Lord Macartney, amongst other papers of information, in the
beginning of his management in the collections. The
district of Ongole produced annually, upon a medium
of many years, 90,000 pagodas; but Lord Macartney, upon receiving a sum of money from RamchunVOL. III. 13
? ? ? ? 1941 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
dry,* let it out to him, in April last, for the inadequate rent of 50,000 pagodas per annum, diminishing,
in this district alone, near half the accustomed revenues. After this manner hath he exercised his powers over the countries, to suit his own purposes and designs; and this secret mode has he taken to reduce
the collections.
1st November, 1782. Copy of a Letter from the Nabob
of Arcot td the Court of Directors, &c. Received
7th April, 1783.
THE distresses which I have set forth in my former letters are now increased to such an alarming
pitch by the imprudent measures of your Governor,
and by the arbitrary and impolitic conduct pursued
with the merchants and importers of grain, that the
very existence of the Fort of Madras seems at stake,
and that of the inhabitants of the settlement appears
to have been totally overlooked: many thousands have
died, and continue hourly to perish of famine, though
the capacity of one of your youngest servants, with
diligence and attention, by doing justice, and giving
reasonable encouragement to the merchants, and by
drawing the supplies of grain which the northern
countries would have afforded, might have secured;us against all those dreadful calamities. I had with
much difficulty procured and purchased a small quantity of rice, for the use of myself, my family, and attendants, and with a view of sending off the greatest part of the latter to the northern countries, with a
little subsistence in their hands. But what must your,surprise be, when you learn that even this rice was
* See Tellinga letter, at the end of this correspondence.
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 195
seazed by Lord Macartney, with a military force! and
thus am I unable to provide for the few people I have
about me, who are driven to such extremity and misery that it gives me pain to behold them.
I have
desired permission to get a little rice from the northern countries for the subsistence of my people, without its being liable to seizure by your sepoys: this even has been refused me by Lord Macartney. What
must your feelings be, on such wanton cruelty exercised towards me, when you consider, that, of thousands of villages belonging to me, a single one would have sufficed for my subsistence!
22d March, 1783. Translation of a Letter from the
Nabob of Arcot to the Chairman and Directors of the
-East India Company. Received from Mr. James
Macpherson, 1st January, 1784.
I AM willing to attribute this continued usurpation to the fear of detection in Lord Macartney: he
dreads the awful day when the scene of his enormities will be laid open, at my restoration to my country, and when the tongues of my oppressed subjects will be unloosed, and proclaim aloud the cruel tyrannies they have sustained. These sentiments of his
Lordship's designs are corroborated by his sending, on
the 10th instant, two gentlemen to me and my son,
Amir-ul-Omrah; and these gentlemen from Lord Macartney especially set forth to me, and to my son, that
all dependence on the power of the superior government of Bengal to enforce the intentions of the Company to restore my country was vain and groundless, - that the Company confided in his Lordship's judgment and discretion, and upon his representations. and
? ? ? ? 196 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
that if I, and my son, Amir-ul-Omrah, would enter into friendship with Lord Macartney, and sign a paper declaring all my charges and complaints against him
to be false, that his Lordship might be induced to write
to England that all his allegations against me and
my son were not well founded, and, notwithstanding
his declarations to withhold my country, yet, on these
considerations, it might be still restored to me.
What must be your feelings for your ancient and
faithful friend, on his receiving such insults to his
honor and understanding from your principal servant,
armed with your authority! From these manceuvres,
amongst thousands I have experienced, the truth must
evidently appear to you, that I have not been loaded
with those injuries and oppressions from motives of
public service, but to answer the private views and
interests of his Lordship and his secret agents: some
papers to this point are inclosed; others, almost without number, must be submitted to your justice, when time and circumstances shall enable me fully to investigate those transactions. This opportunity wili
not permit the full representation of my load of injuries and distresses: I beg leave to refer you to my minister, Mr. Macpherson, for the papers, according
to the inclosed list, which accompanied my last dispatches by the Rodney, which I fear have failed; and my correspondence with Lord Macartney subsequent
to that period, such as I have been able to prepare
for this opportunity, are inclosed.
Notwithstanding all the violent acts and declarations of Lord Macartney, yet a consciousness of his
own misconduct was the sole incentive to the menaces and overtures he has held out in various shapes. He has been insultingly lavish in his expressions of
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 197
high respect for my person; has had the insolence to
say that all his measures flowed from his affectionate regard alone; has presumed to say that all his
enmity and oppression were levelled at my son, Amirul-Omrah, to whom he before acknowledged every aid
and assistance; and his Lordship being without any
just cause or foundation for complaint against us, or
a veil to cover his own violences, he has now had recourse to the meanness and has dared to intimate of
my son, in order to intimidate me and to strengthen
his own wicked purposes, to be in league with our
enemies the French. You must doubtless be astonished, no less at the assurance than at the absurdity
of such a wicked suggestion.
IN THE NABOB S OWN HAND.
P. S. In my own handwriting I acquainted Mr.
Hastings, as I now do my ancient friends the Company, with the insult offered to my honor and understanding, in the extraordinary propositions sent to me by Lord Macartney, through two gentlemen, on the
10th instant, so artfully veiled with menaces, hopes,
and promises. But how can Lord Macartney add to
his enormities, after his wicked and calumniating insinuations, so evidently directed against me and my
family, through my faithful, my dutiful, and beloved
son, Amir-ul-Omrah, who, you well know, has been
ever born and bred amongst the English, whom I have
studiously brought up in the warmest sentiments of
affection and attachment to them, -- sentiments that
in his maturity have been his highest ambition to improve, insomuch that he knows no happiness but in
the faithful support of our alliance and connection
with the English nation?
? ? ? ? 198 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
12th August, and Postscript of the 16th August,
1783. Translation of a Letter to the Chairman
and. Directors of the East India Company. Received from Mr. James Macpherson, 14th January, 1784.
YOUR astonishment and indignation will be equally raised with mine, when you hear that your President has dared, contrary to your intention, to continue to usurp the privileges and hereditary powers of the Nabob of the Carnatic, your old and unshaken
friend, and the declared ally of the king of Great
Britain.
I will not take up your time by enumerating the
particular acts of Lord Macartney's violence, cruelty,
and injustice: they, indeed, occur too frequently, andfall
upon me and my devoted subjects and country too thick,
to be regularly related. I refer you to my minister,
Mr. James Macpherson, for a more circumstantial account of the oppressions and enormities by which he has brought both mine and the Company's affairs to the
brink of destruction. I trust that such flagrant violations of all justice, honor, and the faith of treaties
will receive the severest marks of your displeasure,
and that Lord Macartney's conduct, in making use
of your name and authority as a sanction for the
continuance of his usurpation, will be disclaimed
with the utmost indignation, and followed with the
severest punishment. I conceive that his Lordship's
arbitrary retention of my country and government
can only originate in his insatiable cravings, in his implacable malevolence against me, and through fear of detection, which must follow the surrender of the Carnatic into my hands, of those nefarious proceedings
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 199
which are now suppressed by the arm of violence and
power.
I did not fail to represent to the supreme government of Bengal the deplorable situation to which I
was reduced, and the unmerited persecutions I have
unremittingly sustained from Lord Macartney; and
I earnestly implored them to stretch forth a saving
arm, and interpose that controlling power which was'
vested in them, to check rapacity and presumption,
and preserve the honor and faith of the Company
from violation. The Governor-General and Council
not only felt the cruelty and injustice I had suffered,
but were greatly alarmed for the fatal consequences
that might result from the distrust of the cbuntry
powers in the professions of the English, when they
saw the Nabob of the Carnatic, the friend of the Company, and the ally of Great Britain, thus stripped of
his rights, his dominions, and his dignity, by the most
fraudulent means, and under the mask of friendship.
The Bengal government had already heard both the
Mahrattas and the Nizam urge, as an objection to an
alliance with the English, the faithless behavior of
Lord Macartney to a prince whose life had been devoted and whose treasures had been exhausted in their
service and support; and they did not hesitate to give
positive orders to Lord Macartney for the restitution
of my government and authority, on such te'rms as
were not only strictly honorable, but equally advantageous to my friends the Company: for they justly thought that my honor and dignity and sovereign rights were the first olbjects of my wishes and ambition. But how can I paint my astonishment at Lord
Macartney's presumption in continuing his usurpation after their positive and reiterated mandates, and,
? ? ? ? 200 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
as if nettled by their interference, which he disdained,
in redoubling the fury of his violence, and sacrificing
the public and myself to his malice and ungovernable
passions?
I am, Gentlemen, at a loss to conceive where his
usurpation will stop and have an end. Has he not
solemnly declared that the assignment was only made
-for the support of war? and if neither your instructions nor the orders of his superiors at Bengal were
to be considered as effectual, has not the treaty of
peace virtually determined the period of his tyrannical administration? But so far from surrendering
the Carnatic into my hands, he has, since that event,
affixed advertisements to the walls and gates of the
Black Town for letting to the best bidder the various
districts for the term of three years,- and has continued the Committee of Revenue, which you positively ordered to be abolished, to whom he has allowed
enormous salaries, from 6000 to 4000 pagodas per
annum, which each member has received from the
time of his appointment, though his Lordship well
knows that most of them are by your orders disqualified by being my principal creditors.
If those acts of violence and outrage had been
productive of public advantage, I conceive his Lordship might have held them forward in extenuation
of his conduct; but whilst he cloaks his justification
under the veil of your records, it is impossible to re
fute his assertions or to expose to you their fallacy;
and when he is no longer able to support his conduct
by argument, he refers to those records, where, I
understand, he has exercised all his sophistry and
malicious insinuations to render me and my family
obnoxious in the eyes of the Company and the Brit
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 201
ish nation. And when the glorious victories of Sir
Eyre Coote have been rendered abortive by a constant deficiency of supplies, -and when, since the
departure of that excellent general to Bengal, whose
loss I must ever regret, a dreadful famine, at the
close of last year, occasioned by his Lordship's neglect to lay up a sufficient stock of grain at a proper
season, and from his prohibitory orders to private
merchants, -and when no exertion has been made,
nor advantage gained over the enemy, - when Hyder's death and Tippoo's return to his own dominions
operated in no degree for the benefit of our affairs,in short, when all has been a continued series of disappointment and disgrace under Lord Macartney's management, (and in him alone has the management been vested,) -I want words to convey those
ideas of his insufficiency, ignorance, and obstinacy
which I am convinced you would entertain, had
you been spectators of his ruinous and destructive
conduct.
But against me, and my son, Amir-ul-Omrah,
has his Lordship's vengeance chiefly been exerted:
even the Company's own subordinate zemindars have
found better treatment, probably because they were
more rich; those of Nizanagoram have been permitted, contrary to your pointed orders, to hold their rich
zemindaries at the old disproportionate rate of little
more. than a sixth part of the real revenue; and my
zemindar of Tanjore, though he should have regarded
himself equally concerned with us in the event of the
war, and from whose fertile country many valuable
harvests have been gathered in, which have sold at a
vast price, has, I understand, only contributed, last
year, towards the public exigencies, the very incon
? ? ? ? 202 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
siderable sum of one lac of pagodas, and a few thou.
sand pagodas' worth of grain.
I am much concerned to acquaint you that ever
since the peace a dreadful famine has swept away
many thousands of the followers and sepoys' families
of the army, from Lord Macartney's neglect to send
down grain to the camp, though the roads are crowded
with vessels: but his Lordship has been too intent upon his own disgraceful schemes to attend to the wants of the army. - The negotiation with Tippoo, which he
has set on foot through the mediation of Monsieur
Bussy, has employed all his thoughts, and to the
attainment of that object he will sacrifice the dearest
interests of the Company to gratify his malevolence
against me, and for his own private advantages. The
endeavor to treat with Tippoo, through the means of
the French, must strike you, Gentlemen, as highly
improper and impolitic; but it must raise your utmost indignation to hear, that, by intercepted letters from Bussy to Tippoo, as well as from their respective
vakeels, and from various accounts from Cuddalore,
we have every reason to conclude that his Lordship's
secretary, Mr. Staunton, when at Cuddalore, as his
agent to settle the cessation of arms with the French,
was informed of all their operations and projects, and
consequently that Lord JMaartney has secretly connived
at Monsieur Bussy's recommendation to T~ppoo to return into the Carnatic, as the means of procuring the
most advantageous terms, andfurnishing Lord Macartney with the plea of necessity for concluding a peace after his own manner: and what further confirms the truth of this fact is, that repeated reports, as well as
the alarms of the inhabitants to the westward, leave us no reason to doubt that Tippoo is approaching to
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 203
wards us. His Lordship has issued public orders
that the garrison store of rice, for which we are indebted to the exertions of the Bengal government, should be immediately disposed of, and has strictly
forbid all private grain to be sold; by which act he
effectually prohibits all private importation of grain,
and may eventually cause as horrid a famine as that
which we experienced at the close of last year from
the same shortsighted policy and destructive prohibitions of Lord Macartney.
But as he has the fabrication of the records in his
own hands, he trusts to those partial representations
of his character and conduct, because the signatures
of those members of government whom he seldom
consults are affixed, as a public sanction; but you
may form a just idea of their correctness and propriety, when you are informed that his Lordship, upon amy noticing the heavy disbursements made for secret
service money, ordered the sums to be struck off, and the
accounts to be erased from the cash-book of the CUompany; and I think I cannot give you a better proof of his management of my country and revenues than
by calling your attention to his conduct in the Ongole province, and by referring you to his Lordship's administration of your own jaghire, from whence he
has brought to the public account the sum of twelve
hundred pagodas for the last year's revenue, yet blazons forth his vast merits and exertions, and expects to receive the thanks of his Committee and Council.
I will beg leave to refer you to my minister, James
Macpherson, Esq. , for a more particular account of
my sufferings and miseries, to whom I have transmitted copies of all papers that passed with his Lordship.
? ? ? ? 204 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
I cannot conclude without calling your attention
to the situation of my different creditors, whose claims
are the claims of justice, and whose demands I am
bound by honor and every moral obligation to discharge; it is not, therefore, without great concern I have heard insinuations tending to question the legality of their right to the payment of those just debts: they proceeded from advances made by them openly
and honorably for the support of my own and the
public affairs. But I hope the tongue of calumny
will never drown the voice of truth and justice; and
while that is heard, the wisdom of the English nation
cannot fail to accede to an effectual remedy for their
distresses, by any arrangement in which their claims
may be duly considered and equitably provided for:
and for this purpose, my minister, Mr. Macpherson,
will readily subscribe, in my name, to any agreement
you may think proper to adopt, founded on the same
principles with either of the engagements I entered
into with the supreme government of Bengal for our
mutual interest and advantage.
I always pray for, your happiness and prosperity.
6th September, and Postscript of 7th September,
1783. Translation of a Letter from the Nabob of
Arcot to the Chairman and Directors of the -East
India Company. Received from Mr. James Macpherson, 14th January, 1784.
I REFER you, Gentlemen, to my inclosed duplicate.
as well as to my minister, Mr. Macpherson, for the
particulars of my sufferings. There is no word or
action of mine that is not perverted; and though it
was my intention to have sent my son, Amir-ul-Om
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 205
lahb, who is well versed in my affairs, to Bengal, to
impress those gentlemen with a full sense of my situation, yet I find myself obliged to lay it aside, from
the insinuations of the calumniating tongue of Lord
Macartney, that takes every license to traduce every
action of my life and that of my son. I am informed
that Lord Macartney, at this late moment, intends
to write a letter: I am ignorant of the subject, but
fully perceive, that, by delaying to send it till the
very eve of the dispatch, he means to deprive me of
all possibility of communicating my reply, and forwarding it for the information of my friends in England. Conscious of the weak ground on which he
stands, he is obliged to have recourse to these artifices to mislead the judgment, and support for a time
his unjustifiable measures by deceit and imposition.
I wish only to meet and combat his charges and allegations fairly and openly, and I have repeatedly and
urgently demanded to be furnished with copies of
those parts of his fabricated records relative to myself; but as he well knows I should refute his sophistry, I cannot be surprised at his refusal, though I
lament that it prevents you, Gentlemen, from a clear
investigation of his conduct towards me.
Inclosed you have a translation of an arzee from
the Killidar of Vellore. I have thousands of the same
kind; but this, just now received, will serve to give
you some idea of the miseries brought upon this- my
devoted country, and the wretched inhabitants:that;
remain in it, by the oppressive hand of Lord Macar:tney's management: nor will the embezzlements of collections thus obtained, when brought before you- in proof, appear less extraordinary, -- which shall certainly be done in due time.
? ? ? ? 206 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS. Translation of an Arzee, in the Persian Language, from Uzzim-ul --Doen Cawn, the Killidar of Vellore, to the Nabob, dated 1st September, 1783. Inclosed in the Nabob's Letter to the Court of Directors, September, 1783.
I HAVE repeatedly represented to your Highness
the violences and oppressions exercised by the present aumildar [collector of revenue], of Lord Macartney's appointment, over the few remaining inllhabitants of the districts of Vellore, Amboor, Saulguda, &c.
The outrages and violences now committed are
of that astonishing nature as were never known or
heard of during the administration of the Circar.
iyder Naik, the cruellest of tyrants, used every kind
of oppression in the Circar countries; but even his
measures were not like those now pursued. Such of
the inhabitants as had escaped the sword and pillage
of Hyder Naik, by taking refuge in the woods, and
within the walls of Vellore, &c. , on the arrival of
Lord Macartney's aumildar to Vellore, and in consequence of his cowle of protection and support, most
cheerfully returned to the villages, set about the cultivation of the lands, and with great pains rebuilt
their cottages. -- But now the aumildar has imprisoned the wives and cJildren of the inhabitants, seized
the few jewels that were on the bodies of the women,
and then, before the faces of their husbands, flogged
them, in order to make them produce other jewels
and effects, which he said they had buried somewhere under ground, and to make the inhabitants
bring him money, notwithstanding there was yet no
cultivation in the country. Terrified with the flagel
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 207
lations, some of them produced their jewels and
wearing-apparel of their women, to the amount of
ten or fifteen pagodas, which they had hidden; others, who declared they had none, the aumildar flogged
their women severely, tied cords around their breasts,
and tore the sucking children from their teats, and
exposed them to the scorching heat of the sun.
Those children died, as did the wife of Ramsoamy,
an inhabitant of Bringpoor. Even this could not stir
up compassion in the breast of the aumildar. Some
of the children that were somewhat large he exposed
to sale. In short, the violences of the aumildar are
so astonishing, that the people, on seeing the present
situation, remember the loss of Hyder with regret.
With whomsoever the aumildar finds a single measure
of natchinee or rice, he takes it away from him, and
appropriates it to the expenses of the sibindy that he
keeps up. No revenues are collected from the countries, but from the effects of the poor, wretched inhabitants. Those ryots [yeomen] who intended to return to their habitations, hearing of those violences, have
fled for refuge, with their wives and children, into
Hyder's country. Every day is ushered in and closed
with these violences and disturbances. I have no
power to do anything; and who will hear what I
have to say? My business is to inform your Highness, who are my master. The people bring their
complaints to me, and I tell them I will write to your
Highness. *
X The above-recited practices, or practices similar to them, have
prevailed in almost every part of the miserable countries on the coast
of Coromandel for near twenty years past. That they prevailed as
strongly and generally as they could prevail, under the administration of the Nabob, there can be no question, notwithstanding the as
? ? ? ? 208 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
Translation of a Tellinga Letter from Veira Permaul,
Head Dubash to Lord Macartney, in his own Handwriting, to Rajah Ramchunda, the Renter of Ongole.
Dated 25th of the Hindoo month Mausay, in the
year Plavanamal, corresponding to 5th March,
1782.
I PRESENT my respects to you, and am very well
here, wishing to hear frequently of your welfare.
Your peasher Vancatroyloo has brought the Visseel Bakees, and delivered them to me, as also what
you sent him for me to deliver to my master, which 1
have done. My master at first refused to take it, because he is unacquainted with your disposition, or what
kind of a person you are. But after I made encomiums on your goodness and greatness of mind, and
took my oath to the same, and that it would not besertion in the beginning of the above petition; nor will it ever be
otherwise, whilst affairs are conducted upon the principles which influence the present system. Whether the particulars here asserted
are true or false neither the Court of Directors nor their ministry
have thought proper to inquire. If they are true, in order to bring
them to affect Lord Macartney, it ought to be proved that the conmplaint was made to him, and that he had refused redress. Instead of
this fair course, the complaint is carried to the Court of Directors. -
The above is one of the documents transmitted by the Nabob, in
proof of his charge of corruption against Lord Macartney. If genu
ine, it is, conclusive, at least against Lord Macartney's principal agent
and manager. If it be a forgery, (as in all likelihood it is,) it is conclusive against the Nabob and his evil counsellors, and fully demonstrates, if anything further were necessary to demonstrate, the necessity of the clause in Mr. Fox's bill prohibiting the residence of the native princes in the Company's principal settlements, -which clause
was, for obvious reasons, not admitted into Mr. Pitt's. It shows, too,
the absolute necessity of a severe and exemplary punishment on certain of his English evil counsellors and creditors, by whom such practices are carried on.
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 209
come public, but be held as precious as our lives, my
master accepted it. You may remain satisfied that I
will get the Ongole business settled in your name;
I will cause the jamaubundee to be settled agreeable
to your desire. It was formerly the Nabob's intention
to give this business to you, as the Governor knows
full well, but did not at that time agree to it, which
you must be well acquainted with.
Your peasher Vancatroyloo is a very careful, good
man; he is well experienced in business; he has
bound me by an oath to keep all this business secret, and
that his own, yours, and my lives are responsible for it.
I write this letter to you with the greatest reluctance,
and I signified the same to your peasher, and declared
that I would not write to you by any means. To this
the peasher urged, that, if Idid not write to his master, how could he know to whom he (the peasher) delivered the money, and what must his master think of it? Therefore I write you this letter, and send it by my
servant Ramanah, accompanied by the peasher's servant, and it will come safe to your hands. After perusal, you will send it back to me immediately: until
I receive it, I don't like to eat my victuals or take any
sleep. Your peasher took his oath, and urged me
to write this for your satisfaction, and has engaged to
me that I shall have this letter returned to me in the
space of twelve days.
The present Governor is not like the former Governors: he is a very great man in Europe; and all
the great men of Europe are much obliged to him for
his condescension in accepting the government of this
place. It is his custom, when he makes friendship with
any one, to continue it always; and if he is at enmity
with any one, he never will desist till he has worked
VOL. III. 14
? ? ? ? 2iL0 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
his destruction. He is now exceedingly displeased with
the Nabob, and you will understand by-and-by that
the Nabob's business cannot be carried on; he (the Nabob) will have no power to do anything in his own affairs: you have, therefore, no room to fear him; you
may remain with a, contented mind. I desired the
Governor to write you a letter for your satisfaction:
the Governor said he would do so, when the business
was settled. This letter you must peruse as soon as
possible, and send it back with all speed by the bearer,
Ramadoo, accompanied by three or four of your people, to the end that no accident may happen on the road. These people must be ordered to march in thse
night only, and to arrive here with the greatest dispatch. You sent ten mangoes for my master and
two for me, all of which I have delivered to my master, thinking that ten was not sufficient to present him with. I write this for your information, and salute
you with ten thousand respects.
The remainder to be equally divided: one half to
be applied to the extinction of the Company's debt;
the other half to be applied to the payment of growing interest at 101. per cent, and towards the discharge of the principal of the debt of 1767. This arrangement to continue till the principal of
the debt 1767 is discharged.
The application of the twelve lacs is, then, to be,
1. To the interest of the debt of 1777, as above.
The remainder to be then equally divided, -one half
towards the discharge of the current interest and
principal of the Cavalry Loan, and the other half
towards the discharge of the Company's debt.
When the Cavalry Loan shall be thus discharged,
there shall then be paid towards the discharge of the
Company's debt seven lacs.
To the growing interest and capital of the 1777
loan, five lacs.
When the Company's debt shall be discharged,
the whole is then to be applied in discharge of the
debt 1777.
If the Nabob shall be prevailed upon to apply the
arrears and growing payments of the Tanjore peshcush in further discharge of his debts, over and above
the twelve lacs of pagodas, we direct that the whole
of that payment, when made, shall be applied towards the reduction of the Company's debt.
We have laid down these general rules of distribution, as appearing to us founded on justice, and the
relative circumstances of the different debts; and
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 181
therefore we give our authority and protection to
them only on the supposition that they who ask our
protection acquiesce in the condition upon which it is
given; and therefore we expressly order, that, if any
creditor of the Nabob, a servant of the Company, or
being under our protection, shall refuse to express
his acquiescence in these arrangements, he shall not
only be excluded from receiving any share of tile
fund under your distribution, but shall be prollibited
from taking any separate measures to recover his
debt from the Nabob: it being one great inducement
to our adopting this arrangement, that the Nabob
shall be relieved from all further disquietude by the
importunities of his individual creditors, and be left
at liberty to pursue those measures for the prosperity
of his country which the embarrassments of his situation have hitherto deprived him of the means of exerting. And we further direct, that, if any creditor shall be found refractory, or disposed to disturb the arrangement we have suggested, he shall be dismissed the service, and sent home to England. The directions we have given only apply to the
three classes of debts which have come under our
observation. It has been surmised that the Nabob
has of late contracted further debts: if any of these
are due to British subjects, we forbid any countenance or protection whatever to be given to them, until the debt is fully investigated, the nature of it
reported home, and our special instructions upon it
received.
We cannot conclude this subject without adverting in the strongest terms to the prohibitions which have from time to time issued under the authority of
different Courts of Directors agailnst any of our ser
? ? ? ? 182 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
vants, or of those under our protection, having any
money transactions with any of the country powers,
without the knowledge and previous consent of our
respective governments abroad. We are happy to find
that the Nabob, sensible of the great embarrassments,
both to his own and the Company's affairs, which the
ellormous amount of their private claims have occasioned, is willing to engage not to incur any new debts with individuals, and we think little difficulty
will be found in persuading his Highness into a positive stipulation for that purpose. And though the legislature has thus humanely interfered in behalf of such individuals as might otherwise have been reduced to great distress by the past transactions, we
hereby, in the most pointed and positive terms, repeat
our prohibition upon this subject, and direct that no
person, being a servant of the Company, or being under our protection, shall, on any pretence whatever, be concerned in any loan or other money transaction
with any of the country powers, unless with the
knowledge and express permission of our respective
governments. And if any of our servants, or others,
being under our protection, shall be discovered in
any respect counteracting these orders, we strictly
enjoin you to take the first opportunity of sending
them home to England, to be punished as guilty of
disobedience of orders, and no protection or assistance of the Company shall be given for the recovery of any loans connected with such transactions. Your particular attention to this subject is strictly
enjoined; and any connivance on your parts to a breach of our orders upon it will incur our highest displeasure.
In order to put an end to those intrigues which
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 183
have been so successfully carried on at the Nabob's
durbar, we repeat our prohibition in the strongest
terms respecting any intercourse between British
subjects and the Nabob and his family; as we are
convinced that such an intercourse has been carried
on greatly to the detriment and expense of the Nabob, and merely to the advantage of individuals.
We therefore direct that all persons who shall offend against the letter and spirit of this necessary
order, whether in the Company's service or unde"
their protection, be forthwith sent to England.
Approved by the Board.
HENRY DUNDAS,
WALSINGHAM,
W. W. GRENVILLE,
MULGRAVE.
WHITEHALL, 15th Oct. , 1784.
Extract from the Representation of the Court of Diree
tors of the jEast India Company.
MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, --
It is with extreme concern that we express a difference of opinion with your right honorable board,
in this early exercise of your controlling power; but
in so novel an institution, it can scarce be thought
extraordinary, if the exact boundaries of our respective functions and duties should not at once, on either side, be precisely and familiarly understood, and therefore confide in your justice and candor for believing that we have no wish to invade or frustrate
the salutary purposes of your institution, as we on
our part are thoroughly satisfied that you have no
wish to encroach on the legal powers of the East In
? ? ? ? 1 84 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
dia Company. We shall proceed to state our objections to such of the amendments as appear to us to
be either insufficient, inexpedient, or unwarranted.
6th. Concerning the private debts of the Nabob of
Arcot, and the application of the fund of twelve
lacs of pagodas per annum.
Under this head you are pleased, in lieu of our
paragraphs, to substantiate at once the justice of all
those demands which the act requires us to investigate, subject only to a right reserved to the Nabob, or any other party concerned, to question the justice
of any debt falling within the last of the three classes.
We submit, that at least the opportunity of questioning, within the limited time, the justice of any of the debts, ought to have been fully preserved; and supposing the first and second classes to stand free from imputation, (as we incline to believe they do,) no iinjury can result to individuals from such discussion: and we further submit to your consideration, how far
the express direction of the act to examine the nature and origin of the debts has been by the amended paragraphs complied with; and whether at least the
rate of interest, according to which the debts arising
from soucar assignment of the land-revenues to the
servants of the Company, acting in the capacity of
native bankers, have been accumulated, ought not
to be inquired into, as well as the reasonableness of
the deduction of twenty-five per cent which the Bengal government directed to be made from a great part of the debts on certain conditions. But to your
appropriation of the fund our duty requires that we
should state our strongest dissent. Our right to be
paid the arrears of those expenses by which, almost
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 185
to our own ruin, we have preserved the country and
all the property connected with it from falling a prey
to a foreign conqueror, surely stands paramount to
all claims for former debts upon the revenues of a
country so preserved, even if the legislature had not
expressly limited the assistance to be given the private creditors to be such as should be consistent with our own rights. The Nabob had, long before passing
the act, by treaty with our Bengal government, agreed
to pay us seven lacs of pagodas, as part of the twelve
lacs, in liquidation of those arrears; of which seven
lacs the arrangement you have been pleased to lay
down would take away from us more than the half,
and give it to private creditors, of whose demands
there are only about a sixth part which do not stand
in a predicament that you declare would not entitle
them to any aid or protection from us in the recovery
thereof, were it not upon grounds of expediency, as
will more particularly appear by the annexed estimate. Until our debt shall be discharged, we can
by no means consent to give up any part of the seven
lacs to the private creditors; and we humbly apprehend that in this declaration we do not exceed the limits of the authority and rights vested in us
THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THE
AFFAIRS OF INDIA.
The Representation of the Court of Directors of the
-East India Company.
MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, -
The Court, having duly attended to your reasonings
and decisions on the subjects of Arnee and Hanaman
? ? ? ? 186 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
tagoody, beg leave to observe, with due deference to
your judgment, that the directions we had given in
these paragraphs which. did not obtain your approbation1 still appear to us to have been consistent with justice, and agreeable to the late act of Parliament,
which pointed out to us, as we apprehended, the treaty of 1762 as our guide.
Signed by order of the said Court,
THO. MORTON, Sec.
EAST INDIA HOUSE, the 3rd November, 1784.
-Extract of a Letter from the Commissioners for the Affairs of India to the Court of -Directors, dated 3rd November, 1784, in Answer to their Remonstrance.
SIXTH ARTICLE.
WE think it proper, considering the particular nature of the subject, to state to you the following
remarks' on that part of your representation which
relates to the plan for the discharging of the Nabob's
debts.
1st. You compute the revenue which the Carnatic
may be expected to produce only at twenty lacs of
pagodas. If we concurred with you in this opinion,
we should certainly feel our hopes of advantage to all
the parties from this arrangement considerably diminished. But we trust that we are not too sanguine on this head, when we place the greatest reliance on the
estimate transmitted to you by your President of
Fort St. George, having there the best means of
information upon the fact, and stating it with a particular view to the subject matter of these paragraphs. Some allowance, we are sensible, must be made for
the difference of collection in the Nabob's hands, but,
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 187
we trust, not such as to reduce the receipt nearly to
what you suppose.
2ndly. In making up the amount of the private
debts, you take in compound interest at the different
rates specified in our paragraph. This it was not our
intention to allow; and lest any misconception should
arise on the spot, we have added an express direction
that the debts be made up with simple interest only, from the time of their respective consolidation.
Clause F f.
3rdly. We have also the strongest grounds to believe that the debts will be in other respects considerably less than they are now computed by you; and consequently, the Company's annual proportion of
the twelve lacs will be larger than it appears on your
estimate. But even on your own statement of it, if
we add to the 150,0001. , or 3,75,000 pagodas, (which
you take as the annual proportion to be received by
the Company for five years to the end of 1789,) the
annual amount of the Tanjore peshcush for the same
period, and the arrears on the peshcush, (proposed by
Lord Macartney to be received in three years,) the
whole will make a sum not falling very short of pagodas 35,00,000, the amount of pagodas 7,00,000 per
annum for the same period. And if we carry our calculations farther, it will appear, that, both by the plan
proposed by the Nabob and adopted in your paragraphs, and by that which we transmitted to you, the
debt from the Nabob, if taken at 3,000,0001. , will be
discharged nearly at the same period, viz. , in the
course of the eleventh year. We cannot, therefore, be
of opinion that there is the smallest ground for objecting to this arrangement, as injurious to the interests
of the Company, even if the measure were to be con
? ? ? ? 188 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
sidered on the mere ground of expediency, and with
a view only to the wisdom of reestablishing credit
and circulation in a commercial settlement, without
any consideration of those motives of attention to the
feelings and honor of the Nabob, of humanity to individuals, and of justice to persons in your service
and living under your protection, which have actuated the legislature, and which afford not only justifiable, but commendable grounds for your conduct. Impressed with this conviction, we have not made
any alteration in the general outlines of the arrangement which we had before transmitted to you. But,
as the amount of the Nabob's revenue is matter of
uncertain conjecture, and as it does not appear just
to us that any deficiency should fall wholly on any
one class of these debts, we have added a direction to
your government of Fort St. George, that, if, notwithstanding the provisions contained in our former paragraphs, any deficiency should arise, the payments of what shall be received shall be made in the same
proportion which would have obtained in the division
of the whole twelve lacs, had they been paid.
No. 10.
Referred to from p. 103.
[THE following extracts are subjoined, to show the
matter and the style of representation employed by
those who have obtained that ascendency over the
Nabob of Arcot which is described in the letter
marked No. 6 of the present Appendix, and which
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 189
is so totally destructive of the authority and credit
of the lawful British government at Madras. The
charges made by these persons have been solemnly
denied by Lord Macartney; and to judge from the
character of the parties accused and accusing, they
are probably void of all foundation. But as the letters are in the name and under the signature of a
person of great rank and consequence among the
natives, - as they contain matter of the most serious
nature, --as they charge the most enormous crimes,
and corruptions of the grossest kind, on a British
governor, - and as they refer to the Nabob's minister
in Great Britain for proof and further elucidation
of the matters complained of, -common decency
and common policy demanded an inquiry into their
truth or falsehood. The writing is obviously the
product of some English pen. If, on inquiry, these
charges should be made good, (a thing very unlikely,) the party accused would become a just object of
animadversion. If they should be found (as in all
probability they would be found) false and calumnious, and' supported by forgery, then the censure
would fall on the accuser; at the same time the necessity would be manifest for proper measures towards
the security of government against such infamous accusations. It is as necessary to protect the honest
fame of virtuous governors as it is to punish the
corrupt and tyrannical. But neither the Court of
Directors nor the Board of Control have made any
inquiry into the truth or falsehood of these charges.
They have covered over the accusers and accused
with abundance of compliments; they have insinuated some oblique censures; and they have recommended perfect harmony between the chargers of
? ? ? ? 190 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
corruption and peculation and the persons charged
with these crimes. ]
13th October, 1782. -Extract of a Translation of a
Letter from the Nabob of Arcot to the Chairman of
the Court of Directors of the East India Company.
FATALLY for me, and for the public interest, the
Company's favor and my unbounded confidence have
been lavished on a man totally unfit for the exalted
station in which he has been placed, and unworthy of
the trusts that have been reposed in him. When I
speak of one who has so deeply stabbed my honor,
my wounds bleed afresh, and I must be allowed that
freedom of expression which the galling reflection of
my injuries and my misfortunes naturally draws from
me. Shall your servants, unchecked, unrestrained,
and unpunished, gratify their private views and ambition at the expense of my honor, my peace, and my happiness, and to the ruin of my country, as well as
of all your affairs? No sooner had Lord Macartney
obtained the favorite object of his ambition than he
betrayed the greatest insolence towards me, the most
glaring neglect of the common civilities and attentions paid me by all former governors in the worst of times, and even by the most inveterate of my
enemies. He insulted my servants, endeavored to
defame my character by unjustly censuring my administration, and extended his boundless usurpation to the whole government of my dominions, in all the
branches of judicature and police; and, in violation
of the express articles of the agreements, proceeded
to send renters into the countries, unapproved of by
me, men of bad character, and unequal to my man
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 191
agement or responsibility. Though he is chargeable
with the greatest acts of cruelty, even to the shedding the blood and cutting off the noses and ears of
my subjects, by those exercising his authority in the
countries, and that even the duties of religion and
public worship have been interrupted or prevented,
and though he carries on all his business by the arbitrary exertion of military force, yet does he not collect from the countries one fourth of the revenue that should be produced. The statement he pretends to
hold forth of expected revenue is totally fallacious,
and can never be realized under the management of
his Lordship, in the appointment of renters totally
disqualified, rapacious, and irresponsible, who are
actually embezzling and dissipating the public revenues that should assist in the support of the war.
Totally occupied by his private views, and governed
by his passions, he has neglected or sacrificed all the
essential objects of public good, and by want of coSperation with Sir Eyre Coote, and refusal to furnish
the army with the necessary supplies, has rendered
the glorious and repeated victories of the gallant
general ineffectual to the expulsion of our cruel enemy. To cover his insufficiency, and veil the discredit attendant on his failure in every measure, lie throws out the most illiberal expressions, and institutes unjust accusations against me; and in aggravation of all the distresses imposed upon me, he has abetted the meanest calumniators to bring forward
false charges against me and my son, Amir-ul-Omrah, in order to create embarrassment, and for the
distress of my mind. My papers and writings sent
to you must testify to the whole world the malevolence of his designs, and the means that have been
? ? ? ? 192 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
used to forward them. He has violently seized and
opened all letters addressed to me and my servants,
on my public and private affairs. My vackeel, that
attended him according to ancient custom, has been
ignominiously dismissed from his presence, and not
suffered to approach the Government-House. He has
in the meanest manner, and as he thought in secret,
been tampering and intriguing with my family and
relations for the worst of purposes. And if I express
the agonies of my mind under these most pointed injuries and oppressions, and complain of the violence and injustice of Lord Macartney, I am insulted by his
affected construction that my communications are dictated by the insinuations of others, at the same time that his conscious apprehensions for his misconduct
have produced the most abject applications to me
to smother my feelings, and entreaties to write in
his Lordship's favor to England, and to submit all my affairs to his direction. When his submissions have failed to mould me to his will, he has endeavored to effect his purposes by menaces of his secret influence with those in power in England, which he pretends
to assert shall be effectual to confirm his usurpation,
and to deprive me, and my family, in succession, of
my rights of sovereignty and government forever.
To such a length have his passions and violences carried him, that all my family, my dependants, and even my friends and visitors, are persecuted with the
strongest marks of his displeasure. Every shadow of
authority in my person is taken from me, and respect
to my name discouraged throughout the whole country. When an officer of high rank in his Majesty's service was some time since introduced to me by
Lord Macartney, his Lordship took occasion to show
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 193
a personal derision and contempt of me. Mr. Richard Sulivan, who has attended my durbar under the.
commission of the Governor-General and Council:of.
Bengal, has experienced his resentment; and Mr. :
Benfield, with whom I have no business, and who, as
he has been accustomed to do. for many years, has
continued to pay me his visits of respect, has felt the
weight of his Lordship's displeasure, and has had every unmerited insinuation thrown out against him,
to prejudice him, and deter him from paying me his
compliments as usual.
Thus, Gentlemen, have you delivered me over to,
a stranger; to a man unacquainted with government.
and business, and too opinionated to learn; to a mant
whose ignorance and prejudices operate to the neglect
of every good measure, or the liberal cooperation with
any that wish well to the public interests; to a man
who, to pursue his own passions, plans, and designs,
will certainly ruin all mine, as well as the Company's affairs. His mismanagement and obstinacy
have caused the loss of many lacs of my revenues,
dissipated and embezzled, and every public consideration sacrificed to his vanity and private views. I
beg to offer an instance in proof of my assertions, and
to justify the hope I have that you will cause to
be made good to me all the losses I have sustained
by the maladministration and bad practices of your
servants, according to all the account of receipts of
former years, and which I made known to Lord Macartney, amongst other papers of information, in the
beginning of his management in the collections. The
district of Ongole produced annually, upon a medium
of many years, 90,000 pagodas; but Lord Macartney, upon receiving a sum of money from RamchunVOL. III. 13
? ? ? ? 1941 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
dry,* let it out to him, in April last, for the inadequate rent of 50,000 pagodas per annum, diminishing,
in this district alone, near half the accustomed revenues. After this manner hath he exercised his powers over the countries, to suit his own purposes and designs; and this secret mode has he taken to reduce
the collections.
1st November, 1782. Copy of a Letter from the Nabob
of Arcot td the Court of Directors, &c. Received
7th April, 1783.
THE distresses which I have set forth in my former letters are now increased to such an alarming
pitch by the imprudent measures of your Governor,
and by the arbitrary and impolitic conduct pursued
with the merchants and importers of grain, that the
very existence of the Fort of Madras seems at stake,
and that of the inhabitants of the settlement appears
to have been totally overlooked: many thousands have
died, and continue hourly to perish of famine, though
the capacity of one of your youngest servants, with
diligence and attention, by doing justice, and giving
reasonable encouragement to the merchants, and by
drawing the supplies of grain which the northern
countries would have afforded, might have secured;us against all those dreadful calamities. I had with
much difficulty procured and purchased a small quantity of rice, for the use of myself, my family, and attendants, and with a view of sending off the greatest part of the latter to the northern countries, with a
little subsistence in their hands. But what must your,surprise be, when you learn that even this rice was
* See Tellinga letter, at the end of this correspondence.
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 195
seazed by Lord Macartney, with a military force! and
thus am I unable to provide for the few people I have
about me, who are driven to such extremity and misery that it gives me pain to behold them.
I have
desired permission to get a little rice from the northern countries for the subsistence of my people, without its being liable to seizure by your sepoys: this even has been refused me by Lord Macartney. What
must your feelings be, on such wanton cruelty exercised towards me, when you consider, that, of thousands of villages belonging to me, a single one would have sufficed for my subsistence!
22d March, 1783. Translation of a Letter from the
Nabob of Arcot to the Chairman and Directors of the
-East India Company. Received from Mr. James
Macpherson, 1st January, 1784.
I AM willing to attribute this continued usurpation to the fear of detection in Lord Macartney: he
dreads the awful day when the scene of his enormities will be laid open, at my restoration to my country, and when the tongues of my oppressed subjects will be unloosed, and proclaim aloud the cruel tyrannies they have sustained. These sentiments of his
Lordship's designs are corroborated by his sending, on
the 10th instant, two gentlemen to me and my son,
Amir-ul-Omrah; and these gentlemen from Lord Macartney especially set forth to me, and to my son, that
all dependence on the power of the superior government of Bengal to enforce the intentions of the Company to restore my country was vain and groundless, - that the Company confided in his Lordship's judgment and discretion, and upon his representations. and
? ? ? ? 196 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
that if I, and my son, Amir-ul-Omrah, would enter into friendship with Lord Macartney, and sign a paper declaring all my charges and complaints against him
to be false, that his Lordship might be induced to write
to England that all his allegations against me and
my son were not well founded, and, notwithstanding
his declarations to withhold my country, yet, on these
considerations, it might be still restored to me.
What must be your feelings for your ancient and
faithful friend, on his receiving such insults to his
honor and understanding from your principal servant,
armed with your authority! From these manceuvres,
amongst thousands I have experienced, the truth must
evidently appear to you, that I have not been loaded
with those injuries and oppressions from motives of
public service, but to answer the private views and
interests of his Lordship and his secret agents: some
papers to this point are inclosed; others, almost without number, must be submitted to your justice, when time and circumstances shall enable me fully to investigate those transactions. This opportunity wili
not permit the full representation of my load of injuries and distresses: I beg leave to refer you to my minister, Mr. Macpherson, for the papers, according
to the inclosed list, which accompanied my last dispatches by the Rodney, which I fear have failed; and my correspondence with Lord Macartney subsequent
to that period, such as I have been able to prepare
for this opportunity, are inclosed.
Notwithstanding all the violent acts and declarations of Lord Macartney, yet a consciousness of his
own misconduct was the sole incentive to the menaces and overtures he has held out in various shapes. He has been insultingly lavish in his expressions of
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 197
high respect for my person; has had the insolence to
say that all his measures flowed from his affectionate regard alone; has presumed to say that all his
enmity and oppression were levelled at my son, Amirul-Omrah, to whom he before acknowledged every aid
and assistance; and his Lordship being without any
just cause or foundation for complaint against us, or
a veil to cover his own violences, he has now had recourse to the meanness and has dared to intimate of
my son, in order to intimidate me and to strengthen
his own wicked purposes, to be in league with our
enemies the French. You must doubtless be astonished, no less at the assurance than at the absurdity
of such a wicked suggestion.
IN THE NABOB S OWN HAND.
P. S. In my own handwriting I acquainted Mr.
Hastings, as I now do my ancient friends the Company, with the insult offered to my honor and understanding, in the extraordinary propositions sent to me by Lord Macartney, through two gentlemen, on the
10th instant, so artfully veiled with menaces, hopes,
and promises. But how can Lord Macartney add to
his enormities, after his wicked and calumniating insinuations, so evidently directed against me and my
family, through my faithful, my dutiful, and beloved
son, Amir-ul-Omrah, who, you well know, has been
ever born and bred amongst the English, whom I have
studiously brought up in the warmest sentiments of
affection and attachment to them, -- sentiments that
in his maturity have been his highest ambition to improve, insomuch that he knows no happiness but in
the faithful support of our alliance and connection
with the English nation?
? ? ? ? 198 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
12th August, and Postscript of the 16th August,
1783. Translation of a Letter to the Chairman
and. Directors of the East India Company. Received from Mr. James Macpherson, 14th January, 1784.
YOUR astonishment and indignation will be equally raised with mine, when you hear that your President has dared, contrary to your intention, to continue to usurp the privileges and hereditary powers of the Nabob of the Carnatic, your old and unshaken
friend, and the declared ally of the king of Great
Britain.
I will not take up your time by enumerating the
particular acts of Lord Macartney's violence, cruelty,
and injustice: they, indeed, occur too frequently, andfall
upon me and my devoted subjects and country too thick,
to be regularly related. I refer you to my minister,
Mr. James Macpherson, for a more circumstantial account of the oppressions and enormities by which he has brought both mine and the Company's affairs to the
brink of destruction. I trust that such flagrant violations of all justice, honor, and the faith of treaties
will receive the severest marks of your displeasure,
and that Lord Macartney's conduct, in making use
of your name and authority as a sanction for the
continuance of his usurpation, will be disclaimed
with the utmost indignation, and followed with the
severest punishment. I conceive that his Lordship's
arbitrary retention of my country and government
can only originate in his insatiable cravings, in his implacable malevolence against me, and through fear of detection, which must follow the surrender of the Carnatic into my hands, of those nefarious proceedings
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 199
which are now suppressed by the arm of violence and
power.
I did not fail to represent to the supreme government of Bengal the deplorable situation to which I
was reduced, and the unmerited persecutions I have
unremittingly sustained from Lord Macartney; and
I earnestly implored them to stretch forth a saving
arm, and interpose that controlling power which was'
vested in them, to check rapacity and presumption,
and preserve the honor and faith of the Company
from violation. The Governor-General and Council
not only felt the cruelty and injustice I had suffered,
but were greatly alarmed for the fatal consequences
that might result from the distrust of the cbuntry
powers in the professions of the English, when they
saw the Nabob of the Carnatic, the friend of the Company, and the ally of Great Britain, thus stripped of
his rights, his dominions, and his dignity, by the most
fraudulent means, and under the mask of friendship.
The Bengal government had already heard both the
Mahrattas and the Nizam urge, as an objection to an
alliance with the English, the faithless behavior of
Lord Macartney to a prince whose life had been devoted and whose treasures had been exhausted in their
service and support; and they did not hesitate to give
positive orders to Lord Macartney for the restitution
of my government and authority, on such te'rms as
were not only strictly honorable, but equally advantageous to my friends the Company: for they justly thought that my honor and dignity and sovereign rights were the first olbjects of my wishes and ambition. But how can I paint my astonishment at Lord
Macartney's presumption in continuing his usurpation after their positive and reiterated mandates, and,
? ? ? ? 200 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
as if nettled by their interference, which he disdained,
in redoubling the fury of his violence, and sacrificing
the public and myself to his malice and ungovernable
passions?
I am, Gentlemen, at a loss to conceive where his
usurpation will stop and have an end. Has he not
solemnly declared that the assignment was only made
-for the support of war? and if neither your instructions nor the orders of his superiors at Bengal were
to be considered as effectual, has not the treaty of
peace virtually determined the period of his tyrannical administration? But so far from surrendering
the Carnatic into my hands, he has, since that event,
affixed advertisements to the walls and gates of the
Black Town for letting to the best bidder the various
districts for the term of three years,- and has continued the Committee of Revenue, which you positively ordered to be abolished, to whom he has allowed
enormous salaries, from 6000 to 4000 pagodas per
annum, which each member has received from the
time of his appointment, though his Lordship well
knows that most of them are by your orders disqualified by being my principal creditors.
If those acts of violence and outrage had been
productive of public advantage, I conceive his Lordship might have held them forward in extenuation
of his conduct; but whilst he cloaks his justification
under the veil of your records, it is impossible to re
fute his assertions or to expose to you their fallacy;
and when he is no longer able to support his conduct
by argument, he refers to those records, where, I
understand, he has exercised all his sophistry and
malicious insinuations to render me and my family
obnoxious in the eyes of the Company and the Brit
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 201
ish nation. And when the glorious victories of Sir
Eyre Coote have been rendered abortive by a constant deficiency of supplies, -and when, since the
departure of that excellent general to Bengal, whose
loss I must ever regret, a dreadful famine, at the
close of last year, occasioned by his Lordship's neglect to lay up a sufficient stock of grain at a proper
season, and from his prohibitory orders to private
merchants, -and when no exertion has been made,
nor advantage gained over the enemy, - when Hyder's death and Tippoo's return to his own dominions
operated in no degree for the benefit of our affairs,in short, when all has been a continued series of disappointment and disgrace under Lord Macartney's management, (and in him alone has the management been vested,) -I want words to convey those
ideas of his insufficiency, ignorance, and obstinacy
which I am convinced you would entertain, had
you been spectators of his ruinous and destructive
conduct.
But against me, and my son, Amir-ul-Omrah,
has his Lordship's vengeance chiefly been exerted:
even the Company's own subordinate zemindars have
found better treatment, probably because they were
more rich; those of Nizanagoram have been permitted, contrary to your pointed orders, to hold their rich
zemindaries at the old disproportionate rate of little
more. than a sixth part of the real revenue; and my
zemindar of Tanjore, though he should have regarded
himself equally concerned with us in the event of the
war, and from whose fertile country many valuable
harvests have been gathered in, which have sold at a
vast price, has, I understand, only contributed, last
year, towards the public exigencies, the very incon
? ? ? ? 202 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
siderable sum of one lac of pagodas, and a few thou.
sand pagodas' worth of grain.
I am much concerned to acquaint you that ever
since the peace a dreadful famine has swept away
many thousands of the followers and sepoys' families
of the army, from Lord Macartney's neglect to send
down grain to the camp, though the roads are crowded
with vessels: but his Lordship has been too intent upon his own disgraceful schemes to attend to the wants of the army. - The negotiation with Tippoo, which he
has set on foot through the mediation of Monsieur
Bussy, has employed all his thoughts, and to the
attainment of that object he will sacrifice the dearest
interests of the Company to gratify his malevolence
against me, and for his own private advantages. The
endeavor to treat with Tippoo, through the means of
the French, must strike you, Gentlemen, as highly
improper and impolitic; but it must raise your utmost indignation to hear, that, by intercepted letters from Bussy to Tippoo, as well as from their respective
vakeels, and from various accounts from Cuddalore,
we have every reason to conclude that his Lordship's
secretary, Mr. Staunton, when at Cuddalore, as his
agent to settle the cessation of arms with the French,
was informed of all their operations and projects, and
consequently that Lord JMaartney has secretly connived
at Monsieur Bussy's recommendation to T~ppoo to return into the Carnatic, as the means of procuring the
most advantageous terms, andfurnishing Lord Macartney with the plea of necessity for concluding a peace after his own manner: and what further confirms the truth of this fact is, that repeated reports, as well as
the alarms of the inhabitants to the westward, leave us no reason to doubt that Tippoo is approaching to
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 203
wards us. His Lordship has issued public orders
that the garrison store of rice, for which we are indebted to the exertions of the Bengal government, should be immediately disposed of, and has strictly
forbid all private grain to be sold; by which act he
effectually prohibits all private importation of grain,
and may eventually cause as horrid a famine as that
which we experienced at the close of last year from
the same shortsighted policy and destructive prohibitions of Lord Macartney.
But as he has the fabrication of the records in his
own hands, he trusts to those partial representations
of his character and conduct, because the signatures
of those members of government whom he seldom
consults are affixed, as a public sanction; but you
may form a just idea of their correctness and propriety, when you are informed that his Lordship, upon amy noticing the heavy disbursements made for secret
service money, ordered the sums to be struck off, and the
accounts to be erased from the cash-book of the CUompany; and I think I cannot give you a better proof of his management of my country and revenues than
by calling your attention to his conduct in the Ongole province, and by referring you to his Lordship's administration of your own jaghire, from whence he
has brought to the public account the sum of twelve
hundred pagodas for the last year's revenue, yet blazons forth his vast merits and exertions, and expects to receive the thanks of his Committee and Council.
I will beg leave to refer you to my minister, James
Macpherson, Esq. , for a more particular account of
my sufferings and miseries, to whom I have transmitted copies of all papers that passed with his Lordship.
? ? ? ? 204 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
I cannot conclude without calling your attention
to the situation of my different creditors, whose claims
are the claims of justice, and whose demands I am
bound by honor and every moral obligation to discharge; it is not, therefore, without great concern I have heard insinuations tending to question the legality of their right to the payment of those just debts: they proceeded from advances made by them openly
and honorably for the support of my own and the
public affairs. But I hope the tongue of calumny
will never drown the voice of truth and justice; and
while that is heard, the wisdom of the English nation
cannot fail to accede to an effectual remedy for their
distresses, by any arrangement in which their claims
may be duly considered and equitably provided for:
and for this purpose, my minister, Mr. Macpherson,
will readily subscribe, in my name, to any agreement
you may think proper to adopt, founded on the same
principles with either of the engagements I entered
into with the supreme government of Bengal for our
mutual interest and advantage.
I always pray for, your happiness and prosperity.
6th September, and Postscript of 7th September,
1783. Translation of a Letter from the Nabob of
Arcot to the Chairman and Directors of the -East
India Company. Received from Mr. James Macpherson, 14th January, 1784.
I REFER you, Gentlemen, to my inclosed duplicate.
as well as to my minister, Mr. Macpherson, for the
particulars of my sufferings. There is no word or
action of mine that is not perverted; and though it
was my intention to have sent my son, Amir-ul-Om
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 205
lahb, who is well versed in my affairs, to Bengal, to
impress those gentlemen with a full sense of my situation, yet I find myself obliged to lay it aside, from
the insinuations of the calumniating tongue of Lord
Macartney, that takes every license to traduce every
action of my life and that of my son. I am informed
that Lord Macartney, at this late moment, intends
to write a letter: I am ignorant of the subject, but
fully perceive, that, by delaying to send it till the
very eve of the dispatch, he means to deprive me of
all possibility of communicating my reply, and forwarding it for the information of my friends in England. Conscious of the weak ground on which he
stands, he is obliged to have recourse to these artifices to mislead the judgment, and support for a time
his unjustifiable measures by deceit and imposition.
I wish only to meet and combat his charges and allegations fairly and openly, and I have repeatedly and
urgently demanded to be furnished with copies of
those parts of his fabricated records relative to myself; but as he well knows I should refute his sophistry, I cannot be surprised at his refusal, though I
lament that it prevents you, Gentlemen, from a clear
investigation of his conduct towards me.
Inclosed you have a translation of an arzee from
the Killidar of Vellore. I have thousands of the same
kind; but this, just now received, will serve to give
you some idea of the miseries brought upon this- my
devoted country, and the wretched inhabitants:that;
remain in it, by the oppressive hand of Lord Macar:tney's management: nor will the embezzlements of collections thus obtained, when brought before you- in proof, appear less extraordinary, -- which shall certainly be done in due time.
? ? ? ? 206 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS. Translation of an Arzee, in the Persian Language, from Uzzim-ul --Doen Cawn, the Killidar of Vellore, to the Nabob, dated 1st September, 1783. Inclosed in the Nabob's Letter to the Court of Directors, September, 1783.
I HAVE repeatedly represented to your Highness
the violences and oppressions exercised by the present aumildar [collector of revenue], of Lord Macartney's appointment, over the few remaining inllhabitants of the districts of Vellore, Amboor, Saulguda, &c.
The outrages and violences now committed are
of that astonishing nature as were never known or
heard of during the administration of the Circar.
iyder Naik, the cruellest of tyrants, used every kind
of oppression in the Circar countries; but even his
measures were not like those now pursued. Such of
the inhabitants as had escaped the sword and pillage
of Hyder Naik, by taking refuge in the woods, and
within the walls of Vellore, &c. , on the arrival of
Lord Macartney's aumildar to Vellore, and in consequence of his cowle of protection and support, most
cheerfully returned to the villages, set about the cultivation of the lands, and with great pains rebuilt
their cottages. -- But now the aumildar has imprisoned the wives and cJildren of the inhabitants, seized
the few jewels that were on the bodies of the women,
and then, before the faces of their husbands, flogged
them, in order to make them produce other jewels
and effects, which he said they had buried somewhere under ground, and to make the inhabitants
bring him money, notwithstanding there was yet no
cultivation in the country. Terrified with the flagel
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 207
lations, some of them produced their jewels and
wearing-apparel of their women, to the amount of
ten or fifteen pagodas, which they had hidden; others, who declared they had none, the aumildar flogged
their women severely, tied cords around their breasts,
and tore the sucking children from their teats, and
exposed them to the scorching heat of the sun.
Those children died, as did the wife of Ramsoamy,
an inhabitant of Bringpoor. Even this could not stir
up compassion in the breast of the aumildar. Some
of the children that were somewhat large he exposed
to sale. In short, the violences of the aumildar are
so astonishing, that the people, on seeing the present
situation, remember the loss of Hyder with regret.
With whomsoever the aumildar finds a single measure
of natchinee or rice, he takes it away from him, and
appropriates it to the expenses of the sibindy that he
keeps up. No revenues are collected from the countries, but from the effects of the poor, wretched inhabitants. Those ryots [yeomen] who intended to return to their habitations, hearing of those violences, have
fled for refuge, with their wives and children, into
Hyder's country. Every day is ushered in and closed
with these violences and disturbances. I have no
power to do anything; and who will hear what I
have to say? My business is to inform your Highness, who are my master. The people bring their
complaints to me, and I tell them I will write to your
Highness. *
X The above-recited practices, or practices similar to them, have
prevailed in almost every part of the miserable countries on the coast
of Coromandel for near twenty years past. That they prevailed as
strongly and generally as they could prevail, under the administration of the Nabob, there can be no question, notwithstanding the as
? ? ? ? 208 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
Translation of a Tellinga Letter from Veira Permaul,
Head Dubash to Lord Macartney, in his own Handwriting, to Rajah Ramchunda, the Renter of Ongole.
Dated 25th of the Hindoo month Mausay, in the
year Plavanamal, corresponding to 5th March,
1782.
I PRESENT my respects to you, and am very well
here, wishing to hear frequently of your welfare.
Your peasher Vancatroyloo has brought the Visseel Bakees, and delivered them to me, as also what
you sent him for me to deliver to my master, which 1
have done. My master at first refused to take it, because he is unacquainted with your disposition, or what
kind of a person you are. But after I made encomiums on your goodness and greatness of mind, and
took my oath to the same, and that it would not besertion in the beginning of the above petition; nor will it ever be
otherwise, whilst affairs are conducted upon the principles which influence the present system. Whether the particulars here asserted
are true or false neither the Court of Directors nor their ministry
have thought proper to inquire. If they are true, in order to bring
them to affect Lord Macartney, it ought to be proved that the conmplaint was made to him, and that he had refused redress. Instead of
this fair course, the complaint is carried to the Court of Directors. -
The above is one of the documents transmitted by the Nabob, in
proof of his charge of corruption against Lord Macartney. If genu
ine, it is, conclusive, at least against Lord Macartney's principal agent
and manager. If it be a forgery, (as in all likelihood it is,) it is conclusive against the Nabob and his evil counsellors, and fully demonstrates, if anything further were necessary to demonstrate, the necessity of the clause in Mr. Fox's bill prohibiting the residence of the native princes in the Company's principal settlements, -which clause
was, for obvious reasons, not admitted into Mr. Pitt's. It shows, too,
the absolute necessity of a severe and exemplary punishment on certain of his English evil counsellors and creditors, by whom such practices are carried on.
? ? ? ? APPENDIX. 209
come public, but be held as precious as our lives, my
master accepted it. You may remain satisfied that I
will get the Ongole business settled in your name;
I will cause the jamaubundee to be settled agreeable
to your desire. It was formerly the Nabob's intention
to give this business to you, as the Governor knows
full well, but did not at that time agree to it, which
you must be well acquainted with.
Your peasher Vancatroyloo is a very careful, good
man; he is well experienced in business; he has
bound me by an oath to keep all this business secret, and
that his own, yours, and my lives are responsible for it.
I write this letter to you with the greatest reluctance,
and I signified the same to your peasher, and declared
that I would not write to you by any means. To this
the peasher urged, that, if Idid not write to his master, how could he know to whom he (the peasher) delivered the money, and what must his master think of it? Therefore I write you this letter, and send it by my
servant Ramanah, accompanied by the peasher's servant, and it will come safe to your hands. After perusal, you will send it back to me immediately: until
I receive it, I don't like to eat my victuals or take any
sleep. Your peasher took his oath, and urged me
to write this for your satisfaction, and has engaged to
me that I shall have this letter returned to me in the
space of twelve days.
The present Governor is not like the former Governors: he is a very great man in Europe; and all
the great men of Europe are much obliged to him for
his condescension in accepting the government of this
place. It is his custom, when he makes friendship with
any one, to continue it always; and if he is at enmity
with any one, he never will desist till he has worked
VOL. III. 14
? ? ? ? 2iL0 SPEECH ON THE NABOB OF ARCOT'S DEBTS.
his destruction. He is now exceedingly displeased with
the Nabob, and you will understand by-and-by that
the Nabob's business cannot be carried on; he (the Nabob) will have no power to do anything in his own affairs: you have, therefore, no room to fear him; you
may remain with a, contented mind. I desired the
Governor to write you a letter for your satisfaction:
the Governor said he would do so, when the business
was settled. This letter you must peruse as soon as
possible, and send it back with all speed by the bearer,
Ramadoo, accompanied by three or four of your people, to the end that no accident may happen on the road. These people must be ordered to march in thse
night only, and to arrive here with the greatest dispatch. You sent ten mangoes for my master and
two for me, all of which I have delivered to my master, thinking that ten was not sufficient to present him with. I write this for your information, and salute
you with ten thousand respects.
