Receiving
a benefit, accompanying the Nabob, withdrawing their
protection, were circumstances sufficient to mark the
English as the principal movers in this business.
a benefit, accompanying the Nabob, withdrawing their
protection, were circumstances sufficient to mark the
English as the principal movers in this business.
Edmund Burke
" * And the account of the proceedings
aforesaid was regularly transmitted to the said Warren Hastings on the 30th of December, 1782, with the
reasons and motives thereto, and a copy of the report
of the officer concerning the inutility of further force,
attended with sundry documents concerning the famishing, and other treatment, of the women and children of the late sovereign: but the same appear to have made no proper impression on the mind of the
said Warren Hastings; for no answer whatsoever was
given to the said letter until the 3d of March, 1783,
when the said Hastings, writing ipn his own character
and that of the Council, did entirely pass by all the
circumstances before recited, but did give directions
for the renewal of measures of the like nature and
* Mr. Bristow's Letter, 12 Dec. , 1782.
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 439
tendency with those which (for several of the last
months at least of the said proceeding) had been employed with so little advantage to the interest and
with so much injury to the reputation of the Company,
his masters, in whose name he acted, - expressing
himself in the said letter of the 3d of March, 1783,
as follows: "We desire you will inform us what
means have been taken for recovering the balance
[the pretended balance of the extorted money] due
from the Begums [princesses] at Fyzabad; and if necessary, you must recommend it to the Vizier to enforce the most effectual means for that purpose. " And the Resident did, in his answer to the board, dated
31st March, 1783, on this peremptory order, again
detail the particulars aforesaid to the said Warren
Hastings, referring him to his former correspondence,
stating the utter impossibility of proceeding further
by force, and mentioning certain other disgraceful
and oppressive circumstances, and in particular, that
the Company did not, in plundering the mother of the
reigning prince of her wearing apparel and beasts of
carriage, receive a value in the least equal to the loss
she suffered: the elephants having no buyer but the
Nabob, and the clothes, which had last been delivered
to Middleton at a valuation of thirty thousand pounds,
were so damaged by ill keeping in warehouses, that
they could not be sold, even for six months' credit, at
much more than about eight thousand pounds; by
which a loss in a single article was incurred of twentytwo thousand pounds out of the fifty, for the recovery
of which (supposing it had been a just debt) such rigorous means had been employed, after having actually
received upwards of five hundred thousand pounds in
value to the Company, and extorted much more in
? ? ? ? 440 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
loss to the suffering individuals. And the said Bris.
tow, being well acquainted with the unmerciful temper of the said Hastings, in order to leave no means
untried to appease him, not contented with the letter to the Governor-General and Council, did on the
same day write another letter to him particularly,
in which he did urge several arguments, the necessity of using of which to the said Hastings did reflect
great dishonor on this nation, and on the Christian
religion therein professed, namely: "That he had
experienced great embarrassment in treating with
her [the mother of the reigning prince]; for, as the
mother of the Vizier, the people look up to her with
respect, and any hard measures practised against
women of her high rank create discontent, and affect
our national character. " And the said Resident,
after condemning very unjustly her conduct, added,
" Still she is the mother of the prince of the country,
and the religious prejudices of Mussulmen prevail too
strongly in their minds to forget her situation. "
LXX. That the said Warren Hastings did not
make any answer to the said letter. But the mother
of the prince aforesaid, as well as the mother of his
father, being, in consequence of his, the said Hastings's, directions, incessantly and rudely pressed by
their descendant, in the name of the Company, to pay
to the last farthing of the demand, they did both positively refuse to pay any part of the pretended balanlces aforesaid, until their landed estates were restored to them; on the security of which alone they alleged
themselves to be in a condition to borrow any money,
or even to provide for the subsistence of themselves
and their numerous dependants. And in order to
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 441
put some end to these differences, the Vizier did himself, about the beginning of August, 1783, go to Fyzabad, and did hold divers conferences with his parents, and did consent and engage to restore to them their
landed estates aforesaid, and did issue an order that
they should be restored accordingly; but his minister
aforesaid, having before his eyes the peremptory orders
of him, the said Warren Hastings, did persuade his
master to dishonor himself in breaking his faith and
engagement with his mother and the mother of his
father, by first evading the execution, and afterwards
totally revoking his said public and solemn act, on
pretence that he had agreed to the grant "from
shame, being in their presence [the presence of his
mother and grandmother], and that it was unavoidable at the time "; X - the said minister declaring to
him, that it would be sufficient, if he allowed them
" money for their necessary expenses, and that would
be doing enough. "
LXXI. That the faith given for the restoration
of their landed estates being thus violated, and the
money for necessary expenses being as ill supplied
as before, the women and children of the late sovereign, father of the reigning prince, continued exposed
to frequent want of the common necessaries of life; t
and being sorely pressed by famine, they were compelled to break through all the principles of local decorum and reserve which constitute the dignity of
the female sex in that part of the world, and, after
great clamor and violent attempts for one whole day
to break the inclosure of the palace, and to force their
* Shoka from the Vizier to Hyder Beg Khan, 2d Ramsur, 1197.
t Bristow's Letter, 29th Jan. , 1784, with inclosures.
? ? ? ? 442 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
way into the public market, in order to move the
compassion of the people, and to beg their bread,
they did, on the next day, actually proceed to the
extremity of exposing themselves to public view,an extremity implying the lowest state of disgrace
and degradation, to avoid which many women in India have laid violent hands upon themselves, - and
they did proceed to the public market-place with
the starving children of the late sovereign, and the
brothers and sisters of the reigning prince! A minute account of the transaction aforesaid was written
to the British Resident at Lucknow by'the person
appointed to convey intelligence to him from Fyzabad, in the following particulars, highly disgraceful to
the honor, justice, and humanity of this nation.
LXXII. " The ladies, their attendants and servants, were still as clamorous as last night. Letafit, the darogah, went to them and remonstrated with them on the impropriety of their conduct, at the
same time assuring them that in a few days all their
allowances would be paid, and should not that be
the case, he would advance them ten days' subsistence, upon condition that they returned to their
habitation. None of them, however, consented to
his proposals, but were still intent upon making
their escape through the bazar [market-place], and
in consequence formed themselves into a line, arranging themselves in the following order: the children
in the front; behind them the ladies of the seraglio;
and behind them again their attendants: but their
intentions were frustrated by the opposition which
they met from Letafit's sepoys.
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 443
LXXIII. "The next day Letafit went twice to
the women, and used his endeavors to make them
return into the zenanah, promising to advance them
ten thousand rupees; which, upon the money being
paid down, they agreed to comply with: but night
coming on, nothing transpired.
LXXIV. " On the day following their clamors
were more violent than usual. Letafit went to confer with them upon the business of yesterday, offering the same terms. Depending upon the fidelity
of his promises, they consented to return to their
apartments, which they accordingly did, except two
or three of the ladies, and most of their attendants.
Letafit then went to Ilossmund Ali Khan, to consult with him upon what means they should take.
They came to a resolution of driving them in by
force, and gave orders to their sepoys to beat any
one of the women who should attempt to move
forward. The sepoys consequently assembled; and
each one being provided with a bludgeon, they drove
them by dint of beating into the zenanah. The women, seeing the treachery of Letafit, proceeded to
throw stones and bricks at the sepoys, and again attempted to get out; but finding that impossible, from
the gates being shut, they kept up a continual discharge of stones and bricks till about ten, when, finding their situation desperate, they retired into the Kung Mohul, and forced their way from thence into
the palace, and dispersed themselves about the house
and garden; after this they were desirous of getting
into the Begum's apartment, but she, being apprised
of their intention, ordered her doors to be shut. In
the mean time Letafit and HIossmund Ali Khiln
? ? ? ? 444 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
posted sentries to secure the gates of the lesser Mohul. During the whole of this conflict, all the ladies
and women remained exposed to the view of the sepoys. The Begum then sent for Letafit and Hossmund Ali Khan, whom she severely reprimanded, and insisted upon knowing the causes of this infamous behavior. They pleaded in their defence the
impossibility of helping it, as the treatment the women had met with had been conformable to his Excellency the Vizier's orders. The Begum alleged, that, even admitting that the Nabob had given those
orders, they were by no means authorized in this
manner to disgrace the family of Sujah Dowlah; and
should they not receive their allowance for a day
or two, it could be of no great moment: what was
passed was now at an end; but that the Vizier
should certainly be acquainted with the whole of the
affair, and that whatever he desired she should implicitly comply with. The Begum then sent for five
of the children, who were wounded in the affray of
last night, and, after endeavoring to soothe them, she
sent again for Letafit and Hossmund Ali Khan, and
in the presence of the children expressed her disapprobation of their conduct, and the improbability of
Asoph ul Dowlah's suffering the ladies and children
of Sujah Dowlah to be disgraced by being exposed to
the view of the rabble. Upon which Letafit produced
the letter from the Nabob, at the same time representing that he was amenable only to the orders of
his Excellency, and that whatever he ordered it was
his duty to obey, and that, had the ladies thought
proper to have retired into their apartments quietly,
lie would not have used the means he had taken to
compel them. The Begum again observed, that what
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 445
had happened was now over. She then gave the children four hundred rupees, and dismissed them, and
sent word by Jumrud and the other eunuchs, that, if
the ladies would peaceably retire to their apartments,
Letafit would supply them with three or four thousand rupees for their personal expenses, and recommended to them not to incur any further disgrace,
and that, if they did not think proper to act agreeable to her directions, they would do wrong. The ladies followed her advice, and about ten at night went back into the zenanah. The next morning the Begum waited upon the mother of Sujah Dowlah, and
related to her all the circumstances of the disturbances. The mother of Sujah Dowlah returned for answer, that, after there being no accounts kept of crores of revenues, she was not surprised that the family of
Sujah Dowlah, in their endeavors to procure a subsistence, should be obliged to expose themselves to the
meanest of the people. After bewailing their misfortunes, and shedding many tears, the Begum took her
leave, and returned home. "
That the said affecting narrative being sent, with
others of the same nature, on the 29th of January,
1784, to the said Warren Hastings, he did not order
any relief in consequence thereof, or take any sort of
notice whatsoever of the said intelligence.
LXXV. That the Court of Directors did express
strong doubts of the propriety of seizing the estates
aforesaid, and did declare to him, the said Hastings,
"' that the only consolation they felt on the occasion is,
that the amount of those jaghires for which the Company were guaranties is to be paid through our Resident at the court of the Vizier; and it very materially
? ? ? ? 446 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
concerns the credit of your Governor on no account
to suffer such payments to be evaded. " But the said
Warren Hastings did never make the arrangement
supposed in the said letter to be actually made, nor
did he cause the Resident to pay them the amount
of their jaghires, or to make any payment to them.
And the said Hastings being expressly ordered by
the Court of Directors to restore to them their estates,
in case the charges made upon them should not be
found true, he, the said Hastings, did contumaciously
and cruelly decline any compliance with the said orders until his journey to Lucknow, in, when
he did, as he says, " conformably to the orders of the
Court of Directors, and more to the inclination of the
Nabob Vizier, restore to them their jaghires, but with
the defalcation, according to his own account, of a
large portion of their respective shares ": pretending,
without the least probability, that the said defalcation
was a "voluntary concession on their part. " But
what he has left to them for their support, or in what
proportion to that which he has taken away, he has
nowhere stated to the Court of Directors, whose faith
he has broken, and whose orders he has thus eluded,
whilst he pretended to yield some obedience to them.
LXXVI. That the said Warren Hastings having
made a malicious, loose, and ill-supported charge,
backed by certain unsatisfactory affidavits, as a ground
for his seizing on the jaghires and the treasures of
the Vizier's mother, solemnly guarantied to them, the
Court of Directors did, in their letter of the 14th of
February, 1783, express themselves as follows concerning that measure, -- "which the Governor-General, [he, the said Warren Hastings,] in his letter to your
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 447
board, the 23d of January, 1782, has declared he
strenuously encouraged and supported: we hope and
trust, for the honor of the British nation, that the
measure appeared fully justified in the eyes of all
Hindostan. The Governor-General has informed us
that it can be well attested that the Begums [the
mother and grandmother of the Nabob aforesaid]
principally excited and supported the late commotions, and that they carried their inveteracy to the
English nation so far as to aim at our utter extirpation. " And the Court of Directors did further declare as follows: "That it nowhere appears from the
papers at present in our possession, that they [the
mother and grandmother of the Nabob of Oude] excited any commotions previous to the imprisonment
of Rajah Cheyt Sing, and only armed themselves in
consequence of that transaction; and, as it is probable, that such a conduct proceeded from motives of
self-defence, under an apprehension that they themselves might likewise be laid under unwarrantable contributions. " And the said Court of Directors, in giving their orders for the restoration of the jaghires, or for the payment of an equivalent through the Resident,
did give this order for the restoration of their estates
as aforesaid on condition that it should appear from
inquiry that they were not guilty of the practices
charged upon them by the said Hastings. Mr. Stables, one of the Council-General, did, in execution of
the said conditional order, propose an inquiry leading
to the ascertainment of the condition, and did enter
a minute as follows: " That the Court of Directors,
by their letters of the 14th of February, 1783, seem
not to be satisfied that the disaffection of the Begums
to this government is sufficiently proved by the evi
? ? ? ? 448 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
dence before them; I therefore think that the late
and present Resident, and commanding officer in the
Vizier's country at the time, should be called on to
collect what further information they can on this subject, in which the honor and dignity of this government is so materially concerned, and that such information may be transmitted to the Court of Directors. " And he did further propose heads and modes of inquiry suitable to the doubts expressed by the Court
of Directors. But the said Warren Hastings, who
ought long before, on principles of natural justice, to
have instituted a diligent inquiry in support of his
so improbable a charge, and was bound, even for his
own honor, as well as for the satisfaction of the Court
of Directors, to take a strong part in the said inquiry, did set himself in opposition to the same, and did
carry with him a majority of Council against the said
inquiry into the justice of the cause, or any proposition for the relief of the sufferers: asserting, " that
the reasons of the Court of Directors, if transmitted
with the orders for the inquiry, will prove in effect an
order for collecting evidence to the justification and
acquittal of the Begums, and not for the investigation
of the truth of the charges which have been preferred
against them. " That Mr. Stables did not propose (as
in the said Hastings's minute is groundlessly supposed) that the reasons of the Court of Directors
should be transmitted with the orders for an inquiry.
But the apprehension of thM said Warren Hastings of
the probable result of the inquiry proposed did strongly indicate his sense of his own guilt and the innocence of the parties accused by him; and if, by his
construction, Mr. Stables's minute did indicate an
inquiry merely for the justification of the parties by
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 449
him accused, (which construction the motion did not
bear,) it was no more than what the obvious rules of
justice would well support, his own proceedings having been ex parte, -he having employed Sir Elijah
Impey to take affidavits against the women of high
rank aforesaid, not only without any inquiry made on
their part, but without any communication to them
of his practice and proceeding against them; and
equity did at least require that they, with his owln
knowledge and by the subordinates of his own government, should be allowed a public inquiry to acquit
themselves of the heavy offences with which they had
been by him clandestinely charged.
LXXVII. That he, the said Hastings, in order to?
effectually stifle the said inquiry, did enter on record a
further minute, asserting that the said inquiry would
be productive " of evils greater than any which exist
in the consequences which have already taken place,
and which time has almost obliterated"; as also the
following: "If I am rightly informed, the Nabob
Vizier and the Begums are on terms of mutual goodwill. It would ill become this government to interpose its influence by any act which might tend to revive their animosities, - and a very slight occasion
would be sufficient to effect it. They will instantly
take fire on such a declaration, proclaim the judgment of the Company in their favor, demand a reparation of the acts which they will construe wrongs with such a sentence warranting that construction,
and either accept the invitation to the proclaimed
scandal of the Nabob Vizier, which will not add to the
credit of our government, or remain in his dominions,
but not under his authority, to add to his vexations
VOL. VIII. 29
? ? ? ? 450 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
and the disorders of the country by continual intrigues and seditions. Enough already exists to affect
his peace and the quiet of his people. If we cannot
heal, let us not inflame the wounds which have been
inficted. " --'" If the Begums think themselves aggrieved to such a degree as to justify them in an appeal to a foreign jurisdiction, to appeal to it against a
man standing ill the relation of son and grandson to
them, to appeal to the justice of those who have been the
abettors and instruments of their imputed wrongs, let us
at least permit them to be the judges of their own
feelings, and prefer their complaints before we offer to
redress them. They will not need to be prompted.
I hope I shall not depart from the simplicity of official language in saying, the majesty of justice ought
to be approached with solicitation, not descend to provoke or invite it, much less to debase itself by the suggestion of wrongs and the promise of redress, with the denunciation of punishments before trial, and even
before accusation. "
LXXVIII. That the said Warren Hastings, in attempting to pass an act of indemnity for his own
crimes, and of oblivion for the sufferings of others,
supposing the latter almost obliterated by time, did not
only mock and insult over the sufferings of the allies
of the Company, but did show an indecent contempt
of the understandings of the Court of Directors: because his violent attempts on the property and liberty
of the' mother and grandmother of the ally aforesaid
had not their first commencement much above two
years before that time, and had been continued, without abatement or relaxation on his part, to the very
time of his minute; the Nabob having, by the insti
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 451
gation of his, the said Hastings's, instrument, Hyder
Beg Khan, not two months before the date of the
Consultation, been obliged a second time to break his
faith with relation to the estates of his mother, in the
manner hereinbefore recited. And the said Hastings
did not and could not conceive that the clearing the
mother could revive any animosity between her and
her son, by whom she never had been accused. The
said Hastings was also sensible that the restoration
of her landed estates, recommended by the Court
of Directors, could not produce any ill effect on the
mind of the said son, as it was "with almost unconquerable reluctance he had been persuaded to
deprive her of them," and at the time of his submitting to become an instrument in this injustice, did
" declare," both to the Resident and his ministers,
"that it was an act of compulsion. "
LXXIX. That the said Hastings further, by insinuating that the women in question would act amiss
in appealing to a foreign jurisdiction against a son
and grandson, could not forget that he himself, being
that foreign jurisdiction, (if any jurisdiction there
was,) did himself direct and order the injuries, did
himself urge the calumnies, and did himself cause to
be taken and produced the unsatisfactory evidence
by which the women in question had suffered,- and
that it was against him, the said Hastings, and not
against their son, that they had reason to appeal.
But the truth is, that the inquiry was moved for by
Mr. Stables, not on the prayer or appeal of the sufferers, but upon the ill impression which the said Hastings's own conduct, merely and solely on his own state of it, and on his own evidence in support of it, had
? ? ? ? 452 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
made on the Court of Directors, who were his lawful
masters, and not suitors in his court. And his arro
gating to himself and his colleagues to be a tribunal, and a tribunal not for the purpose of doing justice, but of refusing inquiry, was an high offence and misdemeanor (particularly as the due obedience to
the Company's orders was eluded on the insolent
pretence " that the majesty of justice ought to be approached with solicitation, and that it would debase
itself by the suggestion of wrongs and the promise
of redress ") in a Governor, whose business it is, even
of himself, and unsolicited, not only to promise, but
to afford, redress to all those who should suffer un
der the power of the Company, even if their ignorance, or want of protection, or the imbecility of their
sex, or the fear of irritating persons in rank and station, should prevent them from seeking it by formal
solicitation.
LXXX. That the said Warren Hastings, at the
time when he pretended ignorance of all solicitation
for justice on the part of the women aforesaid, and
on that pretence did refuse the inquiry moved by his
colleague, Mr. Stables, had in all probability received
from the Resident, Middleton, or, if he had made the
slightest inquiry from the said Mliddleton, then at
Calcutta, might immediately receive, an account that
they did actually solicit the said Resident, through
Major Gilpin, for redress against his, the said Hastings's, calumnious accusation, and the false testimony by which it was supported, and did send the said complaint to the Resident, Middleton, by the said Gilpin, to be transmitted to him, the said Hastings, and
the Council, so early as the 19th of October, 1782;
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 453
and that sne, the mother of the Nabob, did afterwards
send the same to the Resident, Bristow, asserting
their innocence, and accompanying the same with the
copies of letters (the originals of which they asserted were in their hands) from the chief witnesses against them, Hannay and Gordon, which letters did
directly overturn the charges or insinuations in the
affidavits made by them, and that, instead of any accusation of an attempt upon them and their parties by the instigation of the mother of the Nabob, or by
her ministers, they, the said Hannay and Gordon,
did attribute their preservation to them and to their
services, and did, with strong expressions of gratitude
both to the mother of the Nabob and to her ministers,
fully acknowledge the same: which remonstrance
of the mother of the Nabob, and the letters of the said
Hannay and Gordon, are annexed to this charge;
and the said Hastings is highly criminal for not
having examined into the facts alleged in the said
remonstrance.
LXXXI. That the violent proceedings of the said
Warren Hastings did tend to impress all the neighboring princes, some of whom were allied in blood to the oppressed women of rank aforesaid, with an ill
opinion of the faith, honor, and decency of the British
nation; and accordingly, on the journey aforesaid
made by the Nabob from Lucknow to Fyzabad, in
which the said Nabob did restore, in the manner before mentioned, the confiscated estates of his mother and grandmother, and did afterwards revoke his said
grant, it appears that the said journey did cause a
general alarm (the worst motives obtaining the most
easy credit with regard to any future proceeding, on
? ? ? ? 454 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
account of the foregone acts) and excited great indignation among the ruling persons of the adjacent country, insomuch that Major Brown, agent to the said Warren Hastings at the court of the King Shah Al
lum at Delhi, did write a remonstrance therein to ]Mr.
Bristow, Resident at Oude, as follows.
"The evening of the 7th, at a conference I had
with Mirza Shaffee Khan, he introduced a subject, respecting the Nabob Vizier, which, however it may be
disagreeable for you to know, and consequently for
me to communicate, I am under a necessity of laying before you. He told me he had received information from Lucknow, that, by the advice of Hyder
Beg Khan, the Vizier had determined to bring his
grandmother, the widow of Sufdar Jung, from Fyzabad to Lucknow, with a view of getting a further sum
of money from her, by seizing on her eunuchs, digging up the apartments of her house at Fyzabad, and
putting her own person under restraint. This, he
said, he knew was not an act of our government, but
the mere advice of Hyder Beg Khan, to which the
Vizier had been induced to attend. He added, that
the old Begum had resolved rather to put herself to
death than submit to the disgrace intended to be
put upon her; that, if such a circumstance should
happen, there is not a man in Hindostan who will attribute the act to the Vizier [Nabob of Oude], but every
one will fix the odium on the English, who might easily,
by the influence they so largely exercise in their own concerns there, have prevented such unnatural conduct
in the Vizier. He therefore called upon me, as the
English representative in this quarter, to inform you
of this, that you may prevent a step which will destroy
all confidence in the English nation throughout Hin
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 455
dostan, and excite the bitterest resentment in all those
who by blood are connected with the house of Sufdar
Jung. He concluded by saying, that,' if the Vizier
so little regarded his family and personal honor, or his
natural duty, as to wish to disgrace his father's mother
for a sum of money, let him plunder her of all'she
has, but let him send her safe up to Delhi or Agra,
and, poor as I am, I will furnish subsistence for her,
which she shall possess with safety and honor, though
it cannot be adequate to her rank. '
" This, Sir, is a most exact detail of the conversation (as far as related to that affair) on the part of
Mirza Shaffee Khan. On my part I could only say,
that I imagined the affair was misrepresented, and
that I should write as he requested. Let me therefore request that you will enable me to answer in a
more effectual manner any further questions on this
subject.
LXXXII. "As Mirza Shaffee's grandfather was
brother to Sufdar Jung, there can be no doubt of what
his declaration means; and if this measure of dismissing the old Begum should be persisted in, I should
not, from the state of affairs, and the character of the
Amir ul Omrah, be surprised at some immediate and
violent resolution being adopted by him. "
LXXXIII. That Mirza Shaffee, mentioned in this
correspondence, (who has since been murdered,)
was of near kindred to the lady in question, (grandmother to the Nabob,) was resident in a province immediately adjoining to the province of Oude, and, from proximity of situation and nearness of connection,
was likely to have any intelligence conlcerning his
female relations from the best authority.
? ? ? ? 456 A'RTICLES OF CHARGE
LXXXIV. That the Resident, Bristow, o0n receiv
ing this letter, did apply to the said Hyder Beg Khlla
for an explanation of the Nabob's intentions, who denied that the Nabob intended more than a visit of
duty and ceremony: which, whatever his dispositions
might have been, and probably were, towards his own
mother, was not altogether probable, as it was well
known that he was on very bad terms with the mother of his father, and it appears that intentions of a similar nature had been before manifested even with
regard to his own mother, and therefore obtained the
more easy credit concerning the other woman of high
rank aforesaid, especially as the evil designs of the
said iyder Beg were abundantly known, and that the
said Hastings, upon whom he did wholly depend, continued to recommend " the most effectual, that is, the most violent, means for the recovery of the small remains of his extorted demand. " But although it does not appear that the Resident did give credit to the
said report, yet the effect of the same on the minds of
the neighboring princes did make it proper and necessary to direct a strict inquiry into the same, which was not done; and it does not appear that any further inquiry was made into the true motives for this projected journey to Fyzabad, nor into the proceedings
of Hyder Beg Khaln, although the said Warren Hastings well knew that all the acts of the Nabob and his principal ministers were constantly attributed to him,
and that it was known that secret agents, as well as
the Company's regular agent, were employed by him
at Lucknow and other places.
LXXXV. That the said Hastings, who did, on
pretence of the majesty of justice, refuise to ilqluire
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 457
into the charges made upon the female parents of
the Nabob of Oude, in justification of the violence offered to them, did voluntarily and of his own accord
make himself an accuser of the Resident, Middleton,
for the want of a literal execution of his orders in the
plans of extortion and rapine aforesaid: the criminal
nature, spirit, and tendency of the said proceedings,
for the defective execution of which he brought the
said charge, appearing in the defence or apology
made by Mr. Middleton, the Resident, for his temporary and short forbearances.
LXXXVI. "'It could not, I flatter myself, be
termed a long or unwarrantable delay [two days],
when the importance of the business, and the peculiar embarrassments attending the prosecution of it
to its desired end, are considered. The Nabob was
son to the Begum whom we were to proceed against:
a son against a mother must at least save appearances
in his mode of proceeding. The produce of his negotiation was to be received by the Company.
Receiving
a benefit, accompanying the Nabob, withdrawing their
protection, were circumstances sufficient to mark the
English as the principal movers in this business. At a
court where no opportunity is lost to throw odium on
us, so favorable an occasion was not missed to persuade the Nabob that we instigated him to dishonor
his family for our benefit. The impressions made
by these suggestions constantly retarded the progress, and more than once actually broke off the business: which rendered the utmost caution on my part necessary, especially as I had no assistance to expect
from the ministers, who could not openly move in the
business. Iln the East, it is well known that no man,
? ? ? ? 458 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
either by himself or his troops, can enter the walls of
a zenanah, scarcely in the case of acting against an
open enemy, much less of an ally, -an ally acting
against his own mother. The outer walls, and the Begum's asgents, were all that were liable to immediate attack: they were dealt with, and successfully, as the
event proved. " -- He had before observed to Mr.
Hastings, in his correspondence, what Mr. Hastings
well knew to be true, " that no farther rigor than
that he had exerted could be used against females in
that country; where force could be employed, it was
not spared;- that the place of concealment was only
known to the chief eunuchs, who could not be drawn
out of the women's apartments, where they had taken
refuge, and from which, if an attempt had been made
to storm them, they might escape; and the secret of
the money being known only to them, it was necessary to get their persons into his hands, which could be obtained by negotiation only. " - The Resident concluded his defence by declaring his " hope, that, if the main object of his orders was fulfilled, he should be
no longer held criminal for a deviation from the precise letter of them. "
LXXXVII. That the said Warren Hastings did
enter a reply to this answer, in support of his criminal charge, continuing to insist "that his orders
ought to have been literally obeyed," although he did
not deny that the above difficulties occurred, and the
above consequences must have been the result, - and
though the reports of the military officers charged
with the execution of his commission confirmed the
moral impossibility, as well as inutility in point of
profit, of forcing a son to greater violence and rigor
against his mother.
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 459
LXXXVIII. That the said Hastings, after all the
acts aforesaid, did presume to declare on record, in
his minute of the 23d September, 1783, " that, whatever may happen of the events which he dreads in
the train of affairs now subsisting, he shall at least
receive this consolation under them, that he used his
utmost exertions to prevent them, and that in the annals of the nations of India which have been subjected
to the British dominions HE shall not be remembered
tamosig their oppressors. " And speaking of certain alleged indignities offered to the Nabob of Oude, and
certain alleged suspicions of his authority with regard to the management of his household, he, the
said Hastings, did, in the said minute, endeavor to
excite the spirit of the British nation, severely animadverting on such offences, making use of the following terms: " If there be a spark of generous virtue in the breasts of any of my countrymen who shall be the readers of this compilation, this letter " (a letter of complaint from the Nabob) " shall stand for an
instrument to awaken it to the call of vengeance
against so flagitious an abuse of authority and reproach to the British name. "
From her Excellency the Bhow Begum to Mr. Bristow,
Resident at the Vizier's Court.
THERE is no necessity to write to you by way of information a detail of my sufferings. Fromn common
report, and the intelligence of those who are about
you, the account of them will have reached your ears.
I will here relate a part of them.
After the death of Sujah Dowlah, most of his ungrateful servants were constantly laboring to gratify
? ? ? ? 460 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
their enmity; but finding, from the firm and sincere
friendship which subsisted between me and the English, that the accomplishment of their purposes was frustrated, they formed the design of occasioning a
breach in that alliance, to insure their own success.
I must acquaint you that my son Asoph ul Dowlah
had formerly threatened to seize my jaghire; but, upon producing the treaty signed by you, and showing it to Mr. Middleton, lie interfered, and prevented the
impending evil. The conspiration now framed an accusation against me of a conduct which I had never conceived even in idea, of rendering assistance to Rajah Cheyt Sing. The particulars are as follow. My son Asoph ul Dowlah and his ministers, with troops
and a train of artillery, accompanied by Mr. Middleton, on the 16th of the month of Mohurum, arrived
at Fyzabad, and made a demand of a crore of rupees.
As my inability to pay so vast a sum was manifest, I
produced the treaty you signed and gave me, but to
no effect: their hearts were determined upon violence. I offered my son Asoph ul Dowlah, whose will
is dearer to me than all my riches, or even life itself,
whatever money and goods I was possessed of: but
an amicable adjustment seemed not worth accepting:
lie demanded the delivering up the fort, and the recall
of the troops that were stationed for the preserving
the peace of the city. To me tumult and discord
appeared unnecessary. I gave up these points, upon which they seized my head eunuchs, Jewar Ali Khanl and Behar Ali Khan, and sent them to Mr.
Middleton, after having obliged them to sign a bond
for sixty lacs of rupees; they were thrown into prison, with fetters about their feet, and denied food and water. I, wlho had never, even inl my dreams, expe
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 461
rienced such an oppression, gave up all I had to preserve my honor and dignity: but this would not satisfy their demands: they charged me with a rupee
and a half batta upon each mohur, and on this account laid claims upon me to the amount of six lacs
some thousand rupees, and sent Major Gilpin to exact the payment. Major Gilpin, according to orders,
at first was importunate; but being a man of experience, and of a benevolent disposition, when he was
convinced of my want of means, he changed his conduct, and was willing to apply to the shroffs and bankers to lend me the money. But with the loss of my
jaghire my credit was sunk; I could not raise the
sum. At last, feeling my helpless situation, I collected my wardrobe and furniture, to the amount of
about three lacs of rupees, besides fifty thousand rupees which I borrowed from one place or other, and
sent Major Gilpin with it to Lucknow. My sufferings
did not terminate here. The disturbances of Colonel
Hannay, and Mr. Gordon were made a pretence for
seizing my jaghire. The state of the matter is this.
When Colonel Hannay was by Mr. Hastings ordered
to march to Benares, during the troubles of Cheyt
Sing, the Colonel, who had plundered the whole country, was incapable of proceeding, from the union of thousands of zemindars, who had seized this favorable opportunity: they harassed Mr. Gordon near Junivard [Juanpore? ], and the zemindars of that place and Acberpore opposed his march from thence, till he arrived near
raunda. As the Taunda nullah, from its overflowing, was difficult to cross without a boat, Mr. Gordon
sent to the Phousdar to supply him. He replied, the
boats were all in the river, but would, according to
orders, assist him as soon as possible. Mr. Gordon's
? ? ? ? 462 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
situation would not admit of his waiting: he forded
the nullah upon his elephant, and was hospitably entertained and protected by the Phousdar for six days. In the mean time a letter was received by me from
Colonel Hiannay, desiring me to escort Mr. Gordon
to Fyzabad. As my friendship for the English was
always sincere, I readily complied, and sent some
companies of nejeebs to escort Mr. Gordon, and all
his effects, to Fyzabad, where, having provided for his
entertainment, I effected his junction with Colonel
Haimay. The letters of thanks I received from both
these gentlemen upon this occasion are still in my
possession, copies of which I gave in charge to Major
Gilpin, to be delivered to Mr. Middleton, that he
might forward them to the Governor-General. To
be brief, those who have loaded me with accusations
are now clearly convicted of falsehood. But is it
not extraordinary, notwithstanding the justness of
my cause, that nobody relieves my misfortunes?
Why did Major Gilpin return without effect?
My prayers have been constantly offered to Heaven
for your arrival; report has announced it; for which
reason I have taken up the pen, and request you will
not place implicit confidence in my accusers, but,
weighing in the scale of justice their falsehoods and
my representations, you will exert your influence in
putting a period to the misfortunes with which I am
overwhelmed.
Copy of a Letter from Colonel Hannay to Jewar Ali
Ihdn and Behar Ali KIhin.
I had the pleasure to receive your friendly letter,
fraught with benevolence; and whatever favors you,
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 463
my fiiends, have been pleased to confer respecting
Mr. Gordon afforded me the greatest pleasure.
Placing a firm reliance on your friendship, I am
in expectation that the aforesaid gentleman, with his
baggage, will arrive at Fyzabad in safety, that the
same may oblige and afford satisfaction to me.
A letter from Mr. Gordon is inclosed to you. I
am in expectation of its being inclosed in a cover to
the Aumil of Taunda, to the end that the Aumil may
forward it to the above-mentioned gentleman, and procure his reply. Whenever the answer arrives, let it be delivered to Hoolas Roy, who will forward it to me.
Always rejoice me by a few lines respecting your
health. [Continue to honor me with your correspondence. ]
Copy of a Letter from Colonel iannay to Jewar and
Behar Ali Khan.
Khan Saib, my indulgent friends, remain under
the protection of God!
Your friendly letter, fraught with kindness, accompanied by an honorary letter from the Begum Saib,
of exalted dignity, and inclosing a letter from Mr.
Gordon, sent through your hircarrahs, obliged and
rejoiced me.
With respect to what you communicate regarding
your not having received an answer to your friendly
epistle, I became perfectly astonished, as a reply was
written from Mohadree. It may be owing to the
danger of the road that it never arrived, - not to the
smallest neglect oil my side [or of mine].
I now send two letters to you, - one by the Dawk
people, and the second by one of my hircarrahs, (who
? ? ? ? 464 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
will present them to you,) which you certainly will
receive.
I am extremely well contented and pleased with
the friendship you have shown.
You wrote me to remain perfectly easy concerning
Mr. Gordon. Verily, from the kindness of you, my
indulgent friends, my heart is quite easy. You also
observed and mentioned, that, as Mr. Gordon's coining with those attached to him [probably his sepoys and others] might be attended with difficulty, if I approved, he should be invited alone to Fyzabad. My friends, I place my expectation entirely upon your
friendships, and leave it to you to adopt the manner
in which the said gentleman may arrive in security,
without molestation, at Fyzabad; but at the same
time let the plan be so managed that it may not
come to the knowledge of any zemindars: in this
case you are men of discernment. However, he is
to come to Fyzabad: extend your assistance and endeavors.
It is probable that the Begum Saib, of high dignity,
has received authentic intelligence from the camp at
Benares. Favor me with the contents or purport.
From Mr. Gordon's letter I understand that Mirza
Imaum Buksh, whom you dispatched thither [Taunda], has and still continues to pay great attention to that gentleman, which affords me great pleasure.
An answer to the Begum's letter is to be presented.
I also send a letter for Mr. Gordon, which please to
forward.
An Address from Colonel Hannay to the Begum.
Begum Saib, of exalted dignity and generosity,
&c. , whom God preserve!
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 465
Your exalting letter, fraught with grace and benevolence, that through your unbounded generosity and
goodness was sent through grace and favor, I had the
honor to receive in a fortunate moment, and whatever you were pleased to write respecting Mr. Gordon,-' that, as at this time the short-sighted and deluded ryots had carried their disturbances and ravages beyond all bounds, Mr. Gordon's coming with his
whole people [or adlerents] might be attended with
difficulty, and therefore, if I chose, he should be
invited to come alone. " Now, as your Highness is
the best judge, your faithful servant reposeth his.
most unbounded hopes and expectation upon yourHighness, that the aforesaid Mr. Gordon may arrive:
at Fyzabad without any apprehension or danger. I
shall be then extremely honored and obliged.
Considering me in the light of a firm and faithful
servant, continue to honor and exalt me by your
letters.
What further can I say?
A Copy of an Address from Mr. Gordon to the
Begum.
Begum Saib, of exalted dignity and generosity,
whom God preserve!
After presenting the usual professions of servitude,
&c. , in the customary manner, my address is presented.
Your gracious letter, in answer to the petition of
your servant from Goondah, exalted me. From the
contents I became unspeakably impressed with the
honor it conferred. May the Almighty protect that
royal purity, and bestow happiness, increase of wealth,.
and prosperity!
VOL. VIII. 30
? ? ? ? 466 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
The welfare of your servant is entirely owing to
your favor and benlevolence. A few days have elapsed
since I arrived at Goondah with the Colonel Saib.
This is presented for your Highness's information.
I cherish hopes from your generosity, that, considering me in the light of one of your servants, you will always continue to exalt and honor me with your gracious letters.
May the sun of prosperity continually shine!
Copy of a Letter to Mahomed Jewar Ali Khdn and
Behar Ali Khdn, from MJr. Gordon.
Sirs, my indulgent friends,
Remain under, &c. , &c.
After compliments. I have the pleasure to acquaint you that yesterday having taken leave of you,
I passed the night at Noorgunge, and next morning,
about ten or eleven o'clock, through your favor and
benevolence, arrived safe at Goondah. Mir Aboo
Buksh, zemindar, and Mir Rustum Ali, accompa-:iied me.
To what extent can I prolong the praises of you,
my beneficent friends? May the Supreme Being, for
this benign, compassionate, humane action, have you
in His keeping, and increase your prosperity, and
speedily grant me the pleasure of an interview!
Until which time continue to favor me with friendly
letters, and oblige me by any commands in my power
to execute.
May your wishes be ever crowned with success!
My compliments, &c. , &c. , &c.
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 467
Copy of a Letter from Colonel Iannay to Jewar Ali
Khan and Behar Ali Khan.
KhEhn Saib, my indulgent friends,
Remain under the protection of the Supreme Being!
After compliments, and signifying my earnest desire of an interview, I address you.
Your friendly letter, fraught with kindness, I had
the pleasure to receive in a propitious hour, and your
inexpressible kindness in sending for Mir Nassar Ali
with a force to Taunda, for the purpose of conducting
Mr. Gordon, with all his baggage, who is now arrived
at Fyzabad.
This event has afforded me the most excessive pleasure and satisfaction. May the Omnipotence preserve
you, my steadfast, firm friends! The pen of friendship
itself cannot sufficiently express your generosity and
benevolence, and that of the Begum of high dignity,
who so graciously has interested herself in this matter. Inclosed is an address for her, which please to
forward. I hope from your friendship, until we meet,
you will continue to honor me with an account of
your health and welfare. What further can I write?
V. - REVOLUTIONS IN FURRUCKABAD.
I. THAT a prince called Ahmed Kha1n was of a family amongst the most distinguished in Hilndostan, and
of a nation famous through that empire for its valor
in acquiring, and its policy and prudence in well governing the territories it had acquired, called the Patans, or Afghans, of which the Rohillas were a branch. The said Ahmed Khaln had fixed his residence ill the
? ? ? ? 468 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
city of Furruckabad, and in the first wars of this nation in India the said Ahmed Khan attached himself
to the Company against Sujah Dowlah, then an enemy,
now a dependant on that Company. Ahmed Khan,
towards the close of his life, was dispossessed of a large
part of his dominions by the prevalence of the Mahratta power; but his son, a minor, succeeded to his
pretensions, and to the remainder of his dominions.
The Mahrattas were expelled by Sujah ul Dowlah, the
late Vizier, who, finding a want of the services of the
son and successor of Ahmed Khan, called Muzuffer
Jung, did not only guaranty him in the possession of
what he then actually held, but engaged to restore
all the other territories which had been occupied by
the Mahrattas; and this was confirmed by repeated
treaties and solemn oaths, by the late Vizier and by
the present. But neither the late nor the present
Vizier fulfilled their engagements, or observed their
oaths: the former having withheld what he had stipulated to restore; and the latter not only subjecting
him to a tribute, instead of restoring him to what his
father had unjustly withheld, but having made a further invasion by depriving him of fifteen of his districts, levying the tribute of the whole on the little that remained, and putting the small remains of his
territory under a sequestrator or collector appointed
by Almas Ali Khan, who did grievously afflict and
oppress the prince and territory aforesaid.
That the hardships of his case being frequently represented to Warren Hastings, Esquire, he did suggest
a doubt whether " that little ought to be still subject
to tribute," indicating that the said tribute might be
hard and inequitable, - but, whatever its justice might
have been, that, " from the earliest period of our con
?
aforesaid was regularly transmitted to the said Warren Hastings on the 30th of December, 1782, with the
reasons and motives thereto, and a copy of the report
of the officer concerning the inutility of further force,
attended with sundry documents concerning the famishing, and other treatment, of the women and children of the late sovereign: but the same appear to have made no proper impression on the mind of the
said Warren Hastings; for no answer whatsoever was
given to the said letter until the 3d of March, 1783,
when the said Hastings, writing ipn his own character
and that of the Council, did entirely pass by all the
circumstances before recited, but did give directions
for the renewal of measures of the like nature and
* Mr. Bristow's Letter, 12 Dec. , 1782.
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 439
tendency with those which (for several of the last
months at least of the said proceeding) had been employed with so little advantage to the interest and
with so much injury to the reputation of the Company,
his masters, in whose name he acted, - expressing
himself in the said letter of the 3d of March, 1783,
as follows: "We desire you will inform us what
means have been taken for recovering the balance
[the pretended balance of the extorted money] due
from the Begums [princesses] at Fyzabad; and if necessary, you must recommend it to the Vizier to enforce the most effectual means for that purpose. " And the Resident did, in his answer to the board, dated
31st March, 1783, on this peremptory order, again
detail the particulars aforesaid to the said Warren
Hastings, referring him to his former correspondence,
stating the utter impossibility of proceeding further
by force, and mentioning certain other disgraceful
and oppressive circumstances, and in particular, that
the Company did not, in plundering the mother of the
reigning prince of her wearing apparel and beasts of
carriage, receive a value in the least equal to the loss
she suffered: the elephants having no buyer but the
Nabob, and the clothes, which had last been delivered
to Middleton at a valuation of thirty thousand pounds,
were so damaged by ill keeping in warehouses, that
they could not be sold, even for six months' credit, at
much more than about eight thousand pounds; by
which a loss in a single article was incurred of twentytwo thousand pounds out of the fifty, for the recovery
of which (supposing it had been a just debt) such rigorous means had been employed, after having actually
received upwards of five hundred thousand pounds in
value to the Company, and extorted much more in
? ? ? ? 440 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
loss to the suffering individuals. And the said Bris.
tow, being well acquainted with the unmerciful temper of the said Hastings, in order to leave no means
untried to appease him, not contented with the letter to the Governor-General and Council, did on the
same day write another letter to him particularly,
in which he did urge several arguments, the necessity of using of which to the said Hastings did reflect
great dishonor on this nation, and on the Christian
religion therein professed, namely: "That he had
experienced great embarrassment in treating with
her [the mother of the reigning prince]; for, as the
mother of the Vizier, the people look up to her with
respect, and any hard measures practised against
women of her high rank create discontent, and affect
our national character. " And the said Resident,
after condemning very unjustly her conduct, added,
" Still she is the mother of the prince of the country,
and the religious prejudices of Mussulmen prevail too
strongly in their minds to forget her situation. "
LXX. That the said Warren Hastings did not
make any answer to the said letter. But the mother
of the prince aforesaid, as well as the mother of his
father, being, in consequence of his, the said Hastings's, directions, incessantly and rudely pressed by
their descendant, in the name of the Company, to pay
to the last farthing of the demand, they did both positively refuse to pay any part of the pretended balanlces aforesaid, until their landed estates were restored to them; on the security of which alone they alleged
themselves to be in a condition to borrow any money,
or even to provide for the subsistence of themselves
and their numerous dependants. And in order to
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 441
put some end to these differences, the Vizier did himself, about the beginning of August, 1783, go to Fyzabad, and did hold divers conferences with his parents, and did consent and engage to restore to them their
landed estates aforesaid, and did issue an order that
they should be restored accordingly; but his minister
aforesaid, having before his eyes the peremptory orders
of him, the said Warren Hastings, did persuade his
master to dishonor himself in breaking his faith and
engagement with his mother and the mother of his
father, by first evading the execution, and afterwards
totally revoking his said public and solemn act, on
pretence that he had agreed to the grant "from
shame, being in their presence [the presence of his
mother and grandmother], and that it was unavoidable at the time "; X - the said minister declaring to
him, that it would be sufficient, if he allowed them
" money for their necessary expenses, and that would
be doing enough. "
LXXI. That the faith given for the restoration
of their landed estates being thus violated, and the
money for necessary expenses being as ill supplied
as before, the women and children of the late sovereign, father of the reigning prince, continued exposed
to frequent want of the common necessaries of life; t
and being sorely pressed by famine, they were compelled to break through all the principles of local decorum and reserve which constitute the dignity of
the female sex in that part of the world, and, after
great clamor and violent attempts for one whole day
to break the inclosure of the palace, and to force their
* Shoka from the Vizier to Hyder Beg Khan, 2d Ramsur, 1197.
t Bristow's Letter, 29th Jan. , 1784, with inclosures.
? ? ? ? 442 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
way into the public market, in order to move the
compassion of the people, and to beg their bread,
they did, on the next day, actually proceed to the
extremity of exposing themselves to public view,an extremity implying the lowest state of disgrace
and degradation, to avoid which many women in India have laid violent hands upon themselves, - and
they did proceed to the public market-place with
the starving children of the late sovereign, and the
brothers and sisters of the reigning prince! A minute account of the transaction aforesaid was written
to the British Resident at Lucknow by'the person
appointed to convey intelligence to him from Fyzabad, in the following particulars, highly disgraceful to
the honor, justice, and humanity of this nation.
LXXII. " The ladies, their attendants and servants, were still as clamorous as last night. Letafit, the darogah, went to them and remonstrated with them on the impropriety of their conduct, at the
same time assuring them that in a few days all their
allowances would be paid, and should not that be
the case, he would advance them ten days' subsistence, upon condition that they returned to their
habitation. None of them, however, consented to
his proposals, but were still intent upon making
their escape through the bazar [market-place], and
in consequence formed themselves into a line, arranging themselves in the following order: the children
in the front; behind them the ladies of the seraglio;
and behind them again their attendants: but their
intentions were frustrated by the opposition which
they met from Letafit's sepoys.
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 443
LXXIII. "The next day Letafit went twice to
the women, and used his endeavors to make them
return into the zenanah, promising to advance them
ten thousand rupees; which, upon the money being
paid down, they agreed to comply with: but night
coming on, nothing transpired.
LXXIV. " On the day following their clamors
were more violent than usual. Letafit went to confer with them upon the business of yesterday, offering the same terms. Depending upon the fidelity
of his promises, they consented to return to their
apartments, which they accordingly did, except two
or three of the ladies, and most of their attendants.
Letafit then went to Ilossmund Ali Khan, to consult with him upon what means they should take.
They came to a resolution of driving them in by
force, and gave orders to their sepoys to beat any
one of the women who should attempt to move
forward. The sepoys consequently assembled; and
each one being provided with a bludgeon, they drove
them by dint of beating into the zenanah. The women, seeing the treachery of Letafit, proceeded to
throw stones and bricks at the sepoys, and again attempted to get out; but finding that impossible, from
the gates being shut, they kept up a continual discharge of stones and bricks till about ten, when, finding their situation desperate, they retired into the Kung Mohul, and forced their way from thence into
the palace, and dispersed themselves about the house
and garden; after this they were desirous of getting
into the Begum's apartment, but she, being apprised
of their intention, ordered her doors to be shut. In
the mean time Letafit and HIossmund Ali Khiln
? ? ? ? 444 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
posted sentries to secure the gates of the lesser Mohul. During the whole of this conflict, all the ladies
and women remained exposed to the view of the sepoys. The Begum then sent for Letafit and Hossmund Ali Khan, whom she severely reprimanded, and insisted upon knowing the causes of this infamous behavior. They pleaded in their defence the
impossibility of helping it, as the treatment the women had met with had been conformable to his Excellency the Vizier's orders. The Begum alleged, that, even admitting that the Nabob had given those
orders, they were by no means authorized in this
manner to disgrace the family of Sujah Dowlah; and
should they not receive their allowance for a day
or two, it could be of no great moment: what was
passed was now at an end; but that the Vizier
should certainly be acquainted with the whole of the
affair, and that whatever he desired she should implicitly comply with. The Begum then sent for five
of the children, who were wounded in the affray of
last night, and, after endeavoring to soothe them, she
sent again for Letafit and Hossmund Ali Khan, and
in the presence of the children expressed her disapprobation of their conduct, and the improbability of
Asoph ul Dowlah's suffering the ladies and children
of Sujah Dowlah to be disgraced by being exposed to
the view of the rabble. Upon which Letafit produced
the letter from the Nabob, at the same time representing that he was amenable only to the orders of
his Excellency, and that whatever he ordered it was
his duty to obey, and that, had the ladies thought
proper to have retired into their apartments quietly,
lie would not have used the means he had taken to
compel them. The Begum again observed, that what
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 445
had happened was now over. She then gave the children four hundred rupees, and dismissed them, and
sent word by Jumrud and the other eunuchs, that, if
the ladies would peaceably retire to their apartments,
Letafit would supply them with three or four thousand rupees for their personal expenses, and recommended to them not to incur any further disgrace,
and that, if they did not think proper to act agreeable to her directions, they would do wrong. The ladies followed her advice, and about ten at night went back into the zenanah. The next morning the Begum waited upon the mother of Sujah Dowlah, and
related to her all the circumstances of the disturbances. The mother of Sujah Dowlah returned for answer, that, after there being no accounts kept of crores of revenues, she was not surprised that the family of
Sujah Dowlah, in their endeavors to procure a subsistence, should be obliged to expose themselves to the
meanest of the people. After bewailing their misfortunes, and shedding many tears, the Begum took her
leave, and returned home. "
That the said affecting narrative being sent, with
others of the same nature, on the 29th of January,
1784, to the said Warren Hastings, he did not order
any relief in consequence thereof, or take any sort of
notice whatsoever of the said intelligence.
LXXV. That the Court of Directors did express
strong doubts of the propriety of seizing the estates
aforesaid, and did declare to him, the said Hastings,
"' that the only consolation they felt on the occasion is,
that the amount of those jaghires for which the Company were guaranties is to be paid through our Resident at the court of the Vizier; and it very materially
? ? ? ? 446 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
concerns the credit of your Governor on no account
to suffer such payments to be evaded. " But the said
Warren Hastings did never make the arrangement
supposed in the said letter to be actually made, nor
did he cause the Resident to pay them the amount
of their jaghires, or to make any payment to them.
And the said Hastings being expressly ordered by
the Court of Directors to restore to them their estates,
in case the charges made upon them should not be
found true, he, the said Hastings, did contumaciously
and cruelly decline any compliance with the said orders until his journey to Lucknow, in, when
he did, as he says, " conformably to the orders of the
Court of Directors, and more to the inclination of the
Nabob Vizier, restore to them their jaghires, but with
the defalcation, according to his own account, of a
large portion of their respective shares ": pretending,
without the least probability, that the said defalcation
was a "voluntary concession on their part. " But
what he has left to them for their support, or in what
proportion to that which he has taken away, he has
nowhere stated to the Court of Directors, whose faith
he has broken, and whose orders he has thus eluded,
whilst he pretended to yield some obedience to them.
LXXVI. That the said Warren Hastings having
made a malicious, loose, and ill-supported charge,
backed by certain unsatisfactory affidavits, as a ground
for his seizing on the jaghires and the treasures of
the Vizier's mother, solemnly guarantied to them, the
Court of Directors did, in their letter of the 14th of
February, 1783, express themselves as follows concerning that measure, -- "which the Governor-General, [he, the said Warren Hastings,] in his letter to your
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 447
board, the 23d of January, 1782, has declared he
strenuously encouraged and supported: we hope and
trust, for the honor of the British nation, that the
measure appeared fully justified in the eyes of all
Hindostan. The Governor-General has informed us
that it can be well attested that the Begums [the
mother and grandmother of the Nabob aforesaid]
principally excited and supported the late commotions, and that they carried their inveteracy to the
English nation so far as to aim at our utter extirpation. " And the Court of Directors did further declare as follows: "That it nowhere appears from the
papers at present in our possession, that they [the
mother and grandmother of the Nabob of Oude] excited any commotions previous to the imprisonment
of Rajah Cheyt Sing, and only armed themselves in
consequence of that transaction; and, as it is probable, that such a conduct proceeded from motives of
self-defence, under an apprehension that they themselves might likewise be laid under unwarrantable contributions. " And the said Court of Directors, in giving their orders for the restoration of the jaghires, or for the payment of an equivalent through the Resident,
did give this order for the restoration of their estates
as aforesaid on condition that it should appear from
inquiry that they were not guilty of the practices
charged upon them by the said Hastings. Mr. Stables, one of the Council-General, did, in execution of
the said conditional order, propose an inquiry leading
to the ascertainment of the condition, and did enter
a minute as follows: " That the Court of Directors,
by their letters of the 14th of February, 1783, seem
not to be satisfied that the disaffection of the Begums
to this government is sufficiently proved by the evi
? ? ? ? 448 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
dence before them; I therefore think that the late
and present Resident, and commanding officer in the
Vizier's country at the time, should be called on to
collect what further information they can on this subject, in which the honor and dignity of this government is so materially concerned, and that such information may be transmitted to the Court of Directors. " And he did further propose heads and modes of inquiry suitable to the doubts expressed by the Court
of Directors. But the said Warren Hastings, who
ought long before, on principles of natural justice, to
have instituted a diligent inquiry in support of his
so improbable a charge, and was bound, even for his
own honor, as well as for the satisfaction of the Court
of Directors, to take a strong part in the said inquiry, did set himself in opposition to the same, and did
carry with him a majority of Council against the said
inquiry into the justice of the cause, or any proposition for the relief of the sufferers: asserting, " that
the reasons of the Court of Directors, if transmitted
with the orders for the inquiry, will prove in effect an
order for collecting evidence to the justification and
acquittal of the Begums, and not for the investigation
of the truth of the charges which have been preferred
against them. " That Mr. Stables did not propose (as
in the said Hastings's minute is groundlessly supposed) that the reasons of the Court of Directors
should be transmitted with the orders for an inquiry.
But the apprehension of thM said Warren Hastings of
the probable result of the inquiry proposed did strongly indicate his sense of his own guilt and the innocence of the parties accused by him; and if, by his
construction, Mr. Stables's minute did indicate an
inquiry merely for the justification of the parties by
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 449
him accused, (which construction the motion did not
bear,) it was no more than what the obvious rules of
justice would well support, his own proceedings having been ex parte, -he having employed Sir Elijah
Impey to take affidavits against the women of high
rank aforesaid, not only without any inquiry made on
their part, but without any communication to them
of his practice and proceeding against them; and
equity did at least require that they, with his owln
knowledge and by the subordinates of his own government, should be allowed a public inquiry to acquit
themselves of the heavy offences with which they had
been by him clandestinely charged.
LXXVII. That he, the said Hastings, in order to?
effectually stifle the said inquiry, did enter on record a
further minute, asserting that the said inquiry would
be productive " of evils greater than any which exist
in the consequences which have already taken place,
and which time has almost obliterated"; as also the
following: "If I am rightly informed, the Nabob
Vizier and the Begums are on terms of mutual goodwill. It would ill become this government to interpose its influence by any act which might tend to revive their animosities, - and a very slight occasion
would be sufficient to effect it. They will instantly
take fire on such a declaration, proclaim the judgment of the Company in their favor, demand a reparation of the acts which they will construe wrongs with such a sentence warranting that construction,
and either accept the invitation to the proclaimed
scandal of the Nabob Vizier, which will not add to the
credit of our government, or remain in his dominions,
but not under his authority, to add to his vexations
VOL. VIII. 29
? ? ? ? 450 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
and the disorders of the country by continual intrigues and seditions. Enough already exists to affect
his peace and the quiet of his people. If we cannot
heal, let us not inflame the wounds which have been
inficted. " --'" If the Begums think themselves aggrieved to such a degree as to justify them in an appeal to a foreign jurisdiction, to appeal to it against a
man standing ill the relation of son and grandson to
them, to appeal to the justice of those who have been the
abettors and instruments of their imputed wrongs, let us
at least permit them to be the judges of their own
feelings, and prefer their complaints before we offer to
redress them. They will not need to be prompted.
I hope I shall not depart from the simplicity of official language in saying, the majesty of justice ought
to be approached with solicitation, not descend to provoke or invite it, much less to debase itself by the suggestion of wrongs and the promise of redress, with the denunciation of punishments before trial, and even
before accusation. "
LXXVIII. That the said Warren Hastings, in attempting to pass an act of indemnity for his own
crimes, and of oblivion for the sufferings of others,
supposing the latter almost obliterated by time, did not
only mock and insult over the sufferings of the allies
of the Company, but did show an indecent contempt
of the understandings of the Court of Directors: because his violent attempts on the property and liberty
of the' mother and grandmother of the ally aforesaid
had not their first commencement much above two
years before that time, and had been continued, without abatement or relaxation on his part, to the very
time of his minute; the Nabob having, by the insti
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 451
gation of his, the said Hastings's, instrument, Hyder
Beg Khan, not two months before the date of the
Consultation, been obliged a second time to break his
faith with relation to the estates of his mother, in the
manner hereinbefore recited. And the said Hastings
did not and could not conceive that the clearing the
mother could revive any animosity between her and
her son, by whom she never had been accused. The
said Hastings was also sensible that the restoration
of her landed estates, recommended by the Court
of Directors, could not produce any ill effect on the
mind of the said son, as it was "with almost unconquerable reluctance he had been persuaded to
deprive her of them," and at the time of his submitting to become an instrument in this injustice, did
" declare," both to the Resident and his ministers,
"that it was an act of compulsion. "
LXXIX. That the said Hastings further, by insinuating that the women in question would act amiss
in appealing to a foreign jurisdiction against a son
and grandson, could not forget that he himself, being
that foreign jurisdiction, (if any jurisdiction there
was,) did himself direct and order the injuries, did
himself urge the calumnies, and did himself cause to
be taken and produced the unsatisfactory evidence
by which the women in question had suffered,- and
that it was against him, the said Hastings, and not
against their son, that they had reason to appeal.
But the truth is, that the inquiry was moved for by
Mr. Stables, not on the prayer or appeal of the sufferers, but upon the ill impression which the said Hastings's own conduct, merely and solely on his own state of it, and on his own evidence in support of it, had
? ? ? ? 452 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
made on the Court of Directors, who were his lawful
masters, and not suitors in his court. And his arro
gating to himself and his colleagues to be a tribunal, and a tribunal not for the purpose of doing justice, but of refusing inquiry, was an high offence and misdemeanor (particularly as the due obedience to
the Company's orders was eluded on the insolent
pretence " that the majesty of justice ought to be approached with solicitation, and that it would debase
itself by the suggestion of wrongs and the promise
of redress ") in a Governor, whose business it is, even
of himself, and unsolicited, not only to promise, but
to afford, redress to all those who should suffer un
der the power of the Company, even if their ignorance, or want of protection, or the imbecility of their
sex, or the fear of irritating persons in rank and station, should prevent them from seeking it by formal
solicitation.
LXXX. That the said Warren Hastings, at the
time when he pretended ignorance of all solicitation
for justice on the part of the women aforesaid, and
on that pretence did refuse the inquiry moved by his
colleague, Mr. Stables, had in all probability received
from the Resident, Middleton, or, if he had made the
slightest inquiry from the said Mliddleton, then at
Calcutta, might immediately receive, an account that
they did actually solicit the said Resident, through
Major Gilpin, for redress against his, the said Hastings's, calumnious accusation, and the false testimony by which it was supported, and did send the said complaint to the Resident, Middleton, by the said Gilpin, to be transmitted to him, the said Hastings, and
the Council, so early as the 19th of October, 1782;
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 453
and that sne, the mother of the Nabob, did afterwards
send the same to the Resident, Bristow, asserting
their innocence, and accompanying the same with the
copies of letters (the originals of which they asserted were in their hands) from the chief witnesses against them, Hannay and Gordon, which letters did
directly overturn the charges or insinuations in the
affidavits made by them, and that, instead of any accusation of an attempt upon them and their parties by the instigation of the mother of the Nabob, or by
her ministers, they, the said Hannay and Gordon,
did attribute their preservation to them and to their
services, and did, with strong expressions of gratitude
both to the mother of the Nabob and to her ministers,
fully acknowledge the same: which remonstrance
of the mother of the Nabob, and the letters of the said
Hannay and Gordon, are annexed to this charge;
and the said Hastings is highly criminal for not
having examined into the facts alleged in the said
remonstrance.
LXXXI. That the violent proceedings of the said
Warren Hastings did tend to impress all the neighboring princes, some of whom were allied in blood to the oppressed women of rank aforesaid, with an ill
opinion of the faith, honor, and decency of the British
nation; and accordingly, on the journey aforesaid
made by the Nabob from Lucknow to Fyzabad, in
which the said Nabob did restore, in the manner before mentioned, the confiscated estates of his mother and grandmother, and did afterwards revoke his said
grant, it appears that the said journey did cause a
general alarm (the worst motives obtaining the most
easy credit with regard to any future proceeding, on
? ? ? ? 454 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
account of the foregone acts) and excited great indignation among the ruling persons of the adjacent country, insomuch that Major Brown, agent to the said Warren Hastings at the court of the King Shah Al
lum at Delhi, did write a remonstrance therein to ]Mr.
Bristow, Resident at Oude, as follows.
"The evening of the 7th, at a conference I had
with Mirza Shaffee Khan, he introduced a subject, respecting the Nabob Vizier, which, however it may be
disagreeable for you to know, and consequently for
me to communicate, I am under a necessity of laying before you. He told me he had received information from Lucknow, that, by the advice of Hyder
Beg Khan, the Vizier had determined to bring his
grandmother, the widow of Sufdar Jung, from Fyzabad to Lucknow, with a view of getting a further sum
of money from her, by seizing on her eunuchs, digging up the apartments of her house at Fyzabad, and
putting her own person under restraint. This, he
said, he knew was not an act of our government, but
the mere advice of Hyder Beg Khan, to which the
Vizier had been induced to attend. He added, that
the old Begum had resolved rather to put herself to
death than submit to the disgrace intended to be
put upon her; that, if such a circumstance should
happen, there is not a man in Hindostan who will attribute the act to the Vizier [Nabob of Oude], but every
one will fix the odium on the English, who might easily,
by the influence they so largely exercise in their own concerns there, have prevented such unnatural conduct
in the Vizier. He therefore called upon me, as the
English representative in this quarter, to inform you
of this, that you may prevent a step which will destroy
all confidence in the English nation throughout Hin
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 455
dostan, and excite the bitterest resentment in all those
who by blood are connected with the house of Sufdar
Jung. He concluded by saying, that,' if the Vizier
so little regarded his family and personal honor, or his
natural duty, as to wish to disgrace his father's mother
for a sum of money, let him plunder her of all'she
has, but let him send her safe up to Delhi or Agra,
and, poor as I am, I will furnish subsistence for her,
which she shall possess with safety and honor, though
it cannot be adequate to her rank. '
" This, Sir, is a most exact detail of the conversation (as far as related to that affair) on the part of
Mirza Shaffee Khan. On my part I could only say,
that I imagined the affair was misrepresented, and
that I should write as he requested. Let me therefore request that you will enable me to answer in a
more effectual manner any further questions on this
subject.
LXXXII. "As Mirza Shaffee's grandfather was
brother to Sufdar Jung, there can be no doubt of what
his declaration means; and if this measure of dismissing the old Begum should be persisted in, I should
not, from the state of affairs, and the character of the
Amir ul Omrah, be surprised at some immediate and
violent resolution being adopted by him. "
LXXXIII. That Mirza Shaffee, mentioned in this
correspondence, (who has since been murdered,)
was of near kindred to the lady in question, (grandmother to the Nabob,) was resident in a province immediately adjoining to the province of Oude, and, from proximity of situation and nearness of connection,
was likely to have any intelligence conlcerning his
female relations from the best authority.
? ? ? ? 456 A'RTICLES OF CHARGE
LXXXIV. That the Resident, Bristow, o0n receiv
ing this letter, did apply to the said Hyder Beg Khlla
for an explanation of the Nabob's intentions, who denied that the Nabob intended more than a visit of
duty and ceremony: which, whatever his dispositions
might have been, and probably were, towards his own
mother, was not altogether probable, as it was well
known that he was on very bad terms with the mother of his father, and it appears that intentions of a similar nature had been before manifested even with
regard to his own mother, and therefore obtained the
more easy credit concerning the other woman of high
rank aforesaid, especially as the evil designs of the
said iyder Beg were abundantly known, and that the
said Hastings, upon whom he did wholly depend, continued to recommend " the most effectual, that is, the most violent, means for the recovery of the small remains of his extorted demand. " But although it does not appear that the Resident did give credit to the
said report, yet the effect of the same on the minds of
the neighboring princes did make it proper and necessary to direct a strict inquiry into the same, which was not done; and it does not appear that any further inquiry was made into the true motives for this projected journey to Fyzabad, nor into the proceedings
of Hyder Beg Khaln, although the said Warren Hastings well knew that all the acts of the Nabob and his principal ministers were constantly attributed to him,
and that it was known that secret agents, as well as
the Company's regular agent, were employed by him
at Lucknow and other places.
LXXXV. That the said Hastings, who did, on
pretence of the majesty of justice, refuise to ilqluire
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 457
into the charges made upon the female parents of
the Nabob of Oude, in justification of the violence offered to them, did voluntarily and of his own accord
make himself an accuser of the Resident, Middleton,
for the want of a literal execution of his orders in the
plans of extortion and rapine aforesaid: the criminal
nature, spirit, and tendency of the said proceedings,
for the defective execution of which he brought the
said charge, appearing in the defence or apology
made by Mr. Middleton, the Resident, for his temporary and short forbearances.
LXXXVI. "'It could not, I flatter myself, be
termed a long or unwarrantable delay [two days],
when the importance of the business, and the peculiar embarrassments attending the prosecution of it
to its desired end, are considered. The Nabob was
son to the Begum whom we were to proceed against:
a son against a mother must at least save appearances
in his mode of proceeding. The produce of his negotiation was to be received by the Company.
Receiving
a benefit, accompanying the Nabob, withdrawing their
protection, were circumstances sufficient to mark the
English as the principal movers in this business. At a
court where no opportunity is lost to throw odium on
us, so favorable an occasion was not missed to persuade the Nabob that we instigated him to dishonor
his family for our benefit. The impressions made
by these suggestions constantly retarded the progress, and more than once actually broke off the business: which rendered the utmost caution on my part necessary, especially as I had no assistance to expect
from the ministers, who could not openly move in the
business. Iln the East, it is well known that no man,
? ? ? ? 458 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
either by himself or his troops, can enter the walls of
a zenanah, scarcely in the case of acting against an
open enemy, much less of an ally, -an ally acting
against his own mother. The outer walls, and the Begum's asgents, were all that were liable to immediate attack: they were dealt with, and successfully, as the
event proved. " -- He had before observed to Mr.
Hastings, in his correspondence, what Mr. Hastings
well knew to be true, " that no farther rigor than
that he had exerted could be used against females in
that country; where force could be employed, it was
not spared;- that the place of concealment was only
known to the chief eunuchs, who could not be drawn
out of the women's apartments, where they had taken
refuge, and from which, if an attempt had been made
to storm them, they might escape; and the secret of
the money being known only to them, it was necessary to get their persons into his hands, which could be obtained by negotiation only. " - The Resident concluded his defence by declaring his " hope, that, if the main object of his orders was fulfilled, he should be
no longer held criminal for a deviation from the precise letter of them. "
LXXXVII. That the said Warren Hastings did
enter a reply to this answer, in support of his criminal charge, continuing to insist "that his orders
ought to have been literally obeyed," although he did
not deny that the above difficulties occurred, and the
above consequences must have been the result, - and
though the reports of the military officers charged
with the execution of his commission confirmed the
moral impossibility, as well as inutility in point of
profit, of forcing a son to greater violence and rigor
against his mother.
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 459
LXXXVIII. That the said Hastings, after all the
acts aforesaid, did presume to declare on record, in
his minute of the 23d September, 1783, " that, whatever may happen of the events which he dreads in
the train of affairs now subsisting, he shall at least
receive this consolation under them, that he used his
utmost exertions to prevent them, and that in the annals of the nations of India which have been subjected
to the British dominions HE shall not be remembered
tamosig their oppressors. " And speaking of certain alleged indignities offered to the Nabob of Oude, and
certain alleged suspicions of his authority with regard to the management of his household, he, the
said Hastings, did, in the said minute, endeavor to
excite the spirit of the British nation, severely animadverting on such offences, making use of the following terms: " If there be a spark of generous virtue in the breasts of any of my countrymen who shall be the readers of this compilation, this letter " (a letter of complaint from the Nabob) " shall stand for an
instrument to awaken it to the call of vengeance
against so flagitious an abuse of authority and reproach to the British name. "
From her Excellency the Bhow Begum to Mr. Bristow,
Resident at the Vizier's Court.
THERE is no necessity to write to you by way of information a detail of my sufferings. Fromn common
report, and the intelligence of those who are about
you, the account of them will have reached your ears.
I will here relate a part of them.
After the death of Sujah Dowlah, most of his ungrateful servants were constantly laboring to gratify
? ? ? ? 460 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
their enmity; but finding, from the firm and sincere
friendship which subsisted between me and the English, that the accomplishment of their purposes was frustrated, they formed the design of occasioning a
breach in that alliance, to insure their own success.
I must acquaint you that my son Asoph ul Dowlah
had formerly threatened to seize my jaghire; but, upon producing the treaty signed by you, and showing it to Mr. Middleton, lie interfered, and prevented the
impending evil. The conspiration now framed an accusation against me of a conduct which I had never conceived even in idea, of rendering assistance to Rajah Cheyt Sing. The particulars are as follow. My son Asoph ul Dowlah and his ministers, with troops
and a train of artillery, accompanied by Mr. Middleton, on the 16th of the month of Mohurum, arrived
at Fyzabad, and made a demand of a crore of rupees.
As my inability to pay so vast a sum was manifest, I
produced the treaty you signed and gave me, but to
no effect: their hearts were determined upon violence. I offered my son Asoph ul Dowlah, whose will
is dearer to me than all my riches, or even life itself,
whatever money and goods I was possessed of: but
an amicable adjustment seemed not worth accepting:
lie demanded the delivering up the fort, and the recall
of the troops that were stationed for the preserving
the peace of the city. To me tumult and discord
appeared unnecessary. I gave up these points, upon which they seized my head eunuchs, Jewar Ali Khanl and Behar Ali Khan, and sent them to Mr.
Middleton, after having obliged them to sign a bond
for sixty lacs of rupees; they were thrown into prison, with fetters about their feet, and denied food and water. I, wlho had never, even inl my dreams, expe
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 461
rienced such an oppression, gave up all I had to preserve my honor and dignity: but this would not satisfy their demands: they charged me with a rupee
and a half batta upon each mohur, and on this account laid claims upon me to the amount of six lacs
some thousand rupees, and sent Major Gilpin to exact the payment. Major Gilpin, according to orders,
at first was importunate; but being a man of experience, and of a benevolent disposition, when he was
convinced of my want of means, he changed his conduct, and was willing to apply to the shroffs and bankers to lend me the money. But with the loss of my
jaghire my credit was sunk; I could not raise the
sum. At last, feeling my helpless situation, I collected my wardrobe and furniture, to the amount of
about three lacs of rupees, besides fifty thousand rupees which I borrowed from one place or other, and
sent Major Gilpin with it to Lucknow. My sufferings
did not terminate here. The disturbances of Colonel
Hannay, and Mr. Gordon were made a pretence for
seizing my jaghire. The state of the matter is this.
When Colonel Hannay was by Mr. Hastings ordered
to march to Benares, during the troubles of Cheyt
Sing, the Colonel, who had plundered the whole country, was incapable of proceeding, from the union of thousands of zemindars, who had seized this favorable opportunity: they harassed Mr. Gordon near Junivard [Juanpore? ], and the zemindars of that place and Acberpore opposed his march from thence, till he arrived near
raunda. As the Taunda nullah, from its overflowing, was difficult to cross without a boat, Mr. Gordon
sent to the Phousdar to supply him. He replied, the
boats were all in the river, but would, according to
orders, assist him as soon as possible. Mr. Gordon's
? ? ? ? 462 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
situation would not admit of his waiting: he forded
the nullah upon his elephant, and was hospitably entertained and protected by the Phousdar for six days. In the mean time a letter was received by me from
Colonel Hiannay, desiring me to escort Mr. Gordon
to Fyzabad. As my friendship for the English was
always sincere, I readily complied, and sent some
companies of nejeebs to escort Mr. Gordon, and all
his effects, to Fyzabad, where, having provided for his
entertainment, I effected his junction with Colonel
Haimay. The letters of thanks I received from both
these gentlemen upon this occasion are still in my
possession, copies of which I gave in charge to Major
Gilpin, to be delivered to Mr. Middleton, that he
might forward them to the Governor-General. To
be brief, those who have loaded me with accusations
are now clearly convicted of falsehood. But is it
not extraordinary, notwithstanding the justness of
my cause, that nobody relieves my misfortunes?
Why did Major Gilpin return without effect?
My prayers have been constantly offered to Heaven
for your arrival; report has announced it; for which
reason I have taken up the pen, and request you will
not place implicit confidence in my accusers, but,
weighing in the scale of justice their falsehoods and
my representations, you will exert your influence in
putting a period to the misfortunes with which I am
overwhelmed.
Copy of a Letter from Colonel Hannay to Jewar Ali
Ihdn and Behar Ali KIhin.
I had the pleasure to receive your friendly letter,
fraught with benevolence; and whatever favors you,
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 463
my fiiends, have been pleased to confer respecting
Mr. Gordon afforded me the greatest pleasure.
Placing a firm reliance on your friendship, I am
in expectation that the aforesaid gentleman, with his
baggage, will arrive at Fyzabad in safety, that the
same may oblige and afford satisfaction to me.
A letter from Mr. Gordon is inclosed to you. I
am in expectation of its being inclosed in a cover to
the Aumil of Taunda, to the end that the Aumil may
forward it to the above-mentioned gentleman, and procure his reply. Whenever the answer arrives, let it be delivered to Hoolas Roy, who will forward it to me.
Always rejoice me by a few lines respecting your
health. [Continue to honor me with your correspondence. ]
Copy of a Letter from Colonel iannay to Jewar and
Behar Ali Khan.
Khan Saib, my indulgent friends, remain under
the protection of God!
Your friendly letter, fraught with kindness, accompanied by an honorary letter from the Begum Saib,
of exalted dignity, and inclosing a letter from Mr.
Gordon, sent through your hircarrahs, obliged and
rejoiced me.
With respect to what you communicate regarding
your not having received an answer to your friendly
epistle, I became perfectly astonished, as a reply was
written from Mohadree. It may be owing to the
danger of the road that it never arrived, - not to the
smallest neglect oil my side [or of mine].
I now send two letters to you, - one by the Dawk
people, and the second by one of my hircarrahs, (who
? ? ? ? 464 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
will present them to you,) which you certainly will
receive.
I am extremely well contented and pleased with
the friendship you have shown.
You wrote me to remain perfectly easy concerning
Mr. Gordon. Verily, from the kindness of you, my
indulgent friends, my heart is quite easy. You also
observed and mentioned, that, as Mr. Gordon's coining with those attached to him [probably his sepoys and others] might be attended with difficulty, if I approved, he should be invited alone to Fyzabad. My friends, I place my expectation entirely upon your
friendships, and leave it to you to adopt the manner
in which the said gentleman may arrive in security,
without molestation, at Fyzabad; but at the same
time let the plan be so managed that it may not
come to the knowledge of any zemindars: in this
case you are men of discernment. However, he is
to come to Fyzabad: extend your assistance and endeavors.
It is probable that the Begum Saib, of high dignity,
has received authentic intelligence from the camp at
Benares. Favor me with the contents or purport.
From Mr. Gordon's letter I understand that Mirza
Imaum Buksh, whom you dispatched thither [Taunda], has and still continues to pay great attention to that gentleman, which affords me great pleasure.
An answer to the Begum's letter is to be presented.
I also send a letter for Mr. Gordon, which please to
forward.
An Address from Colonel Hannay to the Begum.
Begum Saib, of exalted dignity and generosity,
&c. , whom God preserve!
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 465
Your exalting letter, fraught with grace and benevolence, that through your unbounded generosity and
goodness was sent through grace and favor, I had the
honor to receive in a fortunate moment, and whatever you were pleased to write respecting Mr. Gordon,-' that, as at this time the short-sighted and deluded ryots had carried their disturbances and ravages beyond all bounds, Mr. Gordon's coming with his
whole people [or adlerents] might be attended with
difficulty, and therefore, if I chose, he should be
invited to come alone. " Now, as your Highness is
the best judge, your faithful servant reposeth his.
most unbounded hopes and expectation upon yourHighness, that the aforesaid Mr. Gordon may arrive:
at Fyzabad without any apprehension or danger. I
shall be then extremely honored and obliged.
Considering me in the light of a firm and faithful
servant, continue to honor and exalt me by your
letters.
What further can I say?
A Copy of an Address from Mr. Gordon to the
Begum.
Begum Saib, of exalted dignity and generosity,
whom God preserve!
After presenting the usual professions of servitude,
&c. , in the customary manner, my address is presented.
Your gracious letter, in answer to the petition of
your servant from Goondah, exalted me. From the
contents I became unspeakably impressed with the
honor it conferred. May the Almighty protect that
royal purity, and bestow happiness, increase of wealth,.
and prosperity!
VOL. VIII. 30
? ? ? ? 466 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
The welfare of your servant is entirely owing to
your favor and benlevolence. A few days have elapsed
since I arrived at Goondah with the Colonel Saib.
This is presented for your Highness's information.
I cherish hopes from your generosity, that, considering me in the light of one of your servants, you will always continue to exalt and honor me with your gracious letters.
May the sun of prosperity continually shine!
Copy of a Letter to Mahomed Jewar Ali Khdn and
Behar Ali Khdn, from MJr. Gordon.
Sirs, my indulgent friends,
Remain under, &c. , &c.
After compliments. I have the pleasure to acquaint you that yesterday having taken leave of you,
I passed the night at Noorgunge, and next morning,
about ten or eleven o'clock, through your favor and
benevolence, arrived safe at Goondah. Mir Aboo
Buksh, zemindar, and Mir Rustum Ali, accompa-:iied me.
To what extent can I prolong the praises of you,
my beneficent friends? May the Supreme Being, for
this benign, compassionate, humane action, have you
in His keeping, and increase your prosperity, and
speedily grant me the pleasure of an interview!
Until which time continue to favor me with friendly
letters, and oblige me by any commands in my power
to execute.
May your wishes be ever crowned with success!
My compliments, &c. , &c. , &c.
? ? ? ? AGAINST WARREN HASTINGS. 467
Copy of a Letter from Colonel Iannay to Jewar Ali
Khan and Behar Ali Khan.
KhEhn Saib, my indulgent friends,
Remain under the protection of the Supreme Being!
After compliments, and signifying my earnest desire of an interview, I address you.
Your friendly letter, fraught with kindness, I had
the pleasure to receive in a propitious hour, and your
inexpressible kindness in sending for Mir Nassar Ali
with a force to Taunda, for the purpose of conducting
Mr. Gordon, with all his baggage, who is now arrived
at Fyzabad.
This event has afforded me the most excessive pleasure and satisfaction. May the Omnipotence preserve
you, my steadfast, firm friends! The pen of friendship
itself cannot sufficiently express your generosity and
benevolence, and that of the Begum of high dignity,
who so graciously has interested herself in this matter. Inclosed is an address for her, which please to
forward. I hope from your friendship, until we meet,
you will continue to honor me with an account of
your health and welfare. What further can I write?
V. - REVOLUTIONS IN FURRUCKABAD.
I. THAT a prince called Ahmed Kha1n was of a family amongst the most distinguished in Hilndostan, and
of a nation famous through that empire for its valor
in acquiring, and its policy and prudence in well governing the territories it had acquired, called the Patans, or Afghans, of which the Rohillas were a branch. The said Ahmed Khaln had fixed his residence ill the
? ? ? ? 468 ARTICLES OF CHARGE
city of Furruckabad, and in the first wars of this nation in India the said Ahmed Khan attached himself
to the Company against Sujah Dowlah, then an enemy,
now a dependant on that Company. Ahmed Khan,
towards the close of his life, was dispossessed of a large
part of his dominions by the prevalence of the Mahratta power; but his son, a minor, succeeded to his
pretensions, and to the remainder of his dominions.
The Mahrattas were expelled by Sujah ul Dowlah, the
late Vizier, who, finding a want of the services of the
son and successor of Ahmed Khan, called Muzuffer
Jung, did not only guaranty him in the possession of
what he then actually held, but engaged to restore
all the other territories which had been occupied by
the Mahrattas; and this was confirmed by repeated
treaties and solemn oaths, by the late Vizier and by
the present. But neither the late nor the present
Vizier fulfilled their engagements, or observed their
oaths: the former having withheld what he had stipulated to restore; and the latter not only subjecting
him to a tribute, instead of restoring him to what his
father had unjustly withheld, but having made a further invasion by depriving him of fifteen of his districts, levying the tribute of the whole on the little that remained, and putting the small remains of his
territory under a sequestrator or collector appointed
by Almas Ali Khan, who did grievously afflict and
oppress the prince and territory aforesaid.
That the hardships of his case being frequently represented to Warren Hastings, Esquire, he did suggest
a doubt whether " that little ought to be still subject
to tribute," indicating that the said tribute might be
hard and inequitable, - but, whatever its justice might
have been, that, " from the earliest period of our con
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