truth, it appeared from the last financial letter, that there was a surplus revenue of nearly a crore and a half of rupees. He was happy to say that he had received a letter of a very recent date, not from the Noble Marquess himself, but from an old and intelligent servant in one of the Governments, in which it was stated, that there was hardly the most remote probability of the renewal of war." The Chairman proceeded to say: "the general diffusion of knowledge, and the general good-will which prevailed throughout the country, to the British Government, had removed every apprehension of war. India now enjoyed profound peace, and that which should always accompany peace (though, such was the lot of human nature, they were not constantly united), content and prosperity. In the midst of India, all was tranquil and prosperous. He had next to observe, that the Noble Marquess had achieved a very great saving to the East-India Company in a financial operation, by the removal of the payment of interest on a very large loan, from the Home treasury to the treasury of Bengal. Many persons had certainly suffered by this measure; but circumstances rendered it necessary, and the consequent saving had placed the Home treasury in a state of great comparative affluence." He (Mr. D. Kinnaird) meant to observe generally, that these facts were publicly stated from the Chair, with the full concurrence of the Directors; and, indeed, remained perfectly uncontradicted by any part of the Court, either on one side of the bar or the other. The Chairman then said, "At the same time he must be allowed to state, that when the Court felt it necessary to make this change, it was not with a view to any project of this kind: the measure was taken up by them on grounds of general policy. The profit was certainly a considerable advantage, but still that was not the object which the Court contemplated: their design was to relieve the Home treasury from an operation which it was not able to bear; but he thought, as a great saving had been effect. ed, it was a matter of fair congratulation to the Company, and a transaction highly honourable to the Noble Marquess, who by a single stroke of his wand had, like a powerful magician, brought the business to an immediate conclusion; so that in a few months, nay, even a few weeks, the Home treasury was relieved from the payment of interest to the amount of £1,000,000 sterling per annum.' In this passage (continued Mr. Kinnaird) the Chairman alluded to a transaction, by which the Noble Marquess was enabled, by a grand effort of vigour and determination, to send home to the Company's treasury, a million of money, which effectually relieved the Company from the

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pressure of previous arrangements for the payment of a considerable debt in this country. The Chairman concluded by saying, that “having during a period of nearly nine years conducted the affairs of the Company with unabated zeal and with most unexampled ability, it did appear to the Court of Directors nothing more than proper that they should express their warm gratitude to the Noble Marquess. Their purpose was a clear and plain one; there was no contingency in the vote; it was a positive vote of regret for the loss of his services." From his (Mr. Kinnaird's) own recollection of what took place, as well as from reference to a work in which their proceedings were generally considered to be fairly recorded, he was quite convinced that no objection was offered to the statement made by the official organ of the Executive Body. On that occasion, the Court of Directors having hinted to the Proprietors that they might as well originate the resolution of thanks, a Learned Gent. (Mr. R. Jackson) proposed the following:

"Resolved unanimously, That this Court most cordially concur with the Court of Directors, in their estimation of the unremitting zeal and eminent ability with which the Most Noble the Marquess of Hastings has, during a period of nearly nine years, administered the government of British India, with such high credit to himself, and advantage to the interests of the East-India Company.

"That this Court, referring to the sentiments expressed by themselves and the Court of Directors, in December 1816, on returning thanks to Lord Hastings for his skilful and successful operations in the war against the Nepaulese; to their resolution of the 3d of February 1819, recognizing the wisdom and energy of those measures which extinguished a great predatory power that had established itself in the heart of Hindoostan, whose existence experience had shown to be alike incompatible with the security of the Company's possessions, and the general tranquillity of India; applauding at the same time the foresight, promptitude, and vigour with which his Lordship, by a combination of military with political talents, had anticipated and encountered the proceedings of an hostile confederacy among the Mahratta States, defeated their armies, reduced them to submission, and materially lessened their means of future aggression; referring also to the resolution of the Court of Directors of the 20th of April 1819, in which they appeal, at the close of two glorious and successful wars, to the records of the East-India Company, for the great services which his Lordship's unwearied assiduity and comprehensive knowledge of the Company's affairs had enabled him to render to its most important interests: this

Court cannot but with the highest satisfaction witness their Executive Authority again coming forward at the termination of a career so useful and brilliant, to express and promulgate their sense of his Lordship's exalted merit, and their deep regret that domestic circumstances should withdraw him from the government of their Asiatic territories. That this Court strongly participate in that regret, and request the Court of Directors to convey to the Marquess of Hastings, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief, their expressions of their unfeigned admiration, gratitude, and applause.

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He (Mr. Kinnaird) was desirous of making a remark, with reference to a circumstance which took place during the debate on the grant to the Noble Marquess in 1819, because it tended to shew more distinctly that the military services of the Noble Marquess were then alone under consideration. Some allusion had been made to the impolicy of centering in the same person the situation of GovernorGeneral and Commander-in-Chief, since the hope of profiting, in the latter capacity, by war, might render the individual more ready to adopt hostile measures than he ought to be. It was said, "why should you grant money to Lord Hastings as a General, his successes will amply reward him." It was very true the vote was made to him as a General; but it was also very true that he had declined receiving the prizemoney of a General. Colonel Allen, one of the Directors, after these remarks had been made, thus justified the conduct of the Marquess of Hastings, which appeared, as it always did, to be founded on the most honourable motives. "To remove (said Colonel Allen) any unfavourable impressions which such declarations might produce, it was only necessary to read the dispatch of the Marquess of Hastings, assigning his reasons for refusing to take any portion of the prize-money. The Noble Marquess said, I thought it fitting to declare, that when my share of the prize-money, as Commander-in-Chief, was separated from that of the other officers, it should be thrown back into the general stock, for the benefit of the lower classes of the army. This I did, because I think no consideration should exist which might be supposed to induce an individual, unit. ing in himself the power of Commanderin-Chief and Governor-General, to embark in hostilities unnecessarily.' And (continued Colonel Allen) the Noble Marquess in this letter called on the Board of Controul to amend the prize money act, by the insertion of an additional clause. It would be right,' said he, to bar, by a special clause, the Commander-in-Chief in the field, when he also filled the situation of GovernorGeneral, from any participation in prize

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money; he would thus be freed from any imputation of being induced to act with a view to his private advantage.'" He was quite aware, that the Marquess of Hastings felt it necessary afterwards to prosecute, nominally, a claim for prizemoney. Though he himself refused to derive any benefit from it, yet he was called on, by his brother officers and soldiers, to support their right to a share of the prize-money captured in the Pindarree war. The Privy Counsel declared, for reasons best known to themselves, that the prize-money should be confined to those divisions by which it had been actually captured; and General Hislop, as Commander-in-Chief of the army of the Deccan, until the 31st of March 1818, shared, with his staff, in the entire prize-money taken by that army; but the Marquess of Hastings and the grand army, of which the Deccan was but a portion, were excluded from any participation in the prizemoney. He had alluded to Colonel Allen's speech, elicited as it was by observations on the situation of the Marquess of Hastings, as Commander-in-Chief, to prove that the grant was distinctly given on the ground of military operations. But to return, he had now brought the history of the Noble Marquess, so far as the Company was concerned, down to 1822. On that occasion the thanks of the Directors and Proprietors were unanimously accorded. The ordinary forms were not indeed observed. It was very true those motions were agreed to without any papers being produced. They were proposed, and they were carried, on the spur of a most melancholy occasion-one which he was inclined to think made a deep and honourable impression on many Gentlemen behind the bar. The time had then come, when, having been long ia communication with a Governor-General on whose talents and whose experience they had not originally been taught to rely; of whose various fine qualities they had not an opportunity of acquiring a previous knowledge; who, in the administration of his great charge, had been viewed by them with a degree of jealousy which, he believed, had never before been manifested towards any public officer, on the part of any confiding body, since this Company-nay, since this country had existed; the time had then come, when they were about to lose the benefit of those exertions, the spendour of which had overcome prejudice and vanquished opposition. To a certain extent, jealousy of public servants was deserving of praisenay, he would not be very strict in its limit, but it was carried, with reference to the Marquess of Hastings, to a degree that was not justifiable. That jealousy, which appeared to increase in proportion to the success which attended the proceed

act of justice towards themselves. They might, in the first place, suppose that a heavy responsibility devolved on them, if they voted away the Company's money, since some persons might be of opinion that the Marquess of Hastings had been already sufficiently rewarded. If such were their feeling, they would naturally wait, because they would naturally expect that the motion would originate with the Court of Proprietors. That motion, which would give the Directors an opportunity of openly stating their opinion, must be decided by the Proprietors, who were only accountable to themselves, and to public opinion, in giving away their money. There were also other motives which might have operated on the minds of the Executive Body. The Court of Directors might, in the most perfect spirit of fairness, have said, "it would be unfair in us to precipitate this vote, for the results of the policy adopted by the Marquess of Hastings are growing larger and larger every day, and he is entitled to the utmost benefit which the latest result can give him a right to claim; therefore, let us allow the latest possible period to the operation of his different measures. The later our vote, the more likely is it to be just, and the more likely is it to be justly appreciated by the Marquess of Hastings. In that case, we shall not have an opportunity of saying hereafter, such and such results, which we expected, have not taken place, and, in our haste to reward, we have done too much.' This he felt to be another ground which might have wrought on the minds of the Directors, and have induced them to suspend the opportunity of expressing their sentiments-an opportunity for which he, in common with many other Proprietors, was most impatient, since it would enable them to shew that they were not insensible to the merits of the Marquess of Hastings, and not incapable of manifesting their respect for those talents which he had devoted to their service. There was, besides, a third reason by which the conduct of the Directors might have been swayed. They might have said, "we approve of some part of the Noble Marquess's policy, of other parts of it we entirely disapprove; and our disapproval rests on such grounds as will not allow us to reward him for that part of his conduct which is praiseworthy." This was undoubtedly a matter of account but it should be matter of liberal account; and, if the Directors acted on the reason which he had just suggested, the account, debtor and creditor, ought to be laid before the Proprietors. Some reason ought to be given to them, explaining why the Marquess of Hastings had not received that reward which all Europe expected he would have received long since. (Hear, hear!) When he said "all Europe," he did not speak figuraVOL. XVII. 3 K

ings of the Noble Marquess, continued up to a very late period of his administration; it continued until they began to perceive that it was directed against a man whose conduct was wholly beyond suspicion; and, he believed, that the sudden intimation that they were about to lose those services, from which they were then convinced they had received such enormous advantages, excited very sincere regret. Then it was that, in a manner honourable to themselves, they called on the Proprietors to come forward, and to join with them in one common expression of sorrow for the loss which they were about to sustain. The truth of the old adage, that "we never know we had a friend till we Irave lost him," was again painfully verified. When they were on the point of being bereaved of this great man's talents, they came forward, and expressed their regret for his recession, their thanks for his long and meritorious services, (Hear, hear!) He believed it was the anxious wish of the Court of Directors (justly appreciating the value of the thanks of this Court), that the vote should reach the Noble Marquess before he left their Indian territory. They felt that the moral effect on the people of India would be increased by that measure, in a very high degree; therefore the resolution was suddenly propounded; therefore it was that the whole transaction bore evidence of that laudable impatience, which could not otherwise be accounted for. Those thanks were unanimously voted, and he believed they were received by the Noble Marquess before he left India. From that time forth, from the moment Lord Hastings had been thus honourably noticed, he challenged the Court of Directors (in saying this he meant nothing hostile), to declare, whether every day had not accumulated the proofs of the soundness of that Noble Lord's policy? Whether every hour had not disclosed results more beneficial, more advantageous to their interests, than the most sanguine mind had ever dared to anticipate from his administration? (Hear, hear!) This he would state distinctly and fearlessly, that the public of England had joined with the Proprietors of East-India stock at large, in manifesting some astonishment that those advantageous results, which they now at least enjoyed, had not been exultingly noticed, and substantially rewarded by the Company. He, as one of the great body of Proprietors, felt it necessary to state the reason which actuated him in not proceeding, at an earlier period, to call the attention of the Court to the merits of the Marquess of Hastings. There were, he must observe, several reasons which might, and be supposed did, influence the Court of Directors in delaying this memorial of respect to the Marquis of Hastings-this Asiatic Journ.-No. 100.

tively, he uttered the words most advisably. The name of the Noble Marquess stood recorded as that of the most eminently successful Governor-General the Company ever possessed; his fame filled a great portion of the globe, that portion which was talked of by all Europe, as well for the enlightened policy by which it was governed, as for the wisdom which formed and applied its commercial regulations. (Hear, hear!) So conspicuous was the situation in which the Marquess of Hastings stood, that he could not long remain in Europe without compelling the Company to do him justice. (Hear, hear!) Under these circumstances, he confessed that he felt it impossible, now the Marquess of Hastings had returned, not to call on the Court of Proprietors to do that which he thought was a pure matter of justice towards the Marquess of Hastings, and which was also a matter of real interest, so far as it concerned themselves. It was their duty adequately to reward the beneficial conduct of their Governor-General; if they did not, they would be censured by the great fiat of public opinion, and they would in the end lose that most important power-the power of conferring praise and reward on meritorious and zealous servants. He knew that, where there was neglect, public opinion would set the matter right at last. But if they suffered time to elapse, if they were tardy in doing an act of justice, how could they expect, hereafter, to give public opinion that tone, which on a subject of this nature they ought to impart to it? For surely, with respect to the conduct of the Governor-General, they were the best and most competent judges. It was their duty, even if it were not their interest, to mete out an ample measure of justice to the Marquess of Hastings. (Hear, hear !) He trusted that, in the course which he had taken, he had shewn no impatience to take this business out of the hands of the Court of Directors; that he had manifested no desire to prevent them from proposing a commensurate reward for the services of the Marquess of Hastings. (Hear, hear!) He should feel himself responsible in a very great degree, if he induced others to take a step, which hereafter might appear not to have been proper. What he would say was this, "it is our duty, after the vote of 1822, which was sent out to the Noble Marquess in India, and the justice of which had never been impugned or contradicted, to proceed farther." (Hear, hear!) He would venture to assert, that the expressions and sentiments contained in that vote were acknwledged to be true and sincere by every person who heard him. He believed they had not ceased to regret the termination of the Noble Marquess's administration; he believed they

had not ceased to manifest their applause and gratitude for the excellence of his conduct while he held the dignified situation of Governor-General. (Hear, hear!) This he would say, that even now the reward of the Marquess of Hastings came late. He was, however, sure, that if the Noble Marquess were appealed to, he would say, so far as his own feelings were concerned, " pause-suspend your judgment-wait till the grave has closed over me-then weigh my actions, record my merits, and reward my family." They were not, however, to be guided by that feeling; they had an interest in rewarding their Governors-General while they were living, and he brought this case forward as a matter of justice, which they ought immediately to notice. (Hear, hear!) It was a question for the decision of the Proprietors, and he urged it before them as one, in which justice to themselves was mixed up with the justice that was due to Marquess of Hastings. (Hear!) He had stated what the Court had already done, he had stated their last act of gratitude, which was a hasty vote of thanks to the Marquess of Hastings, proposed at the moment of his departure from India, when their minds were penetrated with sorrow and regret at his secession from office. The circumstances which he had stated rendered it imperative on him to introduce this subject; and, in doing so, he had given to those who might be op posed to his opinion, an opportunity of stating on what grounds their opposition rested. From the gentlemen behind the bar he did not anticipate any opposition to the resolution which he meant to propose, for he could not imagine any circumstance at all calculated to create a hostile feeling. He called upon the Court to say why they would not at once make their approval of the conduct of the Marquess of Hastings, if it appeared that they had a right to do so, on account of the services he had rendered to the Company? He had no interest in this question. He could state, most positively, that his object was justice; that his mind was unbiassed by any sinister feeling; and, however apt he might be to express his feelings warmly, however liable he might be to give way to the impulse of the moment, he could conscientiously say that he bore malice to no man. (Hear, hear!) He declared to God, he always regretted a warm or a harsh expression. Observations that were unnecessarily harsh or severe, should never be uttered. (Hear, hear!) But, though the phrases night not be correct, the sentiments which gave rise to them might be perfectly just (Hear, hear!) Having said this, he would now appeal to the Hon. Chairman and the other Directors for their pardon, if, on a recent occasion, he had offended them by

any expression, which, in the heat of the moment, he might have used. (Hear, hear!) But, while he made this avowal, he must farther observe, that he should despise himself, if he denied or withdrew the sentiments which then fell from his mouth; he spoke in the name of justice, and the cause which he advocated excited his feelings most strongly. He trusted he should be excused for saying so much: but it would have been idle, it would have been ridiculous, if he had passed over in silence what had occurred at a former Court. He was as sincere then as he was honest now; and, while he regretted from the bottom of his soul what had taken place on that occasion, he was quite sure it never could be forgotten by the Court. What he now demanded was an act of justice, a demand which the circumstance that occurred at the former Court compelled him to delay no longer. The introduction of this question did not depend upon that circumstance, but it required him imperatively to bring forward the subject at once. He would make the same proposition that he intended to have made if no such occurrence had ever taken place. And here he would declare, in the name of the Marquess of Hastings, that if any charge or accusation could be brought against that distinguished nobleman, he would suspend his resolution until that charge was fully investigated, and triumphantly refuted. (Hear, hear!) The Marquess of Hastings, he might be permitted to observe, from whatever body he received thanks, knew how to appreciate their value perfectly well. This was exemplified in the answers he had returned to the votes of the Houses of Lords and Commons. Mr. Canning had spoken warmly in praise of the Noble Marquess, for "extending the protection of British justice to every part of our widely spread dominions," and for "leaving as he may find them, the harmless prejudices of nations, and conforming our government to native habits and institutions." In short, he gave the Noble Marquess credit in his speech for the great ability with which he had administered the affairs of that immense territory, under the authority of an Act which was passed when the British empire in India was no more like what it was now, than England now resembled what it was in the days of King Arthur; but on these points his resolution was totally silent. In a manner which did him honour, the Noble Marquess gave a dignified reproof to the Lord Chancellor and the Speaker of the House of Commons, when he answered their letters communicating to him votes of thanks, in which the policy of his government was not mentioned, although it had been so highly praised by those who brought the motions forward. His reply amounted to

this," that he thanked them for what they had thanked him for." (Hear, hear !) It had been said, that the Noble Marquess had treated the Proprietors in an unbecoming manner. But what had he done? If he had made to the communication of the Court of Directors a dignified reply, similar to that which he addressed to the two Houses of Parliament, let it not be considered as a disrespectful act. Nothing else could be expected; for he certainly had not received, at their hands, more than he had done from the two highest bodies in the country. He trusted that, in coming to this question, all personal feeling would be laid aside, and that the ends of justice would be attained by calm investigation and temperate discussion. (Hear, hear!) The resolution with which he should have the honour to conclude, and which he would now read, was as follows:

"Resolved: That this Court, recur"ring with undiminished pride and grati"fication to the repeated occasions on "which the distinguished services ren"dered to the East-India Company by the "Most Noble the Marquess of Hastings "have been under its consideration, and "more especially to the 20th day of De"cember 1816, and to the 3d day of Fe'bruary 1819, when the unanimous thanks "of this Court were successively voted to "his Lordship for the planning, conduct, "and conclusion of two splendid military "achievements; and which were again' "more especially acknowledged and re"warded by a grant of £60,000, unani"mously voted to the Marquess of Has"tings and his family on the 26th of May "1819; and further adverting to the una"nimous expression, on the 29th of May "1822, of this Court's high sense of the "political and military talents displayed "by the Governor-General, during nine "years' administration of the supreme "power in India, as well of its deep re

gret at having then learnt his determi"nation to return to Europe: is of opinion "that the time is at length arrived when "the splendid and glorious results of the "Marquess of Hastings' government, to "the financial prosperity and to the per"manent tranquillity of India, ought to "be adequately rewarded, as they are fully "appreciated by the Proprietors at large, " in common with their applauding coun"trymen, both in Europe and in Asia.

"That it be therefore referred to the "Court of Directors forthwith to take "into their consideration, and to report to "this Court, the means and the measure of "such a pecuniary grant, for the approval "of this Court, as may be at once worthy "of our gratitude for the benefits received, "and of the illustrious personage who has "so mainly contributed to the reigning tranquillity of their empire, and