he had a confidential
conversation with him on various subjects, of which this was the
principal, in which Mr. Hastings notified to him his secret intentions;
"and that he _bespoke_ his support of the measures which he intended to
pursue towards him (the Rajah)." This confidential discourse, and
_bespeaking_ of support, could give him no power, in opposition to an
express act of Parliament, and the whole tenor of the orders of the
Court of Directors.

In what manner the powers thus usurped were employed is known to the
whole world. All the House knows that the design on the Rajah proved as
unfruitful as it was violent. The unhappy prince was expelled, and his
more unhappy country was enslaved and ruined; but not a rupee was
acquired. Instead of treasure to recruit the Company's finances, wasted
by their wanton wars and corrupt jobs, they were plunged into a new war,
which shook their power in India to its foundation, and, to use the
Governor's own happy simile, might have dissolved it like a magic
structure, if the talisman had been broken.

But the success is no part of my consideration, who should think just
the same of this business, if the spoil of one rajah had been fully
acquired, and faithfully applied to the destruction of twenty other
rajahs. Not only the arrest of the Rajah in his palace was unnecessary
and unwarrantable, and calculated to stir up any manly blood which
remained in his subjects, but the despotic style and the extreme
insolence of language and demeanor, used to a person of great condition
among the politest people in the world, was intolerable. Nothing
aggravates tyranny so much as contumely. _Quicquid superbia in
contumeliis_ was charged by a great man of antiquity, as a principal
head of offence against the Governor-General of that day. The unhappy
people were still more insulted. A relation, but an _enemy_ to the
family, a notorious robber and villain, called Ussaun Sing, kept as a
hawk in a mew, to fly upon this nation, was set up to govern there,
instead of a prince honored and beloved. But when the business of insult
was accomplished, the revenue was too serious a concern to be intrusted
to such hands. Another was set up in his place, as guardian to an
infant.

But here, Sir, mark the effect of all these _extraordinary_ means, of
all this policy and justice. The revenues, which had been hitherto paid
with such astonishing punctuality, fell into arrear. The new prince
guardian was depos