etween right and
wrong. But so specious a piece of special pleading cannot serve
Clive's turn. English diplomacy at home and abroad has always, with
the rarest exceptions, plumed itself on its truthfulness, and has often
been successful by reason of that very truthfulness. The practically
unanimous condemnation which Clive's countrymen then and since have
passed upon his action with regard to the Red Treaty is the best answer
to all such pitiful prevarications.

However, Clive did prepare a sham treaty, did forge Admiral Watson's
name, did fool Omichund to the top of his bent. Omichund being thus
cunningly bought over, Clive prepared for action, flung defiance at
Surajah Dowlah, and marched against him. On June 23, 1757, the fate of
England in India was decided by the famous battle of Plassey, or, as it
should be more correctly called, Palasi.

Plassey was a great victory. Yet, in the words of the conspirator in
Ben Jonson's "Catiline," it was but "a cast at dice in Fortune's hand"
that it might have been a great defeat, Clive was astonishingly,
grotesquely out-numbered. The legendary deeds of chivalrous paladins
who at the head of a little body of knights sweep away whole hosts of
paynims at Saragossa or Roncesvalles were rivalled by Clive's audacity
in opposing his few regiments to the swollen armament of the Nabob.
Moreover, Meer Jaffier, whose alliance with the English, whose treason
to Surajah Dowlah, was an important part of the scheme, {272} was not
to be counted upon. He hesitated, unwilling to fling his fortunes into
the English scale before he was convinced that the English were certain
of success, although he was himself one of the most important factors
in the possibility of that success. But the greatest danger that
threatened the English arms was, curiously enough, due to Clive
himself. On the eve of Plassey he held a council of war at which it
was discussed whether they should fight at once or postpone fighting to
what might seem a more seasonable opportunity. Clive at this council
departed from his usual custom. He gave his own vote first, and he
voted against taking any immediate action. Naturally enough, the
majority of the council of war voted with Clive, in spite of the
strenuous opposition of Major Eyre Coote and a small minority. By a
majority of thirteen to seven it was resolved not to fight.

It is needless to speculate on what would have been the fortunes of the
English in Benga