terpreter, Mr. Jonathan Scott. Now, my Lords, in this letter there
are several things worthy of your Lordships' observation. The first is,
that this woman is not conscious of having ever been accused of any
rebellion: the only accusation that ever came to her ears was, that
Captain Gordon said that his baggage had been robbed by one of her
aumils. She denies the truth of this charge; and she produces
testimonials of their good behavior to him; and, what is the essential
point of all, she desires Mr. Hastings to apply to this Mr. John Gordon,
and to know from him what truth or falsehood there is in that
accusation, and what weight there is in the attestation she produces.
"Mr. Gordon is now present," says she; "ask him yourself of these
matters." This reasonable request was not complied with. Mr. Gordon
swears before Sir Elijah Impey to the robbery; but he never mentions the
paper he had written, in which he confessed that he owed his life to
this very lady. No inquiry was made into this matter. Colonel Hannay
was then alive. Captain Gordon was alive, and she refers to him: yet
that very man was sworn before Sir Elijah Impey, and accuses his
prisoner. Did the prisoner at your bar make that attestation known to
the Begum, whose letter at that very time was in his possession, in Mr.
Scott's trunk,--that very letter in which he is desired to make the
inquiry from Captain Gordon?

Mr. Hastings is acquainted with the facts stated by the Begum, and with
Captain Gordon's accusation. Did he afterwards inform her of this
accusation? or did he ask this Captain Gordon one question in India,
where the matter might be ventilated? Not one word, my Lords. Therefore
we fix upon him fraud, deceit, and the production of false evidence,
after the woman had desired to have the man who was the evidence against
her examined upon the spot. This he does not do, but with much more
prudence he brings him here. And for what? To discredit his own
testimony, and the written evidence. And how does he discredit them?
There are two of these papers, which I beg leave to read to your
Lordships.

_Copy of a Letter to Jewar and Behar Ali Khan, from Mr. Gordon._

"Sirs, my indulgent friends, remain under, &c., &c., &c. After
compliments, I have the pleasure to inform 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
benevole