left India, equal in point
of splendor to what it was in the time of Sujah ul Dowlah?--_A._ By
no means: it was not equally splendid, but far inferior.--_Q._ Were
the dependants and officers belonging to the court paid in the same
punctual manner?--_A._ No: I really cannot say whether they were
paid more regularly in Sujah Dowlah's time, only they appeared more
wealthy and more able to live in a splendid style in his time than
they ever have done since his death."

Here, then, your Lordships see the state of the country in 1783. Your
Lordships may trace the whole progress of these evils, step by step,
from the death of Sujah ul Dowlah to the time of Mr. Hastings's
obtaining a majority in the Council, after which he possessed the sole
and uncontrolled management of the country; you have seen also the
consequences that immediately followed till the year 1784, when he went
up a second time into the country.

I do not know, my Lords, that it is necessary to make any observation
upon this state of things. You see that the native authority was, as we
have proved, utterly extinguished by Mr. Hastings, and that there was
no superintendent power but his. You have heard of the oppressions of
the farmers of the revenues; and we have shown you that these farmers
generally were English officers. We have shown you in what manner
Colonel Hannay, one of these farmers sent by Mr. Hastings, acted, and
particularly the accumulation of hostages which were made by him. We
have shown you, that by their arbitrary and tyrannical proceedings all
regular government was subverted, and that the country experienced the
last and most dreadful effects of anarchy. We have shown you that no
other security was left to any human being, but to intrench themselves
in such forts as they could make, and that these forts, in one district
only of the country, had increased in number to the amount of seven
hundred. Your Lordships also know, that, when the prisons and mud forts
in which Colonel Hannay kept his hostages confined were full, he kept
them in uncovered cages in the open air. You know that all these farmers
of revenue were either English and military men, or natives under an
abject submission to them; you know that they had the whole country in
assignments, that the jaghires were all confiscated for their benefits;
and you find that the whole system had its origin at the time when Mr.
Hastings alone formed in effect the a