of the inhabitants in general of extensive and
populous provinces are concerned, can, if it stood single and alone, be
a matter of trifling moment. And in favor of whom do all these
sacrifices appear to have been made? In favor of an old prostitute, who,
if shown to your Lordships here, like Helen to the counsellors of Troy,
would not, I think, be admitted to have charms that could palliate this
man's abominable conduct; you would not cry out with them,--

[Greek: Ou nemesis, ...
Toied' amphi gunaiki polun chronon algea paschein.]

For I will fairly say that there are some passions that have their
excuses; but the passion towards this woman was the passion of avarice
and rapacity only,--a passion, indeed, which lasted to the end of his
government, and for which he defied the orders of the Court of
Directors, rebelled against his masters, and finally subverted the
justice of a great country.

* * * * *

My Lords, I have done with this business. I come next to the third
division of the natives, those who form the landed interest of the
country. A few words only will be necessary upon this part of the
subject. The fact is, that Mr. Hastings, at one stroke, put up the
property of all the nobility and gentry, and of all the freeholders, in
short, the whole landed interest of Bengal, to a public auction, and let
it to the highest bidder. I will make no observations upon the nature of
this measure to your Lordships, who represent so large a part of the
dignity, together with so large a part of the landed interest of this
kingdom: though I think, that, even under your Lordships' restrictive
order, I am entitled so to do; because we have examined some witnesses
upon this point, in the revenue charge. Suffice it to say, that it is in
evidence before your Lordships that this sale was ordered. Mr. Hastings
does not deny it. He says, indeed, he did it not with an ill intention.
My answer is, that it could have been done with no other than a bad
intention. The owners of the land had no way left to save themselves but
to become farmers of their own estates; and from the competition which
naturally took place, (and he himself declared, that the persons,
whether owners or strangers, to whom he let the lands, had agreed to
rents which surpassed their abilities to pay,) I need not tell you what
must have been the consequence, when it got into such rapacious hands,
and was taken out of th