records of the Company, if you want to pursue this matter further, to
enlighten your own minds upon the subject. Do not think, my Lords, that
we are not aware how ridiculous it is for either party, the accuser or
the accused, to make here any assertions without producing vouchers for
them: we know it; but we are prepared and ready to take upon us the
proof; and we should be ashamed to assert anything that we are not able
directly to substantiate by an immediate reference to uncontradicted
evidence.

With regard to the merits pleaded by the prisoner, we could efface that
plea with a single stroke, by saying there is no evidence before your
Lordships of any such merits. But we have done more: we have shown you
that the things which he has set up as merits are atrocious crimes, and
that there is not one of them which does not, in the very nature and
circumstances of it, carry evidence of base corruption, as well as of
flagrant injustice and notorious breach of public faith.

The next thing that he takes credit for is precisely an act of this
description. The Mogul had, by solemn stipulation with the Company, a
royal domain insured to him, consisting of two provinces, Corah and
Allahabad. Of both these provinces Mr. Hastings deprived the Mogul, upon
weak pretences, if proved in point of fact, but which were never proved
in any sense, against him. I allude particularly to his alleged alliance
with the Mahrattas,--a people, by the way, with whom we were not then
at war, and with whom he had as good a right as Nudjif Khan to enter
into alliance at that time. He takes these domains, almost the last
wrecks of empire left to the descendant of Tamerlane, from the man, I
say, to whose voluntary grants we owe it that we have put a foot in
Bengal. Surely, we ought, at least, to have kept our faith in leaving
this last retreat to that unfortunate prince. The House of Commons was
of that opinion, and consequently they resolved, "That the transfer of
Corah and Allahabad to the Vizier was contrary to policy and good
faith." This is what the Commons think of this business which Mr.
Hastings pleads as merits.

But I have not yet done with it. These provinces are estimated as worth
twenty-two lacs, or thereabouts, that is, about 220,000_l._, a year. I
believe they were improvable to a good deal more. But what does Mr.
Hastings do? Instead of taking them into the Company's possession for
the purpose of preserving them for the Mogul, upon