FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155  
156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   >>   >|  
_qualifications_, which entitle him to such uncommon distinction? Is it for his superior _integrity_, or from his eminent _abilities_, that he is to be dignified at such hazard of every consideration that ought to influence the members of this administration? Of the former (his integrity) I know _no proofs_; I am sure it is not an evidence of it, that he has been _enabled_ to make himself the principal in such a _competition:_ and for the test of his abilities I appeal to the letter which he has _dared_ to write to this board, and which I am ashamed to say we have _suffered_. I desire that a copy of it may be inserted in this day's proceedings, that it may stand before the eyes of every member of the board, when he shall give his vote upon a question for giving their confidence to a man, _their servant_, who has publicly insulted _them, his masters_, and the members of the government to whom he owes _his obedience_,--who, assuming an association with the Court of Directors, and erecting himself into a _tribunal_, has _arraigned_ them for _disobedience_ of orders, _passed judgment_ upon them, _and condemned or acquitted them, as their magistrate or superior_. Let the board consider, whether a man possessed of so _independent_ a spirit, who has already shown a _contempt_ of their authority, who has shown himself _so wretched an advocate for his own cause and negotiator for his own interest_, is fit to be trusted with the guardianship of _their_ honor, the execution of _their_ measures, and as _their_ confidential manager and negotiator with the princes of India. As the motion has been unaccompanied by any reasons which should induce the board to pass their acquiescence in it, I presume the motion which preceded it, for _reading the orders of the Court of Directors, was intended to serve as an argument for it, as well as an introduction to it_. The last of those was dictated the 23rd December, 1778, almost two years past. They were dictated at a time when, I am sorry to say, the Court of Directors were in _the habit of casting reproach upon my conduct and heaping indignities upon my station_." Had the language and opinions which prevail throughout this part of the minute, as well as in all the others to which your Committee refer, been uttered suddenly and in a passion, however unprovoked, some sort of apology might be made for the Governor-General. But when it was produced five months after the supposed offence, and then
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155  
156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Directors
 

orders

 

integrity

 
abilities
 

superior

 

negotiator

 

dictated

 

members

 

motion

 

intended


introduction

 
argument
 

confidential

 
manager
 
princes
 

measures

 

execution

 

trusted

 

guardianship

 

unaccompanied


acquiescence

 

presume

 

preceded

 

induce

 

December

 
reasons
 

reading

 

station

 

unprovoked

 

apology


passion

 

Committee

 
uttered
 

suddenly

 

supposed

 

offence

 

months

 

Governor

 

General

 

produced


casting
 
reproach
 

conduct

 

heaping

 

minute

 
prevail
 

opinions

 
indignities
 
language
 

disobedience