s made. If these were his sentiments in June, 1780,
they lasted but a very short time: his accidental means appear to be
growing habitual.

To point out in a clear manner the spirit of the second money
transaction to which your Committee adverted, which is represented by
Mr. Hastings as having some "affinity with the former _anecdote_,"[24]
(for in this light kind of phrase he chooses to express himself to his
masters,) your Committee think it necessary to state to the House, that
the business, namely, this business, which was the second object of
their inquiry, appears in three different papers and in three different
lights: on comparing of these authorities, in every one of which Mr.
Hastings is himself the voucher, if one of the three be true, the other
two must necessarily be false.

These three authorities, which your Committee has accurately compared,
are, first, his minutes on the Consultations;[25] secondly, his letter
to the Court of Directors on the 29th of November, 1780;[26] thirdly,
his account, transmitted on the 16th of December, 1782.[27]

About eight months after the first transaction relative to Cheyt Sing,
and which is just reported, that is, on the 5th of January, 1781, Mr.
Hastings produced a demand to the Council for money of his own expended
for the Company's service.[28] Here was no occasion for secrecy. Mr.
Francis was on his passage to Europe; Mr. Wheler was alone left, who no
longer dissented from anything; Mr. Hastings was in effect himself the
whole Council. He declared that _he_ had disbursed three lacs of rupees,
that is, thirty-four thousand five hundred pounds, in secret
services,--which having, he says, "been advanced from _my own private
cash_, I request that the same may be repaid to me in the following
manner." He accordingly desires three bonds, for a lac of Sicca rupees
each, to be given to him in two of the Company's subscriptions,--one to
bear interest on the eight per cent loan, the other two in the four per
cent: the bonds were antedated to the beginning of the preceding
October. On the 9th of the same month, that is, on the 9th of January,
1781, the three bonds were accordingly ordered.[29] So far the whole
transaction appears clear, and of a piece. Private money is subscribed,
and a public security is taken for it. When the Company's Treasury
accounts[30] are compared with the proceedings of their Council-General,
a perfect correspondence also appears. The three bonds are t