to be written in a style which they conceived
was little to be expected in a faithful translation from a Persian
original, being full of quaint terms and idiomatic phrases, which
strongly bespeak English habits in the way of thinking, and of English
peculiarities and affectations in the expression. Struck with these
strong internal marks of a suspicious piece, they turned to the Persian
manuscript produced by Mr. Scott and Mr. Baber, and comparing it with
Mr. Goring's papers, they found the latter carefully sealed upon every
leaf, as they believe is the practice universal in all authentic pieces.
They found on the former no seal or signature whatsoever, either at the
top or bottom of the scroll. This circumstance of a want of signature
not only takes away all authority from the piece as evidence, but
strongly confirmed the suspicions entertained by your Committee, on
reading the translation, of unwarrantable practices in the whole conduct
of this business, even if the translation should be found substantially
to agree with the original, such an original as it is. The Persian roll
is in the custody of the clerk of your Committee for further
examination.

Mr. Baber and Mr. Scott, being examined on these material defects in the
authentication of a paper produced by them as authentic, could give no
sort of account how it happened to be without a signature; nor did Mr.
Baber explain how he came to accept and use it in that condition.

On the whole, your Committee conceive that all the parts of the
transaction, as they appear in the Company's records, are consistent,
and mutually throw light on each other.

The Court of Directors order the President and Council to appoint a
_minister_ to transact the _political_ affairs of the government, and to
_select_ for that purpose some person well qualified for the _affairs of
government_, and to be the _minister of government_. Mr. Hastings
selects for the minister so described and so qualified a woman locked up
in a seraglio. He is ordered to appoint a guardian to the Nabob's
minority. Mr. Hastings passes by his natural parent, and appoints
another woman. These acts would of themselves have been liable to
suspicion. But a great deficiency or embezzlement soon appears in this
woman's account. To exculpate herself, she voluntarily declares that she
gave a considerable sum to Mr. Hastings, who never once denies the
receipt. The account given by the principal living witness of the
tr