a contempt of their
board, dismissed him from the service, and recommended another (not the
accuser) to his office.

The reasons on both sides appear in the Appendix. Mr. Hastings accuses
them bitterly of injustice to himself in considering the refusal of this
person to swear as a charge proved. How far they did so, and under what
qualifications, will appear by reference to the papers in the Appendix.
But Mr. Hastings "thanks God that they are not his judges." His great
hold, and not without reason, is the Supreme Court; and he "blesses the
wisdom of Parliament, that constituted a court of judicature at so
seasonable a time, to check the despotism of the new Council." It was
thought in England that the court had other objects than the protection
of the Governor-General against the examinations of those sent out with
instructions to inquire into the peculations of men in power.

Though Mr. Hastings did at that time, and avowedly did, everything to
prevent any inquiry that was instituted merely for the information of
the Court of Directors, yet he did not feel himself thoroughly satisfied
with his own proceedings. It was evident that to them his and Mr.
Barwell's reasonings would not appear very respectful or satisfactory;
he therefore promises to give them full satisfaction at some future
time. In his letter of the 14th of September, 1775, he reiterates a
former declaration, and assures them of his resolution to this purpose
in the strongest terms. "I now _again_ recur to the declaration which I
have before made, that it is my fixed determination to carry _literally_
into execution, and _most fully and liberally explain every circumstance
of my conduct on the points upon which I have been injuriously
arraigned_,--and to afford you the clearest conviction of my own
integrity, and of the propriety of my motives for my declining a present
defence of it."

These motives, as far as they can be discovered, were the violence of
his adversaries, the interested character and views of the accuser, and
the danger of a prosecution in the Supreme Court, which made it prudent
to reserve his defence. These arguments are applicable to any charge.
Notwithstanding these reasons, it is plain by the above letter that he
thought himself bound at some time or other to give satisfaction to his
masters: till he should do this, in his own opinion, he remained in an
unpleasant situation. But he bore his misfortune, it seems, patiently,
with a