sure
appeared fully justified in the eyes of all Hindostan. The
Governor-General has informed us that it can be well attested that the
Begums [the mother and grandmother of the Nabob aforesaid] _principally_
excited and supported the late commotions, and that they carried their
inveteracy to the English nation so far _as to aim at our utter
extirpation_." And the Court of Directors did farther declare as
follows: "That it nowhere appears from the papers at present in our
possession, that they [the mother and grandmother of the Nabob of Oude]
excited any commotions previous to the imprisonment of Rajah Cheyt Sing,
and only armed themselves in consequence of that transaction; and, as it
is probable, that such a conduct proceeded from motives of
self-defence, under an apprehension that they themselves might likewise
be laid under unwarrantable contributions." And the said Court of
Directors, in giving their orders for the restoration of the jaghires,
or for the payment of an equivalent through the Resident, did give this
order for the restoration of their estates as aforesaid on condition
that it should appear from inquiry that they were not guilty of the
practices charged upon them by the said Hastings. Mr. Stables, one of
the Council-General, did, in execution of the said conditional order,
propose an inquiry leading to the ascertainment of the condition, and
did enter a minute as follows: "That the Court of Directors, by their
letters of the 14th of February, 1783, seem not to be satisfied that the
disaffection of the Begums to this government is sufficiently proved by
the evidence before them; I therefore think that the late and present
Resident, and commanding officer in the Vizier's country at the time,
should be called on to collect what further information they can on this
subject, in which the honor and dignity of this government is so
_materially concerned_, and that such information may be transmitted to
the Court of Directors." And he did further propose heads and modes of
inquiry suitable to the doubts expressed by the Court of Directors. But
the said Warren Hastings, who ought long before, on principles of
natural justice, to have instituted a diligent inquiry in support of his
so improbable a charge, and was bound, even for his own honor, as well
as for the satisfaction of the Court of Directors, to take a strong part
in the said inquiry, did set himself in opposition to the same, and did
carry with him a maj