forced
misconstruction of this order by those who may hereafter be employed in
searching our records for cavils and informations against me, I think it
proper to forbid and protest against the use of any _fraudulent artifice
or treachery to accomplish the end which I have prescribed_; and as you
alone are privy to the order, you will of course observe the greatest
secrecy, that it may not transpire: but I repeat my recommendation of
it, as one of the first and most essential duties of your office."

LXXIII. That, among the reasons assigned for putting to death the said
Almas Ali, which the said Hastings did recommend directly and repeatedly
to the Resident, "as one of the first and most essential duties of his
office," was, in substance, "that, by his extensive trust with regard to
the revenues, he had been permitted to acquire independency; that the
means thereof had been long seen and the effects thereof foretold by
every person acquainted with the state of government, except those
immediately interested in it"; and he, the said Warren Hastings, did
also charge the said Almas Ali with embezzlement of the revenues and
oppression of the people; and nothing appears to disprove the same, but
much to give ground to a presumption that the said Almas Ali did
grievously abuse the power committed to him, as farmer and collector of
the revenue, to the great oppression of the inhabitants of the countries
which had been rented to him by Hyder Beg Khan with the knowledge and
consent of the said Warren Hastings.

LXXIV. That the Resident, Bristow, declining the violent attempt on the
life of Almas Ali deceitfully ordered by the said Warren Hastings, did,
on weighty reasons, drawn from the spirit of the said Hastings's own
instructions, recommend that his, the said Almas Ali Khan's, farms of
revenue, or a great part of them, should be, on the expiration of his
lease, taken out of his hands, as being too extensive, and supplying the
means of a dangerous power in the country; but yet he, the said Warren
Hastings, did not only continue him in the possession of the said
revenues, but did give to him a new lease thereof for the term of five
years. And on this renovation and increase of trust, the said Warren
Hastings did not consent to produce the informer upon whose credit he
had made his charge of capital crimes on the said Almas Ali, and had
directed him to be put to death, or call upon him to make good his
charges; but, instead of t