unjustly seized, to be restored to Asoff-ul-Dowla.
His last actions seemed to have wiped out the remembrance of the deeds
for which he had been loudly condemned, for on his arrival in England,
the board of directors voted him thanks for his long and meritorious
services, and Mr. Dundas, who had moved for his recall in 1782, and who
had declared, that "he could scarcely leave the walls of Calcutta,
that his steps were not followed by the deposition of some prince, the
desertion of some ally, or the depopulation of some country," now
asserted in the house of commons, that had he been one of the directors,
he would have concurred in their vote, and that he was glad that the
resolution, which he himself had moved for his recall, had not been
carried into effect. At court also Hastings was received with favour and
treated with distinction, and though on his arrival, Burke had menaced
him with impeachment, yet, months rolled on, in which he was left
undisturbed; and he was still unmolested when the parliament reassembled
in January, 1786. But this calm was only the prelude to a storm, which
suddenly broke over the head of Hastings, and disturbed his peace.

{GEORGE III. 1786-1787}

This storm arose at the bidding of one of the ex-governor's private
friends. On the first day of the meeting of parliament, Major John
Scott, whom Hastings had indiscreetly chosen to be his champion in
parliament, and his advocate by the press, stood up in the house of
commons, and demanded of Burke, whether he intended to produce his
charges against the late Governor-general of India. It is probable that
neither Burke nor his friends would have troubled their heads any more
about the matter, but being thus braved, he could do no other than
accept the challenge, and his whole party were bound to give him
their support. Accordingly, on the 17th of February, Burke commenced
operations, by making a call for papers and correspondence deposited in
the India house. As a notion had got abroad that the king, his court,
and his ministers were all devoted to Hastings, Burke opened his speech
by desiring that two of the resolutions which had been moved and
carried in the month of May, 1782, by Mr. Dundas, and which contained
an unmitigated censure on the conduct of Hastings, should be read.
This being done, Burke expressed his deep regret that the solemn and
important business of the day had not been brought forward, in the
plenitude and weight of efficienc