nd misdemeanors upon the said
articles." This, after some observations made by Mr. Sumner--who had
been in the company's service in India--complaining of the virulence
with which the house prosecuted Hastings, was carried without a
division; and Mr. F. Montague, one of the committee of managers, next
moved, "that Mr. Burke, in the name of the house of commons, and of all
the commons of Great Britain, do go to the bar of the house of lords,
and impeach Warren Hastings, Esq., late Governor-general of Bengal, of
high crimes and misdemeanors, and do acquaint the lords that the commons
will, with all convenient speed, exhibit articles against him, and make
good the same." This motion was also agreed to without a division, and
Burke forthwith performed his commission; and on the next day, the 11th
of May, he reported to the house what he had done, and proposed that
Messrs. Wallis and Troward should be retained, to act as solicitors for
the impeachment on the part of the commons. Nothing further was done
till the 14th of May, when Burke brought forward the last charge, in
which he accused Hastings of being the cause of all the distresses which
had afflicted the province of Oude, a charge that was voted unanimously.
It was expected that Burke would rest here for the present session; but
on the 21st he moved, "that Warren Hastings, Esq., be taken into the
custody of the sergeant-at-arms of this house." This was agreed to and
done; and the sergeant-at-arms delivered him into the custody of the
gentleman-usher of the black rod, by whom he was conducted to the bar
of the lords. On the motion of the lord chancellor, however, he was
admitted to bail--himself in L20,000, and two sureties, Mr. Sullivan and
Mr. Sumner, in L10,000 each--and he was ordered to deliver in an answer
to the articles of impeachment in one month from that time, or upon
the second day of the next session of parliament. On the same day, the
seventh article of impeachment being presented to the house by Burke,
was ordered to be carried up to the lords; and on the 23rd, thirteen
more articles were presented to the commons, which were subsequently
carried to the upper house.

{GEORGE III. 1787-1789}

PARLIAMENT PROROGUED.

The session was closed on the 30th of May, when the king, in his speech,
commended the measures taken by parliament respecting the reduction of
the national debt, and the treaty of navigation and commerce with the
most christian king. His