be proper, for the purpose of obtaining substantial justice with
as little delay as possible, to proceed to no other parts of the said
impeachment than those on which the managers of the prosecution
have already closed their evidence; excepting only such parts of the
impeachment as relate to the contracts, pensions, and allowances."
This motion was carried without a division; but the resolution of the
commons, that an impeachment did not cease with the dissolution of
parliament, was strongly contested in the house of lords; and it was
not till the 16th of May that their lordships agreed to proceed with the
trial. On that day Lord Porchester moved, "that their lordships do
now proceed with the trial;" and this motion being carried by a large
majority, a message was sent to the house of commons that they were
ready to resume proceedings. The charge respecting contracts, pensions,
allowances, frauds, and extortions, was opened by Mr. St. John on the
23rd of May, and was gone through in three days. The prosecution closed
its evidence on the 30th of May; and when the court broke up, the
managers proposed an address to the king, praying him not to prorogue
parliament until the trial was finished. This was negatived; and
Hastings seeing that he could not expect to bring his defence before
the court during the present session, begged to be allowed one day for
stating what he deemed of importance respecting the further progress of
the trial. This request was readily granted; and on the 2nd of June he
delivered a long and able discourse, vindicating his administration in
India, and entering at large into the principles which had actuated his
conduct. He finally appealed to his accusers in the following energetic
peroration:--"To the commons of England, in whose name I am arraigned
for desolating the provinces of their dominion in India, I dare to
reply, that they are, and their representatives annually tell them so,
the most flourishing of all the states in India. It was I who made
them so! The valour of others acquired--I enlarged, giving shape and
consistency to the dominion which you hold there. I preserved it. I sent
forth its armies with an effectual but economical hand, through unknown
and hostile regions, to the support of your other possessions; to the
retrieval of one from dishonour and degradation, and of another from
utter loss and subjection. I maintained the wars which were of your
formation or that of others, not of