The English Chief in the province, Mr.
Goodlad, represented it to Mr. Hastings's Revenue Committee to be (what
it was) the greatest and most serious disturbance that ever happened in
Bengal. But, good easy man, he was utterly unable to guess to what cause
it was to be attributed. He thought there was some irregularity in the
collection, but on the whole judged that it had little other cause than
a general conspiracy of the husbandmen and landholders, who, as Debi
Sing's lease was near expiring, had determined not to pay any more
revenue.

Mr. Hastings's Committee of Revenue, whilst these wounds were yet
bleeding, and whilst a total failure was threatened in the rents of
these provinces, thought themselves obliged to make an inquiry with some
sort of appearance of seriousness into the causes of it. They looked,
therefore, about them carefully, and chose what they judged would be
most plausible and least effective. They thought that it was necessary
to send a special commissioner into the province, and one, too, whose
character would not instantly blast the credit of his mission. They cast
their eyes on a Mr. Paterson, a servant of the Company, a man of fair
character, and long standing in the service. Mr. Paterson was a person
known to be of a very cool temper, placid manners, moderate and middle
opinions, unconnected with parties; and from such a character they
looked for (what sometimes is to be expected from it) a compromising,
balanced, neutralized, equivocal, colorless, confused report, in which
the blame was to be impartially divided between the sufferer and the
oppressor, and in which, according to the standing manners of Bengal, he
would recommend oblivion as the best remedy, and would end by remarking,
that retrospect could have no advantage, and could serve only to
irritate and keep alive animosities; and by this kind of equitable,
candid, and judge-like proceeding, they hoped the whole complaint would
calmly fade away, the sufferers remain in the possession of their
patience, and the tyrant of his plunder. In confidence of this event
from this presumed character, Mr. Hastings's Committee, in appointing
Mr. Paterson their commissioner, were not deficient in arming him with
powers equal to the object of his commission. He was enabled to call
before him all accountants, to compel the production of all accounts, to
examine all persons,--not only to inquire and to report, but to decide
and to redress.

Such is th