elf lately the representative of the India Company, (an old servant
of the Company is a great man in that country,) was now left naked,
destitute, without any mark of official situation or dignity. He was
present, and saw all the marks of imprisonment turned into marks of
respect and dignity to this consummate villain whom I have the
misfortune of being obliged to introduce to your Lordships' notice. Mr.
Paterson, seeing the effect of the proceeding everywhere, seeing the
minds of the people broken, subdued, and prostrate under it, and that,
so far from having the means of detecting the villanies of this insolent
criminal, appearing as a magistrate, he had not the means of defending
even his own innocence, because every kind of information fled and was
annihilated before him, represented to these young commissioners that
this appearance of authority tended to strike terror into the hearts of
the natives, and to prevent his receiving justice. The Council of
Calcutta took this representation into their deliberate consideration;
they found that it was true, that, if he had such an attendance any
longer in this situation, (and a large attendance it was, such as the
Chancellor of this kingdom or the Speaker of the House of Commons does
not appear with,) it would have an evil appearance. On the other hand,
say they, "_If he should be left under a guard, the people would
consider him as under disgrace._" They therefore took a middle way, and
ordered the guard not to attend him with fixed bayonets, which had the
appearance of the custody of a prisoner, but to lower their muskets and
unfix their bayonets.

The next step of these commissioners is to exclude Mr. Paterson from all
their deliberations; and in order that both parties might be put on an
equality, one would naturally conclude that the culprit, Debi Sing, was
likewise excluded. Far from it: he sat upon the bench. Need I say any
more upon this subject? The protection followed.

In this situation Mr. Paterson wrote one of the most pathetic memorials
that ever was penned to the Council of Calcutta, submitting to his hard
fate, but standing inflexibly to his virtue that brought it upon him. To
do the man justice, he bore the whole of this persecution like an hero.
He never tottered in his principles, nor swerved to the right or to the
left from the noble cause of justice and humanity in which he had been
engaged; and when your Lordships come to see his memorials, you will