of him.

"Who is Gunga Govind Sing?" The answer is, "He was, when I left Bengal,
dewan to the Committee of Revenue.--What was his office and power during
Mr. Hastings's administration since 1780?--He was formerly dewan to the
Provincial Council stationed at Calcutta, of which I was a member. His
conduct then was licentious and unwarrantable, oppressive and
extortionary. He was stationed under us to be an humble and submissive
servant, and to be of use to us in the discharge of our duty. His
conduct was everything the reverse. We endeavored to correct the
mischiefs he was guilty of as much as possible. In one attempt to
release fifteen persons illegally confined by him, we were dismissed our
offices: a different pretence was held out for our dismission, but it
was only a pretence. Since his appointment as dewan to the present
Committee of Revenue, his line of conduct has only been a continuance of
what I have described, but upon a larger scale.--What was the general
opinion of the natives of the use he made of his power? He was looked up
to by the natives as the second person in the government, if not the
first. He was considered as the only channel for obtaining favor and
employment from the Governor. There is hardly a native family of rank or
credit within the three provinces whom he has not some time or other
distressed and afflicted; scarce a zemindary that he has not dismembered
and plundered.--Were you in a situation to know this to be true?--I
certainly was.--What was the general opinion, and your own, concerning
his wealth?--It is almost impossible to form a competent judgment, his
means of acquiring it have been so extensive. I had an account shown to
me, about July, 1785, stating his acquisitions at three hundred and
twenty lacs of rupees,--that is, 3,200,000_l._"

My Lords, I have only to add, that, from the best inquiries I have been
able to make, those who speak highest of his wealth are those who obtain
the greatest credit. The estimate of any man's wealth is uncertain; but
the enormity of his wealth is universally believed. Yet Mr. Hastings
seemed to act as if he needed a reward; and it is therefore necessary to
inquire what recommended him particularly to Mr. Hastings. Your
Lordships have seen that he was on the point of being dismissed for
misbehavior and oppression by that Calcutta Committee his services to
which Mr. Hastings gives as one proof of his constant and uniform good
behavior. "He had execut