eem myself
obliged to answer any question of mere curiosity. I am willing, however,
to inform the Governor-General, that, though I was totally unacquainted
with the contents of the paper I have now delivered in to the board till
I heard it read, I did apprehend in general that it contained some
charge against him. It was this apprehension that made me so
particularly cautious in the manner of receiving the Rajah's letter. I
was not acquainted with Rajah Nundcomar's intention of bringing in such
charges as are mentioned in the letter.

"Warren Hastings.
J. Clavering.
Geo. Monson.
P. Francis."

Now what the duty of Mr. Hastings and the Council was, upon receiving
such information, I shall beg leave to state to your Lordships from the
Company's orders; but, before I read them, I must observe, that, in
pursuance of an act of Parliament, which was supposed to be made upon
account of the neglect of the Company, as well as the neglects of their
servants, and for which general neglects responsibility was fixed upon
the Company for the future, while for the present their authority was
suspended, and a Parliamentary commission sent out to regulate their
affairs, the Company did, upon that occasion, send out a general code
and body of instructions to be observed by their servants, in the 35th
paragraph of which it is said,--

"We direct that you immediately cause the strictest inquiry to be made
into all oppressions which may have been committed either against the
natives or Europeans, and into all abuses that may have prevailed in the
collection of the revenues, or any part of the civil government of the
Presidency: and that you communicate to us all information which you may
be able to learn relative thereto, or to any dissipation or embezzlement
of the Company's money."

Your Lordships see here that there is a direct duty fixed upon them to
forward, to promote, to set on foot, without exception of any persons
whatever, an inquiry into all manner of corruption, peculation, and
oppression. Therefore this charge of Nundcomar's was a case exactly
within the Company's orders; such a charge was not sought out, but was
actually laid before them; but if it had not been actually laid before
them, if they had any reason to suspect that such corruptions existed,
they were bound by this order to make an active inquiry into them.

Upon that day (11th March, 1775) nothing further passed; and, on the
part of Mr. Hastin