desired to put the whole government of affairs into
the hands of Munny Begum.

Now, Munny Begum having obtained this salary, and being invested with
this authority, and made in effect the total and entire governor of the
country, as I have proved by the Nabob's letters, let us see the
consequences of it; and then I desire to know whether your Lordships can
believe that in all this haste, which, in fact, is Mr. Hastings's haste
and impatience, (for we shall prove that the Nabob never did or could
take a step but by his immediate orders and directions,)--whether your
Lordships can believe that Mr. Hastings would incur all the odium
attending such transactions, unless he had some corrupt consideration.

My Lords, very soon after these appointments were made, consisting of
Munny Begum at the head of the affairs, the Lord Chief-Justice under
her, and under her direction, and Rajah Gourdas as steward of the
household, the first thing we hear is, just what your Lordships expect
to hear upon such a case, that this unfortunate chief-justice, who was a
man undoubtedly of but a poor, low disposition, but, I believe, a
perfectly honest, perfectly well-intentioned man, found it absolutely
impossible for him to execute his office under the direction of Munny
Begum; and accordingly, in the month of September following, he sends a
complaint to Mr. Hastings, "that certain bad men had gained an
ascendency over the Nabob's temper, by whose instigation he acts." After
complaining of the slights he receives from the Nabob, he adds, "Thus
they cause the Nabob to treat me, sometimes with indignity, at others
with kindness, just as they think proper to advise him: their view is,
that, by compelling me to displeasure at such unworthy treatment, they
may force me either to relinquish my station, or to join with them, and
act by their advice, and appoint creatures of their recommendation to
the different offices, from which they might draw profit to themselves."
This is followed by another letter, in which he shows who those corrupt
men were that had gained the ascendency over the Nabob's
temper,--namely, the eunuchs of Munny Begum: one of them her direct
instrument in bribery with Mr. Hastings. What you would expect from such
a state of things accordingly happened. Everything in the course of
justice was confounded; all official responsibility destroyed; and
nothing but a scene of forgery, peculation, and knavery of every kind
and description p