ing letters concerning them, and carrying on
correspondence relative to them, was a part of military duty, the rough
draught of this letter was in the hands of this military secretary. Upon
the communication of the letter, it rushes all at once into the mind of
Mr. Larkins, who knows Mr. Hastings's recollection, who knows what does
and what does not escape it, and who had a memory ready to explode at
Mr. Hastings's desire, "Good God!" says he, "you have promised the
Directors an account of this business!"--a promise which Mr. Larkins
assures the Directors, upon his word, had entirely escaped Mr.
Hastings's recollection. Mr. Hastings, it seems, had totally forgotten
the promise relative to the paltry sum of 100,000_l._ which he had made
to the Court of Directors in the January before; he never once thought
of it, no, not even when he was making up his accounts of that very
identical sum, till the 22d of May. So that these persons answer for one
another's bad memory: and you will see they have good reason. Mr.
Hastings's want of recollection appears in things of some moment.
However lightly he may regard the sum of 100,000_l._, which, considering
the enormous sums he has received, I dare say he does,--for he totally
forgot it, he knew nothing about it,--observe what sort of memory this
registrar and accountant of such sums as 100,000_l._ has. In what
confusion of millions must it be, that such sums can be lost to Mr.
Hastings's recollection! However, at last it was brought to his
recollection, and he thought that it was necessary to give some account
of it. And who is the accountant whom he produces? His own memory is no
accountant. He had dismissed the matter (as he happily expresses it in
the Cheltenham letter) from his memory. Major Palmer is not the
accountant. One is astonished that a man who had had 100,000_l._ in his
hands, and laid it out, as he pretends, in the public service, has not a
scrap of paper to show for it. No ordinary or extraordinary account is
given of it. Well, what is to be done in such circumstances? He sends
for a person whose name you have heard and will often hear of, the
faithful Cantoo Baboo. This man comes to Mr. Larkins, and he reads to
him (be so good as to remark the words) from a Bengal paper the account
of the detached bribes. Your Lordships will observe that I have stated
the receipt of a number of detached bribes, and a bribe in one great
body: one, the great _corps d'armee_; the other,