ers he attempted to defame.

But this is not all. We find, that, after the cruel sale of this infant,
who was properly and directly under the guardianship of the Company,
(for the Company acts as steward and dewan of the province, which office
has the guardianship of minors,) after he had been robbed of 40,000_l._
by the hands of Gunga Govind Sing, and afterwards, under pretence of his
being in debt to the Company, delivered into the hands of that monster,
Debi Sing, Mr. Hastings, by way of anticipation of these charges, and in
answer to them, has thought proper to produce the certificate from this
unfortunate boy which I will now again read to you.

"I, Radanaut, Zemindar of Purgunnah Havelly Punjera, commonly
called Dinagepore:--As it has been learnt by me, the mutsuddies,
and the respectable officers of my zemindary, that the ministers of
England are displeased with the late Governor, Warren Hastings,
Esquire, upon the suspicion that he oppressed us, took money from
us by deceit and force, and ruined the country; therefore we, upon
the strength of our religion, which we think it incumbent on and
necessary for us to abide by, following the rules laid down in
giving evidence, declare the particulars of the acts and deeds of
Warren Hastings, Esquire, full of circumspection and caution,
civility and justice, superior to the caution of the most learned,
and, by representing what is fact, wipe away the doubts that have
possessed the minds of the ministers of England: that Mr. Hastings
is possessed of fidelity and confidence, and yielding protection to
us; that he is clear of the contamination of mistrust and wrong,
and his mind is free of covetousness or avarice. During the time of
his administration, no one saw other conduct than that of
protection to the husbandmen, and justice; no inhabitant ever
experienced afflictions, no one ever felt oppression from him. Our
reputations have always been guarded from attacks by his prudence,
and our families have always been protected by his justice. He
never omitted the smallest instance of kindness towards us, but
healed the wounds of despair with the salve of consolation, by
means of his benevolent and kind behavior, never permitting one of
us to sink in the pit of despondence. He supported every one by his
goodness, overset the designs of evil-minded m