fhare of power, in an high ftation, it was determined in council to fupport him in the fucceffion. Previous to his receiving this honour, it was first debated, upon what terms he fhould be admitted to it. The late Nabob had been obliged, by treaty, to fupport an army of about 12,000 horse, and as many foot; it was alledged upon this occafion, that he had not fulfilled the engagement; that he had difbanded moft of the troops; that, at beft, they were but an useless burden to him, having never answered any useful purpole, upon real fervice; and that, in confequence, the company were, upon that account, obliged to increase their military establishment. For thefe, and many other reafons which may be easily coneeived, it was now thought better, that the Nabob fhould not any longer have the trouble of keeping up an army; but fhould, instead thereof, fettle a proper part of his revenue upon the company, to enable them to keep up a fufficient force, both for his protection and their own; which would entirely free him from the expence and trouble of keeping any foldiers, except a few for parade. To answer this purpose it was refolved, that he should fettle a fum, amounting to above 800,000l. fterling a year, upon the company, to be paid out of his treasury. It was then refolv. ed, that he should difcard his prime minifter and great favourite Nuncomar, who had also held the fame place with his father; and receive in his room, a perfon appointed by the council; who was to act in the double capacity of minifter and governor to him, to inftruct his youth, and aflift his inexperience. The council alfo refolved, that they fhould have a negative upon the nomination of all the fuperintendants, and principal officers employed in the collecting or receiving of the revenues; that he fhould take their advice, and have their confent to fuch nominations, whenever they thought proper to interfere in them; and alfo receive their complaints, and pay due attention to them, upon the misbehaviour of any officers, who either were appointed already, or fhould be for the time to come. Notwithstanding the youth and inexperience of the prefumptive Nabob, he oppofed the coming into this treaty, as much as a perfon in his circumstances could well do. The being obliged to part with Nuncomar, who had held an unbounded influence over his father as well as himself, was particularly galling. The being obliged to accept of a minifter, or rather a governor, from the hands of the people, whom in the world he had the greateft caufe to be jealous of, and whom he may well look upon, rather placed as a spy upon his actions, than as a faithful minifter, or fervant, was not lefs fo. He also objected to feverul of the regulations that were propofed, in regard to the collection of the revenues; and infifted on the fole and uncontrolled nomination of his own officers. His efforts upon this occafion were not of the Imalleft fervice to him; and his attempts to foften the deputies, who had been fent to negotiate the treaty, with re[C] 4 fpe ་ fpect to the points he was most anxious about, proved extirely as fruitless; not the fmalleft relaxation was to be obtained; and difagreeable as the terms were, he was obliged to fign the treaty as it ftged. This treaty was faid to be the most advantageous one that had at that time ever been made for the company. This was not the only mortification which the Nabob was to meet with. The favourite Nuncomar, who it appears, notwith. ftanding the presence of the new minister, had as great an influence over him as ever, was charged with carrying on a treasonable correfpondence with Sujah Doula; and the Nabob was applied to, that he might fend him to Calcutta, to take his trial for treafon. This was wounding the Nabob in the tendereft part, and he seemed to feel it moft fenfibly. He at firft abfolutely refused to deliver him up: he then wrote: he intreated: he prayed: he used every method to prevent it: he even went fo far as to fay, that if he must be fent to Calcutta, he would himself attend him in the journey, as well as at the trial. His efforts on this occafion were to as little purpose as they had been upon the former, though he offered large prefents to ward off the ftroke, and Nuncomar himself is faid to have offered 140,000l. fterling upon the fame account; the former inflexibility was ftill preserved, and a fecond letter from the council, put the Nabob under the neceffity of fending his favourite to Calcutta ; at the fame time that means were found to divert him from the refolution which he had taken of attending him. There feems no reason to doubt, by the information we have received, but the charge was well founded against Nuncomar for treason; if a man's taking any fteps to free his country and his fovereign, deferves that name. Yet it is proboble, that a jealousy of the great influence which this minifter had on the young Nabob, was the true caufe, which made it thought neceffary to feparate them. However this might be, we find that Nuncomar was afterwards difcharged by the felect committee, without even a trial. CHAP. CHA P. V. Lord Clive arrives in Bengal. Select committee established. Covenants figned, to prevent the receiving of prefents. Inquiry about those that had been lately received, and difputes thereon. The felect committee fend for gentlemen to Madras, to fill up the vacancies in the council at Calcutta. Great uneafinefs thereat. Peace concluded with Sujah Doula. Treaty between the company and the Mogul. Immenfe revenue arifing to the Company in confequence of the late treaty. Profperous ftate of their affairs, &c. N this fituation were affairs in May 3, Indoftan, when lord Clive arrived there. His Lordfhip had brought full pow1765. ers with him from the Company, to act as Commander in Chief, Prefident, and Governor of Bengal. There was alfo an unlimited power lodged in the breasts of a select committee, which confifted of his Lordship, and four other gentlemen, to act and determine in all things of themfelves, without any dependance on the council; it was, however, recommended to them, by their inftructions, to confult the council in general, as often as it could conveniently be done; but the fole power of determining, in all cafes, was entirely in themfelves, for fo long a time as the troubles in Bengal continued; after which period, they were to be no long r confidered as a committee, and the council, confting of twelve gentlemen, was to act as ufual. Thete power, which were looked upon as extraordinary, by feveral gentlemen who had long ferved with character in the country, occafioned great heart-burnings; which were not a little increased by feveral confequential fteps which were foon after taken... It is not at all our intention to enter into these private altercations, any farther than is necessary, in pursuance of our plan, to elucidate the prefent fituation of affairs in that country; nor do the lights that have been hitherto let in upon us, enable us to enter into fuch a fcrutiny, with an attention to that impartiality, which we fhall ever endeavour to preferve. Many heavy charges have been made and retorted; even acts of juftice executed under fuch extenfive power, are feldom viewed, without blending the idea of a poffible wrong, with the power of committing it. It must however be allowed, that in the distracted and defperate ftate of the company's affairs, at the time that the account arrived, of Mir Coffim's defection, and of the enfuing maffacre of fuch a number of their oldeft and ablest fervants; it was natural and juftifiable, that the company fhould imagine, that nothing less than the name, character, and fortune of Lord Clive, could retrieve them. Nor can we be furprised, in thefe circumftances, that they fhould endeavour to add all the weight they could to his influence, and fplendor to his appointment especially At the fame time that choice was made of fo able an officer, it was undoubtedly right that his powers fhould be ample. The bufinefs was intricate, the scene remote, and the perfons with whom he might be obliged to contend, powerful, fpirited, active, and habituated to the highest exertions of authority. The felect committee being formed, immediately fet to work upon the plan of reformation, and made an entire change as to the domeftic difpofition and adminiftration of affairs. In a country where riches and venality are the diftinguishing characteristics of the people, where a flack adminiftra tion of juftice, and a relaxation of the laws (weak and imperfect in themselves) ufually prevail, eSpecially if protection is weak, and private property precarious, the making of large prefents upon certain occafions, will always become fashionable, foftening under that polite appellation, a harsher, which the fame thing would acquire among a poor and virtuous people; where juftice was ftrictly and equally difpenfed, and private property fecure. We find accord ingly that the cuftom of making quiry was fet on foot, and a ftrict inquifition made into the manner of obtaining these presents, and feveral refolutions were entered into thereupon, feverely reflecting upon the council, as well as upon the gentlemen who had received them. This increased the ill blood which had been occafioned by the withdrawing of power from the council, and confidence from thofe gentlemen, who before had the principal fhare in conducting the affairs of the country. We have given our reasons for not pretending to decide on the merits of this difpute. It was faid on one fide, that luxury, corruption, and the extreme avidity for making immenfe fortunes in a little time, had fo totally infected the company's fervants in that country, that nothing less than a general reform, and an attempt effectually to eradicate thofe vices, could preserve the fettlement from certain and immediate deftruction. Fortunes, fays the noble lord at the head of the committee, of 100,000l. have been obtained within two years; and individuals, very young in the fervice, are returning home with a million and a half. On the other fide, it was faid, that the gentlemen concerned had done the greatest fervices for the company; that the prefent happy fituation of affairs in that country, was owing to their conduct, fpirit, and industry; that they could not be bound by covenants which they had not figned; that the prefents which they had received, were conformable to the cuftom of the country, and that of the company's fervants in all former times; that they were accepted with the greatest honour, not having been taken till the company's bufinefs which occafioned them was finally fettled; and that not a fingle point had been given up in the courfe of the negociation, that had been originally intended to be fupported, though larger offers had been made for that purpose. They farther obferved, that these ob jections came with a very bad grace from gentlemen, who had themfelves amaffed princely fortunes by the very fame means; befides, that the trifling falaries allowed by the company, were fo fmall, that no body could pretend to live in that country upon them; much lefs could it be fuppofed, that gentlemen would run fuch risks of life, health, and property, at so great a diftance from home, if the company did not give them other opportunities of making their fortunes, in compenfation for the fmallness of their salaries. Thefe diffenfions were ftill farther increased by the felect committee's having fent for feveral gentlemen to Madras, to fill up the vacancies which had happened in the council at Calcutta, thereby bringing ftrangers in, over the heads of thofe, whofe turn it was, in right of fucceffion, to have filled fuch places. It does not appear what the precife motives were for this extraordinary and irregular act of power; perhaps very good reafons may be given for it: but certain it is, that it caufed very loud complaints to be made again the committee, and it is faid, that a mc.norial was fent home to the court of directors in confequence of it, figned by all the junior fervants and by two of the feniors. The powers by which the select com❤ |