A. D. 1783. 



S3 



duel of the company efcape a fevere animadverfion. They were accufed 

 of improvidence Avith refpecl: to the bills drawTi upon them, and of hav- 

 ing fubflituted for mercantile punduality a new fyflem of account upon 

 honour. It was aflerted, that Eaft-India flock was now only purchafed 

 for the purpofes of influence, and procuring lucrative iituations in India 

 for the fons and dependents of the ftock-holders ; and that the diredors, 

 inftead of being the mafters of the company's nominal fervants in India, 

 were in fa6l dependent upon them, and even chofen by their agents. 



The chief objedions to the bills were, that they would infringe, or 

 rather annihilate, the company's charter, for which they had paid a 

 valuable confideration to the public ; and that they were calculated 

 to create a new and unconilitutional influence, a fourth efl:ate in the 

 realm, and to throw fuch a weight of patronage into the hands of the 

 commiflioners, or rather thofe of adminiftration, as would completely 

 fweep away our liberties and properties. As to the derangement of the 

 company's finances, it was afcribed to the reftridions, which prevented 

 them from employing with due efficacy the credit refulting from their 

 great and flourifliing lituation, and from paying off the debts due to the 

 public. It was obferved, that the bill-holders were willing to extend 

 the time of payment. And the parliament were called upon to remem- 

 ber, that the politics of the country had involved the company in an 

 extenfive and ruinous war, and that the conquefls made by their forces 

 had been given up at the peace to prevent the facrifice of more favourite 

 pofleflions. Mr. Hafliings, the governor-general, who had been the ob- 

 jed of the fiercefl; attacks from the fupporters of the bills, was highly 

 praifed by the oppofers of it ; and the vigour of his government, his 

 regulations for the adminiftration of juftice in the provinces, and the 



^ porffeffion near 33 years (that is from the year 

 ' 1765 to the prefent time [17883) have during 



* that wliole period enjoyed a greater {liare of 



* tranquillity than any other part of India ; or 

 ' indetd than -thofe province's had ever experienced 

 ' fince the days of Aurungzebe. During the 



* above period i!>f 23 years no foreign enemy has 

 ' made any hicnrfion into any part of them, nor 

 ' has any rebellion happened in any of the pro- 

 < vinces, (the very inconilderable one of the ze- 



-*Kiintlar of Jungleterry in 1774 only excepted), 

 <«., Previous to the eftablifliment of our influence 

 '' invafions were frequent, particularly by the 



* Mahi"atJtas : and- one province or other was ever 

 ' in rebellion ; owing to a want of energy in the 



- -' •ruling powers an ill-paid, and mutinous, army ; 

 l,'_ or an excefs of delegated power. Thofe vvho 

 ••* know what miferies are brought on a country 



* by its being t!ie feat of war, will know liow to 

 ' appreciate the value of fuch a blcfTmg, as that 

 ' of having the horrors of war removed to a dif- 



Vol. IV. 



tance from our habitations. There are, doubt- 

 lefs, evils, that are infeparable from the condi- 

 tion of a tributary ftate, where the fupreme nil- 

 ing power refides at the diltance of half the cir- 

 cumference of the globe : but thefc are, I hope, 

 amply balanced by the advantages of military 

 protection : and it is a faft, not to be contro- 

 verted, that the Bengal provinces have a better 

 government, and arc in a better ftate, as to agri- 

 culture and manufatSures, than any other of the 

 Afiatic countries, China alone excepted. But 

 this ftate is, doubtlefs, very fufceptible of im- 

 provement, even under a defpotic government : 

 tbough it unfortunately happens, that the grand 

 obje*^ for which the Bengal provinces are he'd, 

 militates againft the eafe and happinefs of their 

 inhabitants ; for there can be no inducement to 

 increafe a national income for the purpofe of 

 finally enriching another nation." [^Memoir of n 

 map if Hmdoojlan, p. cv.J 



