Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/535

 SHERIDAN. 531 law only to the property within the Zenama where they lived. The Bow Begum had readily complied with this authority; the disputed property was accordingly given up; and no claim whatever was made to the residue, which was guaranteed to the Princesses of Oude, by Mr. Bristow, on the part of the Company. But Mr. Hastings having conceived a project of acquiring an immense sum of money by plunder, left Calcutta in 1781, and proceded to Lucknow, as he said himself, with two great objects in his mind, namely, Benares and Oude. What was the nature of these boasted resources?—That he should plunder one or both, the equitable alterna tive of a highwayman, who on going forth in the evening, hesitates which of his resources to prefer, Bagshot or Hounslow. In such a state of generous irresolution, did Mr. Hastings proceed to Benares and Oude: At Benares, he failed in his pecuniary object. Then, and not till then,-not on account of any ancient enmities shewn by the Begums, not in resent ment of any old disturbances, but because he had failed in one place, and had but two in his prospect, did he conceive the base expedient of plum dering these aged women. He had no pretence,—he had no excuse, he had nothing but the arrogant and obstinate determination to govern India by h i s own corrupt will, t o plead for his conduct. Inflamed b y disappoint ment i n his first project, h e hastened t o the fortress o f Chunar, t o meditate the more atrocious design o f instigating a son against his mother; o f sacri ficing female dignity and distress, t o parricide and plunder. At Chunar was the infamous treaty concerted with the Nabob's vizier, t o despoil the Princesses o f Oude o f their hereditary possessions,—there i t was that Mr. Hastings had stipulated with one, whom h e called a n independent prince; that a s great distress had arisen t o the Nabob's government from the military power and dominion assumed by the Jaghierdars, h e b e per mitted t o resume such a s he may find necessary; with a reserve, that all such, for the amount o f whose Jaghiers the Company are guarantees, shall, i n case o f the resumption o f their lands, b e paid the amount o f their net collections, through the resident, i n ready money; and that n o English resident be appointed t o Furruckabad. No sooner was the foundation o f iniquity thus instantly established, i n violation o f the pledged faith, and solemn guarantee o f the British government; n o sooner had Mr. Hastings determined t o invade the substance o f justice, than h e resolved t o avail himself o f her judicial forms; and accordingly dispatched a messenger for the chief justice o f India, t o assist him i n perpetrating the violations h e had projected. Sir Elijah having arrived, Mr. Hastings, with much art, proposed a question o f opinion, involving an unsubstantiated fact, i n order t o obtain even a surreptitious approbation o f the measures h e had pre-determined t o adopt; ‘the Begums being i n actual rebellion, might not the Nabob confiscate their property?’ ‘Most undoubtedly,’ was the ready answer o f the friendly judge. Not a syllable o f inquiry intervened a s t o the existence o f the imputed rebellion; nor a moment's pause, a s t o the i l l purposes t o which the decision o f a chief justice might b e perverted. I t was not the office o f a friend, t o mix the grave caution and cold circum spection o f a judge, with a n opinion taken i n such circumstances; and Sir Elijah had previously declared, that h e gave his advice, not a s a judge,