Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/538

 534 SHERIDAN. beyond the improbabilities of fiction; it might with equal probability have been insisted, that but for them, famine would not have pinched, nor thirst have parched, nor extermination have depopulated. Mr. Hastings, want ing a motive for his rapacity, had found it in fiction. But we are told, “ that they complained of the injustice done to them.’ And, God of heaven! had they not a right to complain of the injustice,—after a solemn treaty violated,—after being plundered of all their property, and on the eve of the last extremity of wretchedness, were they to be deprived of the last resource of impotent wretchedness, complaint and lamentation! Was it a crime that they should crowd together in fluttering trepidation, like a flock of resistless birds on seeing the felon kite, who, having darted at one devoted individual, and missed his aim, singled out a new object, and was springing on his prey with redoubled vigour in his wing, and keener vengeance in his eye. The simple fact i s , having failed a s t o Cheit Sing, he felt the necessity o f procuring a sum o f money somewhere; for h e knew that t o b e the never-failing receipt t o make his peace with the directors a t home ! Let the fancy o f the governor-general but conceive the proud spirit o f Sujah Dowlah, looking down upon the ruin and devastation o f his family, and beholding that palace which had been restored t o him, plun dered by that very army with which h e himself had vanquished the Mahrattas; that very Middleton, who had been engaged i n managing the previous violations, most busy t o perpetrate the last; that very Hastings, whom h e had left o n his death-bed, the guardian o f his wife, and mother, and family, turning a l l those dear relations, the objects o f his solemn trust, forth t o the merciless seasons, and a more merciless soldiery! “I have heard o f factions and parties i n this House, and know that they exist. The prerogative o f the crown finds its advocates among the representatives o f the people; the privileges o f the people find their opponents, even among the Commons o f England,-there i s n o subject on which we are not broken and divided,—habits, connexions, parties, all lead t o diversity o f opinion; but when humanity presents itself t o obser vation, i t finds n o division among us, - i t i s attacked a s the common enemy, and i s never left until completely overthrown. I t i s not given t o this House, t o behold the objects o f their compassion and benevolence; they cannot see the workings o f the heart, the quivering lips, the trickling tears, the loud and yet tremulous joys o f the millions whom their vote o f this night would for ever save from the cruelty o f corrupted power. But though they could not directly see the effect, i s not the true enjoyment o f their benevolence increased b y the blessing being conferred unseen 2 Would not the omnipotence o f Britain b e demonstrated t o the wonder of nations, by stretching i t s mighty arm across the deep, and saving by its fiat distant millions from destruction? And would the blessings o f the people thus saved dissipate i n empty air? No!—We shall constitute heaven itself our proxy, t o receive for u s the blessings o f their pious gratitude, and the prayers o f their thanksgiving. I t i s with confidence, therefore, that I move you o n this charge, “that Warren Hastings b e impeached.'" His speech occupied a period o f nearly six hours i n delivery; and s o brilliant was the eloquence, and s o argumentative the mode adopted o n