had just concluded a treaty of accommodation. Mirza Shuffeh had probably been the minister of his fovereign's choice; but Affrafiab, who feized upon this opportunity, under the name of first minifter, to wreft the conduct of government from the feeble hands of the Mogul, was undoubtedly unacceptable to his master. His treatment of his prince was conformable to the unprincipled treachery and ambition, which had appeared in his conduct towards Mirza. He allowed the Mogul no voice, no concern in the affairs of his government. Not contented with this, he went far, ther he deprived the monarch of the whole of his revenues, and dealt out to him a fcanty pittance with fo avaricious a hand, that the fucceffor of Aurungzebe and the nominal fovereign of all Indoftan, was reduced to the most unbecoming and mortifying extremities. Prince Jehander, pierced to the foul by the fituation of his father, embraced an opportunity of flight, in order to gain by his reprefentations fome relief from the authority and interference of the English governs ment. But, though his purpose appears to have been thus filial and virtuous, his father was obliged by his tyrannical minister, to fend circular orders to every quarter for his apprehenfion, and to demand of the neighbouring princes, that they fhould refufe him both countenance and protection. The Mogul however found the opportunity of fpeak, ing privately to major Browne, the English refident, and affuring him, that this demand was, the refult of compulfion. Prince Jehander was accordingly honourably received by Mr. Haft ings, who speaks of him, in his let. ter to the court of directors, in terms of high, commendation, and relates, that the pecuniary presents he received from himself and the nabob, were faithfully fent by him to the Mogul, the prince obferving at the fame time, that, while he knew his father daily experienced the greatest diftreffes, he thought it unlawful for him to enjoy the luxuries of life." But this was all the relief, that Jehander was able to obtain. Upon the question, whether or not a military affiftance fhould be offered to the Mogul, Mr. Haftings again differed with his council, and was again in a minority. The prince withdrew from the English dependencies, and took refuge in the camp of Madagi Sindia. Affrafiab was affaffinated on the fecond of November 1784, and Madagi, who, either by chance or defign, was at that time near the fpot, embraced the opportunity, poffeffed himself of the perfon of the Mogul, and obtained the ufual patents conftituting him first minif ter of the empire. Mr. Hastings, having completed the purpofe for which he had travelled to Lucknow, returned to Calcutta on the feventh of Novem ber, fomewhat lefs than a month after the death of Mr. Wheler, in whofe hands he had intended, when he quitted the government, to leave the fupreme power. It appears, that he had originally formed the refolution to have failed for England in the beginning of the year 1784, unlefs fome material change were introduced by the legislature in the conftitution of the province of Bengal, and unless he were permitted to poffefs the fupreme authority, without a continual, vexatious, and ineffectual firuggle with the other members of his council. The reprefentations of the nabob had induced him to exert himself for his relief and accommodation, and and of confequence to defer his departure for England to the fubfequent year. Having effected this purpose, and finding no reafon to expect that his political authority would be increased by new powers from England, he spent the conclading weeks of the year 1784, in making fuch arrangements in the external and internal concerns of the province, as he conceived to be incumbent upon him previoufly to his departure, and as would cause the burthen of government to fit lighter upon the fhoulders of his fucceffor. allowance and of fair difcretion to the governor general. At length however it was thought, that a reform and reduction under thefe heads were indifpenfible. It was natural, that fo long and fo extenfive a war, as that from which we were just liberated, fhould be a fource of anticipation and debt to the company's poffeffions; and this debt was confidered by fome perfons in fo ferious a light, as to be equivalent to a bankruptcy. In the mean time it did not amount to more than three crores of rupees, or three millions fterling; and the annual One of the most important of revenue of Bengal is computed by thefe arrangements related to the Mr. Haftings to amount to five civil establishment of the province crores and a half. But, trifling as of Bengal. The falaries of per- the debt might feem, it was the fons, conftituting certain boards, fource of great and ferious embarwhich had been inftituted by Mr. raffinent to the provincial governHaftings, were undoubtedly fuch, ment. The credit of the company as in this country we are used to was decried, the notes upon the regard as enormous. Mr. John treafury of Bengal were negociated Anderfon, for example, a perfon of at an immenfe difcount, the civil some character in the fervice of the and the military establishments were company, received a falary of left unpaid and difcontented. In 10,000l. per annum, as a member this fituation Mr. Haflings believof a board of account at Calcutta, ed, that no meafure could be so efat the fame time that he actually fectual for the relief of the comfilled the advantageous station of pany as a reform; and he accordBritish refident at the court of ingly drew up a plan for this por Madagi Sindia. The appointments pofe, which was fubmitted to the of the other members and of the fupreme council, on the twentieth presidents were equally lavish. The of December 178, and received measure was defended by Mr. Haft- their ultimate fanction on the fourth ings and his friends from the confi- of January 1785. The period, deration, that emoluments, which which was chofen for this meafure, might be adequate in Britain, was a fubject of animadverfion. By might be much otherwife in India, the enemies of Mr. Hattings it was where every perfon looked forward faid, that, in the first place, the to the time, when he should return, admiffion of the reform amounted and enjoy the fruits of his industry to an explicit confeffion, that the in tranquillity at home. It was former eftablishment had been unadded, that the revenues, which neceffarily profufe. The retrenchthe falt office and the other boardment of eftablishments in itself inwere appointed to fuperintend, were created by Mr. Hattings, and that this was a just source of liberal deed demanded great courage, firmness, and political virtue; individuals were difobliged, and only the the public was benefited; the re. fentment of individuals was acute; the gratitude of the public was feeble and inactive. But Mr. Haftings had contrived to get all the reputation of a reformer without any of its difadvantages. He merely put his finger upon establishments, and he left it to others to bring home the principle to individuals. He carried away unfairly the applaufe of the measure, and left all its odium to his fucceffors. M. Haltings defcribed his conduct in a very different light. In introducing the reform he had done all that was difcretionary, and what remained for his fucceffors, was what could not be avoided, and therefore might not be blamed. It was an argument of great political intrepidity, and of a high fenfe of confcious innocence, that Mr. Haftings fhould venture upon fuch a measure at fuch a period. He was jult about to return home and to face his enemies. He knew that this conduct had loudly been arraigned, and that the fet of men who had accufed him, were refpectable in their influence, elevated in their ability, and tenacious of their .refolutions. There never was a time, in which he flood more in need of perfonal fupport, or had a ftronger private inducement to court it. Yet he felt great fatiffaction in clofing his administration with a meafure, neceflary in itself, peculiarly incumbent upon him, but which would give mortal of fence to numbers both in India and England. He expected the worst effects from it to himself, and he was prepared to encounter them. Mr. Haftings failed from Bengal on the ninth of February 1785. Having brought down his adminiftration to a clofe, it may not be unnatural for us to fay one word to a question, which has been a fubject of great difcuffion in England, and which has given rise to various opinions; we mean, the amount of his personal fortune at the time that he quitted his government. Undoubtedly we are unable to give complete fatisfaction to our readers upon this head, and we might leave it for that future elucidation, which a lapfe of years must neceffarily afford. This elucidation will indeed be the torch, which will affift the pen of history. But, obliged as we are to collect our materials within a fhort period, we think, that it is proper to give the reader fuch information as we are able, and not to leave him entirely in the dark, merely because we cannot introduce him to meridian radiance. We will only bring together the facts that come before us, and leave the conclufion to be deduced by others. By Mr. Haflings and his friends, his fortune has been faid to be extremely fmall. In a pamphlet, which he published foon after his arrival in England, he mentions the circumstance of Mrs. Haftings's having come over in one year, and himself in another, as compelling him to the "repetition of an expence, which his fortune could ill afford." In a letter, which he addreffed to the court of directors, and which is dated on the river Ganges, Feb. 21, 1784, he bring to account a number of items, the aggregate of a contingent account of twelve years," which he confelles it was not his original intention to have charged upon the company, and which he "credits by a fum, privately received, and appropriated to their fervice." He obferves, that his own "fortune is unequal to fo heavy a charge," and he apologises for the mode he has has adopted by remarking, that "their intereft would fuffer infinitely lefs by the precedent, than by the example of a life, fpest in the accumulation of crores tor their benefit, and doomed in its clofe to fuffer the extremities of private want and fink in obfcurity." Mr. Hastings and his friends have fince become more explicit. He has ap plied to the company to fettle upon him a penfion, and the fom of 500el. per annum was mentioned. But this propofal has been fufpended on account of the impeachment now depending before the house of lords. Major Scott farther flated in the house of commons, during the last feffion, that the precife amount of the capital of Mr. Haf tings's fortune was 60,000l. It is undoubtedly natural in moft cafes, to take for granted the implications of one person, and the affertions of another, when they relate to a fubject, with which they might naturally be fuppofed to be well acquainted. In the cafe of a criminal charge indeed, the perfonal allegations of the individual who is accufed, are of courfe to be put out of the question. But with regard to major Scott, whatever improprieties he may be fuppofed to have incurred in the course of a long and obslinate controversy, his veracity remains unimpeached and unfufpected; and thofe, who are difpofed to controvert his affertion, must be obliged to fuppofe, which certainly is not impoffible, that he fhould be ignorant of the real a mount of the fortune of his late principal. On the other hand, the fum itfelf is undoubtedly difproportionate, and it may be treated as -incredible. The falary of the governor general, the great perquifiles that have ufually been annexled to his office, the inftances we have that Mr. Haftings did not al ways refute fums of money pri vately tendered him, the frugality of his perfonal éftablifhment, and the long continuance of his government, would have beforehand rendered it probable that he was rich. With refpect to facts we know only one of any confiderable weight. Mrs. Haftings, as we have already intimated, arrived in England in the year 1784, and about twelve months before her husband; and it has been faid, that the fum, which was appropriated for her expences previously to the return of Mr. Haftings, was 4000l. per annum, and that this fum was to be paid by certain gentlemen, who ufually had the tranfaction of Mr. Haftings's pecuniary affairs in England. Mrs. Haftings's expences were imagined fo far to have exceeded this allowance, that the gentlemen thought themselves bound to remonftrate with her, obferving, that the fum in queftion would fcarcely do more than anfwer the apparent expences of one quarter, and that it was impoffible for them to advance more than the fum that was appropriated. To this Mrs. Haftings replied, that he was perfectly competent to the conduct of her own affairs, and that they might rest affured, that he would not expofe them to any difficulty, réfpecting the fum for which Mr. Haftings had rendered himself anfwerable. The tranfactions of the govern'ment of Madras, during the period of which we treat, are not lefs important than those of the government general at Bengal. The moft confiderable affair of the adminiftration of lord Macartney who prefided, related to the affignment of the revenues of the nabob of Arcot, which was made by a folemn act to that nobleman in the month of of December 1781. This mea fure naturally arofe qut of the very unprovided and defencelefs condition, in which the Carnatic had been found at the period of the invafion of Hyder Ali. It fufficiently appeared, that the perfons, who had then the conduct of the nabob's affairs, were by no means qualified to affift by their efforts the refolute ftand which was made by the Englifh in that quarter. Attacked as we were on every fide, ftruggling with a mott formidable confederacy, of the fultan of Myfore, the pefhwa of the Marattas, the fuba of the Decan, and the raja of Berar, it would have been unjustifiable in us, to trifle with our fituation, or to facrifice the poffibility of our political existence to the formalities of rank, and the ceremonial of a court. Lord Macartney therefore, by a conduct that has been generally approved in this country, obtained from the nabob the prerogative of farming out his districts and collecting his revenues, and this power was made over to the prefidency of Madras during the continuance of the war, or for the fpecific terms of three or five years, as lord Macartney fhould agree with the renters under the new leafes. that these diftricts were farmed by public advertisement to fuch perfons as offered the best terms, and bore the most responsible character; that the rent for which they had agreed with the farmers was fomewhat less than that, which the nabob profeffed to have made in the years immediately preceding the war; and that, by a reduction of the expences, the net revenue would fomewhat more than double that, which had been raised in the former inftance. Their fyftem was to take complete effect on the 12th of the following July. *། * It was probably more owing to the diftreffed fituation of his dominions, than to any conviction in his mind of the rectitude of the meafure, that the nabob had been induced to yield his affent to the conceffion of December 1781. The minifters, who had conducted his affairs, the men who had brought upon his country all its prefent calamities, and who had fattened upon its fpoils, were indeed terrified into filence in the moment of danger, but foon began to repent of their precipitation in not having diffuaded their master from a meafure, which deprived them of so much of their influence. It is generally fuppofed, that a principal caufe of the diftrefs of the Carnatic had confifted in the corrupt proceedings of Mr. Benfield and others, ufually known by the description of the English creditors of the nabob of Arcot. In the war before the laft, the standard of Great Britain had been fuccessfully erected, Loth at the mouth of the Ganges, and upon the coast of Coromandel; and the immediate confequence of our victories was the ob. The falutary effects of this meafure speedily began to appear. The prefident, unwilling to retain in his hands a power of fo invidious a nature, and fo liable to mifconftruction, appointed, in conjunction with his council, a committee of affigned revenue for the conduct and fuperintendence of the territorial affairs of the Carnatic. Thefe gentlemen made a report in the month of May 1782; and from this paper it appears, that they had been able to recover in fome mea-taining for the English Eat-India fure one half of the districts of the nabob from the ravages of war company a decifive afcendant in the dominions of the nabob of Bengal and |