Hastings as
being guilty of a great crime. In a paper which was published by the
prisoner in justification of this act, he considers the Rajah to have
been guilty of rebellious intentions; and he represents these acts of
contumacy, as he calls them, not as proofs of contumacy merely, but as
proofs of a settled design to rebel, and to throw off the authority of
that nation by which he was protected. This belief he declares on oath
to be the ground of his conduct towards Cheyt Sing.
Now, my Lords, we do contend, that, if any subject, under any name, or
of any description, be not engaged in public, open rebellion, but
continues to acknowledge the authority of his sovereign, and, if
tributary, to pay tribute conformably to agreement, such a subject, in
case of being suspected of having formed traitorous designs, ought to be
treated in a manner totally different from that which was adopted by Mr.
Hastings. If the Rajah of Benares had formed a secret conspiracy, Mr.
Hastings had a state duty and a judicial duty to perform. He was bound,
as Governor, knowing of such a conspiracy, to provide for the public
safety; and as a judge, he was bound to convene a criminal court, and to
lay before it a detailed accusation of the offence.
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