" My Lords, what should we say
of such brutish ignorance, and such shocking confusion of ideas?
When this man had elevated his mind according to the rules of art, and
stimulated himself to great things by great examples, he goes on to tell
you that he rejected the offer of twenty lacs with which the Rajah would
have compounded for his guilt when it was too late.
Permit me, my Lords, to say a few words here, by way of referring back
all this monstrous heap of violence and absurdity to some degree of
principle. Mr. Hastings having completely acquitted the Rajah of any
other fault than contumacy, and having supposed even that to be only
personal to himself, he thought a fine of 500,000_l._ would be a proper
punishment. Now, when any man goes to exact a fine, it presupposes
inquiry, charge, defence, and judgment. It does so in the Mahometan law;
it does so in the Gentoo law; it does so in the law of England, in the
Roman law, and in the law, I believe, of every nation under heaven,
except in that law which resides in the arbitrary breast of Mr.
Hastings, poisoned by the principles and stimulated by the examples of
those wicked traitors and rebels whom I have before described. He
mentions his intention of levying a fine; but does he make any mention
of having charged the Rajah with his offences? It appears that he held
an incredible quantity of private correspondence through the various
Residents, through Mr.
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