They would
not then have had 400,000_l._ carried out of the country by a tributary
chief, to become, as we know that sum has become, the plunder of the
Mahrattas and our other enemies. I state to you the account of the
profit and loss of tyranny: take it as an account of profit and loss;
forget the morality, forget the law, forget the policy; take it, I say,
as a matter of profit and loss. Mr. Hastings lost the subsidy; Mr.
Hastings lost the 220,000_l._ which was offered him, and more that he
might have got. Mr. Hastings lost it all; and the Company lost the
400,000_l._ which he meant to exact. It was carried from the British
dominions to enrich its enemies forever.
This man, my Lords, has not only acted thus vindictively himself, but he
has avowed the principle of revenge as a general rule of policy,
connected with the security of the British government in India. He has
dared to declare, that, if a native once draws his sword, he is not to
be pardoned; that you never are to forgive any man who has killed an
English soldier. You are to be implacable and resentful; and there is
no maxim of tyrants, which, upon account of the supposed weakness of
your government, you are not to pursue. Was this the conduct of the
Mogul conquerors of India? and must this _necessarily_ be the policy of
their Christian successors? I pledge myself, if called upon, to prove
the contrary.
Pages:
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360