He does not trust to their acting as soldiers who have their
fortunes to make; but he stimulates and urges them not to give way to
the generous passions and feelings of men.
He thus writes from Benares, the 22d of October, 1781, ten o'clock in
the morning. "I am this instant favored with yours of yesterday; mine to
you of the same date has before this time acquainted you with my
resolutions and sentiments respecting the Ranny. I think every demand
she has made to you, except that of safety and respect for her person,
is unreasonable. If the reports brought to me are true, your rejecting
her offers, or any negotiation with her, would soon obtain you
possession of the fort upon your own terms. I apprehend that she will
contrive to defraud the captors of a considerable part of the booty by
being suffered to retire without examination; but this is your
consideration, and not mine. I should be sorry that your officers and
soldiers lost any part of the reward to which they are so well entitled;
but I cannot make any objection, as you must be the best judge of the
expediency of the promised indulgence to the Ranny. What you have
engaged for I will certainly ratify; but as to permitting the Ranny to
hold the purgunnah of Hurluk, or any other in the zemindary, without
being subject to the authority of the zemindar, or any lands whatever,
or indeed making any conditions with her for a provision, I will never
consent to it.
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