Hastings declares he was not able to pay,--and which he could
not pay without ruining the country, betraying his own honor and
character, and acting directly contrary to the duties of the station in
which Mr. Hastings had placed him. Thus this unfortunate man was
compelled to have recourse to the most rigorous exaction, that he might
be enabled to satisfy the exorbitant demand which had been made upon
him.
But let us suppose that the country was able to afford the sum at which
it was assessed, and that nothing was required but vigor and activity in
the Rajah. Did Mr. Hastings endeavor to make his strength equal to the
task imposed on him? No: the direct contrary. In proportion as he
augmented the burdens of this man, in just that proportion he took away
his strength and power of supporting these burdens. There was not one of
the external marks of honor which attended the government of Cheyt Sing
that he did not take away from the new Rajah; and still, when this new
man came to his new authority, deprived of all external marks of
consequence, and degraded in the opinion of his subjects, he was to
extort from his people an additional revenue, payable to the Company, of
fifteen lacs of rupees more than was paid by the late Rajah in all the
plenitude of undivided authority.
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