This Ussaun Sing was, as Mr.
Markham tells you, one of the causes of the Rajah's continued dejection
and despondency. But it does not appear that any of these circumstances
were ever laid before the Council; the whole passed between Mr. Hastings
and Mr. Markham.
Mr. Hastings having by his arbitrary will thus disposed of the revenue
and of the landed property of Benares, we will now trace his further
proceedings and their effects. He found the country most flourishing in
agriculture and in trade; but not satisfied with the experiment he had
made upon the government, upon the revenues, upon the reigning family,
and upon all the landed property, he resolved to make as bold and as
novel an experiment upon the commercial interests of the country.
Accordingly he entirely changed that part of the revenue system which
affects trade and commerce, the life and soul of a state. Without any
advice that we know of, except Mr. Markham's, he sat down to change in
every point the whole commercial system of that country; and he
effected the change upon the same arbitrary principles which he had
before acted upon, namely, his own arbitrary will. We are told, indeed,
that he consulted bankers and merchants; but when your Lordships shall
have learned what has happened from this experiment, you will easily see
whether he did resort to proper sources of information or not.
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