ing the reft. It was observed, that if the terms of these several treaties had been kept, two British armies would at one and the fame time have met in the field to cut each other's throats. The wars which defolate India, originated from a moftatrocious violation of publick faith on our part. In the midst of profound peace, the company's troops invaded the Maratta territories, and furprised the ifland and fortrefs of Salfette. The Marattas nevertheless yielded to a treaty of peace, by which folid advantages were procured to the company. But this treaty, like every other treaty, was foon violated by the company. Again the company invaded the Maratta dominions. The difafter that enfued gave occafion to a new treaty. The whole army of the company was obliged, in effect, to furrender to this injured, betrayed, and infulted people. Juftly irritated, however, as they were, the terms which they prefcribed were reasonable and moderate; and their treatment of their captive invaders of the most diftinguished humanity. But the humanity of the Marattas was of no power whatsoever to prevail on the company to attend to the obfervance of the terms dictated by their moderation. The war was renewed with greater vigour than ever; and fuch was their infatiable luft of plunder, that they never would have given ear to any terms of peace, if Hyder Ali had not broke through the Gauts, and rushing like a tor

rent

rent into the Carnatick, fwept away every thing in his career. This was in confequence of that confederacy, which by a fort of miracle united the moft difcordant powers for our destruction, as a nation in which no other could put any truft, and who were the declared enemies of the human fpe

cies.

It is very remarkable, that the late controverfy between the feveral presidencies, and between them and the court of directors, with relation to these wars and treaties, has not been, which of the parties might be defended for his share in them; but on which of the parties the guilt of all this load of perfidy fhould be fixed. But I am content to admit all these proceedings to be perfectly regular, to be full of honour and good faith; and wish to fix your attention folely to that fingle tranfaction which the advocates of this fyftem felect for fo transcendent a merit as to cancel the guilt of all the rest of their proceedings; I mean the late treaties with the Marattas.

I make no obfervation on the total ceffion of territory, by which they furrendered all they had obtained by their unhappy fucceffes in war, and almost all they had obtained under the treaty of Poorunder. The reftitution was proper, if it had been voluntary and seasonable. I attach on the fpirit of the treaty, the difpofitions it fhewed, the provifions

mon stock which was to be divided, and to keep it for the company.

The first ground for this variation was its being a feparate conqueft made before the treaty had actually taken place. Here was a new proof given of the fairness, equity, and moderation of the company. But the fecond of Mr. Haftings's reafons for retaining the Biddenore as a feparate portion, and his conduct on that fecond ground, is ftill more remarkable. He afferted that that country could not be put into the partition stock, becaufe general Matthews had received it on the terms of fome convention, which might be incompatible with the partition proposed. This was a reason in itself both honourable and folid; and it fhewed a regard to faith fomewhere, and with fome perfons. But in order to demonftrate his utter contempt of the plighted faith which was alleged on one part as a reason for departing from it on another, and to prove his impetuous defire for fowing a new war, even in the prepared foil of a general pacification, he directs Mr. Anderson, if he should find ftrong difficulties impeding the partition, on the fcore of the fubtraction of Biddenore, wholly to abandon that claim, and to conclude the treaty on the original terms. General Matthews's convention was just brought forward fufficiently to demonftrate to the Marattas the flippery hold which they had on their new confede

rate;

rate; on the other hand that convention being inftantly abandoned, the people of India were taught, that no terms on which they can furrender to the company are to be regarded when farther conquefts are in view.

Next, Sir, let me bring before you the pious care that was taken of our allies under that treaty which is the subject of the company's applauses. These allies were Ragonaut Row, for whom we had engaged to find a throne; the Guickwar, (one of the Guzerat princes) who was to be emancipated from the Maratta authority, and to grow great by several acceffions of dominion; and lastly, the rana of Gohud, with whom we had entered into a treaty of partition for eleven fixteenths of our joint conquefts. Some of these ineftimable fe curities, called vague articles, were inferted in favour of them all.

As to the first, the unhappy abdicated peishwa, and pretender to the Maratta throne, Ragonaut Row was delivered up to his people, with an article for fafety, and fome provifion. This man, knowing how little vague the hatred of his coun trymen was towards him, and well apprifed of what black crimes he ftood accused (among which our invafion of his country would not appear the leaft) took a mortal alarm at the fecurity we had provided for him. He was thunderftruck at the article in his favour, by which he was furrendered Vol. IV. D

to

provisions it made for a general peace, and the faith kept with allies and confederates; in order that the house may form a judgment, from this chofen piece, of the ufe which has been made (and is likely to be made, if things continue in the fame hands) of the trust of the federal powers of this country.

It was the wish of almost every Englishman, that the Maratta peace might lead to a general one; because the Maratta war was only a part of a general confederacy formed against us on account of the universal abhorrence of our conduct which

prevailed in every ftate and almoft in every houfe in India. Mr. Haftings was obliged to pretend fome fort of acquiefcence in this general and rational defire. He therefore confented, in order to fatisfy the point of honour of the Marattas, that an article fhould be inferted to admit Hyder Ali to accede to the pacification. But observe, Sir, the fpirit of this man (which if it were not made manifeft by a thoufand things, and particularly by his proceedings with regard to lord Macartney) would be fufficiently manifest by this-What fort of article think you does he require this effential head of a folemn treaty of general pacification to be? In his inftruction to Mr. Anderfon, he de-, fires him to admit "a vague article" in favour of Hyder. Evafion, and fraud were the declared basis

of