protection, to the property of the Mogul's own fubjects. Where thefe abufes have happened, and have been detected, the company has frequently been obliged to make fatisfaction to the country-government, by the payment of large fums of money. Let it then be bore in mind, that there has always been a diftinction been the company's rights, and the affumed commerce of their fervants, who have no title but the indulgence of their masters, who have not opposed themselves against such encroachments fo long as they have been conducted with any degree of decency, and have not appeared to draw after them any confequences fubverfive of the general intereft, ruinous to credit, and threatening even the existence of the whole fyltem of commerce. The company's rights were never difputed by Coffem Alley Cawn, nor was there any attempt to infringe the treaties fubfifting between us; our military establishments were well fupported, our commercial interefts extended, even private emoluments of the company's fervants, beyond the com

[We have been told that fome time before the hoftilities were committed, of which an account was received by the Lapwing, the Nabob fent a remonstrance to the council, complaining that fome of the company's clerks fold to the Nabob's own fubjects permits which exempted them from paying thofe high duties which conftituted a principal part of his revenue, and fubjected them only to the fmall duty impofed on the company's goods; that this exemption from high duties had been granted only to the company's goods, and not to thofe of their menial clerks; that by this means great injury was done to him, whofe revenues being already much diminished by the ceffions made, and the money paid, to the company, by his predeceffor and himself; he was incapacitated to anfwer the demands made on him by the company. This reprefentation and com

pany's juft rights, were permitted to grow and fpread themfelves; but till tome revenues were neceflary to the fovereign, and fome thare of trade was the bitch right of his fubjects, who paid duties of 25 per cent. to the country-government *. When the governor of Bengal [Mr. Vanfittart] went to Mongeer [to treat with the Nabob] he does not seem fufficiently to have confidered the inconveniences which might refult from an open avowal of the rights of private trade carried on by the company's fervants in articles heretofore deemed illicit; but (pushed on by the difpofition of the gentlemen in council, who, from the conftant tenor of their conduct towards him, he had reafon to believe would not eafily be latisfied; in hopes, however, to quict them) he fettled [in a formal treaty] with the Nabob, that the Englih private merchants trading for themselves should carry on their trade at the small duty of 9 per cent. when, as we faid before, the Nabob's own fubjects were paying 25. How then will you be surprifed, when I tell you, that one of

plaint was allowed by Mr. Vanfittart and fome others of the council, to be juft; and to give redrefs to the Nabob, Mr. Vanfittart went and had an interview with him, and concluded a new treaty, fome particulars of which are contained in the pamphlet now before us. This treaty appears to have kindled the refen ment of those gentlemen who had all along oppofed Vanfittart's meafures, higher than ever; the confequence of which are the prefent broils. The treaty, however (as we have been informed, but cannot warrant) was tranfmitted home, and approved of by the directors, and inftructions prepared accordingly, fome time before the arrival of the Lapwing. And as advice was received at the fame time of the strong oppofition made to it by the majority of the council, what has fince happened was then fortold.]

the demands fince made on the Nabob [by the gentlemen who refufed to fign Vanfittart's treaty; and, who being a majority of the council, affumed to treat with the Nabob without the concurrence of the governor] was, That the company's fervants trading for themselves fhould pay no duties at all, excepting 2 1-half per cent. on falt. The Nabob, upon receiving this unreasonable demand, faid, He would then lay open all trade, that his subjects might be upon a footing with the fervants of the English company. But this not anfwering the purpofe of the gentlemen then in oppofition to the governor, they carried in the council against him (to which he entered his proteft) a refolution to fend an embaffy to the Nabob, infifting, that he thould not only free them from all duties, but fhould ftill continue to levy the duties as ufual upon his own subjects: the confequence of which must have been, that the fervants of the company, by felling dufties (or permits) to the fubjects of the Nabob, would have collected the revenues arifing from the duties which were the undoubted right of the fovereign; or elfe, by not felling the dufties, but keeping the trade entirely in their own hands, would, of courfe, have excluded the moft confiderable black merchants; and forcing them to fome other part of the country, where they could have carried on their trade on a more equal footing, muft ultimately have ruined the trade of the company; who would then have had no refource but purchafing from a few of their own fervants, the commodities of the country, at whatever price their fervants

This proteft the author appears to have teen, though he wrote before the general

seurt was held on Monday.

would have pleased to set on them; forming by this a monopoly against their own mafters, in despite of their orders, and in open violation of the eftablished principles of the fervice."

This author fays, in another place, that thefe conditions "demanded of the Nabob, fovereign of the country, were offered with infolence, and refufed with indignation." He immediately adds, "It is not known what were the inducements that urged Mr. Ellis to the attack of Patna, and the facrifice of thousands of defenceless inhabitants. Indeed, there feem fo many circumftances wanting to complete that hiftory, that it were to be wifhed the curiofity of the public would ftay till the arrival of the next fhip, which might give us more particulars relating to the unhappy gentlemen who were the first facrifice to their own imprudence."

In Mr. Holwell's Refutation of a letter from certain gentlemen of the Council at Bengal, he obferves, that of the fix gentlemen who fign it, Meffrs. Coote, Ellis, and Carnac, were not in Bengal, during the progrefs of thofe events which occafioned the unavoidable neceflity of divesting Mhir Jaffier of further power; and coming to the board with an unhappy difpofition to oppose every thing that had been done, because they had no hand in the doing them, they had no methods to pick up materials but from the Bazars and public reporters of detraction. And that as for two others, Meffrs. Batson and Verelft, they were not of the committee, and confequently could know nothing of the political fyftem; fo that amongst the fix gentlemen who fign this letter, one

only

only of them, Mr. Amyatt, could poffibly know any thing of the matter; and he but imperfectly, by being far abfent from the center of their councils. That tho' the gentlemen who fubfcribe the letter fay, that it gives them the greateft concern to be obliged to addrefs the fecret committee at home in the manner they are now under the neceffity of doing;" it is very manifeft, thefe gentlemen could be under no concern at all, upon this occafion; because they knew they were under no neceffity of addreffing the fecret committee in this clandeftine manner; the board of Calcutta being always open for every remonftrance of their fervants; thro' which channel they are conveyed to their honourable employers at home: hut thefe gentlemen were fenfible, that if this regular and ufual method had been taken, it could not come home without a vindication annexed, which would have rendered this performance invalid, and have fruftrated all the expectations they had from it.

Mr. Holwell afks, if the matters and things fet forth in the letter were facts, and effential for the knowledge of their employers, Why were they fo long concealed from them? And why has the whole of it fo much the appearance of pretences framed a priori, to extenuate a conduct and oppofition, they have (at least five of them) fubfequently carried into action? and for which their friends, at this critical juncture, thought an apology abfolutely neceffary?

Two remarkable paffages in the letter we here fubjoin, with Mr. Holwell's anfwer or refutation.

reafon either of a want of ability to rule, or of his bad principles. We would willingly indeed fuppofe, that it proceeded rather from the want of a true knowledge of the country policy, and from an error of judgment, than from lucrative views, had not Mr. Vanfittart, and others of the projectors, made no fecret that there was a prefent promised them by Coffim Aly Chan of twenty lack; it is true, they make a merit that this was not to be delivered till the company's debt was paid, and his army fatisfied. We have to observe on this occafion, that several of us have had offers from the Nabob of very confiderable fums to join in his measures, which we have constantly made public as well as refufed; and if we, who have always oppofed thofe meafures, have been thus tried with pecuniary temptations, what may be concluded of those gentlemen who have fupported the Nabob on every occafion?

Refutation. The malicious infinuations of this paragraph, are unworthy gentlemen. - We allow this offer (not promife) was made, and unanimously rejected by Mr. Vanfittart and the committee.-———Mr. Holwell was charged with the delivery of this refusal, in these terms"That we were labouring for the peace and fafety of the country only; and could not, in honour, receive the offer; but that when the country was fettled, the company's debt paid off, and the arrears paid to his troops, if he then thought there was aught due from him, he was at liberty to gratify his friends in what manner he pleased.”This is a fact, which we were not afhamed fhould have a place on the committee proceedings-As to the offers made, and refufal of these gentle

gentlemen, we have their ipfe dixit only; and we may chufe whether we will believe it.

a

Letter. "If the Nabob has purchafed the power he is invested with, it is to be expected he will of course make the most of it, by extorting money from his fubjects, and oppreffing every province as much as he can; and as the fate of Jaffier Ally Chan must have convinced him how little we regard the most facred en. gagements, he will of neceffity endeavour to establish himself on foundation lefs precarious than the friendship of the English. That he already begins to do fo, is evident from his ftill increafing the number of his troops (notwithstanding the prefent tranquillity) and to render them the more formidable, he is arming and difciplining as many Seapoys as he can procure, in the European manner; and to fecure himfelf as much as poffible from us, efteeming his capital Morfhedabad (the fcene of his predeceffor's fall) too near our fettlements, he is about erecting a large fort at Rajahmaul, which he propofes to make his place of refidence, where he hopes to be out of our reach.

Refutation. "This paragraph first begs the queftion, and proceeds to

draw conclufions not warranted by it. Is it to be wondered at, that he fhould think of fecuring himself, when he faw a formed oppofition in our committee and council, from the beginning of his government, which hourly fhewed a difpofition to affront and infult him, contrary to the repeated remonftrances of Mr. Vanfittart, for obferving more temperate and pacifick measures ?-Is it not a known truth, that at the tables of the leaders in this oppofition, the very boys in your fervice were taught to huzza, "Jaffier Ally Chan for ever;" and did not Amyatt publicly declare, "that the moment the breath was out of Mr. Vanfittart's body (who then lay dangeroufly ill) he would proclaim Mhier Jaffier."-Could these things be notorious, and Mhier Coffim not alarmed for his fafety ?"

Mr. Holwell informs us, in this Refutation, that when col. Clive was on his departure for Europe, he ftrongly recommended Mhir Coflim (afterwards Vanfittart's Nabob) to his (Mr. Holwell's) protection; and at the fame time told him that Mhir Coffim was the man whom he ought to put into the government of Patna.

May it pleafe your Highness, THE following lines are addref

fed to your Highnefs, from a man who values his liberty, and a very small fortune in a remote part of this island, under the prefent conftitution, above all the riches and honours he could any where enjoy under any eftablishment.

You fee, Sir, the doctrines that are lately come into the world, and how far the phrafe has obtained, of calling your royal father God's Vicegerent; which ill men have turned both to the dishonour of God, and the impeachment of his majesty's goodnefs. They adjoin Vicegerency to the idea of being all-powerful,

and