BOOK 1782. "That the conduct of the Company and their servants in India to the KING and Nudjiff Khan, with respect to the tribute payable to the one, and the stipend to the other; and with respect to the transfer of the provinces of Corah and Illahabad to the vizier, was contrary to policy and good faith : and that such wise and practicable measures should be adopted in future as may tend to redeem the national honor, and recover the confidence and attachment of the princes of India.” "That the Company's servants in their presidency of Bombay were guilty of very notorious instances of disobedience to the orders of their employers, as well in the proceedings against the nabob of Baroche, as in the commencement of the Mahratta war, by the seizure of the islands of Salsette and Coranja." "That in forming an offensive alliance with Ragoba, the government of Bombay violated the orders of the Company against any connexions of that nature, and against any interference in the quar rels of the native powers." "That it is the opinion of this house, that the motives, as well as success, of the Nizam's instigations to form and animate a confederacy of the great country powers against the British possessions in India, and the calamitous events which ensued, may be properly attributed both to the unjustifiable proceedings against the Mahratta government, and to the conduct of the Madras presidency, in regard BOOK to the Peshcush, and Guntoor Circar." As the result of the whole connected series of resolutions, it was finally resolved: "That Warren Hastings, esq. governor-general in Bengal, and William Hornby, esq. president of the council at Bombay, having in sundry instances acted in a manner repugnant to the honor and policy of this nation, and thereby brought great calamities on India, and enormous expenses on the East India Company, it is the duty of the directors of the said Company to pursue all legal and effectual means for the removal of the said governor-general and president from their said offices, and to recall them to Great Britain." But if all the preceding resolutions were founded, as they indubitably appeared to be, on the basis of truth and justice, the concluding one merits only contempt, as wholly inefficacious and inadequate to the object in view. The purport of it was indeed approved and confirmed by the Court of Directors, who, on the 28th of October of this year, passed the following analogous resolution: "RESOLVED, That it is the opinion of this court, that a steady perseverance in the system of con duct so frequently enjoined by the court of directors, cannot be expected from those servants whose ideas of extension of dominion, either by negotia XXI. 1782. BOOK tion or conquest, have led them to depart from XXI. 1782. orders so often enforced; and THEREFORE that it is expedient to remove Warren Hastings, esq. from the office of governor-general of Bengal." But this resolution it was necessary, according to the constitution of the Company, adapted merely to the transaction of mercantile affairs, to submit to the ultimate discussion of the court of proprietors ; who refusing by a great majority to ratify the same, the whole proceeding passed gradually and silently into oblivion: and the decisions of the representatives of the nation, in a political concern of the highest moment, were counteracted and finally superseded by the prejudiced, not to say factious, determination of a body of ignorant and interested traders. Hitherto the new ministry, although composed of dissonant and jarring materials, had conducted public affairs with at least the appearance of perfect and cordial unanimity--the earl of Shelburne in the upper house bringing forward the same motions, and supporting them by the same general arguDeath of ments, as Mr. Fox in the lower. But an event now the marquis took place which was the subject of deep and uniham. versal regret, and the consequences of which cannot be sufficiently deplored, in the death of the marquis of Rockingham, July 1st, 1782, in the meridian of his age, and at the very height of his poli of Rocking XXI. 1782. tical reputation-the weight and influence attached to BOOK which, the result of a steady and uniform adherence to the principles of liberty under every vicissitude of His characfortune, combined with the excellence of his private ter character, and the mild benignity of his manners, formed that power of attraction which held together the whole ministerial system; and when this ceased to operate, disorder, confusion, and mutual repulsion took place. The splendor of the new constellation faded, and "certain stars shot madly from their spheres." ment of the burne. To drop all metaphorical and poetical allusion, it Advanceis necessary to state in plain language, that, on the earl of Shelvery day succeeding the decease of the marquis of Rockingham, the earl of Shelburne was declared first lord commissioner of the treasury. The acceptance of this high and pre-eminent office, without any previous communication with his colleagues in administration, was considered by the Rockingham party as equivalent to a declaration of political hostility on the part of lord Shelburne. It was in effect telling his allies that he conceived his influence in the cabinet to be sufficiently strong to enable him to stand without their assistance. It was evidently setting up a distinct and opposite interest, depending upon the secret assurances of royal favor and support. Precisely the same reasons which had induced the earl of Shelburne three months before to decline the offer then made still existed in full XXI. 1782. BOOK force; but he was no longer proof against temptation-though the experience of his illustrious friend lord Chatham might have convinced him on how precarious a ground those ministers stood who depended on courtly promises and professions for protection and safety. Fatal divisions among On this promotion, Mr. Fox resigned the seals the Whigs, as secretary of the northern department; lord John Cavendish his office as chancellor of the exchequer ; the duke of Portland his government of Ireland; lord Althrop, lord Duncannon, Mr. Frederic Montague, &c. their seats at the boards of treasury and admiralty; and Mr. Burke his post of paymaster of the army. In consequence of these resignations and removes, the seals of the southern department were given to the earl of Grantham, and of the northern to Mr. Thomas Townshend, late secretary at war; sir George Yonge succeeded Mr. Townshend; colonel Barré was made paymaster of the forces; and the lord advocate of Scotland, in his room, treasurer of the navy. The earl of Temple, eldest son of the late George Grenville, succeeded the duke of Portland in the lord-lieutenancy of Ireland: but the promotion which attracted most of the public attention was that of Mr. William Pitt, who, at the age of three-and-twenty, was constituted chancellor of the exchequer-an office which had been always supposed to require, in order to its proper discharge, not so much brilliancy of talents, |