The Sun.
London, England, 1802-06-18 00:00:00

ieOiltanticipate, that although the Regents have
been disposed to' have rendered up more of the coun-
tries, (which really was the case), on a like condi-
tion with those 'already tendered by them, they
could not unworthily bring themselves to- make an
unqualified and unconditional surrender of those
rights, which it was • their duty to proted• and
guard. The meetings; therefore, to which I have
last requested your-attention,. passed withooteffed.
Seeing that the Regents were inflexible in their
duty, and conceiving from my want of lenowled4e,
in public concerns, that I might possibly be render-
ed an instrument, a I cannot burcOnsider, to my
own undoing, the Commissioners at the last con-
ference, and towards the conclusion of if, sent a
note to Lord Clive, who thereupon appeared at the
Palace ; but instead of going to the apartment, where
Negotiations had hitherto been carried on; his Lord-
ship went to the tent of Col. M'Neil, in charge of
the Troops about the Gardens, and immediately re-
quested my attendance on him.
I cheerfully complied with his Lordship's iequest
and went to the tent. His Lordship thenaccosted
me with seeming kindness, and begged "I would
Well consider the Company's professed terms,
which, if then negleded, would evade my accept-
ance for ever ; that they were now offered for the
last time; that a liberal allowance should be Made
out of the collelions, (but which his Lordship did
not particulariSe) if I would listen favourably to
his proposals.; but that if I did not incline' to
them, that I should be reduced from the 'gran-
deur which awaited me, into an humble and pri-
vate station."—l observed to his Lordship " that
I was not acquainted with matters of so high con.
cern : that I was indeed an utter stranger to busi-
ness ;, that my royal predecessor liad wisely com-
Mitred me to the care and attention of others,
and had recommended my 'conformity to their ad-
vice ; that in respect to my father's will, and to
the persons to whom my affairs were trusted, I
could not think of answering for myself theimpor-
tan; propositiont made to me ;—but, from regard to
his. LOrdship's charatter, and to the interests which
he represented, I was inclined, not only to giVe my
ready attention to what his Lordship communicated,
but would advise
,the Regents, (if it were compati-
ble with their honour and. my own safety) to over-
look any formal diculty which might stand in the
way of their acquiescence ; for this purpose, I
would beg leave to acquaint, them with what had,
passed, and would appoint an early day when his
Lordship should have my answer."—His Lordship
Observed that he would wait on me again the next
day, at the same place, and took his leave. •
In consulting with the Regents and the Cawns,
and Omrahs of Empire, before whom the whole
of what had passed at the preceding conferences
was laid, Lwas fully advised of the dangers to
which my affairs and family might be exposed, by
the acceptance of terms so' disreputable, and so
vague: an advice, which I had no reason to sus-
pect of prejudice, or infidelity, and by which, after
the most mature consideration, I was determined
to govern my condud. Accordingly •when tfie
Governor came the next evening, acquainted
him ingenuously, " that I could not accede to the
offer which he had yesterday the- goodness' to make
me; •. that I had every personal good wish for,
the prosperity of the Company, and for the real and
substantial interests of the British Nation, which I
had been taught to admirofrom my earliest years,
but that I could not sacrifice my own and my fa-
mily's rights, for any supposed benefit to the Com-
pany, or any provisional good which I was given
to exped. Besides, the mode of surrender Aiaatal,
and the ground on which it professed to be founded
was such, that I co.sld not adopt it, without ren-
dering a credit to suggestions, highly dishonourable
to those whom, by duty and religion, I was bound
to honour and revere. I had already shewn an
inclination to attend to the Company's requisi-
tions, in so far as they could be ,attended to ; and
was much induced by my own sentiments, to extend
the proposal which had been made on my behalf,
even to a greater latitude, on the principle of the
footing on which it had been made. My motives,
therefore, for the non-acceptance of his Lordship's
offer, could admit of no doubG. That I had the
highest personal consideration for his Lordship,
and would hope that the frank and explicit answer,
which I had now given him, would not occasion
offence."

While I was delivering what I had to say, a
number of Troopers rode round the tent with drawn
swords; and an unusual guard of Seapoys were post-
ed at the door, whO traversed constantly to and fro,
and a certain .degree of cOnfusion seemed to reign
around. 1 endeavoured, nevertheless, to preserve a
coolness and consistency of demeanour, requisite for
the occasion ; and have to thank Heaven, that my
reason and fortitude was not to be shaken by a cir-
cumstance, calculated to ,move them; and which,
from after-prattices, I am sorry to add, that I can.
not but imagine, was contrived with that view.