San Andreas independent., 1858-01-09

! Cheyte Sing was dismayed. He offered ST.
ooo,ooo, to propitiate the British government
hastings required three times this amount
lie threatened to sell Benares to Dude. He
repaired to Benares, and sent up to the nabob,
a paper containing his demands. The nabob
attempted to clear himself from the accusa-
tions brought against him. Hastings instant
ly seized his person and threw him in prison.
He kept constantly before his mind these
facts that sometimes the nabob of Bengal
was a substance and at others, shadow. If
it was expedient for the Company to show
some rightful title the revenues of Bengal or
any of the viceroyalties a grant under the
great seal of the Mogul was brought forward
as the higest authority. But if it was conve-
nient to deny the Mogul his share of that very
revenue, he was told that he was mere pa
geant; that the English power rested upon
higher authority than his charters; that he
might play at royalty as much as he liked but
that his game must not interfere with the real
| lords of India. This line of treatment was
rigidly enforced in all its details-some of
which, to the disgrace of the English charac-
ter be it said, were little less revolving to hu-
manty than the 'black- hole barbarity of the
| Bengalese. Kingdoms were sold; Princes
were robbed, imprisoned, hanged, starved and
driven to suicides ministers and high public
functionares were scourged with rods; the
! people enslayed; entire districts, from Calcut-
ia to Lucknow, were made barren as desert;
and yet the revenues of the company increas-
/ ed.
| Meanwhile, through the personal enmity of
Francis, the jealousy of Pitt and the patriot
ism of Burke, preparations were in progress
for the impeachment of the Governor General
in the Commons of England. In 1877 his
impeachment was carried In February 'Ss,
his trial commenced before the Lords. The
most eminent men Of England in that age of
giant minds, were engaged in his prosecution
or defense. Amongst the former, were Burke,
Windham, Sheridan, and Fox amongst the
latter, were Pioneer, Law, and Dallas-after-
wards raised to the highest honors. The trial
was conducted in the Hall of William Rufus,
before the assembled Lords of England-the
highest court of justice known to constitution
al England. The great question involved was
not the mere acquittal or conviction of Hast
ings, but whether great nation like Britain,
the professed enemy of all tyranncal encroach-
ments by power upon the sovereign rights of
weaker States, the foe of all organized free
Al
cities of the East India Company-to relin-
quish their hold, or to adhere to aggressions.
Hastings at this time, was 55 years of age.
His person was slight, and below the medium
stature his checks pale, emaciated and care
worn his thin lips denotng great firmness
his forehead high, and furrowed with the deep
lines of thought; his eye, sparkling with in
telligence his step, firm and elastic and his
whole bearing indicative of that equanimity
of soul which attended him through all the
vicissitudes of his wonderful life. When the
great offender had been arraigned in form, and
Mr. Burke had concluded the reading of the
various charges drawn up against him, he fin
ished in the following and terrible strain:
Therefore, hath it with all confidence been
ordered by the Commons of Great Britain,
that | impeach Warren Hastings of high crimes
and misdemeanors. | impeach him in the
name of the Commons of Parliament, whose
trust he has betrayed. ] impeach him in the
name of the English nation, whose ancient
honor he has sulied. l impcach him in the
name of the people of India, whose rights he
has trodden under foot, and whose country he
/ has, T IN, tl,a,
of human nature ITSELF in the name of both
sexes, in the name of every age, in the name
of every rank, impeach the common enemy
and oppressor of all T"
At first the current of public opinion ran
strong against Hastings but the trial drag
ged for eight years, before the case came to
judgment. Meanwhile, as it always happens,
public sentiment shifted round in favor of Has
tings; the ministry had no point to be gained
in the farther prosecution of a fallen power;
| Burke had lost his influence; and parliament
It's patriotism and high sense of justice. The
Chancellor pronounced his acquittal from the
wool-sack, only twenty-nine of the lords vo-
ting Of these, six voted against Hastings
This judgment was fully approved by the ma
ton, and by the King, who called Hastings to
his privy council, and conferred other marks
of honor upon him.
Thus, after a thorough investigation, con-
Quoted in the most formal manner known to
modern times, did the British government
| by its solemn judgment affirm and sanction
all the atrocities of the heartless iron-souled
Company all the robberies and murders,
frauds and disregard of treaties, by which the
most opulent nation in the East was reduced
to subsection and her native rulers dethroned.
And yet this great political anaconda has the
audacity, whilst in the very act of repeating
the crushing cruelties of Hastings, to implore
the sympathy of Christians in their behalf.
We the people of free America, have been ad-
monished by the British ministry, that the
United States is becoming factious and mis-
chievious member among the brotherhood of
nations. because of the late abortive attempts
on the part of some of our citizens, to extend
the area of our institutions over the feeblest
of the tottering Mexican States, and into the
imbecile. misgoverned Republics Of Central