San Andreas independent., 1858-01-09
The British East India Company---How
it Rose---How it Ruled.
[Concluded from last week. !

India Company. His salary was low. and his
duties laborious. No one could have Guessed
tnat TINS humble clerk was destined to raise
and control storm, which, after sweepine
over the ancient dominion of the Moguls. and
prostratng all that the Hindoo venerated. was
to startle the august empire of the Britons bv
the grandeur OF Its ruins. Two years later,
he was removed to Moorshedabad the capital
OF the viceroyalties of Orissa, Bengal and Ba-
har. Here he served in higher capacity as
chief trader in a branch house, until l76l,
when he became member of the Council in
the Bengal presidency, and removed to CAL
cutta. 1t has been said of Hastings that tho
he was not squeamish in pecuniary transac-
tlons, he was neither rapacious sordid-
that in all his projects, his mind was directed
to the advancement of the Company. What
ever unexplained reasons may exist to back
this assertion, it should be received by history
with cautious allowances in favor of the ac-
cused. From the period of his return from
England, (l770,) to the end of his admins
tration, the people of India were treated with
as little regard for their political rights, as
If they had been savages of an obscure island
in the Pacific, and their property plundered by
his orders without stint or ceremony
In the administration of Give but little re-
spect was paid to the sovereign rights of either
the Mogul or the nabobs, when the advance
ment of the Company required interference /;
but the native resources of India, in popula-
ton and property, were husbanded with the
frugality and far-sighted reach of sound
craftsmanship. Hastings, on the contrary, 60
verned without any care for the destructive
tendencies of piracy and robbery. His plans
OF conquest were not circumscrbed by any
law, human or Divine. The natives were, in
his estimation, so many dumb automatons, by
which the fortunes of the Company were to be
played out. Give ruled through the mouths
of native princes. The nabobs, like all other
titled rulers were the recipients of an annual
revenue. This revenue, Hastings perceived,
was just so much subtracted from the profits
of the Company. He purposed, therefore, to
set aside these supernumeraries, and assume
A prince, named Nincomar, who had been
recognized as the head of Bengal, Orissa and
Bahar, with Moorshedabad as his capital, pre-
sented good opportunity for the practice of
his new tactics.
The personal stipend of this prince was
S500,000 per annum the salaries absorbed
by his subordinates exceeded two millions per
annum, all of which Hastings and the London
Directory determined to secure. Their plans
involved the ruin of Nuncomar and all his
friends. His palace was surrounded by the
English, the prince and his household made
prisoners, and himself marched off to Calcut-
ia. All this was done, without any charges
being preferred or any color of justice to ex-
cuse the violence of the measure When it
suited the interest of the Company, Nuncomar
and his ministers were brought before Brit
ish court, tried, and, in furtherance of Hast
ings' schemes, acquitted. These proceedings
gave rise to others, which fully developed the
cunning and boldness of the English Cover
nor Nuncomar conspired-not against the
English but against Hastings, from whom he
well knew the blow came which prostrated
his power. The struggle was short and deci-
sive For though some of the English coun-
ell and judges, encouraged the fallen prince,
and credited his accusations against the Gov
ernor, Hastings had won over the majority
New charges were trumped up against Nunco-
mar; he was again arrested, tried, convicted
of high crimes, and died upon the scaffold, as
common felon. By this adroit game of
bloody fnancering Hastings paid $4,000, 900
of debts which the Company owed, and ad-
ded So, 800, 900 to its annual revenues.
In the year 1913, during the premiership of
Lord North, the "Regulating Act passed the
British Parliament. By its provisions, the
presidency of Bengal, at Calcutta, was to have
control over all the Company's possessions in
India the chief of that presidency was to be
styled Governor General a council and court
of judicature were established at Calcutta,
to cooperate in the Government Warren
Hastings was appointed Governor General
Owing to the imperfections of this Act, the
supreme control of India fell into the hands
OF the GONcTnOr 1eHeTdl tuC SSeetuiSh-
ment of the council, parliament meant to i'm
pose wholesome legislative check upon the
power of the Governor General but, by not
sufficiently defining the latitude given to each
department, it turned out that ihe Judiciary
claimed, and exercised, supreme authority IN
all matters, unrestrained by the council
The Chief Justice, Impey, was servile instru-
ment of Hastings. Between the two depart
ments, the council became nullity. High
quarrels arose, and, finally, duel between
Sir Philip Francis, Supposed author of "Ju-
MUS Letters, and Hastings, in which Fran
els was shot through the body. After his re-
covery, Sir Philip, conscious of his inability
to withstand so powerful an opponent, return
ed to England.
To illustrate the licentiousness of Hastings
administration. after the practical notification
of the council, single individual instance
will suffice: Cheyte Sing, the nabob of Be-
mares, who.had, up to the year l77S, been
having sstfack mali for the good will of the