Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-04-05

British Commons, at the bar of the British
nobility. All who stood at the bar, save
him alone, are gone-culprit, advocates.
accusers. To the generation which is now
in the vigor Of life, he is the sole represen-
tatiye of a great age which has passed
away. But those who, within the last ten
years, have listened with delight, till the
morning sun shoBe on the tapestries of the
House Of Lords, to the lofty and animated
eloquence of Charles Earl Grey, are able
TO form some estimate of the powers of
race Of men among whom he was not the
foremost.
The charges and answers of Hastings
were first read. This ceremony occupied
two whole days, and was rendered less te-
dious than il otherwise would have been,
by the silver voice and just emphasis of
Cowper, the Clerk of the Court, a near re-
lation Of the amiable poet. On the third
day Burke rose. -Four sittings of the court
were occupied by his opening speech,
which was intended TO be a general intro
duction TO all the charges. With an exu-
berance of thought and a splendor of die
ton which more than satisfied the highly
raised expectation of the audience, he de-
scribed the character and institutions of
the natives Of India; reeounted the cir
eumstances in which the Asiatic empire of
Britain had originated and set forth the
Constitution of the Company and of the
English Presidencies. Having thus at
tempted to communicate to his hearers an
idea of Eastern society, as vivid Is that
which existed in his own mind, he pre-
ceded to arraign the administration of
Hastings as systematically conducted in
defiance of morality and public law. The
energy and pathos of the great orator ex-
tOrted expressions of unwonted admiration
even from the stern and hostile Chancellor;
and, for moment, seemed 10 pierce even
the resolute heart of the defendant. The
ladies in the galleries, unaccustomed TO
such displays of eloquence, excited by the
solemnity Of the occasion, and perhaps not
willing TO display their taste and sensibil-
ity, were in a state of uncomfortable emo
ton. Handkerchiefs were pulled out
smelling-bottles were handed round hys-
terical sobs and screams were heard; and
Mrs. Sheridan was carried out in a fit. At
length the orator concluded. Raising his
voice till the old arches of Irish oak re-
sounded" Therefore" said he, "hath il
with all confidence been ordered by the
Commons Of Great Britain, that impeach
Warren Hastings of high crimes and mis-
demeanors. | impeach him in the name
of the Commons House of Parliament
whose trust he has betrayed. | impeach
him in the name of the English nation,
whose ancient honor he has sullied. | inn
peach him in the name of the people of
India, whose rights he has trodden under
foot, and whose country he has turned into
a desert. Lastly, in the name of human
nature itself, in the name of both sexes, in
the name of every age, in the name of
every rank, l impeach the common enemy
and oppressor of all p
When the deep murmur of various emo
tons had subsidized, Mr.. Fox arose to ad-
dress the Lords respecting the course of
proceeding 10 be followed. The wish Of
the accuser was that the court would bring
to a close the investigation of the first
charge before the second was opened. The
wish of Hastings and his counsel was. that
the managers should open all the charges,
and produce all the evidence for the prose.
cuiion, before the defense began. The
Lords retired to their own House. to con-
slider the question. The Chancellor took
the side of Hastings. Lord Loughborough,
who was now in opposition, supported the
demand of the managers. The division |
showed which way the inclination of the
tribunal leaned. A majority of near three |
to one decided in favor of the course for
which Hastings contended.
When the court sat again, Mr. Fox, as
sisted by Mr.. Grey, opened the charge re-
speeding Cheyte Sing, and several days
were spent in reading papers and hearing
witnesses. The next article was that re-
lating to the Princesses of Dude. The
conduct of this part of the case was in
trusted TO Sheridan. The curiosity of the |
public TO hear him was unbounded. His
sparkling and highly finished defamation
lasted two days; but the hall was crowded
to suflocation during the whole time. 1t
was said that fifty guineas had been paid
for a single ticket Sheridan, when he
concluded, contrived, with a knowledge of
stage-eflect which his father might have
envied, to sink back, az if exhausted, into
the arms Of Burke, who Rugged him with
the energy of generous admiration