The Irish standard., 1908-12-26
WARREN HASTINGS
IS |MPEAChED
Richard Brin.ley Sheridan in
a Great Grafton Denounc.
es Atrocious Acts.
His Speech. on the Occasion
is Said to be the Great.
est Ever Delivered.

among the great families ireland
has produced, one of the very greatest
is that of the Sheridans, to whom be.
longed the Incompatible Little Phil
whom Grant classed among the Cae.
sars, and the Alexanders, and who has
been felicitously called 1.-THE Wizard
of the Battle Field" However, it is
to Richard Brinsley that our space will
be devoted. His mighty grafton On the
Impeachment of Warren Hastings
is easily the greatest forensic effort ev.
er delivered in the British Parliament
His great countryman, Edmund Burke
declared that:
"Of all the various speeches of ora.
tory, OF every kind of eloquence that
had been heard either in ancient or
modern times, whatever the acuteness
of the Bar, the dignity of the Senate
or the morality Of the Pulpits, could
furnish, had not been equal to what
that House that day had heard in
Westminster Hall. From poetry, ur
t. eloquence, there was not species
Of composition of which a complete
and perfect specimen might not have
been culled from one part or other OF
the speech to which he alluded, and
which he was persuaded had left too
strong an impression on the minds of
that House to be easily obliterated.' -
Charles James Fox said that: "Au
he had ever heard, all he had ever
read, when compared with it, dwin-
died into nothing, and vanished like
vapor before the SUM-"
1.-The debate was suspended, and af-
ter a short expression Of the opinion
OF several members, who declared that
though they cafneh ehprepossessed in IA
vor of Hastings;.,a q miracle had been
wrought upon their minds, whilst 9TH
ers wished time to cool before they
were called to vote; the House ad-
journed, with the concurrence of Sher-
idan's great adversary, Pitt, who ac-
knoWledged that 1.-THE speech surpassed
all the eloquence- of ancient or mod
ern times, and possessed everything
that genius orr art. could furnish to
agitate and control the human mind -
Sheridan commenced by showing
that the prosecution was not begotten
III prejudice, Or nursed in error. It
was founded in the clearest conviction
Ct the wrongs which the natives of
Hindostan had asuffereda through the
maladministration of those In whose
hands the country had placed exten-
sive' powers which ought to have been
exercised for the benefit Of the gov
erned, but which had been used by the
prisoner at the bar for the shameful
purposes Of oppression. To convince
his judges that the British govern
ment, which ought to have been a
blessing to the powers in India con-
nected with it, had been a. scourge to
the natives. and. the cause of desola-
tion to the most fiourishing provinces
OF Hindostan, he had only to read q
letter that had been received not long
since from Lord Cornwallis, the pres
ent Governor-general Of Bengal.
In that letter the latter stated that
he had been received by the Nabob-
Visier with every mark of friendship
and respect; but the honors he re-
ceived at the Court of Lucknow had
not prevented him from seeing the
that overspread the country,
tie sight Of which had shocked his
very soul. He spoke to the Nabob on
the subject, and earnestly recommend
ed 1t to him to adopt some system Of
government that might restore the
of his kingdom, and make
his people happy. The .Nabobs an
swer was strikingly remarkable. That
prince said that as long as the de-
n,ands of the English government up
en- the revenue. Of Dude should remain
he (the Nabob) could have
nc interest in establishing any system
Of economy; and, whilst the English
should continue to interfere in the in
ternal government Of his country, it
would be vain for him to attempt any
reform; for his subjects knew
he was only cypher in his own do
and therefore laughed at him,
despised his authority and that Of his
j. -
He then observes that it ought to
te shown that the ruling powers at
home will not countenance further de-
linquents and continued: I'm look
ing round for5sn object At to be held
out to the world as an example of ma
tional justice. their lordships must
necessarily fix their eyes on Mr.. Has
tings. He was the great cause of the
of our character in In.
d!a, and of thA 0nnression NJ r., a.