man. Thus, I say, his violation of a positive law would have
remained undiscovered, if mere accident had not enabled us to trace this
iniquity to its source. Therefore I begin our proceedings this day by
stating to your Lordships this fact, and by calling upon your justice to
punish him for this violation of the laws of his country.

We have told you who the instruments were by which all this wickedness
was committed, Mr. Middleton and Mr. Johnson, persons who were sent as
ambassadors to represent the interests of the Company at the court of an
independent prince. Over this prince they usurped an absolute power;
they even made use of British officers in his own service and receiving
his pay, to enslave his person, and to force him to rob his kindred.
These agents were aided by an English chief-justice, sent under the
authority of an act of Parliament to represent the sovereign majesty of
English justice, and to be a restraint upon the misconduct of the
Company's servants. These are the instruments with which this man works.
We have shown you his system; we have shown you his instruments: we will
now proceed with the examination of the pretences upon which this horrid
and nefarious act is attempted to be justified. We have not entered into
this examination for the sake of refuting things that want no
refutation, but for the purpose of showing you the spirit of the whole
proceeding, and making it appear to your Lordships, as I trust it will
appear, that the wicked act done there is not half so bad as the wicked
defence made here.

The first part of Sir Elijah Impey's commission, as your Lordships will
remember, was to seize upon the Begums' treasures. He had likewise
another budget of instructions, which has been discovered in the trunks
of which your Lordships have heard,--secret instructions to be given by
him to Mr. Middleton for the furtherance of this business. And that his
office of Chief-Justice should not lie dormant, he was commissioned to
seek for affidavits or written testimony from any persons, for the
purpose of convicting these women of a design of atrociously revolting
against their son, and deposing him from the government, with a view of
getting rid of the English inhabitants. This was the accusation; and the
evidence to support it Sir Elijah Impey was sent to collect.

My Lords, I must here observe to your Lordships that there is no act of
violence which, merely as an act of violence, may not in some s