considered to be, what
it upon the very face of it speaks itself to be, corrupt and scandalous.

_Extract of a General Letter from the President and Council at
Calcutta, Bengal, to the Select Committee of the Directors._

Paragraph 5.--"At Fort St. George we received the first advices of
the demise of Mir Jaffier, and of Sujah Dowlah's defeat. It was
there firmly imagined that no definitive measures would be taken,
either with respect to a peace or filling the vacancy in the
nizamut, before our arrival,--as the 'Lapwing' arrived in the month
of January with your general letter, and the appointment of a
committee with express powers to that purpose, for the successful
exertion of which the happiest occasion now offered. However, a
contrary resolution prevailed in the Council. The opportunity of
acquiring immense fortunes was too inviting to be neglected, and
the temptation too powerful to be resisted. A treaty was hastily
drawn up by the board,--or rather, transcribed, with few
unimportant additions, from that concluded with Mir Jaffier,--and a
deputation, consisting of Messrs. Johnstone, senior, Middleton, and
Leycester, appointed to raise the natural son of the deceased Nabob
to the subahdarry, in prejudice of the claim of the grandson; and
for this measure such reasons assigned as ought to have dictated a
diametrically opposite resolution. Meeran's son was a minor, which
circumstance alone would have naturally brought the whole
administration into our hands at a juncture when it became
indispensably necessary we should realize the shadow of power and
influence, which, having no solid foundation, was exposed to the
danger of being annihilated by the first stroke of adverse fortune.
But this inconsistence was not regarded, nor was it material to the
views for precipitating the treaty, which was pressed on the young
Nabob at the first interview, in so earnest and indelicate a manner
as highly disgusted him and chagrined his ministers, while not a
single rupee was stipulated for the Company, whose interests were
sacrificed that their servants might revel in the spoils of a
treasury, before impoverished, but now totally exhausted.

"6. This scene of corruption was first disclosed at a visit the
Nabob paid to Lord Clive and the gentlemen of the Committe