t. When, therefore, I see upon your
records that Sir John D'Oyly and Mr. Hastings received such an offer for
the redemption of the Nabob's affairs out of their hands, I conclude,
first, that at the time of this offer the Nabob had not the disposal of
his own affairs,--and, secondly, that those who had the disposal of them
disposed of them so corruptly and prodigally that he thought they could
hardly be redeemed at too high a price. What explanation of this matter
has been attempted? There is no explanation given of it at all. It
stands clear, full, bare in all its nakedness before you. They have not
attempted to produce the least evidence against it. Therefore in that
state I leave it with you; and I shall only add, that Mr. Hastings
continued to make Munny Begum the first object of his attention, and
that, though he could not entirely remove Mahomed Reza Khan from the
seat of justice, he was made a cipher in it. All his other offices were
taken out of his hands and put into the hands of Sir John D'Oyly,
directly contrary to the orders of the Company, which certainly implied
the restitution of Mahomed Reza Khan to all the offices which he had
before held. He was stripped of everything but a feeble administration
of justice, which, I take for granted, could not, under the
circumstances, have been much better in his hands than it had been in
Sudder ul Huk Khan's.

Mr. Hastings's protection of this woman continued to the last; and when
he was going away, on the 3d of November, 1783, he wrote a sentimental
letter to the Court of Directors in her praise. This letter was
transmitted without having been communicated to the Council. You have
heard of delicate affidavits; here you have a sentimental official
despatch: your Lordships will find it in page 1092 and 1093 of your
printed Minutes. He writes in such a delicate, sentimental strain of
this woman, that I will venture to say you will not find in all the
"Arcadia," in all the novels and romances that ever were published, an
instance of a greater, a more constant, and more ardent affection,
defying time, ugliness, and old age, did ever exist, than existed in Mr.
Hastings towards this old woman, Munny Begum. As cases of this kind,
cases of gallantry abounding in sentimental expressions, are rare in the
Company's records, I recommend it as a curiosity to your Lordships'
reading, as well as a proof of what is the great spring and movement of
all the prisoner's actions. On this