Although evidence on record, as well as verbal testimony, has appeared
before your Committee of presents to a large amount having been received
by Mr. Hastings and others before the year 1775, they were not able to
find distinct traces of that practice in him or any one else for a few
years.

The inquiries set on foot in Bengal, by order of the Court of Directors,
in 1775, with regard to all corrupt practices, and the vigor with which
they were for some time pursued, might have given a temporary check to
the receipt of presents, or might have produced a more effectual
concealment of them, and afterwards the calamities which befell almost
all who were concerned in the first discoveries did probably prevent any
further complaint upon the subject; but towards the close of the last
session your Committee have received much of new and alarming
information concerning that abuse.

The first traces appeared, though faintly and obscurely, in a letter to
the Court of Directors from the Governor-General, Mr. Hastings, written
on the 29th of November, 1780.[14] It has been stated in a former Report
of your Committee,[15] that on the 26th of June, 1780, Mr. Hastings
being very earnest in the prosecution of a particular operation in the
Mahratta war, in order to remove objections to that measure, which were
made on account of the expense of the contingencies, he offered to
_exonerate_ the Company from that "charge." Continuing his Minute of
Council, he says, "That sum" (a sum of about 23,000_l._) "I have already
deposited, within a small amount, in the hands of the sub-treasurer; and
I _beg_ that the board will _permit_ it to be accepted for that
service." Here he offers in his own person; he deposits, or pretends
that he deposits, in his own person; and, with the zeal of a man eager
to pledge his private fortune in support of his measures, he prays that
his offer may be accepted. Not the least hint that he was delivering
back to the Company money of their own, which he had secreted from them.
Indeed, no man ever made it a request, much less earnestly entreated,
"begged to be permitted," to pay to any persons, public or private,
money that was their own.

It appeared to your Committee that the money offered for that service,
which was to forward the operations of a detachment under Colonel Camac
in an expedition against one of the Mahratta chiefs, was not accepted.
And your Committee, having directed search to be made for any sums