rate case of bribery. He tells you, that in "that charge of
oppression, though they were supported by the cries of the people and
the most authentic representations, it is yet impossible in most cases
to obtain legal proofs." Here is a system of total despair upon the
business, which I hope and believe is not a desperate one, and has not
proved a desperate one, whenever a rational attempt has been made to
pursue it. Here you find him corrupt, and you find, in consequence of
that corruption, that he screens the whole body of corruption in India,
and states an absolute despair of any possibility, by any art or
address, of putting an end to it. Nay, he tells you, that, if corruption
did not exist, if it was not connived at, that the India Company could
not exist. Whether that be a truth or not I cannot tell; but this I
know, that it is the most horrible picture that ever was made of any
country. It might be said that these were excuses for omissions,--sins
of omission he calls them. I will show that they were systematic, that
Mr. Hastings did uniformly profess that he would connive at abuses, and
contend that abuses ought to be connived at. When the whole mystery of
the iniquity, in which he himself was deeply concerned, came to
light,--when it appeared that all the Company's orders were
contravened,--that contracts were given directly contrary to their
orders, and upon principles subversive of their government, leading to
all manner of oppression and ruin to the country,--what was Mr.
Hastings's answer? "I must here remark, that the majority ... I had not
the power of establishing it."[5] Then he goes on and states other cases
of corruption, at every one of which he winks. Here he states another
reason for his connivance. "Suppose again," (for he puts another
supposition, and these suppositions are not hypotheses laid down for
argument, but real facts then existing before the Council examining into
grievances,)--"suppose again, that any person had benefited himself ...
unprofitable discussion."[6]

Here is a direct avowal of his refusing to examine into the conduct of
persons in the Council, even in the highest departments of government,
and the best paid, for fear he should dissatisfy them, and should lose
their votes, by discovering those peculations and corruptions, though he
perfectly knew them. Was there ever, since the world began, any man who
would dare to avow such sentiments, until driven to the wall? If he
could