en by his authority,
tied the hands of oppression with the strong bandage of justice,
and by these means expanded the pleasing appearance of happiness
and joy over us. He reestablished justice and impartiality. We
were, during his government, in the enjoyment of perfect happiness
and ease, and many of us are thankful and satisfied. As Mr.
Hastings was well acquainted with our manners and customs, he was
always desirous, in every respect, of doing whatever would preserve
our religious rites, and guard them against every kind of accident
and injury, and at all times protected us. Whatever we have
experienced from him, and whatever happened from him, we have
written without deceit or exaggeration."

My Lords, this Radanaut, zemindar of the purgunnah, who, as your
Lordships hear, bears evidence upon oath to all the great and good
qualities of the Governor, and particularly to his absolute freedom from
covetousness,--this person, to whom Mr. Hastings appeals, was, as the
Committee state, a boy between five and six years old at the time when
he was given into the hands of Debi Sing, and when Mr. Hastings left
Bengal, which was in 1786 [1785?], was between eleven and twelve years
old. This is the sort of testimony that Mr. Hastings produces, to prove
that he was clear from all sort of extortion, oppression, and
covetousness, in this very zemindary of Dinagepore. This boy, who is so
observant, who is so penetrating, who is so accurate in his knowledge of
the whole government of Mr. Hastings, was, I say, when he left his
government, at the utmost, but eleven years and a half old. Now to what
an extremity is this unhappy man at your bar driven, when, oppressed by
this accumulative load of corruption charged upon him, and seeing his
bribery, his prevarication, his fraudulent bonds brought before you, he
gives the testimony of this child, who for the greatest part of his time
lived three hundred miles from the seat of Mr. Hastings's government!
Consider the miserable situation of this poor, unfortunate boy, made to
swear, with all the solemnities of his religion, that Mr. Hastings was
never guilty in his province of any act of rapacity! Such are the
testimonies, which are there called _razinamas_, in favor of Mr.
Hastings, with which all India is said to sound. Do we attempt to
conceal them from your Lordships? No, we bring them forth, to show you
the wickedness of the man, who