corn, malt, cyder, or any mixture therewith, or from worts, or wash of British or foreign materials, of the ftrength of one to ten over hydrometer proof, which fhall be imported into England from Scotland." The Earl of Surrey defired to be informed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any measure was meant to be taken this feffion relative to the fale of the Crown Lands. It was a bufinefs, his Lordship faid, that he withed much to fee brought forward, and therefore hoped fomething was meant to be done to restore the heirs of the Derwentwater eflates to their property, the fame as had been last year done with other noble families, whofe eftates had been attainted. He alfo wifhed to be informed, whether any thing decifive was to be done this year for fettling the claims of the American Loyalifts. Mr. Pitt in answer faid, undoubtedly it was his intention to bring forward the bufinefs of the Crown Lands as early as poffible; but he was fearful nothing more could be done this year than ufing parliamentary authority for a more actual and accurate furvey. As to the claims of the American Loyalifts, every ftep poffible was taken to accomplish the bufinefs; but he did not imagine the Houfe would be called on to come to any thing decifive on that head this year. Mr. Young brought up the Report of the Committee on the militia bill, which was read; but when the Speaker came to the claufe which flates that only TWO-THIRDS of the militia fhall be called out annually, a converfation took place between Mr. Marfham, Mr. Powney, Mr. Jolliffe, Mr. Pye, &c. &c. whether it would not be better to call out FIVE-SIXTHS, on which the Houfe divided, for calling out only two-thirds, Noes, 13. Ayes, 49 Mr. Rolle propofed a claufe, not to fuffer any man to become a fubftitute who had more than one child born in wedlock; which, after a trilling conversation, was withdrawn. JUNE 9. The Houfe refolved itfelf into a Committee of Supply, to take into confideration the eftimate for the new buildings to be erected It appeared near the Admiralty Office. from the estimate, that the fum of 13,000l. would be necellary for the erecting those works; and it was moved that 6000l. of that fum fhould be advanced this year towards carrying them on. After fome little converfation and oppofition on the part of Mr. Hulley, the question was put, and on a divifion was carried by a majority of 27: Ayes, 63 Noes, 36. The House was then refumed. On the third reading of the wine duty bill, fome alterations were made, and new EUROP. MAG. claufes added; and a motion having been Mr. Alderman Newnham oppofed it, as impolitic and oppreffive. He faid he had little hope that his oppofition would be of any effect; he rose therefore principally to request the Minister would pledge himself to this, "that if it should be found that this experimental plan did not produce the great increafe of revenue that was expected from it, he would fuffer the win: trade to return to its old fyftem, by a repeal of the bill next feffion, fhould it pass into a law in the prefent one," which, faid he, may the LORDS in their mercy prevent! Mr. Alderman Hammet joined in this hope; he said it was reported that the Right Hon. Gentleman was an enemy to the trade of the country [This raifed a loud laugh on both fides of the Houfe]. He called upon him therefore to prove that the report was ill founded, by declaring, that if the experiment fhould fail, he would not continue to ruin the trade of England by oppreffion. Mr. Pitt faid fmilingly, that if he was an enemy to the trade of the country, he had the mortification to find that ever fince he had been at the head of the Exchequer, that trade had been improving, and was ftill likely to grow and improve. He could feel no objection to grant the request of the Hon. Member, taking it on his own terms; and "that if the therefore he might fafely fay, experiment fhould fail, he would not continue to ruin the trade of England by oppreffion." In answer to the request of the other worthy Magiftrate, which was very differently expreffed, he would fay, that if the fuccefs of the experiment fhould fall short of what he expected from it, he would then endeavour to devife fome fubfidiary regulations that would render the plan more effe&tual. Mr. Alderman Sawbridge obferved, that this was a poor confolation for the country to be told, that if the present oppression did not raise money enough, the oppreffion fhould be made heavier next year. For his'part, he detefted the principle of the Excife laws, and as he was refolved to oppose every attempt to extend them, fo he was determined to take the fenfe of the House on the palling of the prefent biil. Mr. Fox and Mr. Sheridan expreffed their difapprobation of the refolution the Right Hon. Gentleman feemed to have taken. The Houfe then divided on the question for the paffing of the bill, which was carried by a majority of 38: Ayes, 71 Noes, 33. The bill was accordingly paffed, and ordered up to the Lords. The Houfe then went into a Committee, to take into confideration a petition from the Eaft-India Company, which had been M m m prefented prefented a few hours before, praying for leave to borrow two millions fterling. The Chancellor of the Exchequer obferved, that, as he could not foresee any objection to the prayer of the petition, he would not tire the Committee by urging arguments to enforce it. It was a fignal fatisfaction to him, he faid, that the propofition which he was going to make, would relieve the Eaft-India Company, without laying any burthen on the nation. He was not going to propofe that the public fhould lend the money, but that the Company might be fo far releafed from its legal reftraints as to be at liberty to borrow it on its own credit. The fum wanted by the Company was two millions fterling, which he propofed to raise in this way by the fale of an annuity of 36.000l. due to the Company by the public: this, he faid, would produce 800,000l. and by an enlargement of the Company's trading stock from 3,200,000l. to 4,000,000l. the additional 800,000l. ftock would fell for 1,200,000l. which would complete the fum wanted. He then moved, That it is the opinion of this Committee, that the Eaft-India Company be enabled to raife a fum of money for the purposes mentioned in their petition by the fale of 36,2261. 16s. being an annuity due from the public in confideration of 1,207,559!. 155. part of 4,200,000l. advanced by the Company to the public under the authority of feveral Acts of Parliament. That the faid Company be enabled to raise a further fum by adding 800,000l. to their capital flock of 3,200,000l. fo as to make the whole capital in future 4,000,000l. and that fuch additions be made by opening a fubfcription to that amount, after the rate of 160l. for every 100l. This brought on a converfation, in which Mr. Sheridan, ard other Members, entered largely into the state of the Company's affairs. After a long converfation, the queftion was put, and the resolution carried without a divifion; and the Houfe being refumed, adjourned at ten o'clock. JUNE 12. The House refolved itself into a Committee of Supply, Mr. Gilbert in the chair. The Chancellor of the Exchequer thenmoved, that an additional duty of fix fhillings pr baricl be impofed on all sweets made for fale. The Report of the Committee on the election bill being then brought up, a great many amendments were propofed and adopted, when the Houfe adjourned. JUNE 13. Mr. Fox defired the third charge against Mr. Hattings relative to Benares to be read; which being done, he enlarged upon each article of the charge and commented with much feverity on Mr. Haftings's conduct, obferving, in the words of Mr. Dundas, "that Mr. Haftings feldom or ever went a journey in India, but it was marked with the ruin of fome prince." The right honourable Member, in a fpeech of two hours and a half, difplayed his ufual abilities, and after recapitulating fhortly, that Warren Hallings had, in violation of every tie of honour, and in defiance of exprefs agreements entered into, exacted great fums from Cheyt Song, and wantonly, through a determined enmity to him, endeavoured to find means to drive him from his country, thereby bringing difgrace on Englishmen; he concluded with moving, "That the Committee having heard the charge, and examined evidence thereto, were of opinion that it contained fufficient grounds for impeaching Warren Hastings, Efq. He was feconded by Mr. Francis. Mr. Nicholls defended Mr. Hailings, and faid, if he was guilty, the no. Lord in the blue ribband was guilty in not bringing him to account. The Chancellor of the Exchequer declared that he fhould take a general view of the question; that he should draw his arguments from the general refult as it impartially weighed in his mind, neither leaning towards the prof cution on one hand, or endeavouring to extenuate the supposed criminal on the other. Here the honourable Gentleman took an opportunity to cenfure the vindictive fpirit with which the profecution had been inftituted. The politics of India were involved in obfcurity, even upon the very spot; how then was it poffible for gentlemen to form a clear and distinct idea upon every tranfaction which was fo diffuse and complicated? He had, with as much attention as he could poffibly appropriate from the other concerns of Government, endea voured to inveftigate the grounds of the charge now under confideration, and he had made up an opinion upon it which was entirely fatisfactory to his confcience. He ac knowledged the task was arduous, he would not fhrink from it, but boldly avow his opinion, as an honeft man, whatever might be the confequence. After this exordium, the honourable Gen tleman proceeded to ftate, that, upon the prefent enquiry, there arofe two questions, 1ft. The right which Mr. Hailings poffeffed of calling on the Rajah for his contribution; and, 2dly, the propriety of making it. The firft head of this question naturally divided itfelt into three branches :——— ift. The penalty in refusing the ftipulated quota; 2dly. The nature of the conflitution of the Afiatic governments, by the tenure of which Cheyt Sing held. And, 3dly. The agreement between him and the Company, which had been fo warmly infifted infifted upon by the right honourable Mover of the question. On the first of these branches it would be prepofterous to affert that there could exist a government without a power to "command refources in the time of exigency. All governments in the world, whether defpotic or limited, muft of neceffi y poffefs fuch power. The hiftory of our own country, under the feudal fyftem, was a striking inftance of it. Without fuch a power indeed, no regular government could exist. As to the fecond head, the conftitution of Afiatic principalities; it appeared to him that the land of the country, by a fort of feudal fhackle, was bound to anfwer every all which the Nabob, Rajah, or Prince (by whatever title he was diftinguifhed) should make upon the owners; nay, it was even a question in India, whether the Zemindar had any natural right to the foil, or whether he and all his under tenants were not confidered merely in the light of stewards to the Nabob under whom they held. He did not mention thefe circumstances by way of giving the leaft approbation of them; but he must reafon upon the ftate of India in the fituation in which it REALLY WAS, and not what it oUGHT to be. In this view of the conftitution, and the tenure on which the Rajah held, it was evident that Mr. Hastings, on behalf of the India Company, might lawfully call upon him for affiftance whenever neceflity required it. He then adverted to the third head, namely, The agreement between Sujah ul Dowlah and Mr. Haftings, on the one part, and Cheyt Sing on the other. Here he entered into a variety of forcible and ingenious arguments to fhew, that altho' by the agreement in question, a certain annual fum was ftipulated, after payment of which the Rajah was not to be called upon; yet this was to be confidered as a fort of peace eftablishment, and by no means precluded Mr. Hattings from calling for auxiliary aid, when the neceflity of the empire demanded a general exertion. In order fully to clear up this point, he entered at large into the manner in , which the territory of Benares became in the poffeffion of Cheyt Sing, by means of Bulwant Sing, his father,Here the Hon. Gentleman evinced a thorough and compleat knowledge of his fubject; and very clearly proved, that the tenure by which he held, was entirely fubordinate, and therefore liable to all thofe refraints incident to fuch fituations in India. As an auxiliary argument to fupport this opinion, he fhewed, that at a period when Warren Haftings had propofed to make the Rajah Dowlah entirely independent, under a confideration that it would ftrengthen his hands, he was oppoted by a majority of the Council, and in particular by Mr. Francis. Having thus cleared his ground, he next adverted to the feveral steps that Mr. Hadings had taken to draw from the Rajah the extra fupplies of money and troops; and read extracts from the feveral minutes of the Council Board at Calcutta, in which the Members had acceded to the demand of the five lacks for three years; and even Mr. Francis himself had gone fo far as to give his confent to fine the Rajah in one lack, as a punishment for having neglected to comply with fuch demand. Nay, further, that Mr. Francis had actually, in the first inftance, given his confent to threaten the Rajah with military execution, if he made any further excufe or delay, with this provifo, that " he hoped the threat would be fufficient." This Mr. Pitt urged was fairly recognizing the power, although the blame was now entirely thrown upon Mr. Haftings. Having thus made out the two pofitions, viz. the right of calling for the aids in queftion, and the propriety in doing it; he then traced Mr. Haflings step by ftep, until he arrived at the city of Benares, with the avowed intention of enforcing compliance to his demands. And here he came to the most painful part of the task impofed upon him by the duty that he owed to the cause of Justice. Mr. Haftings knew, when he departed from Calcutta, all the circumftances that had attended the Rajah's delay. He therefore left that place with a full determination of infifting upon his demands being complied with, and with NO OTHER INTENTION whatever. Nothing new happened on his paffage, except that the Rajah met him, and made the most humble fubmiffion—a fubmiffion, which, by the wav, fhewed the inferior condition in which he confidered himself. When Mr. Haftings arrived at Benares, without taking any preparatory fleps, he determines to fine him 50 lacks, (about half a million) and arrefted him in his palace, in order to enforce immediate payment. Here it was, that the tranfaction affected Mr. Haftings-allowing him every merit in the previous tranfactions, and exculpating him entirely from any crimes on that fcore. Yet this was fuch a breach of faith-fuch a cruel oppreffion-fuch a heavy exaction-and upon the whole, a conduct fo cruel, unjust, and oppreflive, that it was impoffible, he, as a man of honour or honefly, or having any regard to faith and confcience, could any longer refift; and therefore he had fully fatisfied his confcience, That Warren Haftings had been guilty of fuch enormities and mifdemeanors, as conftituted a crime fufficient to call upon the juftice of the House to impeach him.-A great cry from all parts of the Houfe, hear! hear! hear!-Mr. Pitt then went into feveral particulars of the fubfequent conduct of Mr. Hattings, and exculpated him from any charge. The above is only a faint idea of the wonderful difplay of oratory, found fenfe and fenfibility which Mr. Pitt difplayed upon this M m m 2 inte interefting occafion; and to which nothing but want of room fhould prevent us from attempting to do juftice. Mr. Dempfter agreed with the last Honourable Speaker in all but his conclufion. He was confident that Mr. Haftings' motives were pure; that we owed the prefervation of an empire to his exertions. Lord Mulgrave, Mr. Grenville, Mr. Vanfittart, Col. Phillips, and Major Scott, fupported Mr. Haftings. Mr. Powys thanked God that the Minifter had declared himself in fo honourable and manly a manner; but at the fame time he faw him ftand alone; his friends avowed the arbitrary principle which was fo jufly and honestly reprobated by the Minifter. He then POE TR ODE to SLEEP, And no kind rays the fcene illume, Lo! where with weight of forrows prest, ༢. But fince my Stella's angel charms ODE to INDOLENCE. By MERRY, Efq. PEACE to yonder tumult rude, Thy fatal voice is heard, O blood-ftain'd war! Shakespeare's Henry IV. For For much I love to view thy melting eye, Amid the filent noon of night, To where the convent's diftant fpires appear; See Hope's gay altars by fresh vot'ries drest, O goddess! wave thy lily hand, Where Arno's waves uncertain flow, O may thy clarion, Fame! fublime to hear, 'Tis true, the thrilling notes are strong, The upland lawns, the fhadowy vales, Each haughty tyrant fcorns to tread 453 Who leaves th' unfriended race to weep, [way, But thou, indulgent power! canft point the There glowing Genius fhall in rapture muse, HORACE, Book II. ODE 16. By Mr. HASTINGS, Addreffed to JOHN SHORE, Efq. OR ease the harrafs'd feaman prays, F When equinoctial tempefts raif The Cape's furrounding wave ; For eafe the flow Mahratta spoils, While both their eafe forego; The cover'd heart, bestow. For neither gold nor gems combin'd He who enjoys, nor covets more, Is of true blifs poffefs'd, Let but his mind unfetter'd tread Which labor'd years have won; Nor |