That Warren Hastings, being at Lucknow in consequence of his deputation aforesaid, did, in his letter from that city, dated 30th of April, 1784, recommend to the Court of Directors, "as his _last and ultimate hope_, that their wisdom would put a _final_ period to _the ruinous and disreputable system_ of interference, whether _avowed or secret_, in the affairs of the Nabob of Oude, and withdraw _forever the influence_ by which it is maintained," and that they ought to confine their views to the sole maintenance of the old brigade stationed in Oude by virtue of the first treaty with the reigning Nabob, expressing himself in the following words to the Court of Directors.

"If you transgress that line, you may extend _the distribution of patronage, and add to the fortunes of individuals_, and to the nominal riches of Great Britain; but your _own_ interests will suffer by it; and _the ruin of a great and once flourishing nation will he recorded as the work of your administration, with an everlasting reproach to the British name_.

To this reasoning I shall join _the obligations of justice and good faith, which cut off every pretext for your exercising any power or authority in this country, as long as the sovereign of it fulfils the engagements he has articled with you_." LXXVII.

That it appears by the extraordinary recommendation aforesaid, asserted by him, the said Hastings, to be enforced by the "_obligations of justice and good faith_," that the said Warren Hastings, at the time of writing the said letter, had made an agreement to withdraw the British interference, represented by him as a "ruinous and disreputable system," out of the dominions of the Nabob of Oude.

But the instrument itself, in which the said agreement is made, (if at all existing,) does not appear; nor hath the said Hastings transmitted any documents relative to the said treaty, which is a neglect highly criminal,--especially as he has informed the Company, in his letter from Benares, "that he has promised the Nabob that he will not abandon him to the _chance_ of any other mode of relation, and most confidently given him assurance of _the ratification and confirmation_ of that which he [the said Hastings] had established between his government and the Company": the said _confident assurance_ being given to an agreement never produced, and made without any sort of authority from the Court of Directors,--an agreement precluding, on the one hand, the operation of the discretion of his masters in the conduct of their affairs, or, on the other, subjecting them to the hazard of an imputation on their faith, by breaking an engagement confidently made in their name, though without their consent, by the first officer of their government.
That the said Hastings, further to preclude the operation of such discretionary conduct in the administration of this kingdom as circumstances might call for, has informed the Directors that he has gone so far as even to condition the existence of the revenue itself with the exclusion of the Company, his masters, from all interference whatsoever: for in his letter to Mr.Wheler, dated Benares, 20th September, 1784, are the following words.