Mr.Hastings, as I must mention to your Lordships, soon after the deposition and restoration of Jaffier Ali Khan, and before Lord Clive arrived, quitted for a while the scene in which he had been so mischievously employed, and returned to England to strengthen himself by those cabals which again sent him out with new authority to pursue the courses which were the natural sequel to his former proceedings.

He returned to India with great power, indeed,--first to a seat in Council at Fort St.George, and from thence to succeed to the Presidency of Fort William.

On him the Company placed their chief reliance.

Happy had it been for them, happy for India and for England, if his conduct had been such as to spare your Lordships and the Commons the exhibition of this day! When this government, with Mr.Hastings at the head of it, was settled, Moorshedabad did still continue the seat of the native government, and of all the collections.

Here the Company was not satisfied with placing a Resident at the durbar, which was the first step to our assuming the government in that country.