And I believe it is proposed by the managers that one of them shall as soon as possible begin with the affair of Benares.
The point I now mean first to bring before your Lordships is the corruption of Mr.Hastings, his system of peculation and bribery, and to show your Lordships the horrible consequences which resulted from it: for, at first sight, bribery and peculation do not seem to be so horrid a matter; they may seem to be only the transferring a little money out of one pocket into another; but I shall show that by such a system of bribery the country is undone.
I shall inform your Lordships in the best manner I can, and afterwards submit the whole, as I do with a cheerful heart and with an easy and assured security, to that justice which is the security for all the other justice in the kingdom.
FOOTNOTES: [1] 2d year of George II.
[2] See his letter of the 11th of July, 1785, at the end of the Charges.
[3] 13 Geo.III.c.63, Sec.

10.
[4] 29 February, 1784.
[5] Dated, Benares, 4th of November, 1781.
[6] Revenue Consultation, 28th January, 1775.
[7] Revenue Board, 14th May, 1772.
[8] Address to the Court of Directors, 25th March, 1775.
[9] 3d November, 1772.
[10] 24th October, 1774.
[11] 22d April, 1775.
[12] 5th February, 1777; 4th July, 1777.
[13] 3d November, 1772.
[14] 14th May, 1772.
[15] See his letter of the 11th July, 1785, at the end of the Charges.
[16] Sic orig.
[17] 28th May, 1782.
[18] 15th Dec, 1775.
[19] On the 15th of November.
[20] Resolution of the House of Commons, 28th May, 1782.
[21] Anderson's letter of 26th January, 1782.
[22] Anderson's letter of 24th February, 1782.
[23] Sic orig.
[24] Sic orig.
[25] Observations on Mr.Bristow's Defence.
[26] As the letter referred to in the Eighth and Sixteenth Articles of Charge is not contained in any of the Appendixes to the Reports of the Select Committee, it has been thought necessary to annex it as an Appendix to these Charges.
[27] See Mr.Hastings's answer to the first charge.
[28] A Latin sentence, which was quoted here, is omitted in the MS of the short-hand writer .-- Ed.
END OF VOL.

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