It will be a great part of your inquiry, when we come before your Lordships to substantiate evidence against Mr.Hastings, to discover how that order came to be so completely broken down and erased that scarce a trace of it for any good purpose remains.

Though I will not deny that that order, or that any order in a state, may be superseded by the ruling power, when great talents, upon pressing exigencies, are to be called forth, yet I must say the order itself was formed upon wise principles.

It furnished the persons who were put in that course of probation with an opportunity (if circumstances enabled them) of acquiring experience in business of revenue, trade, and policy.

It gave to those who watched them a constant inspection of their conduct through all their progress.

On the expectants of office it imposed the necessity of acquiring a character in proportion to their standing, in order that all which they had gained by the good behavior of years should not be lost by the misconduct of an hour.