collection of the revenues, or any part of the civil government of the
Presidency, and to communicate to the Directors all information which
they might be able to obtain relative thereto, or to any dissipation or
embezzlement of the Company's money." That the above petition and
instruction having been read in Council, it was moved that the
petitioner should be ordered to attend the next day to make good his
charge. That the said Warren Hastings declared, "that it appeared to him
to be the purpose of the majority to make him the sole object of their
personal attacks; that they had taken their line, and might pursue it;
that he should have other remarks to make upon this transaction, but, as
they would be equally applicable _to many others_ which in the course of
this business were likely to be brought before the board, he should say
no more on the subject";--and he objected to the motion. That by the
preceding declaration the said Warren Hastings did admit that many other
charges were likely to be brought against him, and that such charges
would be of a similar nature to the first, viz., a corrupt bargaining
for the disposal of a great office, since he declared that his remarks
on that transaction would be equally applicable to the rest; and that,
by objecting to the motion for the personal attendance of the accuser,
he resisted and disobeyed the Company's instructions, and did, as far as
depended on his power, endeavor to obstruct and prevent all inquiry into
the charge. That in so doing he failed in his duty to the Company, he
disobeyed their express orders, and did leave the charge against himself
without a reply, and even without a denial, and with that unavoidable
presumption against his innocence which lies against every person
accused who not only refuses to plead, but, as far as his vote goes,
endeavors to prevent an examination of the charge, and to stifle all
inquiry into the truth of it. That, the motion having been nevertheless
carried, the said Warren Hastings did, on the day following, declare,
"that he could not sit to be confronted with such accusers, nor suffer a