urged by Mr. Hastings himself in his defence at the bar, which rendered any attempts to plead his merits as a set-off against his crimes impossible. These were, in the first place, Mr. Hastings's complaint against his accuser, for tardiness, in not bringing him to his trial with sufficient dispatch. Secondly, Mr. Hastings's declared disdain of any benefit which might result from having his general merits pleaded, either as a palliative, or a justification of his conduct. As to the person who stood forward as the accuser being charged with tardiness, he was ready to plead guilty to the allegation. That person ever had been, and ever would be slow to criminate; but when impelled by public duty to take up that character, he would always endeavour to remain steady and temperate. Mr. Burke alluded, in the course of his speech, to the argument of Mr. Hardinge on the doctrine of a set-off, delivered at an early period of the proceeding, and a matter better argued, or more clearly urged, he declared, that he had never heard. That honourable and learned gentleman had mentioned the case of Lord Clive, where the question had been, whether certain territorial possessions, obtained by Lord Clive, belonged to the East-India Company. That matter was inquired into, and it was decided, that the lands were their property. The next question would have been, whether Lord Clive had any right to hold in his hands territories belonging to the East-India Company? In that stage of the business, it was declared, that on account of Lord Clive's general merits, he should be allowed to continue in possession. Mr. Burke pointed out the difference between a case like this, and a case where serious and specific charges of criminality had been formally brought forward, investigated, and substantiated; and he added, that in the case of Mr. Hastings, after what that gentleman had himself said at the bar, it was impossible to think of admitting such a set-off, as could in no criminal prosecution be admitted, without rendering all future criminal prosecutions

The resolutions of the committee were agreed to, and Mr. Burke moved that they should be referred to a committee to prepare articles of impeachment upon the same, and that the committee consist of the following persons: Mr. Burke, Mr. Fox, Mr. Sheridan, Sir James Erskine, Mr. Thomas Pelham, Mr. Windham, Mr. Francis, Mr. St. John, Mr. Anstruther, Mr. Adam, Mr. M. A. Taylor, Mr. Welbore Ellis, Mr. Frederick Montague, Sir Grey Cooper, Sir Gilbert Eliot, Mr. Dudley Long, Lord Maitland, Mr. North, General Burgoyne, and Mr. Grey. A division took place upon the nomination of Mr. Francis, against whom it was objected, that in India he had been personally at variance with Mr. Hastings; and he was rejected by a majority of 96 to 44. It was afterwards moved in the usual forms, that the committee might be invested with the customary powers of calling for papers and witnesses, sitting where they pleased, &c. &c., and it was agreed, that it must necessarily be a secret committee.

On the 19th of April Mr. Francis opened the charge relative to the revenues of Bengal, and was answered by Major Scott. The motion was agreed to, upon a division, by 71 against 55. On the 25th of April, Mr. Burke brought up from the secret committee, the articles of impeachment, which being read a first time, were ordered to be printed, and to be taken into consideration on the 9th of May. Upon which day, on a motion that the report of the secret committee upon the articles of impeachment be read a second time, the House, after a debate, came to a division, when the numbers were, Yeas 175: Noes 89. After this the first article was read and agreed to without a division, and the rest deferred till the morrow, when they were read, amended, and agreed to. Mr. Burke then rose and moved, "That Warren Hastings, Esq. be impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors upon the said articles." The question was put and carried; after which Mr. Frederick Montague rose and said, that the motion he had now to make could not, he conceived, meet with any resistance after what had passed, as it appeared founded equally on principles of justice and humanity. He then moved, "That Mr. Burke, in the name of the House of Commons, and of all the Commons of Great Britain, do go to the bar of the House of Lords, and impeach Warren Hastings, Esq. late governor-general of Bengal, of high crimes and misdemeanors, and do acquaint the Lords,

that the Commons will, with all convenient speed, exhibit articles against him, and make good the same.". The motion being agreed to, the majority of the House immediately attended Mr. Burke to the bar of the House of Peers, where Mr. Burke solemnly impeached Mr. Hastings in the form above recited.

EAST INDIA BUDGET.

May 7.

THIS day Mr. Dundas, as president of the board of controul, brought forward the financial state of British India. He conceived it, he said, highly improper that any part of the empire should be in the receipt of a revenue of five millions, and maintain an army of seventy or eighty thousand men, without its being known to the House of Commons how that revenue was disbursed, and why such an establishment was supported. The debt in India amounted to nine millions, the revenue of the last year afforded a surplus of 1,800,000l. and the Company would be able to discharge their debt in this country in the year 1790. Having stated these facts and opinions, Mr. Dundas moved a string of resolutions respecting the revenues of India.

Mr. BURKE said, that he rose with all civility and respect to the right honourable and learned gentleman who had opened the debate, and desired to join issue with him in declaring, that he verily believed he had no manner of reason to dread any enemy in India, unless that enemy were joined and supported by an European ally; but as such an event might possibly happen in the course of things, it was a matter to be looked to and provided against, as well as the nature of the case would permit. The contest of that day had been a contest between the right honourable and learned gentleman and Earl Cornwallis; the only way,

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Realty and die dine take my proceeded Rear a million out and Bombay, and could bear to be ments. He treat impracticable: ought to consid Hippocratica the possibility without mal

ent a petition for leave to bring in a bill, or bills, to prerestalling and regrating, and for licensing salesmen, and others, employed in the sale of cattle, or other s, or to have such other relief in the premises as to the all seem meet." On the 16th, it was moved by Ale Mesurier, and seconded by Alderman Newnham, said petition be referred to the consideration of a

Alderman Townsend declared the motion to be ther in necessity nor wisdom, nor fit for the House ice. There had been, he said, plenty of cattle at the winter, and as the season advanced, the price eat would undoubtedly be cheaper. He reminded at the laws against forestallers and regrators had 1 repealed on the recommendation of the present f the court of king's bench, and asked, if the upon the suggestion of a committee of common back and revive what the deliberative wisdom of id upon experience determined should no longer re some vexatious suits, he understood, now ne obsolete statutes, and if the present motion vexatious prosecutions would be multiplied, et obtained would be, that a few common be fed more cheaply than at present. He hat the House would not suffer the petition ommittee, and moved, that the motion be

ved, that he felt it difficult to refrain he discovered that the worthy alderuncil of London were so extremely

He presumed that the application inst forestallers and regrators came ncerned in it after dinner; for their ks of plenitude about it. It was an sent provisions, but that the devil case, he conceived, that having fed nt to quarrel with the cooks; but better of the matter. He begged be uneasy; for, if meat had been e of feeding cattle was also dear,

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