It is now more than two years, that upon account of the gross abuses and ruinous situation of the Company’s affairs, (which occasioned the cry of the whole world long before it was taken up here,) that we instituted two committees to inquire into the mismanagements by which the Company’s affairs had been brought to the brink of ruin.  These inquiries had been pursued with unremitting diligence, and a great body of facts was collected and printed for general information.  In the result of those inquiries, although the committees consisted of very different descriptions, they were unanimous.  They joined in censuring the conduct of the Indian administration, and enforcing the responsibility upon two men, whom this House, in consequence of these reports, declared it to be the duty of the Directors to remove from their stations, and recall to Great Britain,—­“because they had acted in a manner repugnant to the honor and policy of this nation, and thereby brought great calamities on India and enormous expenses on the East India Company.”

Here was no attempt on the charter.  Here was no question of their privileges.  To vindicate their own honor, to support their own interests, to enforce obedience to their own orders,—­these were the sole object of the monitory resolution of this House.  But as soon as the General Court could assemble, they assembled to demonstrate who they really were.  Regardless of the proceedings of this House, they ordered the Directors not to carry into effect any resolution they might come to for the removal of Mr. Hastings and Mr. Hornby.  The Directors, still retaining some shadow of respect to this House, instituted an inquiry themselves, which continued from June to October, and, after an attentive perusal and full consideration of papers, resolved to take steps for removing the persons who had been the objects of our resolution, but not without a violent struggle against evidence.  Seven Directors went so far as to enter a protest against the vote of their court.  Upon this the General Court takes the alarm:  it reassembles; it orders the Directors to rescind their resolution, that is, not to recall Mr. Hastings and Mr. Hornby, and to despise the resolution of the House of Commons.  Without so much as the pretence of looking into a single paper, without the formality of instituting any committee of inquiry, they superseded all the labors of their own Directors and of this House.

It will naturally occur to ask, how it was possible that they should not attempt some sort of examination into facts, as a color for their resistance to a public authority proceeding so very deliberately, and exerted, apparently at least, in favor of their own.  The answer, and the only answer which can be given, is, that they were afraid that their true relation should be mistaken.  They were afraid that their patrons and masters in India should attribute their support of them to an opinion of their cause, and not to an