These motives, as far as they can be discovered, were the violence of his adversaries, the interested character and views of the accuser, and the danger of a prosecution in the Supreme Court, which made it prudent to reserve his defence.  These arguments are applicable to any charge.  Notwithstanding these reasons, it is plain by the above letter that he thought himself bound at some time or other to give satisfaction to his masters:  till he should do this, in his own opinion, he remained in an unpleasant situation.  But he bore his misfortune, it seems, patiently, with a confidence in their justice for his future relief.  He says, “Whatever evil may fill the long interval which may precede it.”  That interval he has taken care to make long enough; for near eight years are now elapsed, and he has not yet taken the smallest step towards giving to the Court of Directors any explanation whatever, much less that full and liberal explanation which he had so repeatedly and solemnly promised.

It is to be observed, that, though Mr. Hastings talks in these letters much of his integrity, and of the purity of his motives, and of full explanations, he nowhere denies the fact of this corrupt traffic of office.  Though he had adjourned his defence, with so much pain to himself, to so very long a day, he was not so inattentive to the ease of Khan Jehan Khan as he has shown himself to his own.  He had been accused of corruptly reserving to himself a part of the emoluments of this man’s office; it was a delicate business to handle, whilst his defence stood adjourned; yet, in a very short time after a majority came into his hands, he turned out the person appointed by General Clavering, &c, and replaced the very man with whom he stood accused of the corrupt bargain; what was worse, he had been charged with originally turning out another, to make room for this man.  The whole is put in strong terms by the then majority of the Council, where, after charging him with every species of peculation, they add, “We believe the proofs of his appropriating four parts in seven of the salary with which the Company is charged for the Phousdar of Hoogly are such as, whether sufficient or not to convict him in a court of justice, will not leave the shadow of a doubt concerning his guilt in the mind of any unprejudiced person.  The salary is seventy-two thousand rupees a year; the Governor takes thirty-six thousand, and allows Cantoo Baboo four thousand more for the trouble he submits to in conducting the negotiation with the Phousdar.  This also is the common subject of conversation and derision through the whole settlement.  It is our firm opinion and belief, that the late Phousdar of Hoogly, a relation of Mahomed Reza Khan, was turned out of this office merely because his terms were not so favorable as those which the Honorable Governor-General has obtained from the present Phousdar.  The Honorable Governor-General is pleased to assert, with a confidential spirit peculiar to himself, that his measures hitherto stand unimpeached, except by us.  We know not how this assertion is to be made good, unless the most daring and flagrant prostitution in every branch be deemed an honor to his administration.”