It has also been said that we weary out the public patience in this cause.  The House of Commons do not call upon your Lordships to do anything of which they do not set the example.  They have very lately sat in the Colchester Committee as many, within one or two, days successively as have been spent in this trial interruptedly in the course of two years.  Every cause deserves that it should be tried according to its nature and circumstances; and in the case of the Colchester Committee, in the trial of paltry briberies of odd pounds, shillings, and pence, in the corruption of a returning officer, who is but a miller, they spent nearly the same number of days that we have been inquiring into the ruin of kingdoms by the peculation and bribery of the chief governor of the provinces of Bengal, Bahar, and Orissa.  Therefore God forbid that we should faint at thrice thirty days, if the proceedings should be drawn into such a length, when for a small crime as much time has been spent as has yet been spent in this great cause!

Having now cleared the way with regard to the local and temporary circumstances of this case,—­having shown your Lordships that too much time has not been spent in it,—­having no reason to think, from the time which has hitherto been spent, that time will be unnecessarily spent in future,—­I trust your Lordships will think that time ought neither to be spared nor squandered in this business:  we will therefore proceed, article by article, as far as the discretion of the House of Commons shall think fit, for the justice of the case, to limit the inquiry, or to extend it.

We are now going to bring before your Lordships the sixth article.  It is an article of charge of bribery and corruption against Mr. Hastings; but yet we must confess that we feel some little difficulty in limine.  We here appear in the name and character not only of representatives of the Commons of Great Britain, but representatives of the inhabitants of Bengal:  and yet we have had lately come into our hands such ample certificates, such full testimonials, from every person in whose cause we complain, that we shall appear to be in the strangest situation in the world,—­the situation of persons complaining, who are disavowed by the persons in whose name and character they complain.  This would have been a very great difficulty in the beginning, especially as it is come before us in a flood-tide of panegyric.  No encomium can be more exalted or more beautifully expressed.  No language can more strongly paint the perfect satisfaction, the entire acquiescence, of all the nations of Bengal, and their wonderful admiration of the character of the person whom we have brought as a criminal to your bar upon their part.  I do admit that it is a very awkward circumstance; but yet, at the same time, the same candor which has induced the House of Commons to bring before you the bosom friends and confidants of Mr. Hastings as their evidence will not suffer them to suppress or withhold