the minds of the ministers of England; that Mr. Hastings is possessed of fidelity and confidence, and yielding protection to us; that he is clear of the contamination of mistrust and wrong, and his mind is free of covetousness or avarice.  During the time of his administration no one saw other conduct than that of protection to the husbandman, and justice.  No inhabitant ever experienced afflictions, no one ever felt oppression from him; our reputations have always been guarded from attacks by his prudence, and our families have always been protected by his justice.  He never omitted the smallest instance of kindness towards us, but healed the wounds of despair with the salve of consolation by means of his benevolent and kind behavior, never permitting one of us to sink in the pit of despondence.  He supported every one by his goodness, overset the designs of evil-minded men by his authority, tied the hand of oppression with the strong bandage of justice, and by these means expanded the pleasing appearance of happiness and joy over us.  He reestablished justice and impartiality.  We were during his government in the enjoyment of perfect happiness and ease, and many of us are thankful and satisfied.  As Mr. Hastings was well acquainted with our manners and customs, he was always desirous, in every respect, of doing whatever would preserve our religious rites, and guard them against every kind of accident and injury, and at all times protected us.  Whatever we have experienced from him, and whatever happened from him, we have written without deceit or exaggeration.”

My Lords, here is a panegyric; and, directly contrary to the usual mode of other accusers, we begin by producing the panegyrics made upon the person whom we accuse.  We shall produce along with the charge, and give as evidence, the panegyric and certificate of the persons whom we suppose to have suffered these wrongs.  We suffer ourselves even to abandon, what might be our last resource, his own confession, by showing that one of the princes from whom he confesses that he took bribes has given a certificate of the direct contrary.

All these things will have their weight upon your Lordships’ minds; and when we have put ourselves under this disadvantage, (what disadvantage it is your Lordships will judge,) at least we shall stand acquitted of unfairness in charging him with crimes directly contrary to the panegyrics in this paper contained.  Indeed, I will say this for him, that general charge and loose accusation may be answered by loose and general panegyric, and that, if ours were of that nature, this panegyric would be sufficient to overset our accusation.  But we come before your Lordships in a different manner and upon different grounds.  I am ordered by the Commons of Great Britain to support the charge that they have made, and persevere in making, against Warren Hastings, Esquire, late Governor-General of Bengal, and now a culprit at your bar:  First, for having taken corruptly