that six thousand pounds had been paid to copying clerks in the India House, and that from this circumstance he might judge of the other expenses.  Lord Dover was satisfied with this assurance, and presented the petition, which otherwise he should have declined to do, on account of the apparent enormity of the allegation it contained.  At the time when Lord Suffolk informed me of these particulars, (with a good deal of surprise and astonishment,) I had not leisure to go down to the India House in order to make inquiries concerning them, but I afterwards asked the Secretary, Mr. Hudson, to whom we had given a handsome reward, what sums he had received from Mr. Hastings for his services upon this occasion, and the answer was, “Not one shilling.”  Not one shilling had Mr. Hudson received from Mr. Hastings.  The clerks of the Company informed us that the Court of Directors had ordered that every paper which Mr. Hastings wanted should be copied for him gratuitously,—­and that, if any additional clerks were wanting for the effectual execution of his wishes, the expense would be defrayed by the Directors.  Hearing this account, I next inquired what expedition money might have been given to the clerks:  for we know something of this kind is usually done.  In reply to this question, Mr. Hudson told me that at various times they had received in little driblets to the amount of ninety-five pounds, or thereabouts.  In this way the account stood when I made this inquiry, which was at least half a year after the petition had been presented to your Lordships.  Thus the whole story of the six thousand pounds was absolutely false.  At that time there was not one word of truth in it, whatever be the amount of the sums which he has paid since.  Your Lordships will now judge whether you have been abused by false allegations or not,—­allegations which could scarcely admit of being true, and which upon the best inquiry I found absolutely false; and I appeal to the testimony of the noble lord, who is now living, for the truth of the account he received from the worthy and respectable peer whose loss the nation has to bewail.

There are many other circumstances of fraud and falsehood attending this petition, (we must call things by their proper names, my Lords,)—­there are, I say, many circumstances of fraud and falsehood.  We know it to have been impossible, at the time of presenting this petition, that this man should have expended thirty thousand pounds in the preparation of materials for his defence; and your Lordships’ justice, together with the credit of the House of Commons, are concerned in the discovery of the truth.  There is, indeed, an ambiguous word in the petition.  He asserts that he is engaged for the payment of that sum.  We asked the clerks of the India House whether he had given them any bond, note, security, or promise of payment:  they assured us that he had not:  they will be ready to make the same assurance to your Lordships, when you come to inquire into this matter, which before you give judgment we desire and claim that you will do.  All is concealment and mystery on the side of the prisoner; all is open and direct with us.  We are desirous that everything which is concealed may be brought to light.