But, my Lords, let us go from Major Osborne to the rest of these military purveyors of revenue.  Your Lordships shall hear the Vizier’s own account of what he suffered from British officers, and into what a state Mr. Hastings brought that country by the agency of officers who, under the pretence of defending it, were invested with powers which enabled them to commit most horrible abuses in the administration of the revenue, the collection of customs, and the monopoly of the markets.

    Copy of a Letter from the Nabob Vizier to the Governor-General.

“All the officers stationed with the brigade at Cawnpore, Futtyghur, Darunghur, and Furruckabad, and other places, write purwannahs, and give positive orders to the aumils of these places, respecting the grain, &c.; from which conduct the country will become depopulate.  I am hopeful from your friendship that you will write to all these gentlemen not to issue orders, &c., to the aumils, and not to send troops into the mahals of the sircar; and for whatever quantity of grain, &c., they may want, they will inform me and the Resident, and we will write it to the aumils, who shall cause it to be sent them every month, and I will deduct the price of them from the tuncaws:  this will be agreeable both to me and to the ryots.”

    A Copy of a subsequent Letter from the Vizier to Rajah Gobind Ram.

“I some time ago wrote you the particulars of the conduct of the officers, and now write them again.  The officers and gentlemen who are at Cawnpore, and Futtyghur, and Darunghur, and other places, by different means act very tyrannically and oppressively towards the aumils and ryots and inhabitants; and to whomsoever that requires a dustuck they give it, with their own seal affixed, and send for the aumils and punish them.  If they say anything, the gentlemen make use of but two words:  one,—­That is for the brigade; and the second,—­That is to administer justice.  The particulars of it is this,—­that the byparees will bring their grain from all quarters, and sell for their livelihood.  There is at present no war to occasion a necessity for sending for it.  If none comes, whatever quantity will be necessary every month I will mention to the aumils, that they may bring it for sale:  but there is no deficiency of grain.  The gentlemen have established gunges for their own advantage, called Colonel Gunge, at Darunghur, Futtyghur, &c.  The collection of the customs from all quarters they have stopped, and collected them at their own gunges.  Each gunge is rented out at 30,000-40,000 rupees, and their collections paid to the gentlemen.  They have established gunges where there never were any, and where they were, those they have abolished; 30,000 or 40,000 rupees is the sum they are rented at; the collections, to the amount of a lac of rupees, are stopped.  Major Briscoe, who is at Darunghur, has established a gunge which rented out for 45,000