political and judicial functions was a thing of which he had no conception.  It bad probably never occurred to him that there was in Bengal an authority perfectly independent of the Council, an authority which could protect one whom the Council wished to destroy and send to the gibbet one whom the Council wished to protect.  Yet such was the fact.  The Supreme Court was, within the sphere of its own duties, altogether independent of the Government.  Hastings, with his usual sagacity, had seen how much advantage he might derive from possessing himself of this stronghold; and he had acted accordingly.  The judges, especially the Chief Justice, were hostile to the majority of the Council.  The time had now come for putting this formidable machinery into action.

On a sudden, Calcutta was astounded by the news that Nuncomar had been taken up on a charge of felony, committed and thrown into the common gaol.  The crime imputed to him was that six years before he had forged a bond.  The ostensible prosecutor was a native.  But it was then, and still is, the opinion of everybody, idiots and biographers excepted, that Hastings was the real mover in the business.

The rage of the majority rose to the highest point.  They protested against the proceedings of the Supreme Court, and sent several urgent messages to the judges, demanding that Nuncomar should be admitted to bail.  The Judges returned haughty and resolute answers.  All that the Council could do was to heap honours and emoluments on the family of Nuncomar; and this they did.  In the meantime the assizes commenced; a true bill was found; and Nuncomar was brought before Sir Elijah Impey and a jury composed of Englishmen.  A great quantity of contradictory swearing, and the necessity of having every word of the evidence interpreted, protracted the trial to a most unusual length.  At last a verdict of guilty was returned, and the Chief Justice pronounced sentence of death on the prisoner.

That Impey ought to have respited Nuncomar we hold to be perfectly clear.  Whether the whole proceeding was not illegal, is a question.  But it is certain, that whatever may have been, according to technical rules of construction, the effect of the statute under which the trial took place, it was most unjust to hang a Hindoo for forgery.  The law which made forgery capital in England was passed without the smallest reference to the state of society in India.  It was unknown to the natives of India.  It had never been put in execution among them, certainly not for want of delinquents.  It was in the highest degree shocking to all their notions.  They were not accustomed to the distinction which many circumstances, peculiar to our own state of society, have led us to make between forgery and other kinds of cheating.  The counterfeiting of a seal was, in their estimation, a common act of swindling; nor had it ever crossed their minds that it was to be punished as severely as gang-robbery or assassination.  A just judge would, beyond all doubt, have reserved the case for the consideration of the sovereign.  But Impey would not hear of mercy or delay.