§ Mr. Paullpresented to the house the following:
Article of Charge of High Crimes and Misdemeanors committed by Richard Colley, marquis Wellesley, in his transactions with respect to the Nabob of Furruckabad."That Richard Colley marquis Wellesley was constituted, appointed, and actually became a servant of the united company of merchants of England trading to the East Indies, in the month of October, in the year of one Lord 1797, and in the reign of his majesty the thirty-seventh. That the office which he was appointed to fill was that of governor general of Bengal, and subsequently that of captain general of all the king's and company's forces serving in the British territories in the East Indies. That he arrived, and took possession of the government committed to his charge, in the month of May 1798; and that he continued to fill, and to exercise the powers of the said office and offices, until the month of August. 1805, when he was therein superseded by Charles marquis Cornwallis.— That Furruckabad is a principality of Hindustan, adjoining the north-western boundary of the principality of Oude, being in extent about 150 miles in length, and about 50 miles in breadth, containing many large and populous cities, possessing more than 1,300,000 inhabitants, and yielding a land revenue of upwards of 10 lacks and 50,000 rupees, or about 130,000l. sterling. —That the nabob of Furruckabad has, for many years, maintained no military force, except such troops as were requisite for the purposes of state; but, that by various agreements or treaties, concluded between the said nabob and the nabob vizier of Oude, the protection and defence of the said nabob and principality of Furruckabad were entrusted to the said nabob vizier; for which protection and defence it was finally settled, by an agreement or treaty, concluded in the year 1786, between the said nabob and the said nabob vizier, that the said nabob of Furruckabad should pay to the said nabob vizier of Dude the annual sum of 450,000 rupees, or about 50,000l. sterling.—That the nabobs of Furruckabad having, from the earliest periods, invariably manifested the firmest attachment to the English nation, and the nabob viziers of Oude being, also, in amity with the said East India company; the said ,company did, as the mutual friend and media- 562 tor between the said princes, guarantee the fulfilment of the respective compacts, so, as aforesaid, entered into between them.— That the servants of the said East India company, not satisfied with this mediatory character, having afterwards, under the influence of unworthy motives, interfered in the internal affairs of the principality of Furruckabad, in a manner which is described by the marquis Cornwallis, in a dispatch to the secret committee of the court of directors, as having ever been highly offensive to the nabob vizier, as having in no degree promoted the interest or the satisfaction of the nabob, and as having, while it produced no sort of advantage to the company, by no means contributed to the credit of the government of Hindustan:" and the said marquis Cornwallis, sensible of the injustice and impolicy of such interference, did, in the year 1787, he being then governor general of Bengal, conclude a treaty with the said nabob vizier of Oude, in which he stipulated, that "The English resident at Furruckabad should be recalled, and that no other should afterwards be appointed;" thus, honestly and wisely, relinquishing all interference in the affairs of the said prince and country of Furruckabad.—That perfect good understanding being thus restored between the said nabob, the nabob vizier, and the said East India company, they remained in uninterrupted amity, and the treaties and agreements which they had severally concluded continued to be duly fulfilled by all parties, from that time, until the mouth of November 1801; which was a period of 14 years.—That, in the said month of Nov. 1801, the said Richard Colley marquis Wellesley, he being then governor general of Bengal, having; in direct opposition to the express prohibitions which had been given by the said East India company to their servants abroad, against "making any extension or territory, either by wars, negociations, or intrigues having, in open defiance of the solemn resolutions of the commons of Great Britain, and of two successive acts of parliament, which declared, that " to pursue schemes of conquest and extension of dominion in India are measures repugnant to the wish, the honour, and the policy of this nation;" having, in violation of every principle of equity, and of all good faith; and having, under the most unjust pretences, and by the mast iniquitous means, extorted from the said nabob vizier of Oude a large 563 portion of his dominions and revenues, did, among other branches on the said revenues, extort from the said nabob vizier, his claim, right, and title for ever, to the annual subsidy which the said nabob of Furruckabad had, by the agreement made with the said nabob vizier as aforesaid, bound himself to pay to the said nabob vizier, for the protection and defence of him, the said nabob, and his principality of Furruckabad.—That the said marquis Wellesley, not contented with having thus seized upon the tribute aforesaid, did, about the same time, in opposition to the before-mentioned guarantee of security which had been given by the said East India company to the nabob of Furruckabad in opposition to the before-mentioned agreement which the said East India company had made not to interfere in the affairs of Furruckabad; in opposition to the aforesaid prohibition of the said East India company; in opposition to the aforesaid resolutions of the commons of Great Britain, and to the aforesaid acts of parliament; and, in opposition to all right and justice, conceive the intention, and form the determination of wresting from the aforesaid nabob the whole of his authority, his government, his revenues, and his territory: which unlawful and wicked intention he did, without the knowledge or consent of the council, through the agency of, and in concert with, his brother the hon. Henry Wellesley, under the most unjust pretences, and by the most iniquitous means, finally accomplish and effect.— That the said marquis Wellesley, after having long formed and matured this intention and determination, did, by his instructions for that purpose, given on the 21st March 1802 to his said brother the hon. Henry Wellesley, direct and empower him to accomplish it.—That the said marquis Wellesley, wishing to cloak this unjustifiable attempt with some shew of equity, did direct the said hon. Henry Wellesley, among other means, to prevail upon the said nabob of Furruckabad to consent to an abandonment of his just rights to his own principality, and to sign an agreement for transferring them to the said East India company; but that, foreseeing that, as the said nabob had but just passed his minority, and would be therefore naturally inclined to resort to the old councillors and friends of his family for advice upon so important an affair; and foreseeing also that their influence would prevent his acquiescence; the said marquis did authorize the 564 said Henry Wellesley to promise to the said friends and connections of the said nabob, ample rewards, in case they coincided with his views, and to threaten them with expulsion from their country, in case they opposed them: thus contriving, by intrigue and corruption, or by violence and injustice, to draw the said friends of the said nabob into a traitorous dereliction of their duty to their own hereditary prince.—That the said marquis Wellesley did, about this time, to wit, the 21st March 1802, direct the said nabob of Furruckabad and his uncle Khenud Mund Khan, who had administered the affairs of the principality as regent during the minority of the said nabob, to repair to Bareilly, a place out of the limits of the said nabob's country, but where the said honourable Henry Wellesley resided, in the illegal capacity of lieut. governor of the territories which the same marquis had extorted from the aforesaid nabob Vizier of Oude; there to receive the commands of the said marquis, through the said Henry Wellesley: thus treating, with an indignity due only to an inferior vassal, a prince, who, as well as his ancestors, had .ever and invariably manifested the firmest attachment to the Company's government, and who was, therefore, entitled to particular distinction. —That the said marquis Wellesley having, by this humiliation and degradation, prepared the minds of the said nabob and the said regent his uncle, for the insulting proposals which he was about to make, did, by the means of, and in concert with, the said hon. Henry Wellesley, propose to the said regent, who was then sold administrator of the affairs of Furruckabad, the entire " transfer of the civil and military administration of that province to the British government; adding, that the said marquis had long been of opinion that was the only arrangement which could " afford ultimate satisfaction?" and falsely alledging (as the event soon after proved) that the British government, in assuming the management of the country, proposed no advantage to itself beyond the security of its just rights and interests, and the interest of those dependant upon the state;" and insidiously urging, as an inducement for the said regent to promote the said marquis's views against his master the said nabob, "that he, the regent, might rely with confidence, that the acknowledged liberality of the British government would not admit of his interests being neglected;" by which means the said 565 marquis did secure the consent and co-operation of the said regent, who did accordingly declare, "that he was ready to promote his views by all the means in his power:" the said marquis having thus, by the promise of future reward, bribed the said regent to a traitorous surrender of the dearest interests and most important rights of his prince.—That the said marquis Wellesley having thus gained over Khenud Mund Khan, the uncle of the nabob, who, for upwards of six years, had been regent of the principality and sole administrator of the affairs of Furruckabad, and who possessed an influence in that country inferior only to that of the nabob himself, did, by the means of, and in concert with the said hon. Henry Wellesley, taking advantage of the defection of the regent, of the youth and inexperience of the said nabob, of his defenceless and unprotected situation, of his separation from his relations and friends, of his absence from his subjects, of his distance from his country, and of his being in his, the said marquis's, usurped donions, surrounded by a great military force, and entirely in his, the said marquis's power, did, by the means of, and in concert with the said hon. Henry Wellesley, make to the said nabob the same insulting and injurious proposals for a complete transfer of the civil and military administration of the principality: thus violating the spirit of the orders of the East India company, the resolution of the house of commons, and the acts of the British parliament; and requiring a prince, whom it was his duty to support, to become the instrument of his own degradation, disgrace, and ruin, by the surrender of all his rights, and by becoming a pensioner on the bounty of the said East India company.—That the said nabob, being justly averse to this ignominious surrender, the said marquis Wellesley did, by the means of, and in concern with the said honourable Henry Wellesley, then, to wit, in the month of May 1802, communicate, in writing to the said nabob, the following proposition: "That the nabob should be " continued on the musnud of his ancestors " with all honour, consigning over the civil " and military administration of the province of Furruckabad into the hands of the Company's government.—That whatever balance should remain from the revenues collected, after paying the amount of the Company's tribute 450,000 rupees, the charges of government, the salaries and pensions, and the expence of a battalion of sepoys to be stationed in 566 the room of the army now entertained by Khirid Mund Khan, should be paid," without fail, into the nabob's treasury." That the said nabob, sensible of the injustice, the insolence, and tile cruelty of these proposals, and conscious of the disadvantages and dangers of his situation, unwilling to consent and not daring peremptorily to refuse, did make the following answer:—" I have understood the proposition or delivering up the country of Furruckabad into the hands of the Company's government I have no power to make any objections to whatever you propose: but you know the governor-general, during my minority, delivered over the country to Khirid Mund Khan as deputy: now that my minority has passed, when I was in hopes that I should be put into possession of the country and property, this proposition is made to me. I am totally at a loss "what to do. if I deliver over the country to the English government, all my relations and my neighbours, and all the nobility of Hindustan will say that I have been found by the English government so unfit to be trusted with any management, that they did not think proper to entrust me with the management of such a country; and I shall never escape, for many generations, the sneers of the people: if, on the contrary, I say any thing in disobedience to your orders, it will be against all rules of submission and propriety. In this case, therefore, it appears to be advisable that you should appoint a gentleman, whom I will choose from among the Company's servants, as a sezawul (or superintendant) over this district, and give me permission to depart, that I may send aumils of my own to the different per-" gunnahs, and make, myself, the settlement of the country; and that the above " gentleman may send an ameen on his part to each of the pergunnahs, and, in conjunction, collect the revenues; from " which 450,000 rupees, the usual tribute, should be paid through the above gentleman to the company's government. The balance, after paying the pensions agreeably to what was fixed by my father, to be allowed for my necessary expences. In this way your wishes may be accomplished, and my honour and name be preserved among the people."—That, to this proposal, so equitable in itself, and so well calculated to secure to the said East India company all that it had any right to expect, namely, the full payment of the tribute claimed by the said 567 company of the said nabob, the said marquis Wellesley, he having long and firmly determined upon the entire cession of the principality, would not consent.—That, after some other unavailing efforts made by the said nabob, for the purpose of inducing the said marquis Wellesley and the said hon. Henry Wellesley to desist from the execution of their unlawful and wicked intentions, as aforesaid, the said marquis Wellesley and the said hon Henry Wellesley, refusing the just request of the said nabob to consult his relations and friends upon the occasion, did persist, with indecent and cruel importunity, to require his immediate consent to their proposals before mentioned.—That, finally, the said marquis Wellesley, wholly disregarding the representations and remonstrances of the said nabob, and equally disregarding the dictates a justice, the law of nations, and the obligations of the most Sacred compacts, in direct opposition to the express orders of the East India company, prohibiting their servants abroad "from making any extension of territory either by wars, negociations, or intrigues, and, in open defiance of the solemn resolutions of the commons of Great Britain, and of two successive acts of parliament, declaring, that to pursue schemes of conquest and extension of dominion are measures repugnant to the wish, the honour, and the policy of this nation,did, on the 4th day of June 1802, by the means of, and in concert with, the hon. Henry Wellesley, compel the said nabob to sign a treaty, whereby it was agreed, that " The province of Furruckabad " and its dependencies should be ceded in " perpetual sovereignty to the honourable the " East India Company."—That, in violation of the declaration made by the said marquis Wellesley, by the means of the said hon. Henry Wellesley, to the said regent Khenud Mund Khan, namely, "That the British " government, in assuming the management of the country of Furruckabad, proposed no advantage to itself beyond the security of its just rights and interests," (meaning thereby the certain and regular payment of the annual subsidy due to the nabob vizier of Oude, it having no pretence whatever to any other right or interest) " and the security of the interests of those dependent upon time state;" and, in violation of the written declaration made by the said marquis Wellesley, by the means of the said hon. Henry Wellesley, namely, "That, whatever balance should remain from "the revenues collected, after paying the 568 "charges of government, the salaries and pensions, and the expence of a battalion of sepoys, should be paid, without fail, into the nabob's treasury; the said marquis Wellesley did, by the means of, and in concert with, the said hon. Henry Wellesley, by the aforesaid treaty, extort and seize upon the whole of the revenues of the said principality of Furruckabad, amounting to upwards of ten lacks and 43,000 rupees (or 130,000l. sterling) and in lieu thereof, did allow the said nabob an annual pension of only one lack and 8,000 rupees (or 13,000l. sterling); and to the princess, mother of the said nabob, and to ail the other members of his illustrious family, and to all their officers, retainers, dependants, attendants, and servants, annual pensions, amounting in the whole to less than two lacks and 80,000 rupees (or 30,000l. sterling and did reserve to the said East India company, contrary to the above mentioned declarations, the whole of the balance, amounting to nearly seven lacks and 55,000 rupees, or nearly 100,000l, sterling.—That adding insult to injury, the said marquis Wellesley did appoint as resident at Furruckabad, and as distributor of the aforesaid pensions, the secretary of his brother the said hon. Henry Wellesley, who, as well as the said hon. Henry Wellesley, had aided and assisted the said marquis in his extortions; granting to the said secretary a salary, suite, and allowance, exceeding those granted to the said unfortunate and despoiled prince.—That, to all these extortions, injuries, and insults, the said nabob, cut off from his relations, his friends, his subjects, and his country; beguiled into the territories of his enemy; surrounded on every side by British troops; in every respect defenceless and powerless, having no where to resort for assistance; seeing his ancient ally and protector, the nabob vizier of Oude, stripped of half his possessions, by the very persons in whose power, and at whose mercy, he then was, and reduced to a state of vassalage to the very persons who were then dictating terms to himself; seeing his powerful minister Khenud Mund Khan, the regent, in the interests of his enemies; and seeing, in those enemies, those perfidious friends to whom himself and his house had ever been invariably attached, and who were bound by every human tie to succour and uphold him; and knowing that any sort of opposition, on his part, would be utterly ineffectual and unavailing, and would only ex- 569 asperate the bitterness of hisfoes, was obliged to submit—That, in this unlawful, wicked, and cruel manner, did the said marquis Wellesley, in open violation of the most sacred ties, of the positive orders of the East India company, of the solemn resolutions of the commons of England, and of two successive acts of the British parliament, insult, injure, oppress, despoil, and, in fact, depose, a young, defenceless, and friendly prince, extorting from him all his revenues and his dominions, and reducing him and the whole of his illustrious family to a state of vassalage and dependency: and, thus, did the said marquis exhibit the British government to all India and the whole world, as a government totally wanting in justice and good faith, openly despising the law of nations, guided by no principle but that of gain, and undisguisedly scoffing at all right but the right of the sword.—That in all and singular the above recited acts and proceedings, the said Richard Colley marquis Wellesley has been wholly unmindful of the solemn engagements of duty to the said East India company, to his sovereign, and to his country, by him entered into; has daringly contemned the parliament, the king, and the laws, and dishonoured the British nation and name; and has therein been guilty of high offences, crimes, and misdemeanors."
The charge was ordered to printed, and taken into consideration on the 19th inst.