selves the duty of guarding the country, and desired the Nuwab to appoint a Naib Nazim (50) to manage the civil (51) and criminal (52) departments of the Government. 34. On this the Nuwab earnestly solicited, that Nund Coomar should be appointed to that office; but the Members distinctly refused this: and moreover Mr. Vansittart, in order to put future Governors on their guard, noted at length, in the records of the Council, the evil deeds of the wicked Nund Coomar. A Moosulman named Reza Khan, a relation of Ali Vardi Khan, was appointed to the office. (50) Aga Alfa Nāyeb-nājim, (from Arabic bli ili; Naib-nazim) A Deputy Governor. (51) 678fa¶ Dewāni, (from Persian Diwāni) Relating to the Secretary, Civil (in judicature) in contradiction to "Criminal." (52) Phaojdārī, (from Arabic and Persian فوجداري Faojdāri) Relating to the Police, Criminal (in Judicial affairs) as distinguished from "Civil." A. D. 1765. A. D. 1765. CHAPTER XV. • 1. The Court of Directors, on hearing of all the irregularities (1), which had arisen from the bad conduct of their Indian officers, and of the hostilities with Meer Kasim and the Wuzeer, and the massacre at Patna, became extremely alarmed. They began to fear lest the country, which had been so recently acquired, should pass out of their grasp, and they concluded that besides the individual, who by his wisdom and boldness had acquired the country, no other could now. be capable of preserving it. They therefore urgently requested Clive, who had at that time been favored by the King with the title of "Lord," again to come out to India, in order to restore the almost ruined affairs of that country. 2. When he had arrived in England, the Directors had not rewarded him according to his deserts; but, on the contrary, had taken away his Jagir from him: still, at their urgent solicitation, he agreed to proceed again to India. The Directors gave him full powers for carrying on the affairs, and invested him with the offices of Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bengal. They also gave him instructions, that, since so many disagreeable occurrences had arisen from the private trade of the Indian officers, he should certainly put a stop to this trade. During the preceding eight years their officers had, at short intervals, (2) placed several Nuwabs on the throne, and had, in consequence, received more than two (1) gularity: arrangement. Bishrinkhal. (Sanscrit.) Disorder, confusion, irreaffix of "privation," &c. and a Chain, order, (2) Uparjyupari. (Sanscrit.) One upon another, one after another. Crores of Rupees, as presents (3) from the Natives; they therefore resolved that this sort of presents must be discontinued. They also ordered that each of the officers, civil as well as military, should sign a covenant, promising that if he received a present of more than four thousand Rupees, he would pay it into (4) the Government Treasury, and that he should not be authorized to accept a present (5) of more than one thousand Rupees without the permission of the Governor. 3. The Directors sent out Lord Clive to India, with these instructions. On his arrival at Calcutta, (6) on the 3d of May 1765, he found that the calamities, at the apprehension of which the Court of Directors had been so much agitated, had passed by (7); but that the Government had arrived at the last stage of confusion. Not to mention others, (8) the very Members of Council were not consulting the interests of the Company. The sole object of all the officers was this, to amass wealth, by any means whatsoever, and to return with all speed to England. The most complete absence of justice prevailed in all matters, and such a system of tyranny began to be exercised towards the Natives, that the hearing of (3) Upadhaokan, (Sanscrit) A respectful offering or present, a Nuzur, (a prefix of "nearness,' ,” &c. and ঢৌকন “Seeking.”) جمع (4) Jamā, (from Arabic Jama) A congregation, collection, accumulation. (5) Upahār (Sanscrit) A complimentary gift, a present to a superior, &c. tribute. (prefix before to convey, affix .) (6) Literally—” Having crossed over to Calcutta" (from over and Crossed; past part: of to pass over or across.) (7) af Atikrānta, (Sanscrit). Passed the proper bounds, passed, in time (af Over, beyond, exceeding; and উৎ part: of "to go.") past (8) Literally-" Let the mention of any other remain afar off." A. D. 1765. the very name of Englishman was a source of disgust to them. Not a particle of honor or virtue remained in the Government. 4. The former year the Court of Directors had strictly ordered, that their officers should no longer take presents in any shape. When this order arrived the old Nuwab, Meer Jafir, was on his death-bed. The Members of Council did not enter it on their records: on the contrary, after Meer Jafir's death, when they made another person Nuwab, they took large presents from him. In the same letter the Directors gave these instructions, that their servants must give up private trade; but, disregarding this distinct order, the Members of Council made an arrangement with the new Nuwab, that the English should be allowed to trade, as formerly, free of duty. 5. Clive wished, immediately after his arrival, to put in force all the orders of the Directors. The Members of Council began to oppose him, as they had done Mr. Vansittart. But Clive was made of other materials: he insisted that each individual should sign an agreement, that he would no more take presents; and he forthwith dismissed from the service those who refused. On seeing this, some signed, and those who had collected sufficient (9) wealth went home; but all, without exception, became his enemies. 6. Clive resolved, that, since the whole of the revenues were being swallowed up (10) by war charges, it was absolutely necessary to make peace, and accordingly, on the 24th of June, departed from Calcutta, for the Western Provinces. (11) It was stipulated with Nujumooddowlah, (9) concluded. (11) Aparjyāpta, (Sanscrit,) Abundant, overflowing. Anchal, (Sanscrit.) The end or border of a cloth, veil, shawl, &c. a border, a part of a town or country. that the English should manage the whole Government, and that he should receive annually a total sum of fifty lakhs of rupees for his expenses, and that he must expend this money according to the advice of Reza Khan, Rajah Doorlubh Ram and Jugut Seth. Soon after this, a treaty was also made with the Nuwab of Oude. 7. Of all the affairs which were settled in this journey, the procuring of the Dewany of the three provinces from the King of Delhi, in the name of the Company, was the most important. We have before mentioned that he had agreed to bestow the said Dewany upon the English, whenever they should ask for it. Clive accordingly, when he had an interview with him at Allahabad, solicited him to fulfil this promise, and he also immediately assented. On the 12th of August, the Emperor conferred on the Company the Dewany of Bengal, Bahar, and Orissa, and Clive agreed that out of the proceeds of the revenues they would pay monthly to the Emperor, the sum of two Lakhs of Rupees. 8. It appears proper to mention, in this place, that the Emperor was at that time a fugitive in his own dominions, and was consequently destitute of the Regal Paraphernalia (12) &c. For this reason a throne was prepared, by putting together two of the dining tables of the English, and covering them with embroidered cloth (13). The Emperor being seated upon this, handed over to the English three crores (14) of subjects, along with two crores of rupees (15) of annual revenue. The Moosul (12) Parichchad, (Sanscrit.) Courts, train, dependants, dress, paraphernalia («Round," and "to cover," affix অল্.) (13) (Sanscrit.) Worked cloth. (14) Three Crores are equal to thirty Millions. (15) Two Crores of Rupees are equal, at the rate of two Shillings to the Rupee, to two Millions of Pounds. A. D. 1765. |