Lord Hood took that occasion to renew his objections to the whole proceeding, which were supported by Mr. Wilkes, Mr. Smith, alderman Townsend, and Mr. Hay Campbell, the lord advocate of Scotland. These gentlemen urged, that the silence of the natives of India, who were stated to have been so grievously oppressed, was a strong ground for disbelieving the truth of the accusation ;-and they asked with what propriety they could impeach Mr. Hastings for extortion and plunder, while the nation, or the India Company, were suffered quietly to enjoy the fruits of them, They were answered, at some length, by Mr. Pitt, who repeated all his past arguments on the subject of the various charges, and concluded with declaring, that the House could no otherwise consult their own honour, the duty which they owed their country, and the ends of public justice, than by sending up the impeachment to the House of Lords. On a division, the final question of impeachment was carried by 175 to 89. The majority of the House then proceeded with Mr, Burke to the House of Peers, where that gentleman solemnly impeached Mr. Hastings of high crimes and misdemeanors, in the usual form; and acquainted the Lords, that the Commons would, with all convenient speed, exhibit articles against him, and make good

the same. Mr. Hastings was, afterwards, taken in custody of the Serjeant of the House, and by him delivered up to the gentleman usher of the black rod. The articles were then read to him, by the clerk of the House of Lords, and the reading occupied four hours: after which he was admitted to bail, himself in £20,000, and two sureties, Mr. Sumner and Mr. Sullivan, in £10,000 each; and he was allowed to have a copy of the articles, and to the second day of the next session, to prepare for his defence.

The remaining articles of impeachment were voted by the Commons, on the 28th of May, without any division or debate, and carried to the Lords, where copies of them also were ordered for the use of Mr. Hastings, and on the 30th the King prorogued the parlia

ment.

Mr. Pitt's conduct, during this inquiry, was strongly censured by the party-writers of the day. One of the most able of these observed"In his yote upon that memorable transaction, "I can neither trace the liberality and expan"sion of a superior mind, nor the consistency "and sound policy of an able minister. The "exultation and triumph, with which his "enemies beheld the error that he had com"mitted; the concern and condemnation which many of his friends expressed and affixed to

66

"his conduct; the astonishment, and incre "dulity with which the intelligence of it was "received at Versailles;--all these concur to ❝evince, that the measure was as injudicious in "its nature, as I believe it will be found per

"nicious in its effects."

Mr. Pitt's conduct was certainly not that of a partisan, and, therefore, all party-men might, very naturally be disgusted with it;but, most assuredly, it was the conduct of an honest and upright member of parliament. Feeling as he did feel, and thinking as he did think, on the subject of the charges preferred against Mr. Hastings, he could not, consistently with justice, and with duty,. act otherwise than he did act. In the consideration of this momentous business, he totally laid aside the ministerial character, and acted merely in his judicial capacity. He weighed the evidence adduced on every charge, deliberately and dispassionately; he listened to all the arguments adduced either in support of, or in opposition to, the charges, patiently and attentively; and he formed his judgment on the whole, without passion or prejudice.-Finding, as he did, great criminality in the conduct of Mr. Hastings, and of such a nature, in his opinion, as to call for impeachment, he would have been guilty of a gross breach of duty if he had not voted for

an impeachment. It does not follow, however, that because Mr. Pitt acted properly, in voting for this prosecution, that others, who saw the matter in a different light, acted improperly in voting against it; nor yet, that though Mr. Pitt was right in supporting the impeachment, the impeachment was a wise and proper measure in itself. It is only intended to rescue him from the charge of inconsistency, which has been, most unjustly, attached to his conduct, without joining in those censures which were, with more profusion than judgment, lavished on that of Mr. Hastings, and the injustice of which the issue of his trial has, most completely, established,

CHAP. X.

Affairs of Holland-The Stadtholder deposed-Insidious conduct of France-Death of Frederick, King of PrussiaHis title to the appellation of GREAT disputed-Conduct of his Successor with regard to Holland-A Civil war breaks out.-Arrest of the Princess of Orange on her way to the Hague-Resented by the King of Prussia-Duke of Brunswick enters Holland with the Prussian army-restores the Stadtholder and the former government-State of France Dawn of the French Revolution-Causes which produced it-The Dauphin's opinion of the writings of the French Philosophers and Economists-The President de Seguier's Sentiments on the same subject-Their predictions realized-Distress of the Finances-Assembly of Notables-Dissolved, without any attempt to relieve the national distress-Parliament refuse to register the Stampduty-The king holds a bed of Justice-Factious conduct of the Parliament-Its members banished-RecalledDangerous compromise of the Royal Authority-Determination of the French King to assist the Dutch malcontents communicated to the British Ministry-Spirited Conduct of the minister on that occasion-Augments the Navy and Army-France relinquishes her Design-Reflections on her conduct-Meeting of Parliament-Conduct of the Minister unanimously approved by both Houses-Subsidiary Treaty with the landgrave of Hesse Cassel-Proposed increase of the means of Colonial Defence -Debate on the same-Defended by Mr. Pitt-Discussion respecting a recent promotion of Naval Officers-EastIndia Company refuse to send troops to India, on the re