If he has not received the money, we see no reason for
such a guarded and cautious method of proceeding. An innocent man would
take a shorter and easier course. He would voluntarily exculpate
himself by his oath."
Your Committee entertain doubts whether the refusal to exculpate by oath
can be used as a circumstance to infer any presumption of guilt. But
where the charge is direct, specific, circumstantial, supported by
papers and verbal testimony, made before his lawful superiors, to whom
he was accountable, by persons competent to charge, if innocent, he was
obliged at least to oppose to it a clear and formal denial of the fact,
and to make a demand for inquiry. But if he does not deny the fact, and
eludes inquiry, just presumptions will be raised against him.
Your Committee, willing to go to the bottom of a mode of corruption deep
and dangerous in the act and the example, being informed that Mr. Goring
was in London, resolved to examine him upon the subject. Mr. Goring not
only agreed with all the foregoing particulars, but even produced to
your Committee what he declared to be the original Persian papers in his
hands, delivered from behind the curtain through the Nabob himself, who,
having privilege, as a son-in-law, to enter the women's apartment,
received them from Munny Begum as authentic,--the woman all the while
lamenting the loss of her power with many tears and much vociferation.
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