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Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797

"The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 08 (of 12)"

"
V. That on the day after the receipt of this letter, that is, on the
28th August, 1779, he, the said Warren Hastings, made a reply to the
said letter; and without any remark whatsoever on the allegation of the
Rajah, stating to him his engagement, that he, the said Rajah, should
not be called upon in future, he says, "I now repeat my demand, that you
do, on the receipt of this, without evasion or delay, pay the five lac
of rupees into the hands of Mr. Thomas Graham, who has orders to receive
it from you, and, in case of your refusal, to summon the two battalions
of sepoys under the command of Major Camac to Benares, that measures may
be taken to oblige you to a compliance; and in this case, the whole
expense of the corps, from the time of its march, will fall on you."
VI. That the said Rajah did a second and third time represent to the
said Warren Hastings that he had broke his promise, and the said
Hastings did in no manner deny the same, but did, in contempt thereof,
as well as of the original treaty between the Company and the Rajah,
order two battalions of troops to march into his territories, and in a
manner the most harsh, insulting, and despotic, as if to provoke that
prince to some act of resistance, did compel him to the payment of the
said second unjust demand; and did extort also the sum of two thousand
pounds, on pretence of the charge of the troops employed to coerce him.


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