XVII. That the first of his three instituted projects, namely, the
depriving the Rajah of his territories, was by himself considered as a
measure likely to be productive of much odium to the British government:
he having declared, whatever opinions he might entertain of its justice,
"that it would have an appearance of _severity_, and might furnish
grounds _unfavorable to the credit of our government, and to his own
reputation_, from the natural influence which every _act of rigor_,
exercised in the persons of men in _elevated situations_, is apt to
impress on those who are too remote from the scene of action to judge,
by any evidence of the facts themselves, of their motives or propriety."
And the second attempt, the sum of money which he aimed at by attacking
the fortresses of the Rajah, and plundering them of the treasure
supposed to be there secured, besides the obvious uncertainty of
acquiring what was thus sought, would be liable to the same imputations
with the former. And with regard to the third project, namely, the sale
of the Company's sovereignty to the Nabob of Oude, and his having
actually received proposals for the same, it was an high offence to the
Company, as presuming, without their authority or consent, to put up to
sale their sovereign rights, and particularly to put them up to sale to
that very person against whom the independence of the said province had
been declared by the Governor-General and Council to be necessary, as a
barrier for the security of the other provinces, in case of a future
rupture with him.
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