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Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797

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

"
V. That it appears that the said Warren Hastings is guilty of an high
offence, contrary to the fundamental principles of justice, in the said
mode of charging misdemeanors, without any specification of person or
place or time or act, or any offer of specification or proofs by which
the party charged may be enabled to refute the same, in order to
unjustly load his reputation, and to prejudice him with regard to the
articles more clearly specified.
VI. That the two specified articles relate to certain delays: the
first, with regard to the payment of the sums of money unjustly extorted
as aforesaid; and the second, the non-compliance with a requisition of
cavalry,--which non-compliance the said Hastings (even if the said
charges had been founded) did falsely, and in contradiction to all law,
affirm and maintain (in his accusation against the Rajah, and addressing
himself to him) "to amount to a _direct_ charge of disaffection and
_infidelity_ to the government on which you depend": and further
proceeded as follows: "I therefore judged it proper to state them [the
said charges] thus fully to you in writing, and to _require_ your
answer; and this I expect _immediately_.


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