But the apprehension of the said Warren Hastings of the
probable result of the inquiry proposed did strongly indicate his sense
of his own guilt and the innocence of the parties accused by him; and
if, by his construction, Mr. Stables's minute did indicate an inquiry
merely for the justification of the parties by him accused, (which
construction the motion did not bear,) it was no more than what the
obvious rules of justice would well support, his own proceedings having
been _ex parte_,--he having employed Sir Elijah Impey to take affidavits
against the women of high rank aforesaid, not only without any inquiry
made on their part, but without any communication to them of his
practice and proceeding against them; and equity did at least require
that they, with his own knowledge and by the subordinates of his own
government, should be allowed a public inquiry to acquit themselves of
the heavy offences with which they had been by him clandestinely
charged.
LXXVII. That he, the said Hastings, in order to effectually stifle the
said inquiry, did enter on record a further minute, asserting that the
said inquiry would be productive "of evils greater than any which exist
in the consequences which have already taken place, _and which time has
almost obliterated_"; as also the following: "If I am rightly informed,
the Nabob Vizier and the Begums are on terms of mutual goodwill.
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