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EXTRACT FROM A SPEECH AGAINST WARREN

HASTINGS.

Had a stranger, at this time, gone into the province of Oude, ignorant of what had happened since the death of Sujuh Dowla, that man, who, with a savage heart, had still great lines of character, and who with all his ferocity in war, had still, with a cultivating hand, preserved to his country the riches which it derived from benignant skies and a prolific soil.-If this stranger, ignorant of all that had happened in the short interval, and observing the wide and general devastation,and all the horrors of the scene of plains unclothed and brown-of vegetation burnt up and extinguishedof villages depopulated and in ruins of temples unroofed and perishing-of reservoirs broken down and dry-he would naturally inquire what war had thus laid waste the fertile fields of this once beautiful and opulent country-what civil dissensions have happened, thus to tear asunder and separate the happy societies that once possessed those villages-what disputed succession-what religious rage has, with unholy violence, demolished those temples, and disturbed fervent, but unobtruding piety in the exercise of its duties ?What merciless enemy has thus spread the horrors of fire and sword-what severe visitation of Providence has dried up the fountain, and taken from the face of the earth every vestige of verdure? Or rather, what monsters have stalked over the country, tainting and poisoning, with pestiferous breath, what the voracious appetite could not devour? To such questions, what must be the answer? No wars have ravaged these lands, and depopulated these villages-no civil discord has been felt-no disputed succession-no religious rage -no cruel enemy-no affliction of Providence, which, while it scourged for a moment, cut off the sources of resuscitation-no voracious and poisoning monsters— no: all this has been accomplished by the friendship, generosity and kindness of the English nation.

They have embraced us with their protecting arms,

then, shall we be told, that under such circumstances, the exasperated feelings of a whole people thus goaded and spurred on to clamor and resistance, were excited by the poor and feeble influence of the Begums ?— When we hear the description of the paroxysm, fever, and delirium, into which despair had thrown the natives, when on the banks of the polluted Ganges, panting for death, they tore more widely open the lips of their gaping wounds, to accelerate their dissolution; and while their blood was issuing, presented their ghastly eyes to heaven, breathing their last and fervent prayer, that the dry earth might not be suffered to drink their blood, but that it might rise up to the throne of God, and rouse the eternal Providence to avenge the wrongs of their country.

The counsel, in recommending attention to the public in preference to the private letters, had remarked, in particular, that one letter should not be taken as evidence, because it was manifestly and abstractedly private, as it contained in one part the anxieties of Mr. Middleton for the illness of his son. This was a singular argument indeed; and the circumstance, in his mind, merited strict observation, though not in the view in which it was placed by the counsel. It went to show that some at least of those concerned in these transactions, felt the force of those ties, which their efforts were directed to tear asunder; that those who could ridicule the respective attachment of a mother and a son; who would prohibit the reverence of the son to the mother who had given him life;-who could deny to maternal debility the protection which filial tenderness should afford;—were yet sensible of the straining of those chords by which they were united. There was something connected with this transaction so horrible, and so loathsome, as to excite the most contemptuous disgust. If it were not a part of his duty, it would be

EXTRACT FROM A SPEECH AGAINST WARREN

HASTINGS.

Had a stranger, at this time, gone into the province of Oude, ignorant of what had happened since the death of Sujuh Dowla, that man, who, with a savage heart, had still great lines of character, and who with all his ferocity in war, had still, with a cultivating hand, preserved to his country the riches which it derived from benignant skies and a prolific soil.-If this stranger, ignorant of all that had happened in the short interval, and observing the wide and general devastation,and all the horrors of the scene of plains unclothed and brown-of vegetation burnt up and extinguishedof villages depopulated and in ruins of temples unroofed and perishing-of reservoirs broken down and dry-he would naturally inquire what war had thus laid waste the fertile fields of this once beautiful and opulent country-what civil dissensions have happened, thus to tear asunder and separate the happy societies that once possessed those villages-what disputed succession-what religious rage has, with unholy violence, demolished those temples, and disturbed fervent, but unobtruding piety in the exercise of its duties?— What merciless enemy has thus spread the horrors of fire and sword-what severe visitation of Providence has dried up the fountain, and taken from the face of the earth every vestige of verdure? Or rather, what monsters have stalked over the country, tainting and poisoning, with pestiferous breath, what the voracious appetite could not devour? To such questions, what must be the answer? No wars have ravaged these lands, and depopulated these villages-no civil discord has been felt-no disputed succession-no religious rage -no cruel enemy-no affliction of Providence, which, while it scourged for a moment, cut off the sources of resuscitation-no voracious and poisoning monstersno: all this has been accomplished by the friendship, generosity and kindness of the English nation.

They have embraced us with their protecting arms,

then, shall we be told, that under such circumstances, the exasperated feelings of a whole people thus goaded and spurred on to clamor and resistance, were excited by the poor and feeble influence of the Begums?— When we hear the description of the paroxysm, fever, and delirium, into which despair had thrown the natives, when on the banks of the polluted Ganges, panting for death, they tore more widely open the lips of their gaping wounds, to accelerate their dissolution; and while their blood was issuing, presented their ghastly eyes to heaven, breathing their last and fervent prayer, that the dry earth might not be suffered to drink their blood, but that it might rise up to the throne of God, and rouse the eternal Providence to avenge the wrongs of their country.

The counsel, in recommending attention to the public in preference to the private letters, had remarked, in particular, that one letter should not be taken as evidence, because it was manifestly and abstractedly private, as it contained in one part the anxieties of Mr. Middleton for the illness of his son. This was a singular argument indeed; and the circumstance, in his mind, merited strict observation, though not in the view in which it was placed by the counsel. It went to show that some at least of those concerned in these transactions, felt the force of those ties, which their efforts were directed to tear asunder; that those who could ridicule the respective attachment of a mother and a son; who would prohibit the reverence of the son to the mother who had given him life;-who could deny to maternal debility the protection which filial tenderness should afford;—were yet sensible of the straining of those chords by which they were united. There was something connected with this transaction so horrible, and so loathsome, as to excite the most contemptuous disgust. If it were not a part of his duty, it would be

which those aliens to feeling-those apostates to humanity had thus divided. In such an assembly as that which I have the honor of addressing, there is not an eye but must dart reproof at this conduct; not a heart but must anticipate its condemnation. "FILIAL PIETY !" It is the primal bond of society-it is that instinctive principle, which, panting for its proper good, soothes, unbidden, each sense and sensibility of man!—it now quivers on every lip!-it now beams from every eye! it is an emanation of that gratitude, which softening under the sense of recollected good, is eager to own the vast countless debt it ne'er, alas! can pay, for so many long years of unceasing solicitudes, honorable self-denials, life-preserving cares-it is that part of our practice, where duty drops its awe!-where reverence refines into love-it asks no aid of memory!— it needs not the deductions of reason!—pre-existing, paramount over all, whether law, or human rule, few arguments can increase, and none can diminish it! -it is the sacrament of our nature!—not only the duty but the indulgence of man-it is his first great privilege-it is amongst his last most endearing delights! -it causes the bosom to glow with reverberated love! -it requites the visitations of nature, and returns the blessings that have been received!—it fires emotion into vital principle-it renders habituated instinct into a master-passion-sways all the sweetest energies of man-hangs over each vicissitude of all that must pass away-aids the melancholy virtues in their last sad tasks of life, to cheer the langour of decrepitude and age-explores the thought-elucidates the aching eye! -and breathes sweet consolation even in the awful moment of dissolution!

A Speech delivered at Cheltenham, on the 7th Oct. 1819. at the Fourth Anniversary of the Gloucester Missionary Society.

MR. CHAIRMAN-After the eloquence with which so

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