take, was placed to reform thofe abuses and regulate their affairs; by whofe interpofition, notwithstanding the expence, vaft fums might be, and probably would be faved to the company; that it was a new fyftem of conduct, as well as a new mode of argument, that becaufe people were diftreffed, they fhould not be permitted to take proper measures to retrieve their affairs; that this was a propofal for an ex poft facto law, and was to restrain the company from doing what was already legally done; that the report was founded upon a falle principle, the alledged motive being to preferve the company from a farther embaraffment in the prefent state of their affairs, by their running into an extraordinary expence; whereas the expences of the fupervifion, were to be paid, and paid only, out of the favings which it might be productive of in India, and could have no poffible effect on their prefent diftreffes at home. That the company, not withstanding the full powers with which they were legally furnished, for the management of their internal affairs, and the appointment of their fervants, had fhewn fo great an attention and deference to parliament, that though the fupervifors were appointed, and the gentlemen in readiness to depart, they had already fufpended the commiffion, only upon hearing that the houfe had begun an enquiry into their affairs, and were determined it should not take place, till the iffue of that enquiry. That the report ftrikes at the very charter and conftitution of the company; was unprecedented, and unparliamentary; and it was hoped would be dif miffed, in fuch a manner as fhould vindicate the honour of the houfe, and prevent fuch attempts for the future.

In answer to these arguments the minister declared, that no hoftile intentions whatever, were conceived.

against the company; that it was the intention of parliament, and the great wifh of administration, to render it a great and glorious company, and to fettle it upon the most permanent foundation; but that they were entering into a very expenfive commiffion, at a time, that from their former mifconduct, their diftreffes were fo great, as to put them under the neceffity of applying to the public for a loan of money, and that they, owed confiderable arrears to government; that it was undoubtedly the duty of parliament to preferve them from ruin; that the committee which had been appointed by the house to infpect the affairs of the company, have judged it expedient that a restraint should be laid upon them in refpect to that measure, and that as no restraint could poffibly be laid but by act of parliament, it was neceffary to bring in a bill for that purpofe. Doubts were alfo raised in the debate (though no more than doubts) whether the company could legally iffue fuch a commiffion. If they could, it was afferted, that the company could not give their commiffioners proper and effectual authority without the aid of parliament; nor were they, under whofe government all thofe abuses had arifen, in the leaft equal to the correction of them.

In order to elude the prefent temper, and to pre. vent the establishment of a precedent fo fatal to their rights, two gentlemen who were directors of the India company, and then in their places as members, offered to pledge themselves to the house, that the fufpenfion fhould not be taken off, nor the fupervifor fuffered to depart, until fuch a progrefs was made in the prefent enquiry, as fhould afford full fatisfaction, both with respect to the state of their affairs, and the propriety of the measure.

This propofal was rejected. It was faid, that though the company might for the prefent have refolved to fufpend the departure of the fupervisors, nothing but an act of parliament could make that refolution effectual; that they might refcind on one day, their own refolutions or measures of the preceding; that the opinion or promifes of the whole court of directors, could afford no fecurity in this refpect, as the direction was inferior to the general courts, where their acts were liable to be over-ruled by the proprietors; and that an advantage might be taken during the Christmas recefs, of fending the fupervifors far out of the reach of parliament. That this bill was no invafion of any charter, it was only an act to prevent a poffible evil; to prevent the company from crowning all their former extravagance, by entering into an unneceffary and ruinous expence, when they were just upon the brink of bankruptcy.

On the other fide, the whole measure, as well as the unconftitutional nature of the committee from which it originated, were condemned in the most fevere and pointed terms. It was faid to be neither more nor lefs, than a bill to fufpend the laws of the land; that it was fubverfive of rights, which the company not only enjoyed by charter, but had purchased from the public, for high and valuable confiderations. That it difgraced the dignity of parliament, by a wanton exertion of authority, without a motive; that too many complaints were already loudly and publicly made, that every minifterial job was adopted as foon as propofed, without regard to reafon, argument, or confequences, whereby the refpect, and confidence, fo effential to the nature of parliament, were funk to a degree that could fcarcely be paralleled in the worst of times. That adminiftration had found out an ad

mirable

admirable method of rendering the company great and glorious; they began, by plundering them, under the name of an agreement, of above two millions, and now put the last hand to the work, by taking advantage of the distrefs principally caused by that plunder, to deprive them of their charter, and overthrow their conftitution: first they tempt and terrify them into a ruinous extravagance of grants and dividends, and then as a punishment, deprive them of whatever this extravagance had left. That indeed the minister was lavish in his declarations of his friendly intentions towards the company and thefe declarations must be confidered as a full compenfation for every thing they fuffered. It was farther faid, that this bill must be productive of the most fatal confequences with respect to the other funds, and put an end to all confidence in the public faith; and it was afked with great bitter, nefs, what fecurity there could be in a country, where. the royal charters, repeatedly ratified and confirmed by acts of parliament, could give no permanent establishment to property. That the argument of expence was a mere pretext to cover worfe defigns. That it was addmitted fome fort of fupervifion was neceffary and the objection of expence was equally applicable to any fort of fupervision. As to the want of powers, it was faid, that if there was any defect of that fort in the company's charter, they might be given with equal effect to the commiffioners who are legally appointed, and without any violation of the rights or charter of the company.

To thefe and many other ftrictures, the diftreffes and extravagance of the company, the neceffity of obferving the stricteft economy in their affairs, together with a due regard for their welfare, which was fo intimately connected with that of the ftate, and a just

just attention to the fecurity of their creditors, were deemed in general fufficient answers; it was alfo infifted on, that this measure was no invafion of their rights; and that if it had, the legislature had an unqueftioned right to interfere, to prevent their running headlong to ruin. Upon a divifion, the queftion was carried by a great majority, being fupported by 114 votes, against 43 only, who opposed the bringing in of the bill.

In the farther progress of this bill, apetition, couched in the strongest terms, was prefented against it by the India company; and feveral of their fervants, confifting of the examiner of the records, the auditor of Indian accounts, the accountant general, and the fuperintendant of the custom-house accounts, were examined, by the company's defire, at the bar of the houfe of commons, in order as well to fhew a true ftate of their affairs, as the mifconduct and difobedience of their fervants abroad, and the confequent neceffity of the supervision. In the courfe of thefe examinations it appeared, that the exorbitances and oppreffions ftill continued to be committed by the company's fervants in India. Through their own imprudence, in afking needless or improper queftions, a full share of thofe charges, were brought directly home, to fome of thofe gentlemen who were then fitting in the house.

It appeared, that fince the year 1765, the company's expences had encreased, from 700,000l. to the enormous fum of 1,700,000l. annually. It alfo appeared, that government had received by the nett duties, the indemnity upon tea, and the stippulated 400,000l. little lefs than two millions annually from the company. That the latter had loft by the indemnity agreement, from its first commencement, at least one million; of which 700,000l. went to govenment, and the remain

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