Sir Elijah Impey's Complaint of sundry Libels 14. Mr. Fox's Complaint of a Pamphlet respecting 1788. April 18. Conduct of the Admiralty with regard to the May 9. Abolition of the Slave Trade SPEECHES OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES JAMES FOX, &c. &c. MR. PITT'S BILL FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF India, ON July 16, 1784. N the 6th of July, Mr. Pitt obtained leave to bring in a bill for the better regulation and management of the affairs of the East India company, and of the British possessions in India. This act, though framed upon the same model with that brought in by Mr. Pitt in the last parliament, yet differed from it considerably in several material points. The powers of the board of controul, which, in contrast to the plan of the late ministry, and in compliance with the temper of those times, was kept as subordinate as possible, were now greatly enlarged. In cases of urgency, which might not admit the delays of consultation, and in cases of secrecy, which might not admit of previous commu, nication, they were enabled to issue and transmit their own orders to India, without their being subject to the revision of the court of directors. It also vested in the governor general and council an absolute power over the other presidencies in all points relative to transactions with the country powers, and in all applications of the revenues and forces in time of war, with a power of suspension in case of disobedience.. The second part of the bill contained a variety of internal regulations respecting the affairs of India. The clauses relative to the debts of the nabob of Arcot, to the disputes between him and the rajah of Tanjore, and to the relief of dispossessed zemindars, and other native landholders, were adopted from Mr. Fox's India bill, with some exceptions and limitations. Various restrictions were also laid upon the patronage of the directors, and retrenchments directed to be made in the company's establishments. The third part of the bill related to the punishment of Indian delinquency. All British subjects were made amenable to the courts of justice in England for all acts done in India. The receiving of presents was declared to be extortion, and disobedience of orders, and all corrupt bargains to be misdemeanors, and punishable as such. Power was given to the governors of the several settlements to seize all persons suspected of carrying on illicit correspondence, and, if necessary, to send them to England. Every company's servant was required, within two months after his return to England, to deliver in upon oath to the court of exchequer, an inventory of his real and personal estates, and a copy thereof to the court of directors for the inspection of the proprietors; and, in case any complaint should be made thereupon by the board of controul, the court of directors, or any three proprietors possessing stock to the amount conjunctively of 10,000l. the court of exchequer were required to examine the person complained of upon oath, and to imprison him until he should have answered the interrogatories put to him to their satisfaction; and any neglect or concealment herein was punished by imprisonment, forfeiture of all his estates, both real and personal, and an incapacity of ever serving the company again.-Lastly; for the more speedy and effectual prosecution of persons charged with crimes committed in the East Indies, a new court of justice was appointed, consisting of three judges, appointed by the three courts, four peers, and six members of the House of Commons: the four peers to be taken by lot out of a list of 26, to be chosen by ballot at the commencement of every session of parliament, and the six commoners out of a list of 40 members, chosen in the same manner; liberty being given to the party accused, and to the prosecutor, to challenge a certain number of the same. The act also directs, that all depositions of witnesses taken in India, and all writings received by the court of directors, and copies of those sent out by them, shall be received as legal evidence. The judgment of the court is made final, and to extend to fine and imprisonment, and to declaring the party incapable of ever serving the company in any capacity whatever. The bill met with a strenuous opposition in almost every stage. On the 16th of July, upon the motion for going into a committee on the bill, Mr. Fox rose, and discussed the principle of the bill. He began with saying, that he rose in the present stage to object to the speaker's leaving the chair, because he found himself under the necessity of objecting to the bill toto cælo — in all its parts, and in its fundamental principles. He had flattered himself that the right honourable gentleman's second and third propositions, namely, those relating to the regulations, and the new judicature to be appointed for India, would be so far conform able to the opinions which he held on the subject, that he should have been able to have gone into the committee, and for this reason he had foreborne to say any thing on the second reading of the bill; but now that the bill was printed, and that he was able to examine the two latter parts as well as the first, he must freely and explicitly declare, that he objected to the whole. He thought the principles of the bill the direct op |