Dishonest praise is fulfome in its nature, But if for venal ends the poet wounds, From the LONDON MAGAZINE. The Hiftory of all the Affairs of Bengal, comprehending all that has been publifhed on that Subject. O less than two revolutions hav of the provinces, every officer and perfon of importance whom he had the leaft caufe to furmife favoured our intereft, or were attached to us. — That he had been scarce feated in his government, when he entered into a fecret negociation with the Dutch, to introduce an armament in the provinces, to counter-act and destroy our power and influence :-a_measure wicked as foolish.That he was guilty of the deepest deceit and treachery towards us, his benefactors and allies, in repeated inftances.That, whilft our offi cers and troops were fuffering every diftrefs, and hazard of their lives in defence of him, his fon, and country, our commander in chief was bafely and treacherously deferted, at three different periods, by father and fon.-That Ning happened in Bengal, fince he meditated a feparate, fecret treaty the lord Clive's departure from thence on the 8th of February, 1760, I fhall divide what I am to fay into two parts; aft. I shall state the reafons for dethroning Lord Clive's nabob, Mhir Jaffier Aly Khan, or at least divesting him of all power, and obliging him to beg a refuge, for the prefervation of his life, in our garrifon at Calcutta. 2dly. I fhall state the reafons for our breach with Coffim Aly Cawn, who was his fon-inlaw, and whom we made nabob in his And where the facts are contefted, I fhall, from our late publicati. ons, give an abstract of those on both fides, which feem to be the most authentic; with fuch remarks and reflex ions, as naturally flow from the facts mentioned by the one or the other of the two contending parties in that country. Toom. with the Shah Zadda, and offered to facrifice us to the prince, but was not (happily for us) believed, or heard.— That the whole term of his government was an uniform chain of cruelty, tyranny and oppreffion. That (over and above what is charged against him in the memorial) he meditated, and was near carrying into execution, an infamous fecret treaty with the morattoes, which would have proved the total deftruction of the country, if it had not been timely prevented. That he threw every poffible lett and hindrance in our way, in the collection of our Tunka's*. ―That he encouraged, and winked at the obstructions given to the free currency of our Calcutta Sicca's † ; by which at times, the company suffered heavy loffes.-That by his cruelties he had rendered it fcandalous for us to fupAs to the reafons alledged for de- port his tyrannic government any longer. throning Mhir Jaffier, they are in fub- And that by his mifconduct he had ftance as follows. brought the affairs of the company as well as his own into the most imminent danger of being ruined ". "That very foon after his advacement, he refolved to reduce that power which raised him to wealth and princely grandeur. That, in order to effect it, he began (by base assassinations, or other methods) to cut off and drive out To this heavy charge the following answer has been published in an addrefs to the proprietors of Eaft-India flock. "The particular inftances of cruelty +Coin. Rents affigned to the company. are are the deaths of Caja Haddu, and Coffim Ally two general officers, Suajah Dowla's brother, and all that remained of the family of Suraja Dowla. I have enquired of the gentlemen employed in the company's fervice at the period these executions are dated, and find, that not one of these executions can be charged to cruelty of difpo. fition, in Jaffeir Ally Cawn, but to that unhappy form of government that gives defpotic power to the fuccefsful fword. Coja Haddu and Coffim Ally were two general officers, who were meditating the death of the Soubab, and to place the brother of the Surajah Dowla in the government. The plan was communicated to lord Clive by one Rajah Bulluh, His lordship teftified his abhorrence, and affered him, nothing fhould ever tempt him to violate his treaty with the Soubah. The plot tranfpired, and the two chiefs were put to death, not by a regular, trial, because they both commanded large bodies of men, who would have appeared with drawn fwords to vindicate them, but affaffinated, to prevent an infurrection; and Surajah Dowla's brother fell the victim of the Soubah'e juft jealousy. All that remained of the family of Surajah Dowla fell victims to the fame jealoufy; because he feared the English governor was meditating a revolution, in whofe favour he knew not, his fears pointed out these as the objects; and felf-preservation, not wanton cruelty, taught him the fatal remedy: for, I am well informed, Jaffeir Ally Cawn as little merits the epithet of cruel as any man in Hindoftan. No inftances being given of his oppreffions, I can only fay, I cannot learn his government was uncommonly oppreflive, or more fo than that of his fucceffor; but had he been both cruel and oppreffive, the English had no right to be his judges. Jaffeir Ally Cawn is charged with having violated every article of his treaty, but two only are mentioned.His conduct refpecting the Dutch, and the obftruction of the currency of our Calcutta Mint. The first is unfupported by any one proof; it is very poffible he might wish to fee two European powers in his country, and himself hold the balance. That he did invite the Dutch to bring a force in, is but a furmife, if true, no cause for a rupture; for when their force arrived, he permitted us to use his influence and authority to what purpose we pleased, fent an army to our affistance, and would have extirpated the Dutch, had we not interceded for them. The obftruction of the currency of money coined at our mint arose from the arts of the bankers, not from the Soubah, who never fcrupled to receive them into his treasury. The neceffities of the Soubak and the company, arofe from the fame caufe; the fuffering a moft contemptible enemy to penetrate into the fouthern provinces (the very fame enemy whom lord Clive had the year before driven out of the provinces, with little more than half the army he left ready to take the field) this at once ftopped the fource of the company's revenues, by expofing the provinces affigned to the company to the invafion of the enemy, and encouraged the tributary Rajahs and great land. holders to rebellion, and to the withholding the rents due to the government. The death of the Soubah's fon who was killed by lightning compleated his difirefles." Thus we see that the two parties differ widely, touching the whole tenor of Mhir Jaffeir's government: that there was fome foundation for the most of what is alledged against hin, may be true: but whether his government was more tyrannical than other governments ufually are in that country, may still be made a question; for as every prince or nabob is abfolute and arbitrary, and as the people are not in the leaft influenced by any principle either of religion or virtue, the grandees are continually forming plots and confpiracies against the prince upon the throne, and he on his fide is daily facrificing fome of his minifters or grandees to his jealoufy or avarice. This is the complexion of al X 2 most every eastern court, therefore we are not to wonder, if fomething like it happened at that of Mhir Jaffeir. As to his deceit and double dealing it is the common character of all the people, high and low, in that country. As to his not paying his troops, and confequently rendering them mutinous, I fhall hereafter fhew, that it was not probably his fault, but his misfortune. And as to his having incurred the general hatred of his people, fome reasons will presently appear for doubting the truth of it. However, let the charge against him be as it will, the fcheme for divefting him of his power was planned by Mr. Holwell before Mr. Vanfittart's arrival, and foon after carried into execution; for Mr. Vanfittart arrived only in Auguft, and in September Mhir Jaffeir was perfuaded by thefe two gentlemen to fend his fon-in-law, Coffim Ally to Calcutta, under pretence of concerting the operations of the next campaign, which was to begin as foon as the autumnal rains fhould be over. There, this dutiful fon-in-law prefently entered into the plot for dethroning his father, and with difficulty could be prevailed on to leave him in poffeffion either of his crown or life; and there the following treaty was agreed to, and figned by both parties, on the 27th of September, 1760. "ART. I. The Subab Mir Mahmud Jaffeir Cawn Bahadre fhall continue in poffeffion of his dignities, and all affairs be transacted in his name, and a fuitable income fhall be allowed for his expences. II. The Neabut (or deputyfhip) of the Subadaree of Bengal, Bahar, and Orixma, &c. fhall be conferred by his excellency the Subah on Mir Mahmud Coffim Cawn Bahadre; he shall be vested with the administration of all affairs of the provinces. And after his excellency's death, he fhall fucceed to the goverment. III. Between us and Mir Mahmud Coffin Cawn Bahadre firm friendthip * Deeds. and union is established. His enemies IV. Betwixt us and Mir Mahinud V. For all charges of the said army and provifions for the field, &c. the lands of Burdwan and Midnepoor and Chittigong fhall be affigned, and funnuds for that purpose shall be written and granted. The company is to stand to all loffes, and receive all the profits of these three countries; and we shall demand no more than the three affignments aforefaid. VI. One half of the Chunan (lime for building) produced at Silhet for three years fhall be purchased by the Gomastah † of the company from the people of the government, at the customary rate of that place. The inhabitants of that place fhall receive no injury. VII. The balance of the former tuncaws fhall be paid according to the Kiftbundee (or times of payment) agreed upon by the Royran (or king's minister for receiving the revenue). The jewels which have been pledged shall be received back again. VIII. We will not allow the tenants of the Sircar (or government) to settle in the lands of the English company; neither shall the tenants of the company be allowed to fettle in the lands of the Sircar. fcale of reason, and whatever is judged expedient shall be put in execution, and it fhall be contrived by the joint councils, that he be removed from the country, nor fuffered to get any footing in it, whether there be peace or war with Shah Zada or not. Our agree ment with Mir Mahmud Coffim Cawn 'Behadre we will (by the grace of God) Inviolably observe as long as the English company's factories continue in this country. Dated the 17th of the month Siffer, in the year 1174 of the Hegirah, and the 15th September 1760. If Mhir Jaffeir had been so generally hated by his own people, as to owe the protection both of his life and dignity folely to our troops, furely our people had no occafion to use any artifice for carrying this treaty into execution; they might have fent him a copy of it by a common meflenger, and commanded his immediate compliance; but in ftead of this, they chose to carry it into execution in fuch an artful manner, as if they apprehended a powerful and obftinate refistance. Of their method of carrying it into execution (which they did at Moorhadabad, the capital, in the night between the 19th and 20th of October) we have two accounts pub. lished, one by governor Vanfittart himself, and the other by the fix gentlemen of the council who difapprove of this measure. In these two, the colourings are a little different, but the principal facts are both the fame, therefore I fhal! only give the laft, because the colouring feems to be the most natural, as follows : 3. At a time, when there was not the least appearance of a rupture or difgust between us and the Nabob Jaffeir Ally Chan on the contrary, a friendfhip and harmony fubfifted; Mir Coffim Chan, his fon-in-law, came down to Calcutta, on fome pretence or other, to vifit Mr. Vanfittart; and having ftaid a short time, he returned to Morfhedabad. A few days after Mir Coffim's departure, Mr. Vanfittart went up to Morfhedabad, on the pretence of a vifit to the Nabob. Colonel Caillaud, with a party of two hundred Europeans and Mr. fome feapoys, attended him; who to remove the fufpicion which fuch a force would have neceffarily occasioned, it was pretended were going up to Patna, to reinforce the army there. When Mr. Vanfittart arrived at Moradburg, the Nabob paid him two vifits, at the last of which Mr. Vanfittart, without any previous notice of his intentions, gave him the three letters, mentioned in confultation of the 10th of November 1760; of which copies have been tranfmitted you. The abruptnefs with which these letters were presented him, one close upon the other, and the unexpected proposals contained in them, terrified the Nabob, and he was entirely at a loss how to act, but defired time to confider on what was to be done. Vanfittart, feeing his perplexity, strongly infifted on his naming of fome perfon, from among his relations, to take charge of the Subafhip; and very par ticularly recommended Coffim Aly Chan, who was fent for, and the Naboh was defired to ftay till he came; but Coffim Aly Chan delayed fo long, and the Nabob was in fuch anxiety of mind, and fo defirous to be released from the vifit, being greatly fatigued, that Mr. Vanfittart was obliged, in order to fave appearances, to fuffer his departure to the palace, after having detained him much longer than his inclination. That night and the day following paffed in concerting measures with Coffim Aly Chan, how to put in exécution the plan before agreed on in Calcutta a treaty having been figned for this purpose, in September, 1760, while Coffim Ally Chan was down here. In confequence of thefe deliberations, our troops clandeftinely croffed the river the next night, under colonel Caillaud, and being joined by Coffim Aly Chan and his party, furrounded the Nabob's palace. A letter from Mr. Vanfittart was fent in to the Nabob, demanding his immediate compliance with what had been propofed to him; to which the Nabob returned for answer, "That fuch ufage was what he never expected from the English; that whilft a force was was at his gates, he would enter into no terms; and that it was his defire our troops, might be returned to Morad baug." A meffage was then fent, informing the Nabob, that if he did not directly comply, they should be obliged to torm the palace. Aftonifhed and terrified by this menace, he opened the gates, exclaiming, "that he was betrayed, that the English were guilty of perjury and breach of faith, that he perceived their defigns against his government; that he had friends enough to hazard at least one battle in his defence; but although no oaths was facred enough to bind the English, yet as he had fworn to be their faithful friend, he would never fwerve from his engagement, and rather fuffer death than draw his fword against them." So fufpicious was he of being fold, that, "He defired to know what fum of mo-ney Coffim Aly Chan was to give for the fubafhip, and he would give half as much more to be continued. He hoped, however, if they intended to dethrone him, they would not leave him to the mercy of his fon-in-law, from whom he feared the worst, but rather wished, they would carry him from the city, and give him a place of fafety in Cal cutta." This last request of the Nabob's, the effect of his fear and despair, was immediately laid hold of, and construed in the light of a voluntary refignation. Accordingly our troops took poffeffion of the palace; Mhir Coffim Chan was raised to the Mufnud; and the old Nabob was hurried into a boat, with a few of his women and neceffaries, and fent away to Calcutta, in a manner wholly unworthy of the high rank he had fo lately held; as is alfo the fcanty fub. fiftence allowed him here by his fucceffor." The above treaty with Coffin Aly was, it feems, unanimously approved by the fecret committee of our council at Calcutta, because they imagined, I fuppofe, it imported no more than that Coffim Aly thould be prime minifter and fucceffor to Mhir Jaffeir; and can fequently that the latter might live in grandeur and ease at his palace in Moorfhadabad, as moft fovereign princes do, without having his plea fures interrupted by any fort of business; but Mhir Jaffeir judged much better: he confidered, that his life would then be abfolutely and daily in the power of Coffim Aly, and he rightly concluded, that a fon-in-law who had contrived to rob him of his power, would not long fuffer him to enjoy the title of sovereignty, therefore, as before fet forth, he begged a safe retreat in Calcutta ; which governor Vanfittart confidered as an abdication, confequently, Coffim Aly was immediately feated on the mufnud or throne, the governor paid him his congratulations in the usual form, and all the perfons of distinction then in the capital, came and made their acknowledgments to the new Subah. On the 22d the deposed Subah fet out for Calcutta, under a guard of our troops, feemingly pleafed with this reverfe in his fortune, as the prefervation of his life depended upon his appearing to be fo, and there I fhall leave him till I come to give an account of the 2d revolution; but must first take notice, that in 1759 or 1760, the then reigning emperor was murdered by his vizir, and one of his younger fons fet up in his room, in oppofition to his eldest son, the Shah Zada, which of course produced a civil war in that empire; and the Shah Zada, knowing from experience the difcipline and bravery of our troops, fent and offered us a Charte Blanche, if we would join with him, and affift in advancing him to the throne of his ancestors. This propofal, I am furprifed, we did not immediately grafp at: he would, at our defire, have agreed to establish Mbir Jaffeir as Suba of Bengal, Bahar, and Qrixa, upon his promising a future regular payment of the revenue due from thofe provinces; and we should have had nothing to fear from the deceit and double dealing of Mhir Jaffeir. If Mhir Jaffeir had refused that condition, or had neglected to perform it, we had not only a right, but were in duty bound to declare against |