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[Page 58]
Next, Harwood was ask'd whether in his opinion
A Council Provincial, was fit for dominion?
Which question means, whether in Harwood's belief
He himself was a competent Revenue Chief?
The answer came out, as might well be expected,
That his merit was great and should not be neglected.
The answerer said, he a paper would read,
To shew Hastings's system was wicked indeed;
That the House was not bolted so very secure,
As to hinder oppression from ent'ring the door.
The paper was read, and it tended to show,
That Deby, whose story you perfectly know,
According to Hastings's written confession,
Might possibly sin, and conceal the transgression.
Plumboso next said, he was going to state
The transgressions of Deby, enormously great;
But Law, whom repeated experience has taught,
That sterility's never a Manager's fault;
That when they perceive their own evidence failing,
Supply the defect by invention and railing -
Objected thereto, unless Plummy could show him,
That the Episode made any part of the Poem.
Then Edmund, who's always at hand to assist,
When Hastings's Counsellors enter the list,
Who is always prepar'd to renew the attack,
When the leaden-arm'd Plummy is forc'd to give back;
Like Diomed, clad in an armour of brass,
Oppos'd his trim breast, and disputed the pass.
When the contest was ended, their Lordships withdrew,
To resolve to which party the victory's due,.
They return'd and declar'd, 'twere improper to bring,
Or renew the old story about Deby Sing;
Then Edmund, apparently much discontented,
Exclaimed, and their Lordships decision lamented!
He said, that altho' Warren Hastings, 'tis true,
With the actions of Deby has nothing to do;
Tho' even by us 'tis no longer disputed,
That another man's crimes should to him be imputed;
Tho' directly at him we can't possibly strike,
Yet it is our intention to wound him oblique.
You remember, my Lords, when I first laid before ye
In my opening oration, this horrible story,
I made it as gloomy and black as I cou'd,
And the audience allow'd that the painting was good;
Some Ladies, of very high rank, were affected,
Your Lordships were hurt, and the country dejected;
And now, with permission, as Plummy has stated,
The story by him shall again be related.
Here Law, who on Edmund still fixes his eye,
Arose in his place, with intent to reply,
When one of the Nobles, who thinks altercation
Of very small service to investigation,
Call'd Edmund to order! and said, 'twere in vain,
Of the Court's Resolution for him to complain;
That whether the story was groundless or true,
And whether 'twere Deby's or Hastings's due,
"'T'were incompetent now upon that to enlarge,
As nothing thereof could be found in the charge.
This keen observation, more pointed then steel,
Through the Armour of Brass made the Orator feel;
He said, "The first Character England could boast
"For justice, deservedly valued the most;
'Had declared, that unless I shall make it appear,
"That the story of Deby is founded and clear;
"That from Hastings the mass of iniquity sprung,
"I ought to be [damn'd?] for my slanderous tongue :
"And now [we?] are proving the things Deby did,
"To proceed with our proof by the Court we're forbid;
"And Hastings, who bully'd us once with denial,
"Of guilt is alarm'd and now shrinks from the trial."
Law heard, and indignantly casting his eye
On Edmund, made this most provoking reply:
"So distant, My Lords, is my client from shrinking
"From trial, so little in danger of sinking,
"That what of the Commons he once did implore,
"Of the Managers now he solicits once more.
"My Client, indeed, will rejoice and be glad,
"If the Managers now will an Article add. -
"If the Managers now will an Article frame,
"My Client is ready to answer the same;
"And if he disproves not the whole they have said,
"Let vengeance perpetual fall on his head:
"But, My Lords, this great Champion now hectors and "swaggers,
"In a way that is usual with Bullies and Braggers :
"A Challenge they gave, but so cunningly make it,
"That they know 'tis impossible Hastings should "take it;
"Foreseeing their danger, they carefully shun
"The way it might yet be successfully done."
While Law was pronouncing this daring oration,
I observ'd Edmund's visage in vast agitation;
He seem'd to be sinking with horrors and woes,
And the bottle was often applied to his nose;
The Managers all appeared sadly perplext,
Not knowing what proof they shou'd offer the next;
They had scarcely recover'd their fright and confusion,
When the business of yesterday came to conclusion.
For the WORLD
SIMKIN to SIMON
[in margin] World June 1. 1790
Dear Brother, as during the trial's suspension,
No circumstance happen'd deserving of mention,
I was forc'd to be silent; but now I have got
An anecdote recent relating to Scott:
The Major, it seems, in a late publication,
Has wounded my Hero and his reputation;
A General fam'd for Theatrical writing,
As he formerly was for American fighting,
In compassion to Edmund, advanc'd in the field,
And cover'd his friend with American shield;
That shield which at fam'd Saratoga he won,
Where so many heroical actions were done.
So on Thursday this gallant Theatrical fighter,
Made a motion, that Scott was a libellous writer;
And Scott, who had boldly acknowledg'd the work,
Defended himself by accusing of Burke:
He produc'd to the House a whole bundle of libels,
And Volumes as thick as your large printed Bibles;
And these, he declar'd, were not all he could find,
Having left at the least twenty volumes behind;
All which, by their leave, he was ready to show,
Were produc'd by the pens of Great Edmund and Co.
That if he himself had committed a fault,
'Twas owing to Burke, who the science had taught:
Then, in order to soften the edge of the sentence
The House might inflict, he affected repentance.
Then Wigley arose, in support of his friend,
And said, that in justice they ought to extend
Their inquiry still farther, by way of requiting
The merit of Burke in his libellous writing.
Then Edmund arose, and began an oration
In defence of his own and his friend's reputation;
He said, that the Major, instead of repenting,
Had the libel avow'd, and was spitefully venting
His malice, by making a bold accusation
Of himself and his party, by recrimination.
On my friends, I, however, place perfect reliance,
And set the last speaker and Scott at defiance;
According to what Mr. Wigley has spoken,
Our privilege might be diurnally broken;
But if for each breach we commence prosecution,
It might possibly injure our good constitution;
And if every libel and breach is neglected,
The House of St. Stephen will not be respected:
But I always will tell you whenever 'tis fit
To punish offenders, as well as acquit:
Good writers and speakers should never be stinted,
and speeches like mine should be carefully printed.
Some speeches are fit for the public, but not
Such iniquitous speeches as utter'd by Scott.
Ten years, Mr. Speaker, have I been accusing;
Ten year has the Major myself been abusing;
Of the Blacks by myself I'm appointed protector,
And of guilt by the House I'm appointed detector.
Mr. Speaker, by me no resentment was shown,
Whilst Hasting's harpies bedaub'd me alone;
But their filth is so bad, I no longer can bear it,
Especially now, as my masters must share it;
And indeed, Mr. Speaker, 'tis vastly provoking,
To become a mere butt of satirical joking:
Altho' I've been always a friend to the Press,
I dread its venality nevertheless;
And indeed, Mr. Speaker, I've frequently thought
All the Presses in Europe by Hastings are bought.
Now at Hastings my Hero more bitterly rails,
And roundly asserts, all the prisons and jails
That ever existed, could never produce
An object like Hastings so fit for abuse.
Then Edmund went on, to unravel a plot,
And said Scott was Hastings, and Hastings was Scott;
That their influence extended from Region to Region,
And that Hastings's name should hereafter be Legion.
.