'History of the Province of Gohud' [‎20r] (39/72)

39
known to him when he concluded the Treaty with Scindiah,
the 4th article of which provided for the safety of the Rana
and his dominions. It was clear, therefore, that in his
judgment these charges were not substantiated, otherwise
Warren Hastings would not have hesitated to make them a
ground of summarily abrogating the Treaty between the
British Government and the Rana of J 779, and of excluding
the Rana from any guarantee under the Treaty with Scin-
diah. The conduct of the Rana was clearly, therefore, in the
Governor-General's view, not such as would justify him in
abrogating the Treaty of 1779, which he had himself pressed
on the adoption of the Council, without laying himself open to
the charge of " sacrificing an ally of the British Government
to the ambition, avarice, and vengeance of his hereditary
enemy." . To avoid such a charge and ostensibly maintain
the faith of Treaties, Warren Hastings included in the Treaty
with Scindiah the article which, if observed, would have
amply provided for the security of the Rana and his dominions,
but he deliberately, though secretly, violated it, by tacitly
consenting to waive its stipulation, " and thus, in violation
of the national faith and justice, did commit a gross and wil
ful breach of his duty, and was thereby guilty of an high
crime and misdemeanour." But although this was the final
judgment of the Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. of the Honourable East
India Company and of the highest Court in the realm (the
Houses of^PnteBww^ Commons in Parliament assembled), no
reparation was ever made to the Rana of Gohud for the loss
of his country or the destruction of his family, which had
been brought upon him by his faithful adherence to the
interests of the British nation. The Treaty of 1779, the
binding character of which on the British Government was
thus clearly admitted by Parliament, vi olated though it was
by Hastings, was never modified or abrogated.