1783. JOHN ADAMS, UNITED STATES' MINISTER.

217

and Spain were signed; the former at Paris, and the two others at Versailles, but all three on the same day, the 3rd of September that anniversary so memorable in the life of Cromwell.*

The cost of this war became a painful yet necessary consideration at its close. In 1774, near eleven millions of the National Debt had been paid off during as many years of peace. Yet the capital then still amounted to almost 136,000,000. In 1785, after all the floating debts were funded, the National Debt, exclusive of terminable annuities, had grown to upwards of 238,000,0007. During the same period, the war expenses of France have been loosely estimated at seventy, of Spain at forty, and of Holland at ten millions sterling.

**

It was not till the spring of 1785, that Mr. John Adams, — named by the United States their first Minister at the Court of their former Sovereign — arrived in London, or was presented at St. James's. There, on the 1st of June, attending the King's Levee in due form, he was led by Lord Carmarthen as Secretary of State into the King's Chamber. “I think "myself more fortunate than all my fellow-citizens, said Mr. Adams to the King, "in having the distinguished honour "to be the first to stand in Your Majesty's Royal presence in "a diplomatic character; and I shall esteem myself the hap"piest of men if I can be instrumental in recommending my "country more and more to your Majesty's Royal bene"volence. "Sir," said George the Third, in answer, — and with that answer the narrative of this great war may most worthily conclude, "I wish you to believe, and that it "may be understood in America, that I have done nothing in "the late contest but what I thought myself indispensably

* On the 3rd of September Cromwell gained the victory of Dunbar; a year afterwards he obtained his "crowning mercy' at Worcester; and a few years after, on the same day, which he had ever esteemed the most fortunate for him, he died. See the fine stanzas on this subject in the fourth canto of Childe Harold (lxxxv. lxxxvi.), with the note annexed.

** Macpherson's Annals of Commerce, vol. iii. p. 408. and vol. iv. p. 93. ed. 1805.

"bound to do by the duty which I owed to my people. I will "be very frank with you. I was the last to consent to the "separation; but the separation having been made and "having become inevitable, I have always said, as I say "now, that I would be the first to meet the friendship of the "United States as an independent Power."*

* John Adams to Secretary Jay, June 2. 1785, as printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence, and in Adams's collected Works, vol. viii. p. 255. Mr. Adams adds: "The King was indeed much affected, and I confess I was not less so."

INDIA.]

MEER JAFFIER.

219

CHAPTER LXVII.

INDIA.

WHENEVER, in any modern History of England, an at◄ tempt has been made to combine, year by year, the transactions in Europe and in India, the result, it may be said without presumption, is seldom satisfactory. Such frequent breaks in the narrative, and changes in the scene, with so thorough a difference in race and language, in religion, and in laws, may fulfil the duty of an annalist, but not, as I conceive, the higher aim of an historian. Avoiding that error, as on full reflection I believe it to be, I design in this and the following Chapter, and in a connected series, to pursue the sketch of British India, which in two former Chapters I commenced; and to bring down its tale to that period decisive of its welfare, when, in the autumn of 1783, the Ministry of Fox and North not only judged it right, but found it necessary, to propose, in some or other form, a new measure for the government of our Eastern empire.

The victories of the English in India, during Chatham's first administration, left to them a power great indeed, and nobly won, but as yet ill-administered and insecure. They had struck down their European rivals at Pondicherry, at Chandernagore, and at Chinsura. They had shot high above their titular liege-lords in the Deccan and Bengal. Of Bengal, indeed, they were in truth the masters, since Meer Jaffier, as their tool and instrument, sat enthroned on the Musnud of that procince. On the other hand, they had no longer a chief of genius and of energy to guide them. The principal authority, since the departure of Clive, had devolved on Mr. Henry Vansittart, the father of the late Lord Bexley, a man of good intentions, but of moderate

capacity. Thus the discipline of the victors was relaxed by their own successes. Thus their rapine ceased to be checked by a strong hand. Almost every Englishman in Bengal began to look upon speedy enrichment as his right, and upon the subservient natives as his prey.

Nor was it long ere a growing difference sprung up between them and their new Nabob. So early as the autumn of 1760, Meer Jaffier was found to engage in cabals against the Company. Mr. Vansittart and Colonel Caillaud deemed it necessary to advance with a few hundred of their troops to Cossim-Bazar, a suburb of Moorshedabad, beyond the river. They gave in their terms to Meer Jaffier. Meer Jaffier wavered and wrangled. Without further delay, he was surrounded in his palace at the dead of night, compelled to resign the Government, and then, at his own request, permitted to retire to Fort William, under the protection of the British flag; while his son-in-law, Meer Cossim, was in his stead proclaimed the Viceroy of Bengal.*

-

According to a compact made beforehand with the English, Meer Cossim forthwith yielded to them, as the price of their assistance, both an amount of treasure and an increase of territory. But his temper, which was bold and active, and by no means scrupulous, chafed at these sacrifices. Still less could he brook the oft-repeated acts of insolence and rapine of the GOMASTAHS, the native factors or agents in the British pay. Ere long, therefore, he took some measures to shake off his subjection. He removed his Court from Moorshedabad to Monghir, two hundred miles further from Calcutta. He increased and disciplined his troops. He imprisoned or disgraced every man of note in his dominion who had ever shown attachment to the English. He began to enforce against the private traders the revenue laws, from which they claimed exemption. Angry disputes arose above all with the numerous English factory at Patna.

.....

had

"The removal of Jaffier was an ill-advised measure. "Clive remained in Bengal, there would probably have been no revolu"tion." (Note by Professor H. H. Wilson, to Mr. Mill's History, vol. iii.

p.

310. ed. 1840.)

INDIA.]

MASSACRE OF PATNA.

221

Mr. Vansittart repaired to Monghir in the hope to avert hostilities. He concluded a treaty, agreeing that his countrymen should pay the inland duties to the amount of nine per cent.; and not refusing on that occasion a present to himself of seven Lacs of Rupees from Meer Cossim. But the Council of Calcutta voted the terms dishonourable. As a last effort to avert hostilities, another deputation was sent from Calcutta to Monghir. At its head was Mr. Amyatt, one of the principal members of the Council. Not only, however, did these gentlemen wholly fail in their mission, but while passing the city of Moorshedabad on their way back, they were inhumanly murdered by a body of Cossim's own troops. After such an outrage, peace was no longer possible. Thus, in the summer of 1763, war again commenced, the Council of Calcutta resolving to depose Meer Cossim, and proclaiming the restoration of Meer Jaffier.

The British forces that took the field in this campaign amounted at first to scarcely more than 600 Europeans, and 1,200 Sepoys. With these, however, their commander, Major Adams, obtained rapid and great successes. He drove the enemy from their strong-holds, entered Moorshedabad, gained a battle on the plains of Geriah, and, after a nine days' siege, reduced Manghir. Nothing was left to Meer Cossim but Patna, and even Patna he perceived that he should not be able to maintain. Accordingly, he prepared for flight to the dominions of his powerful neighbour, Sujah Dowlah, the Nabob of Oude. But first he wreaked his vengeance on the English by an act of savage barbarity, second in its horrors only to those of the Black Hole. His prisoners of the factory at Patna exceeded one hundred and fifty persons. They comprised many peaceful traders, they comprised one infant child. All these the tyrant indiscriminately doomed to death the Massacre of Patna, as it has ever since been termed. For his purpose Meer Cossim found a congenial instrument in one Sombre, otherwise Sumroo, a Frenchman by birth, and a deserter from the European service. This wretch gave his victims a significant though