CHAPTER XIII.

REIGN OF GEORGE III. (_continued_).

Victory of Pitt--The King's delight--Pitt's Finance--The India Bill--Pitt's Budget--The Westminster Election--The Scrutiny--Fox is returned--The Volunteers in Ireland--Flood's Reform Bill--Riots in Ireland--Pitt's Commercial Policy for Ireland--Opposition of the English Merchants--Abandonment of the Measure--Pitt's Reform Bill--His Administrative Reforms--Bill for fortifying Portsmouth and Plymouth--Pitt's Sinking Fund--Favourable Reception of the Bill--Pitt's Excise Bill--Commercial Treaty with France--Impeachment of Warren Hastings--Retrospect of Indian Affairs: Deposition of Meer Jaffier--Resistance of Meer Cossim--Massacre of Patna--Battle of Buxar and Capture of Allahabad--Clive's Return to India--Settlement of Bengal and Oude--Domestic Reforms--Rise of Hyder Ali--His Treaty with the English--He is defeated by the Mahrattas--Deposition of the Rajah of Tanjore--Failure of Lord Pigot to reinstate him--Lord North's Regulating Bill--Death of Clive--Warren Hastings becomes Governor-General--His dealings with the Famine--Treatment of Reza Khan and the Nabob of Bengal--Resumption of Allahabad and Corah--Massacre of the Rohillas--Arrival of the New Members of Council--Struggle for Supremacy--Robbery of Cheyte Sing--Nuncomar's Charges--His Trial and Execution--Hastings' Constitutional Resignation--His Final Victory--Wars against the Mahrattas--Hyder Ali's Advance--Defeat of Baillie--Energy of Hastings--Victories of Sir Eyre Coote--Capture of Dutch Settlements--Naval Engagements between the British and French--Death of Hyder Ali--Tippoo continues the War--He invokes Peace--Hastings' Extortions from Cheyte Sing--Hastings' visit to Benares--Rising of the People--Rescue of Hastings and Deposition of Cheyte Sing--Extortion from the Begums of Oude--Parliamentary Inquiries--Hastings' Reception in England--Burke's Motion of Impeachment--Pitt's Change of Front--The Prince of Wales and the Whigs--Inquiry into his Debts--Alderman Newnham's Motion--Denial of the Marriage with Mrs. Fitzherbert--Sheridan's Begum Speech--Impeachment of Hastings--Growth of the Opposition to the Slave Trade--The Question brought before Parliament--Evidence produced--Sir W. Dolben's Bill--Trial of Warren Hastings--Speeches of Burke, Fox, and Sheridan--Illness of the King--Debates on the Regency Bill--The King's Recovery--Address of the Irish Parliament to the Prince of Wales 307