The Suba, who was equally dissatisfied with and disturbed at the State of his Affairs, and found himself obliged to be at a great Expence in keeping Troops in the Field, knew not what to say or how to act. He declared, however, positively, against our reducing the French subordinate Factories; would not hear of making the Remains of their Forces Prisoners, and delivering them up to the English; but, however, discovered no Scruple at all in seizing upon their Effects, under Colour of doing it to make Satisfaction to his own Subjects, who were their Creditors. At the same time he ordered the French to quit his Dominions, directing them to march towards Patna. He likewise paid farther Sums of Money to the Company's Servants, and gave them Hopes, that he would both strictly and speedily fulfil his Treaty in every respect. In regard to the Artillery, which he did not restore, he alleged, that he was distressed himself for want of Cannon, and was willing to purchase them. In this manner things went on for a Month or Six Weeks, during which Space every Method was practised that could lessen his Apprehensions, or free him from that Terror which he seemed to have of the English advancing their Forces into the Heart of his Country. He was even permitted, upon a Rumour that the Garrison of Cassimbuzar was augmented to Five hundred Men, to send his own Officers to inspect it, who found and reported, that there was not above a Tenth Part of the Number. The same Compliances were made in many Respects.
But in the midst of these Compliances and Concessions, instead of growing milder and better disposed, the Suba shewed very evident Marks of his being more and more exasperated against those who gave them. He fell again to caballing with the French; and instead of compelling those who had escaped to quit his Country, as he engaged expressly, he took that little Body of Men, which were about Patna, into his Pay, at the Rate of Ten thousand Rupees a Month, of which Mr. Watts procured the Intelligence, and communicated it to the Committee. He turned all his Attention towards Mr. Bussy, who, as he was made to believe, had an Army of Twenty thousand Men, and with which he might march speedily into his Dominions. When these Rumours at any time sunk, he was more tractable; but as soon as they revived, he became as imperious and as much out of Humour as ever. Vice-Admiral Watson having sent him Several pressing Letters, exhorting him to act suitable to his Dignity, agreeable to his own Interests, for the Good of his Subjects, to give no Ear to idle Reports, to accomplish his Promises, and fulfil the several Articles of his Treaty, he gave no Answers to them, but complained that they wrote in so severe a Stile, that he knew not how to reply to them. At length his Uneasinesses, Jealousies, and Suspicions, rose so high, that he ordered all the Boats to be searched that came up to Cassimbuzar, and publickly declared, that if any Powder or Ammunition was found aboard, that he would order the Noses and Ears of the Watermen to be cut off, which was a direct Breach of his Treaty. He could not help knowing, that this Method of acting must have a very disadvantageous Effect upon the Affairs of the English in his Dominions, and impede and perplex their Commercial Transactions exceedingly. He could not be ignorant that this would diminish his own Income, distress his Subjects, and lessen both their Subsistence and their Industry. But alas! he was so much under the Dominion of his Passions, that he considered only gratifying his Caprice; and acting from no Motive, could discern no Consequences. Hapless as a Man! more hapless as a Prince! he had as little Fear of falling into Difficulties, as, when fallen, he had Skill to get out of them.
An Attempt has been already made to give the Reader some Idea of the melancholy and mortifying Situation of Mr. Watts, who resided on the Part of the Company at the Suba's Court, whose Perplexities daily increased, and whose Anxieties hourly multiplied, though they had not yet reached to those Circumstances of Disgust and Distress that they afterwards did. He saw himself almost constantly on bad Terms with that Prince, and of course upon no good ones with his Ministers and Favourites. The Suba never forgave him extracting that important, and, as he conceived it, fatal Letter of Permission to Admiral Watson; to which, without much Injustice, he ascribed solely the attacking and taking Chandenagore. It was from Mr. Watts he received, from Day to Day, those grating Remonstrances that so much displeased him, and those admonitory Letters that made still a deeper Impression. He ought, in Strictness, to have considered him, on these Occasions, as the Instrument only of the Company; but his Warmth and Assiduity in all these frequent Applications, made the Suba look no farther than himself. He was obliged to confer with him daily, and, if he was absent, called for him, as being uneasy if he missed him, whence of course he beheld him often, and yet but very seldom with a gracious Eye. Mr. Watts saw, felt, and understood these numberless Inconveniencies, to which he was exposed, and which, as we have observed, heightened upon him every Hour. But the Consolation he derived from the kind Letters of Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, who had a true and lively Sense of his Services and Sufferings, kept up his Spirits, and enabled him to pursue his Business with a Vivacity that entirely concealed, though it could not remove, but rather augmented, his interior Chagrin. Besides this, he had another Satisfaction, which was getting most Part of the Treaty executed, tho with infinite Trouble; and this procured him the hearty Approbation of the Select Committee, who were now convinced, that he not only did all that could be done, but more than most Men could have done in his Station. As ill as he was treated by him, he continued to render the Suba many good Offices; giving the Committee to understand, that, in all human Probability, they should gradually obtain all that they desired, and that therefore they should not be impatient. He prevailed also upon Colonel Clive to promise the Suba from time to time his Assistance; and he laboured more incessantly to convince that Prince, that, if he would confide in the English, he had no Reason to fear either foreign or domestic Enemies, with which, when he thought himself in Danger, he was well enough pleased; but when that was in any Degree over, he shewed a visible Uneasiness at his having confessed that he stood in need of such Assistance.
The Storm, that had been gathering from the Beginning of March, began to burst about the latter End of April, and in the Opening of the Month of May; when the Suba, in sudden Starts of Passion, shewed the Rancour of his Heart, and testified sufficiently, that he waited only for an Opportunity to make the English feel a second Time the heavy Weight of his Resentment. As he never assigned any Causes himself, but on the contrary, even in this Interval, and in the midst of Actions inconsistent with those Declarations, asserted his Intention to fulfil his Treaty, and appealed to God and his Prophet for the Truth of it; we must own it is extremely difficult to guess at his Reasons. They appear, however, to have been chiefly Three; First, the perpetual Insinuations of the French, that Mr. Bussy might be brought to his Assistance; and that, by a Junction with his Troops, he would be greatly superior to the English; and to this Measure he was so much inclined, that he actually wrote a Letter to that Officer, in which he promised him Twenty Lack of Rupees, if he would march directly into his Dominions, of which Mr. Watts also gave the Intelligence. The next Thing was, the Compliances that had been made with a View of gaining him, the recalling most of the Troops from Chandenagore, the permitting him to keep the Cannon, to search the Factory of Cassimbuzar, and the warm and tender Expressions of Friendship in Colonel Clive's Letters, with the high Testimonies of Reverence and Respect paid him, whenever he was pleased to be in a good Temper, or to profess his Disposition of adhering to his Engagements. The last was, the Retreat of the Patans, who had shewn an Intention to invade his Territories, and the putting an End to the Troubles occasioned by the My Rajah, by which he thought himself in a Condition to employ all his Forces, and was likewise secure of having the French to manage his Artillery, with which they made him believe they could perform Wonders. In these Circumstances he was so very elate, as not to make any Scruple (though a direct Breach of his Faith) of interrupting the English Commerce, keeping his Army in the Field, though he had most solemnly promised the contrary, and sometimes expressing a formal Design of sending back the Treaty that had been signed with him, and demanding his own. In such a State of Things it was evident, that the Company could not rely upon him, or consider themselves in any Degree of Security, farther than as they were supported by the King's Squadron and Forces; and as their present Condition was very precarious, so their future Prospect was still more gloomy and alarming; and though as yet they were not in a state of War, they could not, however, with any Propriety, be said to be in Peace.
The Vice-Admiral and Colonel Clive were exceedingly embarrassed, and found it very difficult to judge what Measures they were to take. If they advanced their Forces, or resumed their military Preparations, it might, in Appearance, justify the Suba's Behaviour; and besides, Mr. Watts and the Select Committee both dissuaded any Steps of this kind, as inconsistent with the Company's Concerns, at least till they had secured the Money and Effects of the several Subordinates. On the other hand, they saw that Compliances did more Harm than Good, and that their Professions of adhering inviolably to the Peace, and their repeated Promises of Friendship and Assistance, only flattered the Suba's Pride, heightened his Notions of his own Power, and encouraged him to act with greater Violence and Insolence, of which they had but too many, and those flagrant Instances. Colonel Clive, however, took on one Side every Method that was necessary to demonstrate his pacific Inclination, and how sincere his Intentions were to restore and preserve the Tranquility of the Provinces, desisting from his Demands that the French should be delivered up, from the repairing the Fortifications at Cassimbuzar, or reinforcing the Garrison. At the same time, he wrote in very plain Terms to the Suba, told him his Thoughts of his Proceedings, the Concern they gave him, and the Determination he had taken, to recur to open Force, whenever he found, from his Manner of acting, that no other Remedy was left, and that it was entirely in his Power to have him for a Friend or an Enemy. In the very Height of these Disputes, the Suba demanded an ample Acquittance, under the Seal of the Governor and Select Committee, and those also of the Vice-Admiral and Colonel. To this the latter wrote him for Answer, that it was strange he should demand, or expect such an Acquittance, when he very well knew, that several of the Articles were still unperformed; that many Lacks of Rupees were due to the Company, in Satisfaction of their Losses; that the Restitution of Thirty-eight Villages, which they claimed, had not yet been made; and that their Commerce in general was still interrupted. But as his Demand might imply a Resolution to settle all these Points, and as it was hoped this was really the Case, such an Acquittance should be immediately prepared, and transmitted to Mr. Watts, with express Orders to deliver it, as soon as the Articles hitherto unadjusted were once thoroughly settled.
This, however reasonable in itself, was by no means acceptable to the Suba, who, in Proportion as he lost all seeming Regard, though really he never had any for the Vice-Admiral and the Colonel, towards both of whom he had once professed so much Esteem, kept no longer any Measures towards Mr. Watts, whom he looked upon as a Man he could not deceive, as a Man whom he hated for that Reason, and, which was an additional Motive to his Resentment, though it should, if his Mind had corresponded with his Rank, have restrained it, as a Man absolutely in his Power. In order to execute the various Commissions with which he was charged more punctually, Mr. Watts, according to the Custom of Indostan, had employed a Person to act as his Agent, in the Language of the Country, a Vaqueel. Him, in the first Fit of his Fury, the Suba forbid his Court. An Affront very gross in India, though in Appearance, and to us, unacquainted with their Customs, a very slight Thing, but it was quickly followed by personal Insults, and those of the most serious Nature. At last, forgetting the Respect due to the British Crown, to Mr. Watts's Character as Resident from the East India Company, and his own Dignity, he told several of his principal Ministers, with a View that they should, as they really did, tell it Mr. Watts again, that, upon the first Intelligence he had of the Motion of the English Troops, he would cut off that Gentleman's Head, or cause him to be impaled. This was such an Outrage on the Law of Nations as was inconsistent with the Rank of a Prince, and must, by the Rules of common Sense, leave any Man in his Circumstances at Liberty to take the Methods that appeared to him safest for his own Preservation. Upon this Occasion Mr. Watts acted with a Degree of Temper and Calmness that must surprize the Reader. He wrote an Account of the Facts to the Governor, without any Exaggeration, adding, that he despised the Suba's Threatenings, and desired the Select Committee would proceed as the Company's Interest directed, and without putting themselves in Pain for his Safety. A Circumstance that would not have been inserted in these Memoirs, if the Person was not alive to whom that Letter was addressed.
The Gentlemen entrusted with the Direction of Affairs, saw plainly the Tendency of the Suba's Proceedings. Indeed they were so evident, as to fill all the Inhabitants of Calcutta with Alarms, that were but too well founded. Experience had already taught them, how far the Caprice of the Suba might go; and it was no way improbable, that if they were so unhappy as to fall again under his Power, they might, if possible, meet with still worse Treatment, which induced them to make the best Provision they could for their Defence; and to put the Troops into such Condition, as that, whenever Necessity required, they might be able to repel Force by Force. At the same time, however, it was resolved, not to precipitate any thing, to act with the utmost Caution, and to lay hold of any favourable Opportunity that might offer, towards furnishing Means to extricate them from these Perplexities.
Calcutta was not the only Place where Doubts and Apprehensions reigned. They were to the full as strong in Muxadavad, with this additional and distinguishing Circumstance, that Discord spread itself through the Suba's Court, where the only Oracle that every Man consulted was his own Interest. Reverses of Fortune were equally sudden and frequent. The Courtiers that were in the highest Favour To-day, were To-morrow in the very Depth of Disgrace. No Man was secure, and therefore no Man was contented; and which is, and will be always the Case in corrupt Courts, the worst Men had the best Chance. Those who had nothing to lose, had all Things to expect; and by flattering their Prince's Humour, and complying blindly with all his Commands, the meanest and basest People about him grew quickly the most considerable. Those who had been in the Old Suba's Councils and Confidence, who were Men of Rank and Family, and who had both Estates and Reputations to risque, were, from those very Circumstances, Malecontents. They saw that this System could not last long; that a general Confusion must ensue; and that a Man, governed entirely by his Passions, could never carry on public Affairs with any Degree of Success. But these Reflections, which their own good Sense and long Experience suggested to them, served only to disturb and to distract, without affording them the least Glance of extricating either him or themselves from that impending Ruin, which his rash and raw Measures rendered inevitable. They perceived plainly enough each other's Sentiments, from that Tincture which they naturally gave to every One's Language and Behaviour; but they had no Confidence at all amongst themselves, and every Man was afraid of hastening his own particular Fall, by disclosing or lamenting the Approach of that common Destruction, which, however visible to their Understandings, was by no means a fit Subject for their Conversation.
But in the midst of these Perplexities a Ray of Hope very unexpectedly appeared. The Suba had shewn the Severity of his Nature, in so many Instances, as to strike a universal Terror; more especially as the Fickleness of his Disposition suffered no Man who was near him, and in his Power, to think himself safe. In such a State of general Danger, there occurred to every One, capable of thinking freely (the only Species of Liberty that even Tyrants' Favourites retain) but one single Mode of Security, which consisted in depriving him of his Power, who so constantly, as well as egregiously abused it. The Conception of this availed little, since the Attempt was equally difficult and dangerous; and the failing in it sure to be attended with sudden and certain Destruction. There was also but one way to move, or rather to lessen the Risk; and this also was very easily discovered. It was procuring the Countenance and the Assistance of the English. Such as were in the Suba's Confidence, and from that very Circumstance most afraid of him, were persuaded they could merit very much from the Company's Servants, by laying open his Secrets, and thereby shewing them, what these People thought they did not in the least suspect, the Danger to which they stood exposed. Amongst several who reasoned thus in their own Breasts, there was one who had a considerable share of Interest and Authority. His Name was Godar Yar Cawn Laitty, who, when he had for some time meditated, and in his own Mind thoroughly digested his Scheme, thought it wore so fair an Appearance, that he sent several Messages to Mr. Watts, signifying that he had something to communicate to him of great Importance: But the Suba kept so many Spies upon that Gentleman, and those Spies watched him so very closely, that it was simply impossible to comply with Godar Yar Cawn Laitty's Request of having an Interview with him, because it was evidently risking the utter Ruin of both. Some Days, therefore, elapsed, before an Expedient could be found to remove this troublesome Obstacle, and to give Mr. Watts the necessary Information of what were this Person's real Intentions, and what the Means by which he proposed to carry them into Execution.
He at length thought proper to send to him Omichund, who has been mentioned before, in order to draw what Lights he could from this discontented Confident of the Suba, who, after he had conferred with him, reported, that he knew with Certainty his Master's settled Intentions were to break with and to attack the English, as soon as he had a favourable Opportunity; that he likewise knew the Suba had retained the French, who had escaped from Chandenagore, and in the subordinate Factories, in his Service, who were to remain at Patna in his Pay, till an Occasion could be found for employing them; that the English had no Method of preventing this threatening Tempest from breaking upon their Establishments, but by providing in Time a Force sufficient to resist it; that he was willing, whenever the Suba should recur to open Hostilities, to join Us, and act against him, provided we would assist him in assuming the Government of the Province; that in return for this, he would, as soon as he was fixed in that Office, grant, by way of Recompence, a large Extent of Lands to the Company, and would likewise pay down a Sum in ready Money, sufficient to indemnify the People of Calcutta for all the Losses they had sustained. These were Communications of so dangerous as well as so delicate a Nature, that they would infallibly have turned a weak Head, or distracted a timid Mind. They were received calmly and coolly, as Points of Information, in regard to which Mr. Watts could take no Step of himself, but from which the Persons who had communicated them had nothing to fear; and with these Assurances, such was their Opinion of his Secrecy, Sagacity, and Steadiness, that they remained perfectly satisfied and easy, leaving him sufficient Leisure to consider and reflect upon these very extraordinary Overtures, and to review and digest the Thoughts that must naturally arise upon so important a Subject. But, however, restrained him within the Compass of Six Days, to procure for this Moorish Officer an Answer, from those who were entrusted with the Management of the Company's Affairs at Calcutta.