("HAP. XII.] SCHEME TO DEPOSE MEEK JAFFIER. G()!)
time. Meer Cossim, in granting this assistance, had stipulated that he sliould a d. kuo. he regarded as the next in succession to the nabobsliip. At this very time he was aspiring to the possession of it without waiting for succession ; and when
- (>uuded on tlie subject by Mr. Holwell, had signified his readiness in a manner Scheme t->
which ouglit to have satisfied that gentleman how unworthy he was of the least jaBiermici countenance. His proposal was to seat himself on the musnud, by causing his cls'lui^'""^ father-in-law to be assassinated. Mr. Holvvell says that "'he expressed much astonishment and abhorrence at the overture," and distinctly told Meer Cossim " that unless he dropped all mention, as well as every intention and attempt of the measure he had intimated, the conference must end there." Meer Cossim, so far from being abashed, could not even understand Mr. Holwell's scruples, which only made him fear that he " was not so much his friend as he lioped and expected." Strange to say, the negotiation with this would-be assa.ssin was still continued, and issued in a formal treaty, by which Meer Jaffier was to be stripped of everything but the name of sovereign, and Meer Cossim was forth- with to be invested with the whole executive authority. On the part of the Company, it was stipulated that the sum due to them should be paid, that the districts of Burdwan, Midnapore, and Chittagong should be assigned to them for the maintenance of a sufficient force in Bengal, and that five lacs of rupees should be given as a present for the war in the Carnatic.
The pretexts for this treaty were the contempt and detestation which Meer Corrupt Jaffier had provoked by his misgovernment, his inability to contend with the pioyo.i difficulties with which he was surrounded, and the state of the Company's finances, which made it absolutely necessary that their existing claims on the government should be satisfied, and those which could not fail to arise in future be secured beforehand by some material guarantee. When all these things are admitted, the gross injustice and im]-)olicy of the new revolution are still mani- fest. Whatever the demerits of Meer Jaffier might be, they could scarcely be greater than those of the man who, though bound to him by the closest affinity, would have carved a way to the throne by assassinating him. The pecuniar}- difficulties could not be diminished by the substitution of a new nabob, who brought no new resoui'ces of his own, nor could the general confusion of the government be diminished by abrupt revolutionary changes. Besides, the Com- pany stood bound by solemn ti'eaty to maintain Meer Jaffier on the throne, and there could not be a greater breach of faith than the arbitrary determination to depose him. But it is imnecessary to examine the ostensible pretexts for this dishonourable and iniquitous proceeding, since the real motive, though carefully concealed at the time, was soon disclosed, and proved that the leaders in the new revolution, while pleading public principle, liad only been consulting their avarice. On the very night when the agi-eement with Meer Cossim was signed, he made a tender of twenty lacs of rupees to the members of the select com- mittee. They were not refused ; but it was deemed decent to decline acceptance
