in-Chief. His counter-orders to the troops were cheerfully obeyed. Colonel Morgan closed the gates of Fort William against General Clavering, and a like answer came from Barrackpur and Baj-Baj. An appeal from Hastings and Barwell to the Supreme Court resulted in a crowning victory for the Governor-General. All four judges ruled 'clearly, unanimously, and decidedly,' that Clavering had no right to assume an office from which Mr. Hastings, even according to the terms of Macleane's letter, had not yet retired. 'It was quite evident,' they said, that Hastings 'was not dead, that he was not removed, and that he had not resigned.'
Hastings and Barwell were for going yet further. They declared that Clavering had by his own act vacated his seat in Council, as well as the post of Commander-in-Chief. But the judges found that Hastings had no legal power to declare such vacancy; and they advised a reference of that and other questions to the home Government. The Governor-General bowed to their decision, and a formal vote in Council on the 25th June closed a quarrel which had nearly ripened into a civil war[1]. From his letters of this date to Lord North and the India House, it is easy to understand the motives which led Hastings, in spite of his warm regard for Macleane, to assert his outraged dignity at all costs, and to declare himself bound by every tie of duty to retain his post until he could honourably quit it. He has no hope indeed of re-
- ↑ Auber, Gleig, Impey.
