Monday 25 June 1781 · Extraordinary

HICKY'S BENGAL GAZETTE; EXTRAORDINARY. Monday 25th June 1781. CALCUTTA. Monday 25th June 1781. TOMORROW the very important Trial of Mr. JAMES AUGUSTUS HICKY, the Printer of the BENGAL GAZETTE will come on at the Court House in Calcutta, on the Fate of which materially depends the inestimable Liberty of the PRESS, the security of the property, and the boasted Liberty of an British subjects in this Part of the World. List of the Grand Jury summoned this Important sessions, who found three Bills of Indictment against Mr. HICKY, Printer of the Bengal Gazette at the suit of Mr. HASTINGS; from the complexion of which, the World will draw their own Inferences. W. A. Brook Foreman Paymaster to a Brigade and supposed to be lashed in the Bengal Gazette, under the name of Buxey Clumsey. Jos. Dickson, Searcher to the Port of Calcutta a snug Sinecure Place. John Princep Chintz and Piece Contractor. Joseph Smith Deputy Imp it Warehouse keeper Tho's Evans Paymaster to the Corps of Artillery and patronised by M. H. John Petrie. Commissioner of the the Customs, who perfectly understands his own Interest. H, C Plowden Post master General and Brother in law to Mr Wheeler David Killican Salt Contractor J. Mac'Kenzie President of the Board of Customs a Scotch man & of course attached to reigning power. James Irwin Resident at Malda Philip Coales Resident at Midnapore Thomas Morris Collector of the Tax to be levied in consequence of the late Bye Law of blessed Memory Arther Malony vernment Customs patronised by Mr. Wheeler John Levette Has I believe an exclusive Priviledge of selling Arrack Page Kebel Marine Pay Master and wants the Marine Contract Sam. Chartres Member of the Committee of Revenue A Montgomery Commissioner of customs. Jos. Sherburn Deputy Jemedar of Calcutta Geo. Lear A Candidate for a Place Geo. Levius Military store Keeper R. Tomlinson Accomptant General to the Commercial department John. Duncan Superintendant of the Khalsa Cha. Croftes Accomptant General to the Revenue Department. Treasurer & Member of the committee of Revenue, Army Contractor &c. N. B. - All those Gentlemen out of the service, who cannot be under the Influence of Government, and were summoned Last Sessions, were left out this Time. Mr. HICKY THE least Step towards suppressing the Liberty of the Press, alarms every good Englishman. If we are ever unfortunate enough not to dare to declare our opinions, from that Moment our darling Liberty has lost its' best its' securest Guardian. ----- We shall then be in the Condition of the sheep, which had given up their Dogs. Danger when pointed out to us may be avoided, for the Proverb says "forewarned, forearmed." But when our Dogs or Guardians are gone or HICKY'S BENGAL GAZETTE; OR THE ORIGINAL Calcutta General Adverti[ser] A Weekly Political and Commercial Paper, Open to all Parties, but influenced by None. 75 From Saturday the June 23d to Saturday June 30th 1781. For the Bengal Gazette Extraordinary. WE hear the Scavoire Vivre, lately distinguished by the Title of the Community have unanimously balloted in a New MEMBER Master Leaveland GOGGLE EYE of BOGALE HALL; he has already taken his Tour of duty in the Suite of the Haughty Roxana. No Hindostanny Slipper can set easier than new Admirers on the mind of this fair OBDURATE. TENT POLE IMPROMPTU, finding his wings singed and remembering the fate of Ovids ICARUS from soaring too near the Sun, has wisely retreated from its scorching Rays just in time to save both Heart and liver he has drawn off Horse, Foot, and Artillery, being too impetuous to prosecute a 'Tr jin siege. His Chief Engineer, JACK PURRANNA KILLA approved the Arrangement, and being resolved not to be responsible for measures he is not allow'd to guide; has resigned his share in the Guardian-ship to CUDDY-COSSEPORE and CHUTAH PIGDANNY. The latter Hovers about her like an unfledged Cupid or "FRIBBLE in Miss in her Teens," preparing slopsalves and a stuffing Patience. BUXEY CLUMSEY of Indictment Hall, with his usual perspicuity, confesses himself lost in amazement and like BOBADIL positively "Plannet struck," ----- It is much to be lamented that even the Polish of the SCAVOIRE VIVRE, has not given this square sterned Member the Address and manner of a Gentleman, he still retains the Original Air of a TICKET PORTER. --- This Hero has shewn fewer symptoms of "Public spirit," than any of the SIGHING BAND, discouraged perhaps by the fate of his "ill starr'd," Friend the Presumptuous PULTA ROTAS (the Copper smith) commonly call'd the Bermingham Count-erfeit, Head Master and Scavenger to the right worshipfull Board of INKLE WEAVERS. Intelligence Extraordinary from Leaden Hall Street, on India affairs THE last Advices from Leaden hall Street Mention, that on the Petition being Read and presented to the House of Commons, an Embargo was laid on the EXPORTATIONS of LAWYERS under any denomination to India, notwithstanding Judge Hardinge was recently appointed a Judge in the Supreme Court and actually ready to Embark. ----- The Court of Directors have been made fully Sensible that the CORPS of Lattitats in India prove more perplexing and troublesome than the MUSQUITOS ----- that they have been destructive of Commerce, and Confidence, and created more Confusion and devastation in Bengal than all the Mahratta Powers Combin'd. To Mr. HICKY SIR, AT a time when the necessities of the State are felt by all ranks of persons, and even threaten the Existence of the State itself, all Ordinances tending to frugality, and the encrease of the Revenues must be approved of; and in this light the late regulations for the Post Office department, however unprecedently severe nay illegally so upon Individuals (who have, I believe, the privilege in every Country upon Earth but this to employ their own Messengers) may be tolerated, when we consider the great Condescension of the first Ministers, in voluntary divesting themselves of all exclusive privileges, and reducing themselves to a level with us common Plebeians, and all for the public good, and for the valuable Encrease of the Company's Revenues of one hundred and fifty Rupees per Mensem. After the laudable, and singular proof we have just adduced, of steady Patriotism, and true disinterestedness, it is to be regretted that a system so just and praiseworthy, should be sullied with the want of Uniformity, and contain Instances repugnant to its own spirit, such for example as the Creation of Offices, with exorbitant Salaries, without use, and without end; such for instance as a Colater of the Company's Records, with 1,500 Rupees per Month; an Agent (to be) for Boats 1,500 Rupees per Month; a searcher of Boats for smuggled Treasure; &c. --- exclusive of the law Offices, which are encreasing every day, and at the head of which may be placed that of an addition of three thousand Rupees per Month (to what the Court of Directors thought not only adequate, but excessive) to the salary of the first Law Officer, tho' the Man has never yet attempted to execute the Employment for which He was expressly sent out, by defending a single Suit of the Company's, or dare venture even to appear in Court, conscious that He should there be liable to many insults and this moderate and well-earned addition being still inadequate to his wishes, a Contract instead of judicial Reprobation is now in Contemplation for him. It would be wrong, too, to overlook the trifling Sum of twenty thousand pounds lately paid to purchase the resumption of a Grant, the Inconveniencies of which, when made, but not before, were so conspicuous, as to require the annulling of it, at any rate, to be absolutely expedient; and this is not the first instance, nor will, I dare say, be the last. ----- After this short recital of facts, what must one think of the Rulers of the Government in which they can occur, who, strictly speaking, Quack Doctor like, varies his Plans, as the view for Medicines, with out either knowledge of the Constitution, or their effects, and we shall assuredly see with the same Success. --- A. B. C. Mr. HICKY THERE can be no stronger proof of the affectionate regard, our gracious Sovereign entertains for his Subjects in this remote quarter of his Dominions, than the benign, unruffled temper he preserves in essaying to plant the standard of his power: --- a Despot would have dispatched the royal mandate on the point of the Sword, or poured forth a pageant military force, to assert the unalterable letter of his will, and blazon about the insignia of sovereignty; but the measures of a limited Monarch are marked by the softest feel of humanity, and steal upon the senses with the meek attire of Justice. --- The Laws they are said to protect, operate by a charm, seem to relieve, and destroy only to have effect to cure. ----- But it is not for the Sovereign been better acquainted with the frame of the human heart, than to know that as freedom in the will is the basis of Interest, Ambition, and Power, the Sycophants have whispered to him; that to command is thy attempt, ----- to be obeyed as naturally become. Policy dictates commercial ones, and when every other fails, this, which will be as early as the former, helps concur, the extention of the Prerogative (the actual intent of the whole) will not be as little an object of the unremitting dispensation of J--- (the Chief). How admirably does the wisdom of experience concur in supporting this observation! The eyes of a Savage suffer pain from the light at first fixed upon the stern and unalienable Rights of Society, as upon objects of a superior nature; but J---t is not a Savage to be, and in this instance the stream that ought to have been pure, and simple, unmixed, acquires in a little time all the essentials of an art or profession. The principle is private emolument, the end is laudable, and pursued with the steady perseverance of an unprescribed power, and the one and the other (alike reproachable and unconstitutional) A few examples of the perversion of the laws of a free Country, ----- of men set up at the School of despotism, and the grossest astonishment, --- they are taught to uphold the prerogative of his M---y, to appear in its native dignity, stripped of its momentary dash and dazzling, unmeaning lustre: --- Men charged with the fiat of a King on Earth, to spread the blessings of peace and clemency, stoop to become the mean parts of the Machinery of a Puppet show, who hold up a figure to amuse the gaping Crowd, by way of a Prologue to a Farce, and afterwards give them to understand that Money only can unfold the real characters behind the Curtain. ----- The better to disguise the true complexion of their proceedings they have lately given a few glaring acts of Authority (if such they ever were more tinctured with the spirit of equity) on their fellow Countrymen, as the strongest argument to overrule any other interpretation of their conduct. A Herd of Lawyers swarm about them like insects in summer, for the Court of J---t is the summer of Lawyers. The Natives to prefer the complaints of their grievances, find that the channels of Justice are stopt, perceived that this new tribunal is inaccessible to them, and the rich only can enter tho' J---t be a mighty preserver, yet in their hands it became venal, and as far as it enables them to gain their ends, the practice will hardly be distinguished from despotic: --- thus are the Rulers of the Earth dured to that state in which they are set before the invention of Laws, when they rule over the weak; or what is the same time, the rich are enabled to oppress the

House may be robbed whilst we sleep. Good Rulers have ever borne patiently even with the abuse of this Freedom. A famous Greek who suffered from the Virulence of Calumney, instead of punishing the offenders, gloried in saying, “I conquered that my subjects might be free — Thanks to the Gods that they can now give this Instance of it.” A Governor who wishes to silence the Press may properly be compared to those Tyrants, who put out the Eyes of their slaves, that they might more chearfully turn a Milstone. Yours, Brittanicus DOCTOR DODD presents his Love to his Brother the pious divine of the Fields of Blood, returns him many thanks for the late service, he has done the good old Cause, and assures him whatever pains and trouble he may be at supporting that upright Steward of the Public, his immaculate Patron he will be well rewarded for it when he comes here, as his Majesty of these infernal Kingdoms never forgets his true and faithful Servants. — He also desires that his best Respects may be presented to the Divine's steady fellow Labourers in the Vine-Yard, Tommy Bad Diamond assuring him how much his presence is wished for, and that on his Arrival he shall be made a Peer of this Realm which will be considered too small a reward for his Merit. Regions of Pluto. 20th June. Many well meaning people, who are happy enough to be ignorant of the Chicanery of the law, think, that if there's any tolerable proof, of a printer's Publishing an essay; which the common Informers (that hateful Crew;) call a LIBEL (tho' in fact it should be an harmless publication tending to the General Good;) that they are obliged to bring him in guilty of publishing a libel; not knowing at the time, that they desert, and leave him to be crushed, and Ground to powder between the hard Millstones of the Law. Let such know that a Libel on which a man is criminally indicted is in a strict sense a Malicious defamation, expressed in printing or writing (see Hawkins pleas of the Crown page 193) so that if a Jury do's not think it answers that exact description they must in conscience find him not guilty. (In Hales pleas of the Crown book 1st p. 72) tis said least Jurors should be biased by fear of offending powerful Men, warmly engaged in a Cause, on account of their verdict; the law is now settled by Bushels Case that there is no kind of proceeding against jurors in respect to their verdicts in criminal matters allowed of at this Day otherwise they may incur the resentment of a powerful protector when they can have little to fear from an injured Criminal. (And in the same Author book 2d. Page 442) the Court of late years of not send a jury back to reconsider the matter it being settled that the Court can't set aside for acquitting a Man tho' it may a Verdict that convicts him contrary to Evidence. Since the commencement of the contest between the grand Turk and the P—r,— Poolbundy has affected to be all composure.— There is something very Troublesome in the cunning of the old Fox.—It is his nature to Earth when danger approaches.—He confesses he wished the poor devil of a P—r at the Devil, yet he is all mildness.—He is resigned to share the Fate of Execration with his worthy school fellow, and He seems all submission to the disposing Hand of Heaven.—A matchless Paragon of stoecal sensibility.—Poolbundy with his usual sagacity, for feeling that the P—r will be Acquitted does not we hear mean to be present at the Trial.—He can then say to the grand Turk with Macbeth—Thou can'st not say that I did it Bloody Banquo.” Lost the Reputation of a Priest of distinction whoever will bring it to the Philistine Lady shall be rewarded with forty pieces. Toasts drank by the Friends of Liberty. The Glorious Liberty of the Press, or in a Word, the immortal HICKY, the supporter of it.— Confusion to oppressors. May a certain pious Divine be rewarded like Allexander the Coppersmith May the Bastile be confined to France, and the Inquisition to Spain. Tis said that a Bye Law will be shortly passed to make it a Felony without Benefit of Clergy to write or speak against a certain LITTLE GREAT PERSON or POOLBUNDY.