I
Chap. XII.] ('LIVE ArPOINTED COVEr.XOR. ()53
perplexed. They were naturally proud of their new dignity, but felt that any a.d. itss. attempt to conduct the government without him would be woi-se than futile. They were aware that nothing but fear could induce the nabob to remain faithful to the obligations he had undertaken ; and that the moment he was set ^"•'^ ^y ^^^
menibere of
free from the commancUng influence which Olive alone had over him, the large <<>"i'cii to sums of money still remaining due under the treaty never would be paid, and all its other stipulations would either be violated or indirectly evaded. liiHu- enced by such considerations, they took the only course which seemed open to them, and addressed a letter to Clive, in which, after stating the objections to the rotatory governorship, and their readiness 'at this juncture of affairs to waive all personal honours and advantages," they made him " an offer of being president of the Company's affairs in Bengal, till a person is appointed by the Honourable Company." He had previously been sounded on the subject by Mr. Watts, whose name stood first in the rotation, and declared his determination not to accept. He was above being influenced by spiteful feelings, and gave strong reasons for his intended refusal, when he said: — "Both the public and my private advices, I think, i)lainly discover that the presidency of Bengal was by no means intended for me by the court of directors; and a tem[)orary acceptance can only expose me, upon the further alterations which may arrive from Europe, to circumstances of disgrace in the eyes of tlie country govern- ment, which, I believe, it is unnecessary for me to remark, might be prejudicial to the Company's affiiirs." If the directors had, as he here supposes, deliberately resolved to exclude him from the office of president, this objection was unanswer- able ; but further consideration, and especially the very friendly tenor of a letter from Mr. Payne, their chairman, convinced him that their omission of his name might be explained without construing it into an intended slight; and he accepted the offer in a letter, in which he says: — " Though I think I have cjiuse to be dissatisfied with the court of directors, for laying me aside in their new form of government, without any reason Jissigned, after having named me as liead of the general conunittee in the letter of the 3d of August last, yet, animated by the noble example of public spirit which you have set me, I have determined to waive all private considerations, where the general good is concerned ; and as there is no doubt but the government of a single person, involved as we are now with the country powers, must have infinite advantage over that compli- cated form of government established from home, I shall, from tiiat motive He aceepu
it.
(though both my health and private concerns strongly require my returning to Europe), accept the offer you have done me the honour to make me, till such time as our employers have appointed a president in the usual form. ' This was a manly as well as fortunate decision, for it eventually proved, instead of con- tradicting, to have only anticipated the final wishes of the directors, who no sooner heard of the victory of Plassey, than they abandoned their new-fangled rotatory scheme, and formall}* aj (pointed Clive governor of Bengal.
II
