BY EDMUND BURKE
main text:
was As to the first, the unhappy abdicated Peshwa, and pretender to the Maratta throne, Ragonaut Row, was delivered up to his people, with an article for safety, and some provision. 65 This man, knowing how little vague the hatred of his countrymen was towards him, and well apprised of what black crimes he stood accused (among which our invasion of his country would not appear the least) took a mortal alarm at the security we had provided for him. He thunderstruck at the article in his favor, by which he was surrendered to his enemies. He never had the least notice of the treaty; and it was apprehended that he would fly to the protection of Hyder Ali, or some other, disposed or able to protect him. He was therefore not left without comfort; for Mr. Anderson did him the favor to send a special messenger, desiring him to be of good cheer and to fear nothing. And his old enemy, Scindia, at our request, sent him a message equally well calculated to quiet his apprehensions.By the same treaty the Guickwar was to come again, with no better security, under the dominion of the Maratta state. As to the Rana of Gohud, a long negotiation depended for giving him up. At first this was refused by Mr. Hastings with great indignation; at another stage it was admitted as proper, because he had shewn himself a most perfidious person. But at length a method of reconciling these extremes was found out, by contriving one of the usual articles in his favor. What I believe will appear beyond all belief, Mr. Anderson exchanged the final ratifications of that treaty by which the Rana was nominally secured in his possessions, in the camp of the Maratta chief, Scindia, whilst he was (really, and not nominally) battering the castle of Gwalior, which we had given, agreeably to treaty, to this deluded ally. Scindia had already reduced the town; and was at the very time, by various detachments, reducing, one after another, the fortresses of our protected ally, as well as in the act of chastising all the Rajahs who had assisted Colonel Camac66 in his invasion. I have seen in a letter from Calcutta, in-hand with the protecting treaty) to Mr. Hastings; but he was not admitted to his presence.
In this manner the Company has acted with their allies in the Maratta war. But they did not rest here: the Marattas were fearful lest the persons delivered to them by that treaty should attempt to escape into the British territories, and thus might elude the punishment intended for them, and by reclaiming the treaty, might stir up new disturbances. To prevent this, they desired an article to be inserted in the supplemental treaty, to which they had the ready consent of Mr. Hastings and the rest of the Company’s representatives in Bengal. It was this, “That the English and Maratta governments mutually agree not to afford refuge to any chiefs, merchants, or other persons, flying for protection to the territories of the other.” This was readily assented to, and assented to without any exception whatever, in favor of our surrendered allies. On their part a reciprocity was stipulated which was not unnatural for a government like the Company’s to ask; a government conscious that many subjects had been, and would in future, be driven to fly from its jurisdiction.To complete the system of pacific intention and public faith, which predominate in those treaties, Mr. Hastings fairly resolved to put all peace, except on the terms of absolute conquest, wholly out of his own power. For, by an article in this second treaty with Burke’s Speech on East India Bill
Scindia,67 he binds the Company not to make any peace with Tippoo Sahib without the consent of the Peshwa of the Marattas, and binds Scindia to him by a reciprocal engagement. The treaty between France and England 68 obliges us mutually to withdraw our forces, if our allies in India do not accede to the peace within four months; Mr. Hastings’s treaty obliges us to continue the war as long as the Peishwa thinks fit. We are now in that happy situation, that the breach of the treaty with France, or the violation of that with the Marattas, is inevitable; and we have only to take our choice.
My third assertion, relative to the abuse made of the right of war and peace is, that there are none who have ever confided in us who have not been utterly ruined. The examples I have given of Ragonaut Row, of Guickwar, of the Rana of Gohud, are recent. There is proof more than enough in the condition of the Mogul; in the slavery and indigence of the Nabob of Oude; the exile of the Rajah of Benares; the beggary of the Nabob of Bengal, the undone and captive condition of the Rajah and kingdom of Tanjore; the destruction of the Polygars; and lastly, in the destruction of the Nabob of Arcot himself, who when his dominions were invaded was found entirely destitute of troops, provisions, stores, and (as hethat the Rana of Gohud’s agent would have represented these hostilities (which went hand of money, being a million in debt to the Company, and four millions to others: the many millions which he had extorted from so many extirpated princes and their desolated countries having (as he has frequently hinted) been expended for the ground-rent of his mansion-house in an alley in the suburbs of Madras. 69 Compare the condition of all these princes with the power and authority of all the Maratta states; with the independence and dignity of the Subah of the Deccan; and the mighty strength, the resources, and the manly struggle of Hyder Ali; and then the House will discover the effects, on every power in India, of an easy confidence, or of a rooted distrust in the faith of the Company.
Translation in Bangla:
As to the first, = প্রথম ব্যক্তির ক্ষেত্রে, the unhappy abdicated Peshwa, = দুর্ভাগা পদত্যাগী পেশোয়া, and pretender to the Maratta throne, = এবং মারাঠা সিংহাসনের দাবিদার, Ragonaut Row, = রঘুনাথ রাওকে,was delivered up to his people, = তাঁর নিজের লোকদের হাতে সমর্পণ করা হয়েছিল, with an article for safety, = নিরাপত্তার একটি ধারা সংযুক্ত করে, and some provision. = এবং কিছু ভরণপোষণের ব্যবস্থা রেখে।This man, = এই ব্যক্তি, knowing how little vague = খুব ভালো করেই জানতেন কতটা বাস্তব the hatred of his countrymen was towards him, = তাঁর স্বদেশবাসীদের ঘৃণা তাঁর প্রতি ছিল,and well apprised = এবং সম্পূর্ণ অবগত ছিলেন of what black crimes he stood accused, = কী ভয়ঙ্কর অপরাধের অভিযোগ তাঁর বিরুদ্ধে ছিল,(among which our invasion of his country = (যার মধ্যে আমাদের দ্বারা তাঁর দেশের ওপর আক্রমণও would not appear the least) = মোটেই ক্ষুদ্রতম অপরাধ বলে গণ্য হতো না)
took a mortal alarm = তিনি ভীষণ আতঙ্কিত হয়ে পড়লেন at the security we had provided for him. = আমরা তাঁর জন্য যে নিরাপত্তার ব্যবস্থা করেছিলাম তা দেখে।He was thunderstruck at the article in his favor, = তাঁর পক্ষে রাখা ধারাটি দেখে তিনি হতবাক হয়ে যান, by which he was surrendered to his enemies. = কারণ সেই ধারার মাধ্যমেই তাঁকে তাঁর শত্রুদের হাতে তুলে দেওয়া হচ্ছিল।He never had the least notice of the treaty; = এই চুক্তি সম্পর্কে তাঁকে সামান্যতমও জানানো হয়নি/and it was apprehended = এবং আশঙ্কা করা হয়েছিল that he would fly = যে তিনি পালিয়ে যাবেন to the protection of Hyder Ali, = হায়দার আলির আশ্রয়ে, or some other, = অথবা অন্য কারও কাছে, disposed or able to protect him. = যে তাঁকে রক্ষা করতে ইচ্ছুক বা সক্ষম।;He was therefore not left without comfort; = তাই তাঁকে সম্পূর্ণ সান্ত্বনাহীন রাখা হয়নি;for Mr. Anderson did him the favor = কারণ মি. অ্যান্ডারসন তাঁকে এই অনুগ্রহ করেছিলেন, to send a special messenger, = একটি বিশেষ দূত পাঠিয়ে,desiring him to be of good cheer = তাঁকে সাহস রাখতে বলার জন্য and to fear nothing. = এবং কোনো ভয় না পেতে বলার জন্য।And his old enemy, Scindia, = এবং তাঁর পুরনো শত্রু সিন্ধিয়াও, at our request, = আমাদের অনুরোধে,
sent him a message = তাঁকে একটি বার্তা পাঠায় equally well calculated = যা সমানভাবে উপযোগী ছিল to quiet his apprehensions. = তাঁর আশঙ্কা দূর করার জন্য।By the same treaty = একই চুক্তির মাধ্যমে the Guickwar was to come again = গাইকোয়ারকে আবার ফিরে আসতে হতো under the dominion of the Maratta state, = মারাঠা রাষ্ট্রের শাসনের অধীনে, with no better security. = এর চেয়ে ভালো কোনো নিরাপত্তা ছাড়াই।
As to the Rana of Gohud, = গোহুদের রানার ক্ষেত্রে, a long negotiation depended = দীর্ঘ আলোচনা চলেছিল for giving him up. = তাঁকে সমর্পণ করা হবে কি না তা নিয়ে।At first this was refused = প্রথমে এটি প্রত্যাখ্যান করা হয়েছিল by Mr. Hastings = মি. হেস্টিংসের দ্বারা with great indignation; = প্রবল ক্ষোভের সঙ্গে;at another stage it was admitted as proper, = পরে আবার এটিকে যথাযথ বলে স্বীকার করা হয়, because he had shewn himself = কারণ তিনি নিজেকে প্রমাণ করেছিলেন a most perfidious person. = অত্যন্ত বিশ্বাসঘাতক ব্যক্তি হিসেবে।
But at length = কিন্তু শেষ পর্যন্ত a method of reconciling these extremes was found out, = এই দুই চরম অবস্থার মধ্যে সমঝোতার একটি উপায় বের করা হয়,by contriving one of the usual articles in his favor. = তাঁর পক্ষে একটি প্রচলিত ধারা যুক্ত করে।What I believe will appear beyond all belief, = যা আমার মনে হয় অবিশ্বাস্য বলে মনে হবে,Mr. Anderson exchanged the final ratifications = মি. অ্যান্ডারসন চূড়ান্ত অনুমোদনপত্র বিনিময় করেছিলেন of that treaty = সেই চুক্তির,by which the Rana was nominally secured = যার মাধ্যমে রানাকে নামমাত্র নিরাপত্তা দেওয়া হয়েছিল, in his possessions, = তাঁর সম্পত্তির ওপর,in the camp of the Maratta chief, Scindia, = মারাঠা নেতা সিন্ধিয়ার শিবিরে,whilst he was battering the castle of Gwalior, = ঠিক সেই সময় যখন তিনি গোয়ালিয়র দুর্গে গোলাবর্ষণ করছিলেন,which we had given, agreeably to treaty, = যে দুর্গটি আমরা চুক্তি অনুযায়ী to this deluded ally. = এই প্রতারিত মিত্রকে দিয়েছিলাম।Scindia had already reduced the town; = সিন্ধিয়া ইতোমধ্যে শহরটি দখল করে ফেলেছিল; and was at the very time = এবং ঠিক সেই সময়ে reducing, one after another, = একের পর এক দখল করছিল the fortresses of our protected ally, = আমাদের রক্ষিত মিত্রের দুর্গগুলো, as well as in the act of chastising = এবং একই সঙ্গে শাস্তি দিচ্ছিল all the Rajahs = সেই সব রাজাদের who had assisted Colonel Camac = যারা কর্নেল ক্যাম্যাককে সাহায্য করেছিলেন in his invasion. = তাঁর আক্রমণে।
I have seen in a letter from Calcutta, = আমি কলকাতা থেকে আসা একটি চিঠিতে দেখেছি, that the Rana of Gohud’s agent = যে গোহুদের রানার প্রতিনিধি would have represented these hostilities = এই শত্রুতামূলক কার্যকলাপের কথা জানাতে চেয়েছিলেন, to Mr. Hastings; = মি. হেস্টিংসকে; but he was not admitted to his presence. = কিন্তু তাঁকে তাঁর সামনে উপস্থিত হওয়ার অনুমতি দেওয়া হয়নি।In this manner the Company has acted with their allies = এইভাবেই কোম্পানি তাদের মিত্রদের সঙ্গে আচরণ করেছে in the Maratta war. = মারাঠা যুদ্ধে।But they did not rest here: = কিন্তু তারা এখানেই থামেনি: the Marattas were fearful = মারাঠারা আশঙ্কা করেছিল lest the persons delivered to them = তাদের কাছে সমর্পিত ব্যক্তিরা should attempt to escape = পালানোর চেষ্টা করতে পারে into the British territories, = ব্রিটিশ অঞ্চলে, and thus might elude the punishment intended for them. = এবং এভাবে নির্ধারিত শাস্তি এড়িয়ে যেতে পারে।To prevent this, = এটি ঠেকানোর জন্য, they desired an article to be inserted = তারা একটি ধারা সংযোজনের অনুরোধ করল, to which they had the ready consent = যাতে তারা তৎক্ষণাৎ সম্মতি পেল of Mr. Hastings = মি. হেস্টিংসের and the rest of the Company’s representatives in Bengal. = এবং বাংলায় কোম্পানির অন্যান্য প্রতিনিধিদের।It was this, = ধারাটি ছিল এই—
“That the English and Maratta governments = “ইংরেজ ও মারাঠা সরকার mutually agree = পারস্পরিকভাবে সম্মত হয় not to afford refuge = আশ্রয় দেবে না to any chiefs, merchants, or other persons, = কোনো প্রধান, ব্যবসায়ী বা অন্য ব্যক্তিকে, flying for protection = যারা সুরক্ষার জন্য পালিয়ে আসবে to the territories of the other.” = অপর পক্ষের ভূখণ্ডে।”This was readily assented to, = এতে সহজেই সম্মতি দেওয়া হয়েছিল, and assented to without any exception whatever, = এবং কোনো ধরনের ব্যতিক্রম ছাড়াই সম্মতি দেওয়া হয়েছিল, in favor of our surrendered allies. = এমনকি আমাদের আত্মসমর্পণকারী মিত্রদের পক্ষেও নয়।For, by an article in this second treaty with Scindia, = কারণ সিন্ধিয়ার সঙ্গে দ্বিতীয় চুক্তির একটি ধারায়, he binds the Company = তিনি কোম্পানিকে বাধ্য করেন not to make any peace with Tippoo Sahib = টিপু সাহেবের সঙ্গে কোনো শান্তিচুক্তি না করতে without the consent of the Peshwa of the Marattas, = মারাঠা পেশোয়ার সম্মতি ছাড়া, and binds Scindia to him = এবং একইভাবে সিন্ধিয়াকেও আবদ্ধ করেন by a reciprocal engagement. = পারস্পরিক অঙ্গীকারের মাধ্যমে।
Mr. Hastings’s treaty obliges us = হেস্টিংসের চুক্তি আমাদের বাধ্য করে to continue the war = যুদ্ধ চালিয়ে যেতে as long as the Peishwa thinks fit. = যতদিন পেশোয়া উপযুক্ত মনে করেন।We are now in that happy situation, = আমরা এখন এমন এক ‘সুখকর’ অবস্থায় আছি, that the breach of the treaty with France, = যেখানে ফ্রান্সের সঙ্গে চুক্তি ভঙ্গ করা or the violation of that with the Marattas, = অথবা মারাঠাদের সঙ্গে চুক্তি ভঙ্গ করা, is inevitable; = অবশ্যম্ভাবী; and we have only to take our choice. = এবং আমাদের কেবল একটি বেছে নিতে হবে।My third assertion is, = আমার তৃতীয় দাবি হলো, that there are none who have ever confided in us = এমন কেউ নেই, যে আমাদের ওপর বিশ্বাস রেখেছে who have not been utterly ruined. = এবং সম্পূর্ণরূপে ধ্বংস হয়নি।
The examples I have given = আমি যে উদাহরণগুলো দিয়েছি— of Ragonaut Row, = রঘুনাথ রাও, of Guickwar, = গাইকোয়ার, of the Rana of Gohud, = গোহুদের রানা— are recent. = সেগুলো সাম্প্রতিক।There is proof more than enough = এর চেয়েও যথেষ্ট প্রমাণ রয়েছে in the condition of the Mogul; = মোগল সম্রাটের অবস্থায়;in the slavery and indigence of the Nabob of Oude; = অযোধ্যার নবাবের দাসত্ব ও দারিদ্র্যে;the exile of the Rajah of Benares; = বেনারসের রাজার নির্বাসনে;the beggary of the Nabob of Bengal; = বাংলার নবাবের ভিক্ষুকসদৃশ অবস্থায়;the undone and captive condition = ধ্বংসপ্রাপ্ত ও বন্দী অবস্থায় of the Rajah and kingdom of Tanjore; = তাঞ্জোরের রাজা ও রাজ্যের;the destruction of the Polygars; = পলিগারদের ধ্বংসে;and lastly, in the destruction of the Nabob of Arcot himself. = এবং সর্বশেষে স্বয়ং আরকটের নবাবের ধ্বংসে।Compare the condition of all these princes = এই সকল শাসকের অবস্থার তুলনা করুন with the power and authority of all the Maratta states; = মারাঠা রাষ্ট্রগুলোর ক্ষমতা ও কর্তৃত্বের সঙ্গে;with the independence and dignity of the Subah of the Deccan; = দাক্ষিণাত্যের সুবাহর স্বাধীনতা ও মর্যাদার সঙ্গে;
and the mighty strength, the resources, = এবং হায়দার আলির বিপুল শক্তি, সম্পদ, and the manly struggle of Hyder Ali; = ও সাহসী সংগ্রামের সঙ্গে;and then the House will discover = তাহলে এই সভা বুঝতে পারবে the effects, on every power in India, = ভারতের প্রতিটি শক্তির ওপর কী প্রভাব পড়ে,of an easy confidence, = সহজে বিশ্বাস করার ফলে, or of a rooted distrust = অথবা গভীর অবিশ্বাসের ফলে, in the faith of the Company. = কোম্পানির বিশ্বস্ততার প্রতি।
Summary :
In this passage, Edmund Burke strongly condemns the British East India Company’s foreign policy in India, particularly under the leadership of Warren Hastings. He argues that the Company repeatedly betrayed its allies, violated treaties, and pursued imperial expansion at the expense of justice and morality.Burke first discusses the case of Ragonaut Row (Raghunath Rao), a former Maratha ruler who had sought British support. After using him for political advantage, the Company abandoned him by handing him over to his enemies under the Treaty of Salbai, despite knowing he feared execution or severe punishment. Burke presents this as a clear example of British betrayal of a trusted ally.He then describes the treatment of the Guickwar (Gaekwad) and the Rana of Gohud. Although the British formally promised to protect the Rana, they secretly allowed the Maratha leader Scindia to conquer his territories. Burke highlights the hypocrisy of British diplomacy, arguing that treaties guaranteeing protection were meaningless because the Company failed to enforce them.
Burke further criticizes an agreement between the British and the Marathas that prevented either side from giving refuge to political refugees. This clause ensured that former allies, once abandoned, had no place to escape persecution, revealing the Company’s willingness to sacrifice human lives for political convenience. The author also attacks Hastings’ diplomatic strategy regarding . By agreeing not to make peace with Tipu without the consent of the Maratha Peshwa, Hastings restricted Britain’s freedom to negotiate independently. Burke argues that this commitment could force Britain to violate either its treaty with France or its treaty with the Marathas, placing the nation in an impossible diplomatic position.
Finally, Burke broadens his criticism by claiming that every Indian ruler who trusted the British was ultimately ruined. He cites the decline or destruction of several rulers, including the Mughal Emperor, the Nawab of Oudh, the Rajah of Benares, the Nawab of Bengal, the Rajah of Tanjore, the Polygars, and the Nawab of Arcot. In contrast, powers that resisted British influence, such as the Marathas, the Subah of the Deccan, and Hyder Ali, maintained greater independence and strength. Burke concludes that the East India Company’s reputation for dishonesty made trust in British promises dangerous, while resistance proved more effective than cooperation. Burke argues that the British East India Company abused its authority by breaking promises, betraying allies, manipulating treaties, and pursuing conquest rather than honorable diplomacy. He presents these actions as evidence that the Company’s rule in India was founded on political deception and moral corruption rather than justice and good governance.