Title
A Voyage to the East Indies: Page 83
Description
General. Pondicherry might have been taken in Six Days. Its Fortifications were not compleat when the english Army sat down before it. And after the Siege, instead of gaining immortal Honour as represented in England, he was laugh’d at & derided by all the Army. In short, no man can be more universally despis’d than this Man who enjoys the Favor of, and receives Honours from his King, and is robbing and ruining his Country. This Man has a Ribband given him and his Name perpetuated by a Title, at a Time when he is a disgrace to the british Annals. These are the Men to whom the Care of Nations is committed & these are the Men, who instead of guarding and defending their Fellow subjects are the first to prey upon them and accumulate a Fortune by their Ruin. . . What a Pity it is that the Government of Madras should be so continually given to Men whose sole Motives are to serve themselves; Who have no views but of accumulating Fortunes, and who feel no regret, for their horrible Oppression of Numberless Families. Strange as this may seem yet true it is, that many successive Governors (Lord Pigot excepted) have entertain’d this Maxim, and this solely. The late Governor Sir T. Rumb_d is a striking Proof of this, he having in the Course of two years, amass’d upwards of 400,000 sterling, nay some [end page 83]
