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Robert Clive, the ‘Black Jagir’, and British Politics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

Bruce Lenman  and
Philip Lawson
Bruce Lenman
Affiliation:
St Andrews University
Philip Lawson
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton
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Extract

Two points may be safely made about biographies of Robert Clive. One is that the first adequately documented biography, by Sir John Malcolm, published in 1836, has never really been superseded, because it was solidly based on family papers made available by Lord Powis. The other is that if the modern general reader has any acquaintance with Malcolm’s work it is likely to derive from the sonorous prose of the oft-reprinted review which Lord Macaulay originally published in the Edinburgh Review in January 1840. This magisterial apportionment of praise and blame does not invite the criticism which H. W. C. Davis levelled at Macaulay’s equally celebrated essay on Warren Hastings; that it was even doubtful whether Macaulay had read with care the biography of Hastings by the Reverend G. R. Gleig which he purported to review.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , December 1983 , pp. 801 - 829
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

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References

1 The life of Robert, Lord Clive: collected from the family papers communicated by the earl of Powis, ed. Sir John Malcolm (3 vols., 1836).

2 See H. W. C. Davis’ introduction to the Heinemann Favourite Classics edition of The essays of Lord Macaulay: Warren Hastings (1908). G. M. Trevelyan in The life and letters of Lord Macaulay (1908), says on pp. 263–4 that in separate form the essays on Clive and Warren Hastings sold much better than any other of Macaulay’s biographical pieces, and that the Mutiny trebled the sale of the essay on Clive.

3 ‘Note on authorities and sources’, P. Spear, Master of Bengal: Clive and his India (1975), pp. 200–3.

4 Phillips, C. H., ‘Clive in the English political world, 1761–64’, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, XII (1947–1948), 695–702.Google Scholar

5 Sutherland, L. S., The East India Company in eighteenth-century politics (Oxford, 1952).Google Scholar

6 The review is reprinted in Sir Lewis Namier, Crossroads of power (1962), pp. 161–72.

7 R. Sedgwick, The house of commons, 1715–52 (2 vols., 1970), 1, 560–1 and II, 410–11.

8 M. Bence-Jones, Clive of India (1974), pp. 71–5.

9 C. A. Ronan, Their Majesties’ astronomers (1967), pp. 61–3. See also D.M.B. entry for Maskelyne, Nevil (1732–1811).

10 Sandwich to Grenville 21 Feb. 1764 and 16 Sept. 1764, B.L. Add. MSS 57, 810.

11 There is a convenient account of Thomas Pitt’s career in D.N.B.

12 Memoirs of the reign of King George the Second by Horace Walpole, ed. Henry Fox, Lord Holland (3 vols., 1847), 406–10.

13 Sir Lewis Namier and J. Brooke, The house of commons, 1754–90 (3 vols., 1964), I, 233–4.

14 Lawson, P., ‘Grenville’s Election Act, 1770’, Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, LII (1980), 218–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

15 Colley, L. J., ‘The Loyal Brotherhood and the Cocoa Tree: the London organization of the Tory party, 1727–1760’, The Historical Journal, xx (1977), 77–95CrossRefGoogle Scholar; ’The Mitchell election division, 24 March 1755’, Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, XLIX (1976), 80–107Google Scholar; and In defiance of oligarchy: the Tory party 1714–60 (Cambridge, 1982), pp. 269–70.Google Scholar

16 Richard Rigby to the duke of Bedford, 24 March 1754, Correspondence of John, fourth Duke of Bedford, selected from the originals at Woburn Abbey, ed. Lord John Russell (3 vols., 1842–6), II, 156–7.

17 Bence-Jones, Clive, pp. 91–2.

18 C. Milton to Newcastle, 4 May 1754, B.L. Add. MS 32,735, fo. 230; Adlecron to Cumberland, 21 Feb. 1757, and enclosed ‘Journal of the military proceedings of the honourable company’s troops sent on the expedition to Bengal commanded by lieutenant colonel Clive’, Cumber 19 and papers, box 49, items 55–6, microfilm in St Andrews University Library.

19 Malcolm, Life of Clive, II, 146.

20 Apart from the D.N.B. there is Robert, Lord Henley, A memoir of the life of Robert Henley, earl of Northington, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain (London, 1831)Google Scholar, and Shute Barrington, The political life of William Wildman Viscount Barrington (1815), which reprints on pp. 35–6 Barrington to Clive, 2 Dec. 1757. Archbishop Herring did keep in touch to some extent with political life when in Croydon, as the references to his name in the index of The political journal of George Bubb Doddington, ed. Carswell, J. and Dralle, L. A. (Oxford, 1965), shows.Google Scholar

21 There is an excellent account of the ramifications of the Walsh, Maskelyne, Fowke, and Clive kindred in the ‘introduction to the I[ndia] O[ffice] L[ibrary] listing of the “Ormathwaite Collection”’ by Molly C. Poulter.

22 Sir George Forrest, The life of Lord Clive (2 vols., 1918), 1, 224–5.

23 For a detailed exposition on this theme see the important study by J. D. Nichol, ‘The British in India 1740–1763: a study in imperial expansion into Bengal’, unpub. Ph.D., Cambridge 1976.

24 Lenman, B., ‘The weapons of war in 18th century India’, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, XLVI (1968), 33–43Google Scholar. See also Pemble, J., ‘Resources and techniques in the second Maratha War’, Historical Journal, XIX (1976), 375–404.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

25 P. J. Marshall, ‘“A free though conquering people”: Britain and Asia in the eighteenth century’, an inaugural lecture delivered at King’s College London, 5 March 1981.

26 Correspondence of William Pitt, earl of Chatham, ed. W. S. Taylor and J. H. Pringle (4 vols., 1838–40), I, 341–5.

27 Clive to Pitt, 7 Jan. 1759, ibid. pp. 387–92.

28 See, for example, S. Percival to J. Walsh, 4 Apr. 1761, MSS Eur. D546/32, F.17, I.O.L., where it is said of a Mr Douglas that’ everybody condemns him much for staying in such a terrible place as Gombroon with so much money, for he has been worth a genteel fortune for some years’.

29 Namier and Brooke, House of commons, II,39–41.

30 Additional Grenvillepapers, 1763–1765, ed. Tomlinson, J. (Manchester, 1962), pp. 97–9; printed here is a list of approximately 70 M.P.s compiled by Clive in Feb. 1764.Google Scholar

31 Huntington Library, San Marino, California, MS ST 7, 2 volumes of the Grenville letterbook, Grenville to James Nelson, 10 May 1769, II. (We are indebted to the trustees of the Huntington Library for permission to quote from these manuscripts.)

32 See comments attributed to Grenville by Mathew Featherstonehaugh in his summary of the debates of 25 Nov. and 9 Dec. 1766 concerning the forthcoming inquiry into the company’s affairs in Chatham correspondence, III, 145.

33 Joseph Salvador to Charles Jenkinson, 21 Oct., 25 Oct. and 22 Nov. 1763, The Jenkinsonpapers, ed. N. S. Jucker (1949), 209–11.

34 Sutherland, L., ‘The East India Company and the Peace of Paris’, English Historical Review, LXII (1947), 179–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

35 Joseph Fowke to John Walsh, 5 Apr. 1752, MSS Eur. D546/32, fo. 27, I.O.L.

36 Yogev, G., Diamonds and coral: Anglo-Dutch Jews and eighteenth century trade (Leicester, 1978).Google Scholar

37 Joseph Fowke to John Walsh, 8 Apr. 1752 and 12 Jan. 1753, MSS Eur. D546/32, fos. 29–33, I.O.L. The quotation is on fo. 33.

38 Same to same, 3 Feb. 1755 and 4 Dec. 1755 (with copy of Fowke to Walsh and Vansittart, 12 July 1756), ibid. fos. 42–7.

39 Bence-Jones, Clive, pp. 188–9.

40 The classic account of the first open struggle between Clive and Sulivan is still Sutherland, East India Company, ch. IV.

41 Mackay, R. F., Admiral Hawke (Oxford, 1965), p. 264.Google Scholar

42 For Worcester see memo by Newcastle, 3 Dec. 1760 and Clive to Newcastle, 23 Feb. 1757, B.L. Add. MSS 32,870, fo. 274 and 32,915, fo. 276 respectively. There is a further exchange on the subject in Newcastle to Clive, 13 Dec. 1760, and Clive to Newcastle 20 Dec. 1760, B.L. Add. MS 32,916, fo. 29 and 224 resp. For the Rev. Mr Humphreys and his degree see Clive to Newcastle, 26 June 1763, and Newcastle to Clive 30 June 1763, B.L. Add. MS 32,949, fos. 204 and 244 resp. For the saga of the commissionership of the victualling office see Clive to Powis (copy), 7 Feb. 1762 and Newcastle to Anson, 8 Feb. 1762, B.L. Add. MS 32,934, fos. 225 and 229 resp.

43 Clive to Newcastle, 14 Oct. 1763, B.L. Add. MS 32,951, fos. 424–5.

44 A Letter to the proprietors of the East India stock from Lord Clive (London, 1764).Google Scholar

45 Contemporary response to the controversy and to the pamphlet literature it spawned may be gauged by reading the brief notices in The Monthly Review (London, 1764), xxx, 247–51, where various relevant tracts (including Clive’s) receive critical attention.Google Scholar

46 The opinions of Mr. James Eyre, Mr. Edmund Hoskins, Mr. E. Thurlow, and Mr. John Dunning on the subject of Lord Clive’s Jaghire (London, 1764).Google Scholar

47 The Grenville papers; being the correspondence of Richard Grenville, Earl Temple, K.G., and the Right Hon. George Grenville, their friends and contemporaries, ed. W. J. Smith (4 vols., 1852–3), II, 160–1.

48 The government candidate was Walter Waring, who had represented the borough from Jan. 1755 to Jan. 1759.

49 ‘Minutes by Lord Powis in consequence of what passed on the 15 and 16 of November in conversation with Lord Clive’, Additional Grenville papers, p. 69.

50 Grenville’s influence over the election proved crucial to Clive’s success. Up to 17 Nov. Sandwich had been working for Waring, but ceased his efforts after Clive’s offer was put to Waring. The unfortunate Waring did not heed the importance of Sandwich’s withdrawal and was defeated at the polls. Further, when Waring tried to contest the return at Westminster Grenville made sure His petition never reached the floor of the House. Gaining the support of Clive himself along with George Clive (M.P. for Bishop’s Castle), Richard Clive (M.P. for Montgomery), and John Walsh (M.P. for Worcester) undoubtedly compensated for any embarrassment Grenville experienced in deserting Waring.

51 Grenville letterbook, I.

52 Grenville papers, II, 182–3.

53 ibid. p. 184. Clive did indeed remain faithful to Grenville. During the very difficult debates on Wilkes and general warrants of Jan. and Feb. 1764, he and his followers voted with the ministry.

54 Additional Grenville papers, pp. 97–9.

55 Joseph Salvador to Charles Jenkinson, 7 March 1764, The Jenkinsonpapers, p. 271.

56 Salvador’s words on 8 March 1764, ibid. p. 272.

57 Grenville letterbook, I.

58 ibid. 12 March 1764.

59 The Jenkinson papers, p. 273.

60 ibid. p. 281, 8 Apr. 1764.

61 Salvador to Jenkinson, 12 Apr. 1764, ibid. p. 249. Grenville added this note to the original letter, but when Jenkinson wrote to Salvador later the same day the meaning had changed a little: ‘Mr. Grenville bids me say’, he wrote, ‘that he shall have no objection to whatever is agreeable to Lord Clive and his friends.’

62 Horace, Walpole, Memoirs of the reign of George III, ed. Barker, G. F. R. (4 vols., 1894), I, 316.Google Scholar

63 Grenville papers, II, 46. The letter is misdated in this volume, appearing as 20 Apr. 1763.

64 The Jenkinson papers, p. 286.

65 Grenville letterbook, 1, 29 Apr. 1764.

66 The Jenkinson papers, p. 291, 1 May 1764.

67 This did not stop the damaging abuse of private trade between company servants and the natives but it did exert some control on the problem of remitting fortunes to London.

68 Sutherland, The East India Company, pp. 131–2.

69 Undated letter of May 1764, Grenville papers, II, 310.

70 Clive was invested with the order on 25 Apr. 1764 and it caused a bitter argument to develop between Grenville and Bedford, who had promised it to someone else. Grenville, at Sandwich’s prompting, tried to placate Bedford by explaining that ‘when Lord Clive declared to me his resolution to give the most friendly and cordial support to the king’s government, (which he has since performed), he mentioned the Order of the Bath as proof of the king’s favour’. But it took another letter and much cajoling from his colleagues before Bedford accepted the situation. The letters from Grenville to Bedford were on 24 and 28 Apr., Grenville Letterbook, I; and those from Sandwich to Grenville were dated 23 and 25 Apr., Grenville papers, II, 301–2 and 305–7.

71 Grenville to Holland, 8 Feb. 1765, Grenville letterbook, II. Holland carried out the instructions to the full and Sulivan’s supporters were soundly beaten in the April elections.

72 The Bill had a very chequered career. It was introduced on 7 Feb. 1765 and finally read to the House on 14 March. Before the vote to pass, however, the government froze its progress by successfully moving a three-month adjournment. Nevertheless Grenville still had to suffer the discomfort of a close vote - 42 for and 31 against the adjournment, Commons Journals, xxx, 251. This contradicts the account in Sutherland, The East India Company, p. 134, where it is stated that the Bill was thrown out on a technicality at the beginning of Apr. 1765.

73 Walsh to Clive, 5 Apr. 1765, Powis MSS G. 37, Box 34, I.O.L. Walsh made the remark after Grenville had refused to nominate someone’ immediately attached to himself in the election to the directorate.

74 For further details of the parliamentary struggle see the forthcoming article by P. Lawson, ‘Parliament and the first East India Inquiry 1767’, Parliamentary History Yearbook.

75 Grenville letterbook, 11.

76 Clive to Grenville, 3 Sept. 1767, Clive MSS 58, fos. 41–2, National] L[ibrary] of W[ales].The letter is wrongly dated 3 Sept. 1763. Grenville was relieved at this news, and wrote to Clive on 10 Oct. 1767 to congratulate him on the general court’s ‘sense’ in rewarding his ‘great and eminent services’ to the company, Grenville Letterbook, II. The original of this letter is now in Powis MSS G. 37, Box 48, I.O.L.

77 Grenville letterbook, II.

78 Grenville papers, IV, 194.

79 Commons Journals, XXXI, 482.

80 To be fair, the Bedfords abstained on this vote, following a private agreement with Grenville beforehand; Walpole, Memoirs of George III, III, 100.

81 Grenville letterbook, II and Powis MSS G. 37, Box 50, I.O.L.

82 Commons Journals, XXXI, 542. The quotation is taken from Burke’s description of the debate in his letter to Charles O’Hara, c. 1 Feb. 1768, The correspondence of Edmund Burke, ed. Copeland, T. W.et al. (Cambridge and Chicago, 1958–1970), 1, 342. Burke does say that the Grenvilles ‘sneaked off’ before the division, but since the figures were almost the same as those on 16 Dec. this seems unlikely. There is no mention of it in Walpole, Memoirs of George III, III, 108 or W. Cobbett, Parliamentary history of England from…1066 to….1803 (36 vols., 1806–20), XIV, 402–3.Google Scholar

83 Grenville letterbook, II and Powis MSS G. 37, Box 55, I.O.L.

84 Grenville tactfully avoided a direct answer in his letter of 23 Jan. 1769, ibid. Box 56,1.O.L. This letter does not appear in letterbook, II.

85 Commons Journals, XXXII, 219–20.

86 The account of this debate is taken from B.L. Egerton MS 218, pp. 92–181; Sir Henry Cavendish’s Debates.

87 Clive cites Grenville’s phrase in a letter to a third party of 12 Dec. 1763, MSS Eur. D 546/32, fo. 96, I.O.L.

88 George Dempster to Sir Adam Fergusson, 26 July 1766, Letters of George Dempster to Sir Adam Fergusson 1756–1813, ed. J. Fergusson (1834), pp. 62–4.

89 The memorial by Johnstone, G. and Dempster, G. to the court of directors and account of its reception are printed in The Gentleman’s Magazine (1764), XXXIV, 287–9. Other relevant material can be found on pp. 51–6, 130–3, 145–6, 191–2 and 248–9 of the same volume.Google Scholar

90 Letters of George Dempster, pp. 65–8.

91 Undated paper ‘As to the interior policy’ in Clive’s hand (c. 1759); and paper dated 6 Apr. 1770, Clive MSS I,722, fos. 69 and 30 resp., N.L.W.

92 Clive to Grenville, 3 Sept. 1767 and Clive to Robert Palk, 17 Oct. 1766, Clive MSS 58, fos. 41–2 and 230 (unbound), resp., N.L.W.

93 See for Clive’s self-image at its most pretentious a letter to Luke Scrafton, 6 Oct.: 767, and for the way Grenville never took the votes of Clive’s group of M.P.s for granted Walsh’s letter to Clive of 14 Feb. 1765, Clive MSS 58, fos. 64–5 and 52–5 resp., N.L.W.

94 See entries for 1746–51 for coral, silver and jewels remitted in unfoliated ‘diamond accounts’, Clive MSS 119, N.L.W.

95 Clive to Harry Verelst, 22 Dec. 1768, 22 Dec. 1769, 6 Feb. 1769 and 10 March 1769, Clive MSS 57 (unfoliated) for first two, then 61, fos. 54–5 and 62 fo. 7 resp.

96 Clive to Verelst, 22 Dec. 1769. For Clive’s stock and salt ventures see Bence-Jones, Clive, pp. 221–4.

97 ‘First Report from the Committee appointed to enquire into the nature, state, and condition of the East India Company’, 26 May 1772, Commons reports from committees, III, 154–5.

98 George Johnstone to James Oswald, 3 March 1764, Oswald MSS Chest IV C, Hockworthy House, Devon. (We are indebted to Mrs D. C. Bruton for permission to use these manuscripts.)

99 P. Lawson,’Faction in politics: George Grenville and his followers 1765–70’, unpub. Ph.D., University of Wales 1980, pp. 55 and 74.

100 Commons Committee reports, IV, contains the nine reports from Dec. 1772 to June 1773. For the use of Clive as a consultant on military expenditures see p. 575.

101 Clive to Claud Russell, 10 Feb. 1769, Clive MSS 62, fo. 1, N.L.W.