Council of Four (India)
Encyclopedia
The Council of Four was established in 1773 to limit the influence of the Governor-General of India
, Warren Hastings
. It is sometimes referred to as the Calcutta Council. It consisted of Sir Philip Francis
, Lt. General Sir John Clavering
, The Honourable Sir George Monson and a designated East India Company
servant, Sir Richard Barwell. Phillip Francis was a close friend of the previous Governor, Clive of India
. Francis attempted to persuade the other council members that Hastings was a corrupt despot.
Before they arrived in Bengal
, Francis, Clavering and Monson met Joseph Fowke, who had been severely affected by the policies of Warren Hastings. He explained to the council the 'detrimental effects' of the Governor-General's policies. The meeting was probably engineered by Francis. Francis owed an allegiance to Clive, and moulded the opinions of Clavering and Monson, who grew to oppose the policies of Hastings. This was to create great turmoil in the following years. Monson, Clavering and Francis strove to undermine Hastings' policies and attempted to depose the Governor-General.
The situation climaxed with the Maharaja Nandakumar affair, in which Francis through Nandakumar (also known as Nuncomar
), the last important member of the Moghul bureaucracy, accused Hastings of fraud
and high corruption
. This attempt to impeach Hastings was unsuccessful and Nandakumar was hanged in 1775 after being found guilty of forgery
by Sir Elijah Impey
, the Chief Justice of the newly established Supreme Court of India
in Calcutta. Hastings was accused of committing a judicial murder with Sir Elijah's connivance during his impeachment by Edmund Burke
.
The 'majority', (Francis, Clavering and Monson), within the council was ended with the death of Monson, and Clavering died a year later. Francis was left powerless, but he remained in India and consistently strove to undermine the work of the Governor-General. Eventually the bitter rivalry between the two men culminated in a duel, where Francis was shot in the arm by Warren Hastings; he left India in the hope of impeaching Hastings. A lengthy attempted impeachment
by Parliament lasting from 1788 to 1795 eventually ended with Hastings being acquitted.
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
, Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings PC was the first Governor-General of India, from 1773 to 1785. He was famously accused of corruption in an impeachment in 1787, but was acquitted in 1795. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1814.-Early life:...
. It is sometimes referred to as the Calcutta Council. It consisted of Sir Philip Francis
Philip Francis (English politician)
Sir Philip Francis was an Irish-born British politician and pamphleteer, the possible author of the Letters of Junius, and the chief antagonist of Warren Hastings. His accusations against the latter led to the Impeachment of Warren Hastings by Parliament.-Early life:Born in Dublin, he was the only...
, Lt. General Sir John Clavering
John Clavering (British Army officer)
Lieutenant General Sir John Clavering KB was an army officer and diplomat.-Military career:Baptised in Lanchester, County Durham, England in 1722, Clavering was the younger son of Sir James Clavering Bt and Catherine Yorke, and younger brother of Sir Thomas Clavering, 7th Baronet...
, The Honourable Sir George Monson and a designated East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
servant, Sir Richard Barwell. Phillip Francis was a close friend of the previous Governor, Clive of India
Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive
Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, KB , also known as Clive of India, was a British officer who established the military and political supremacy of the East India Company in Bengal. He is credited with securing India, and the wealth that followed, for the British crown...
. Francis attempted to persuade the other council members that Hastings was a corrupt despot.
Before they arrived in Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, Francis, Clavering and Monson met Joseph Fowke, who had been severely affected by the policies of Warren Hastings. He explained to the council the 'detrimental effects' of the Governor-General's policies. The meeting was probably engineered by Francis. Francis owed an allegiance to Clive, and moulded the opinions of Clavering and Monson, who grew to oppose the policies of Hastings. This was to create great turmoil in the following years. Monson, Clavering and Francis strove to undermine Hastings' policies and attempted to depose the Governor-General.
The situation climaxed with the Maharaja Nandakumar affair, in which Francis through Nandakumar (also known as Nuncomar
Nuncomar
Maharaja Nandakumar was a Mughal Indian tax official best known for his connection with Warren Hastings. He learned Vaishnava from Radhamohana Thakura...
), the last important member of the Moghul bureaucracy, accused Hastings of fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
and high corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
. This attempt to impeach Hastings was unsuccessful and Nandakumar was hanged in 1775 after being found guilty of forgery
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
by Sir Elijah Impey
Elijah Impey
Sir Elijah Impey was a British judge, at one time chief justice of Bengal and MP for New Romney.He was born the youngest son of Elijah Impey and his wife Martha, daughter of James Fraser and was educated at Westminster School with Warren Hastings, who was his intimate friend throughout life...
, the Chief Justice of the newly established Supreme Court of India
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
in Calcutta. Hastings was accused of committing a judicial murder with Sir Elijah's connivance during his impeachment by Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke PC was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who, after moving to England, served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain as a member of the Whig party....
.
The 'majority', (Francis, Clavering and Monson), within the council was ended with the death of Monson, and Clavering died a year later. Francis was left powerless, but he remained in India and consistently strove to undermine the work of the Governor-General. Eventually the bitter rivalry between the two men culminated in a duel, where Francis was shot in the arm by Warren Hastings; he left India in the hope of impeaching Hastings. A lengthy attempted impeachment
Impeachment of Warren Hastings
The Impeachment of Warren Hastings was a failed attempt to impeach the former Governor-General of India Warren Hastings in the Parliament of Great Britain between 1788 and 1795. Hastings was accused of misconduct during his time in Calcutta particularly relating to mismanagement and personal...
by Parliament lasting from 1788 to 1795 eventually ended with Hastings being acquitted.