History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c41.161.1

v2.c41.161.1

A reply sent to Jānujī informed him that at a conference held at Murshidabad every point was thoroughly discussed before the Nawāb Saif-ud-daulah and Muḥammad Riza Khān. "With regard to the money affair, tell the Rājā to let his heart rest perfectly at ease, and to consider the English Sirdars as security for the due payment of the stipulated sums."¹ A reminder was received from Rājā Jānujī on the 24th of August, 1767.² The perfidy of Englishmen in India in the 18th century is now well-known. Lulled into security by the repeated promises of the Englishmen Jānujī waited for eight years and when, exasperated beyond all limits of endurance, he and Raghunāth Rāo Dāda Ṣāḥib wrote strongly to the English East India Company, a letter was sent to Udepurī Gosāin in such a tone of injured innocence as proved the writer to be a master of the gentle art of statecraft.³ Udepurī replied protesting his own innocence. Interesting bits of information come out of this letter. Udepurī Gosāin was not permitted to return to Nagpur to bring the negotiations to a close. The Governor of the English East India Company and their tool, the Nawāb Nāzim Saif-ud-daulah, did not ratify the treaty which Jānujī fondly hoped he had entered into with them, and finally the poor man prayed to be supplied with copies of letters from Raghunāth Rāo Dāda Ṣāḥib and Rājā Jānujī Bhonsle. Another strong letter was addressed to this ambassador asking him to supply information, which did not lie in his power.