1760. 66 66 MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. 213 In other passages His Majesty's Speech professed a thorough concurrence in the counsels which during the last few years had guided his grandfather's reign. It praised the "magnanimity and perseverance, almost beyond example," of his good brother the King of Prussia; -to our own victories it adverted in becoming terms of exultation; it declared that His Majesty would have been happier still could he have found his kingdoms at peace; "but since," it added, "the ambition, injurious "encroachments, and dangerous designs of my enemies "rendered the war both just and necessary, I am de"termined to prosecute this war with vigour.' In conclusion, the King expressed his delight at the present happy extinction of divisions," and recommended to his Parliament "unanimity." Never was any recommendation more fully complied with; scarce one public difference of opinion appeared. Another annual Subsidy of 670,000l. to the King of Prussia was proposed by Pitt, and granted by the House of Commons.* Supplies to the unprecedented amount of nearly twenty millions sterling were cheerfully voted. The Civil List for the new reign, on the King surrendering the branches of his Hereditary Revenue, was fixed at 800,000l. a year. Nothing was heard in either House but dutiful Addresses and loyal congratulations. It resembled the first accession of Anne of Austria to the Regency of France, when, as the French writers say, their language seemed reduced to only these five words: LA REINE EST SI BONNE!† Nor was there less of apparent harmony both in the country and at Court. It had been the especial happiness of Pitt's administration to dissolve the ancient ties of Jacobitism, and to blend the hostile ranks of Whig and Tory. Yet still many great families had continued from habit what had begun in aversion,—their estrangement from St. James's, and had never appeared at the Court of George the Second. The accession of a new 66 66 6 * Mr. Pitt moved for the money for the Prussian treaty; said very little but magnanimous ally' and 'the Protestant cause;' Legge said less, but seconded him...... so we voted the money, "and adjourned." (Mr. Rigby to the Duke of Bedford, December 22. 1760.) † Mem. de Retz, vol. i. p. 81. ed. 1817. sovereign, born and bred in England, and wholly untainted with Hanoverian partialities, gave them a favourable opportunity to renounce, even in outward form, their obsolete political faith. Thus, then, the members of the old Jacobite connexion came flocking to the Levee-Room, and found a gracious reception confirm their new-born attachment. "The Sovereign now -says a shrewd observer, after complaining of the shyness and reserve of George the Second at his Levees, "walks about, and "speaks to every body."* In the new Household several noblemen of this old Jacobite connexion were appointed Lords-and several gentlemen Grooms-of the Bedchamber; an excellent policy, promoting the reconciliation of a party without any approximation to its principles in government. I may observe, in passing, that these new accessions to the Court, who for the most part took shelter under the wing of Bute, were called Tories, and that the name speedily extended to all those willing to support Bute's person or policy, while his opponents combined under the appellation of Whigs. Such was the first revival of those party nicknames which had been so gloriously extinguished or intermingled in Pitt's administration, and which, after some further phases during the reign of George the Third, came at length, in the reign of his son, to that remarkable counterchange from their early principles which I have elsewhere endeavoured to portray.† But, however fair and specious seemed the unanimity which greeted the new reign, it was no more than apparent. Beneath that smooth surface jealousy, rancour, and ambition were already beginning to stir and heave. A small knot of grasping families among the Peers, ——which wished to be thought exclusively the friends of the Hanover succession, and which had hitherto looked upon Court offices, honours, and emoluments as almost an heirloom belonging to themselves, - viewed with envious * H. Walpole to G. Montagu, November 13. 1760. Mr. Hallam observes: "It is probable that scarcely one person of the rank of a gentleman south of the Tweed was found to dispute the right of the "House of Brunswick after 1760." (Constit. Hist. vol. iii. p. 341.) See also Dr. King's Anecdotes, p. 194. † Note to vol. i. of this History, Appendix, p. xlv. 1760. 66 DESIGNS OF LORD BUTE. 215 eyes the admission of new claimants, not as involving any principle of politics, but only as contracting their own chances of appointment. Such malcontents found a congenial mouth-piece in the Duke of Newcastle. Almost at the very time that he was sending in private humble messages to Bute, and writing to congratulate Pitt on any possibility of difference being removed," he and his followers raised a loud cry at the appointment, without his knowledge, of Lord Oxford and Lord Bruce to the Bedchamber. In like manner he complained that several gentlemen of the same connexion had announced themselves as candidates and supporters of the Government at the ensuing General Election, and had received a promise of the Government support in return; in truth, he was angry that the entire management of the Elections was no longer centred in his hands. These grievances he recounted with deep emotion to Mr. Rigby, hoping, no doubt, through that channel, to inflame the Duke of Bedford. "Whenever," he cried, "I ask an explanation of "these and other matters, the constant answer is, the “King has ordered it so!" † On the other hand, the cabals of Bute were to the full as numerous and as crooked as Newcastle's. It was his object to hold himself forth as the sole expounder of the King's wishes and opinions, as the single and mysterious high-priest of the Royal Oracle. Thus, for example, some time before the Dissolution of Parliament, he told the First Lord of the Admiralty, that room must be made for Lord Parker. To this Anson replied, that all was full. “What, my Lord," cried Bute, in his loudest tones, "the King's Admiralty Boroughs full, and the "King not acquainted with it!". - Anson, never ready at words, appeared confounded and struck dumb with the rebuke. Indeed, on all occasions, as we have seen from Newcastle's complaints, Bute was ready to allege the King's orders in place of any other reason. But he did *Letter, November 28. 1760. p. 87. Chatham Correspondence, vol. ii. Mr. Rigby to the Duke of Bedford, December 19. 1760. Bedford Correspondence, vol. ii. p. 425. This conversation was repeated to Dodington by Bute himself Diary, February 2. 1761. 66 not long continue satisfied with his secret influence; he had begun to aim at eminent office, although his ambition was often dashed with doubts, tremors, and misgivings. On this subject he had more than one confidential conference with his friend, Bubb Dodington, within the second month of the new reign. Why not," said Dodington, "take the Secretary's office, and provide "otherwise for Lord Holderness?" After some hesitation, Bute opened his design as follows: "If that were "the only difficulty it could be easily removed, for Lord "Holderness is ready, at my desire, to quarrel with his "fellow Ministers, on account of the slights and ill usage "which he daily experiences, and go to the King, and "throw up in seeming anger, and then I might come in, "without seeming to displace any body."- This expedient was too gross for the taste of even Dodington himself, and Bute afterwards laid it aside.* In another conference, however, Bute and Dodington agreed to commence the paper-war against Pitt, - by putting forth small pamphlets and handbills, and "runners," as they were termed at that time. "We wished," adds Dodington, "to have some coffee-house spies, but I "do not know how to contrive it." † 66 The course of policy which Bute had secretly in view, and by which he hoped to recommend himself, was to disentangle England from Continental connections. He thought that to withdraw our troops from Hanover would either effect a peace or enable us to carry on the war much cheaper. But it deserves attention, as displaying the true character of the man, - that the hesitation which Bute felt as to this scheme appears to have rested not on national but solely on party grounds. Other Ministers might have apprehended the ruin of the King of Prussia,the severing of alliances already contracted, -the relinquishing of advantages already gained. The sole alarm of Bute was, lest others should be beforehand with him, lest Pitt or Newcastle might be even now intent on the very same scheme! Of this possibility he spoke more than once, with gloomy foreboding, to Dod • Dodington's Diary, November 29, 1760. 1761. RETIREMENT OF SPEAKER ONSLOW. 217 ington. But one day he came to his friend in high exultation: "I am now sure," he cried, "that Pitt has no "thoughts of abandoning the Continent. He is madder. "than ever!"* During these cabals (how unworthy the nation which had so lately achieved such high pre-eminence in arms!) the Parliament was still sitting, engaged in the needful business previous to its Dissolution. Some dissatisfaction was excited by a new duty of three shillings per barrel imposed on beer and ale; indeed, some clamours on the subject, amounting nearly to a riot, met the ear of the King himself when he went in state to the playhouses. But another measure at the close of the Session, coming straight from His Majesty, was hailed with unmingled and well-merited applause. By an Act of William the Third the commissions of the Judges were to be drawn,— no longer as during the King's pleasure, but as during their own good behaviour; still, however, their offices determined upon the demise of the Crown, or at the close of the subsequent six months. This state of the law fell naturally under consideration when on George the Third's accession new commissions were accordingly granted to the Judges. On the 3d of March it was recommended to Parliament in a Royal Speech to provide that the Judges' commissions should in future continue, notwithstanding any demise of the Crown, and their salaries be absolutely secured to them during the continuance of their commissions. This noble improvement (as Blackstone terms it) was unanimously passed, thus guarding in a further and most effectual manner the entire independence of the Judges, and the upright administration of Justice. At the close of this Session Speaker Onslow announced his intention of retiring, both from the Chair and from the House. During three and thirty years had he filled that Chair with higher merit, probably, than any one either before or after him,-with unequalled impartiality, dignity, and courtesy. All statesmen judge wisely for * Dodington's Diary, January 16. 1761. The reader will join in my regret that this interesting record should close at this interesting period; the last entry is dated February 6. 1761. |