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I am told Sir Robert Hildyard is the right candidate for the county. You must take care to keep all our friends together, and to tear the enemy to pieces.

"I set out this evening for Cambridge, where I expect, notwithstanding your boding, to find everything favourable. I am sure, however, to find a retreat at Bath. “Ever faithfully yours,

"W. PITT."

The requisite measures having thus been taken, the King, according to his original intention, went down to the House of Lords the same afternoon, and in a short Speech closed this eventful scene. "On a full consideration," thus began His Majesty," of the present situation of affairs, and of the extraordinary circumstances which have produced it, I am induced to put an end to this Session of Parliament. I feel it a duty which I owe to the Constitution and to the country in such a situation, to recur as speedily as possible to the sense of my people by calling a new Parliament. . . And I trust that the various important objects which will require consideration may be afterwards proceeded upon with less interruption and with happier effect." Next day,

the new Great Seal being ready according to promise, the Parliament was dissolved by Royal Proclamation.

This disappearance of the Great Seal has ever since remained a mystery. It may be observed that in his letter to Wilberforce Pitt speaks of it as "a curious manoeuvre." Certainly it seems difficult to suppose that a theft so critically timed was altogether unconnected with political design. On the other hand, no man of

common candour will entertain the least suspicion that Fox or North, or any one of the Whig chiefs, was in any measure cognisant of this mean and criminal device. Such a slander against them would only recoil on the man who made it. But their party, like every other in England, both before and since, had no doubt within, or rather behind its ranks, some low runners ready to perform, without the knowledge of their leaders, any dirty trick which they might think of service, and the dirtier the better to their taste. Such runners would have been constantly hearing that a Dissolution at that juncture might be the ruin of their party views; that even a few days' delay might be of service, as giving the people time to cool. Can it be deemed incredible that under such circumstances even common thieves and burglars should be taken into pay by men in real fact perhaps baser than thieves and burglars are? It may be objected that on this supposition a greatly overstrained importance was attached to the possession of the Great Seal. But we may well imagine that an humble and heated partisan should be under the same delusion as was, in 1688, the King of England himself, when, hoping to embarrass his successor, he dropped his Great Seal into the Thames.

CHAPTER VI.

1784.

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Pitt elected for the University of Cambridge, and Wilberforce for the County of York-Fox's Westminster Contest - Numerous defeats of Fox's friends- New Peerages - Meeting of Parliament — Predominance of Pitt-Disorder of the Finances - Frauds on the Revenue - Pitt's Budget - his India Bill - Westminster Scrutiny - Restoration of Forfeited Estates in Scotland-Letters to Lady Chatham-Promotions in the Peerage Lord Camden President of the Council.

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Now rose the war-cry of the hustings throughout England. Almost everywhere Fox's banner was unfurled, and almost everywhere struck down. The first election in point of time was as usual for the City. There Pitt was put in nomination without his knowledge or consent, and the show of hands was declared to be in his favour, but when apprised of the fact he declined the poll. He was pressed to stand for several other cities and towns, more especially for the city of Bath, which his father had represented; and the King was vexed at his refusal of this offer. But the choice of Pitt was already made. He had determined, as we have seen, to offer himself again for the University of Cambridge.

As another candidate on the same side, Pitt was aided by the eldest son of the Duke of Grafton, his father's friend. They were opposed by the two late Members, Mr. John Townshend and Mr. Mansfield, both of whom had held office in the Coalition Ministry. After a keen

contest Mr. Pitt and Lord Euston were returned-Pitt

at the head of the poll. It was a great triumph, and no merely fleeting one, for Pitt continued to represent the University during the remainder of his life.

It has been said that Paley, who was then at Cambridge, suggested one evening as a fitting text for an University sermon: "There is a lad here which hath, five barley loaves and two small fishes; but what are they among so many?" But the author, whoever he was, of this pleasantry, altogether mistook the public temper of the time. In most cases the electors voted without views of personal interest; in some cases they voted even against views of personal interest.

Such was the fact, for example, in the strongholds of the Whig estates. Thus in Norfolk the late Member had been Mr. Coke, lord of the vast domains of Holkham-a gentleman who, according to his own opinion, as stated in his Address to the county, had played "a distinguished part" in opposing the American War. But notwithstanding his alleged claims of distinction, and his much more certain claims of property, Mr. Coke found it necessary to decline the contest.

But of all the contests of this period the most important in that point of view was for the county of York. That great county, not yet at election times severed into Ridings, had been under the sway of the Whig Houses. Bolton Abbey, Castle Howard, and Wentworth Park had claimed the right to dictate at the hustings. It was not till 1780 that the spirit of the county rose. "Hither

to"

'—so in that year spoke Sir George Savile-"I have been elected in Lord Rockingham's dining-room. Now

I am returned by my constituents." And in 1784 the spirit of the county rose higher still. In 1784 the independent freeholders of Yorkshire boldly confronted the great Houses, and insisted on returning, in conjunction with the heir of Duncombe Park, a banker's son, of few years and of scarcely tried abilities, though destined to a high place in his country's annals-Mr. Wilberforce. With the help of the country-gentlemen they raised the vast sum of 18,6627. for the expense of the election; and so great was their show of numbers and of resolution, that the candidates upon the other side did not venture to stand a contest. Wilberforce was also returned at the head of the poll by his former constituents at Hull. "I can never congratulate you enough on such glorious success," wrote the Prime Minister to his young friend.

In this manner throughout England the Opposition party was scattered far and wide. To use a gambling metaphor, which Fox would not have disdained, many threw down their cards. Many others played, but lost the rubber. A witty nickname was commonly applied to them. In allusion to the History, written by John Fox, of the sufferers under the Romish persecution, they were called "Fox's Martyrs." And of such martyrs there proved to be no less than one hundred and sixty. Nor were these losses to the Coalition party confined to the rank and file. Several of their spokesmen or their leaders also fell. At Hertford, Mr. Baker succumbed to Baron Dimsdale; at Portsmouth, Mr. Erskine to a brother of Lord Cornwallis; at Bury, General Conway to a son of the Duke of Grafton. Lord Galway, an Irish peer of no great pretensions, prevailed in the city of

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