CHAP. to these objects, and passed a bill for importing wheat and flour from Africa. VI. 1767. In the autumn of the year 1767 died, at Monaco in Italy, Edward duke of York, eldest brother to the king, a prince of pleasing manners and considerable courage. Beyond these qualifications his merit did not seem to rise; for he was known to possess very dissolute morals, and but a scanty portion of real knowledge and accomplishments. The popular recommendation of bravery, for which all his family have ever been conspicuous, brought him into notice at an early period of his life. In Lord Howe's attack upon Cherbourg he served as a naval officer, with distinguished credit. As panegyric is never slow to echo the praises of princely merit, when it appears even in the smallest degree, his royal highness's death was the theme of much loyal lamentation in the obituary records of the day. This session was marked by the proposition of a bold and useful restriction of the resumption of crown-grants. A grant had been made to the first earl of Portland, by William III, of the honour of Penrith in Cumberland, with the appurtenances thereunto belonging. Among these supposed appurtenances the family had rested in quiet possession of the forest of Inglewood, and the manor and castle of Carlisle, although not specified in the grant. Sir James Lowther, informed of this circumstance, presented a memorial to the lords of the treasury, stating his discovery, and praying for a lease for three lives upon these domains. His request was granted, in spite of the duke of Portland's remonstrances. The case, however, being tried before the barons of exchequer, Sir James Lowther was nonsuited. A bill was introduced upon this occasion, proposing to restrict the VI. right of resuming crown-grants to the term of CHAP. sixty years. The opposers of the proposition maintained, that the tenements in question were 1767. neither expressed nor understood in the crowngrant that the crown, therefore, did not resume a grant, but only claimed as its own what had never been given away. After some indecisive debates, the question was adjourned till next year. The supplies and other business being settled, parliament dissolved on the 10th of March. Thus closed the first parliament of George III, distinguished, perhaps, by a greater share of abilities, and yet attended with less ultimate advantage to the empire, than any previous parliament since the revolution. Although the outset of his majesty's reign was crowned with a favourable peace, although the whig interest prevailed, and the great leading families of the nation had no small share of influence in public affairs,--although cabinets were formed, comprehending, and apparently reconciling, discordant interests, in which talents that the world has never since seen rivalled were called into action, yet, from some fatal propensity to disunion, (for the union of these men. was at no time stedfast) all the first seven years of this reign present one lamentable scene of instability. Every act of the legislative body seemed a contradiction to the preceding. General warrants were first sanctioned, and then, by a subsequent statute, they were condemned. The business of America was still more inconsistently conducted. A gross, yet deliberate, impolicy first induced the legislature to exert a prerogative in taxation which every argument of reason and utility soon proved to be unfounded. This was retracted, but not in such a manner as to quiet the alarmed suspicions of the colonists; and the tax, disguising itself like VI. CHAP. a Proteus, broke out anew, under a shape only calculated to insult the understandings of its victims. 1767. Subsequent events merely consummated the evils of which the foundations were laid by a few statutes of this parliament. 185 CHAP. VII. Election of a new parliament.... IVilkes returns to England, and stands candidate for Middlesex.... Violence of popular favour in his behalf.... Reduction of Corsica by the French .... discontents in England at that event.... Lord Chatham withdraws from office.... King's speech at the opening of parliament in November 1768.... Proceedings of the discontented party in America.... Petition heard from the inhabitants of Massachusets-bay.... Coalesced opposition of the Grenville and Rockingham parties to ministerial measures towards America.... Advice of parliament to his majesty, to renew the obsolete statute of Henry VIII, respecting the punishment of offenders beyond seas... Reception of the proposal in America.... Mr. Wilkes brought before parliament.... Is expelled upon a complaint of privilege made by Lord Weymouth.... Meeting of the Middlesex electors in consequence of his expulsion.... Mr. Wilkes is re-elected for Middlesex. .... His re-election declared void by parliament.... Colonel Lutterell stands for Middlesex, and in spite of inferior numbers is declared member, by the decision of the house of commons .... debates on this subject.... King's speech.... Affairs in India.... War with Hyder Aly.... Petitions from different counties on the decision of the Middlesex election.... Proceedings of parliament.... debates of the lords.... debates of the commons.... Octennial parliamentary bill for Ireland. THE succeeding election revived the fury of do- CHAP. Tmestic faction, and brought again into notice a political character who seemed to have closed his career. John Wilkes, whose opposition to the Bute ministry has been already related, finding VII. 1768. 1768. CHAP. himself in exile, and in deplorable circumstances, VII. and, from his outlawry having run beyond the limits the law allowed for reversal, cut off from the protection of his native country, besought the new ministry, in submissive terms, to pardon his offences, and allow him once more to return to. Britain. As many characters of the present administration had acted, if not in the same phalanx of opposition with Mr. Wilkes, at least against a common adversary, it was expected that considerable influence would have been used for obtaining his pardon; but his application was treated with indignant contempt, and all his hopes were now founded on rousing, by a desperate exposure of his person and liberty to the vengeance of government, the remaining portion of public sympathy for his supposed martyrdom, which had survived his infamy and his ill fortune. He accordingly came over to England, previous to the general clection; and, in bold defiance of his outlawry, declared himself a candidate to represent the city of London in parliament. Not only the rabble received him with applause, but several persons of distinction encouraged him with their countenance and their purse. It required all the efforts of vernment influence to defeat his attempt in LonMarch 10. don. Though baffled, he nevertheless set up for go the county of Middlesex, where, in spite of ministers and of rich and powerful competitors, he carried 22. his election by a large majority. As the outlawry was still in full force against him, to prevent his being apprehended he wrote to the solicitor, and deputy-solicitor, of the treasury, pledging his honour as a gentleman, that he would personally appear in the court of king's-bench, on the first day of the ensuing term. The new parliament being summoned, with Sir John Cust as speaker, a motion was made that the proper crown-lawyer might re |