an fons for their conduct, which, while they were calculated to acquire popularity for themfelves, muft neceffarily render their fovereign odious to a large portion of his fubjects.-Mr. Pitt here called Mr. Nicholls to order, and contended that the honourable gentleman had no right to introduce the name of the fovereign into the debate, much lefs on averment wholly deftitute of foundation. Mr. Nicholls faid, that he introduced the name of the fovereign by no means difrefpectfully, but merely as it was connected with the conduct of minifters. The conduct of the right honourable gen tleman gave him deep alarm; and the house owed it to the king, to themselves, and to the country, ferionfly to paufe before they granted the fupplies, without having fome fatisfactory declaration from minif ters refpecting the manner in which they were to be applied. He was ready to acknowledge that it was the undisputed prerogative of his majefty to name what minifters he thought proper; and, for his part, he was ready to place his confidence in the man named and appointed as minifter by his majefty, until, by his declarations and acts, that man fhould fhew himself unworthy of the confidence of the houfe: but, if it was the prerogative of his majefty to name his minifters, it was the duty of the houfe to inquire into their intentions, before they proceeded to vote the fupplies. The houfe were told that the new admi niftration were to perlevere in the fyftem of their predeceffors. To what extent was that system to be carried? Was the country to have no peace until the old government of France was reftored? Mr. Pitt thought it unneceflary, at the prefent moment, to enter into any explanation refpecting the caufe of his retiring, as that matter might be the fubject of future difcuffion. He now role merely to fay that the infinuations thrown out by Mr. Nicholls were more than unfounded. That honourable gentleman had been pleated to fuppofe that he had given a pledge, a specific pledge, for the conduct of the new adminiftration. He muft, in the first place, deny having given any fuch pledge; and, in the fecond place, he mutt beg leave to fay, that no fair and candid man could have fo interpreted his expreffions. Neither had he ever faid, that the new administration was never to make peace until the ancient government of France was reftored. The minifters, who were about to retire, had never made fuch a declaration: on the contrary, they had uniformly difclaimed any fuch intention. Mr. Sheridan, obferved that the right honourable gentleman had rather fqueamishly, in his opinion, denied his having ever given any pledge for the public conduct of his fucceffors; whilft, in another place, a noble fecretary was con The part that Mr. Pitt had to act on this occafion is an instance of the difficulty minifter has to encounter, when he has at once to conform with a popular governmen', and to confult the intereft of the country. Had he believed, or suspected, that the inten tions of Mr. Addington were more pacific than his own, would it have been prudent to declar to the enemy, that the vio ous efforts of the war would fuffer the falleft relaxation? Mr. Pitt, though he (poke of what was likely (and this he was called on by dif ferent members to do) could not give a pledge: If his expectation was called a pledge, he was forced to take fheiter in the diftinction between a pledge and a fpecific pledge. gratulating gratulating his hearers, that a fimilar fhare of virtue and talents would be uniformly directed to the fame objects. But this would not be the cafe. When the two right honourable gentlemen, Meffrs. Pitt and Dundas, and a noble earl (Spencer) in another place, fhould be removed, there would certainly be a great defalcation from the vigour and abilities of the cabinet. The reafoning on this occafion was of a moft fingular defcription. When the crew of a fhip was preparing for action, it was ufual, he knew, to clear the decks, by throwing over board the lumber. But he never heard of fuch a manœuvre as that of throwing their great guns overboard. It was not ufual, he believed, when a fhip was to be boarded, for the great cannonades on the quarter deck, loaded with grape hot, to be fent to the fea, rather than pointed at the enemy. Mr. Sheridan, after more of this play, and other observations, said, that if the conduct of the new minifters was to be the most perfect contraft, in every point to that of their predeceffors, then, indeed, might they afpire to, as most certainly they would enjoy, the undoubted confidence and esteem of the nation. But, while more than a doubt was entertained of their principles and opinions, where was the great inconvenience of withholding the supplies for a few days, when thele principles and opinions might be more clearly underflood? Mr. Pitt, who, during Mr. She ridan's fpeech, was muting, it would feem, on the charge that had been made against minifters, rofe for the purpose of explanation, and faid, that when he took the liberty of flating, that the infinuations thrown VOL. XLIII.. out by an honourable gentleman, that night, were unfounded, his idea was, that he had not suggested any rumours injurious to his fovereign. In faying this, however, he did not mean to fay,that the ground affigned, by rumour, was not the ground of his refignation; much lefs did he decline any explanation: though it was a doctrine fomewhat new, that a man could not, confiftently with his duty, refign a high and refponfible fituation without giving all the reafons which had determined him to do so. He fhould rather leave it, he said, to pofterity to judge of his conduct. Still he had no objection to state the fact: which he did in these words, "I, and fome of my colleagues, did feel it an incumbent duty upon us to propofe a measure, on the part of government, which, under the circumftances of the union fo happily effected between the two countries, we thought of great public importance, and neceffary to complete the benefits likely to refult from that measure: we felt this opinion fo ftrongly, that when we met with circumftances which rendered it impoffible for us to propofe it as a measure of government, we felt it equally inconfiftent with our duty and our honour, any longer to remain a part of that government. I beg to have it understood to be a meafure which, if I had remained in government, I must have propofed. What my conduct will be, in a different fituation, must be regulated by a mature and impartial review of all the circumftances of the cafe." Mr. Buxton thought that, from the well known character of the new chancellor of the exchequer, there was every reafon to anticipate a favourable reception to his admi[K] niftration, niftration. He thought it contrary to all probability, that he who had, by his ability and affiduity, gained univerfal confidence in his former ftation, fhould, in a new fituation, adopt fuch principles, or purfue fuch meafures, as would forfeit the fupport of the house. mong the people. At the head of this party was Mr. Fox. Secondly, the authors and abettors of the war, who, after all that the nation had fuffered, were in reality lefs defirous of peace, than fearful leaft an intercourfe fhould be re-established between this country Colonel Addington was unwilling and France, which might favour to dwell at any length on the merits the introduction of democratical of his right honourable relation. principles. But fuch an intercourse But, from the opinion which the it was generally fufpected, was not houfe entertained of his merits in the only evil of which they were another capacity, it was not, per- apprehenfive. In the continuance haps, too much to expect, that his of the war, the honour, as well as future conduct would at leaft not be intereft, of numbers was involved. much expofed to, cenfure. One Even perpetual war was less dreadtimple requeft he would now make, ed than the humiliation (after fuch a the juice of which he was perfuafcene of delufion, difappointment, ded would be readily admitted. The and difregard to the warnings of requeft was, that his right honour-their opponents) of making peace. able relation might not be pre- It is needlefs to fay, that at the head judged: but that, till proofs to the of this was Mr. Pitt. contrary were produced, an expectation might be entertained that he would act in fuch a manner as to enfure the continuation of that favour, which he had already fo liberally experienced. This thort addrefs, by colonel Addington, conciliatory, modeft, plain, and fentible, was well adapted to the subject on which it was made. By the very unexpected change of miniftry, the houfes of parliament, and, to a certain extent, the nation at large was broken up into a variety of new parties, by various opinions and various interefts: but, principally into the three following, First, a very confiderable party, though not fo confiderable as it had been, who had always fet their face against the prefent war, and who were more afraid of the growing in fluence of the crown, than of French fraternization and infurrections a The third party confifted of men who wished to put an end to the war on any reasonable terms, who could endure to fee France employed in retrieving her commerce and manufactures, and becoming once again a great commercial rival to Great Britain, rather than that the fhould be compelled, by the neceflity of continued military exertion, to maintain and ftill extend her power and influence farther and farther all around her; and who were of opinion that fincerity of intention and found judgement, without any wonderful powers of eloquence, would fuffice for all the purpofe of negoti ation, or any measure of a wife and virtuous government. Of this party there was no head. It was com pofed chiefly of recruits from both the other parties. The centre of their union, or rallying point, was probably that party, already noticed in a former volume,* who confidered public credit as the great bond of national intercourfe, as well as the grand cement and fupport of individual nations. This they regarded as a vast organization, which one country could not violate with out violating the whole fyftem. They expreffed their wishes that the world, for the good of the whole, fhould not, for the fake of any temporary advantage of one nation over another, relaple into barbarifm, but advance in general and fimultaneous civilization. They profeffed a difpofition to maintain, not only good faith to neighbouring nations, but fincere good will; and to maintain and act upon all those liberal ideas, which gave fo much plaufibility and popularity in the world to the first and pureft declarations of the conftituent allembly of France, before the revolution was contaminated by the imprisonment of the king, and all the concomitant and fubfequent horrors. These fentiments were diffufed by the prefs, throughout France and other parts of Europe, and as it was well enough known that they proceeded from fome individuals belonging to the fmall band above mentioned, muft have produced in fome degree fimilar fentiments of peace and harmony. Thele then were the three leading parties to whofe principles and conduct, in the prefent conjuncture, every eye was turned, and who fhared, in different portions, the favour and confidence of the nation. In the first mentioned party there was a great portion of all that is moft refpectable for rank and property in England, and alfo a proportionable thare of ability and of eloquence. There is a degree of rafcally fufpicion among the low people, that difpofes them to be lieve every one like themfelves, that excludes all belief in generous profeffions, and even all idea of lofty and liberal ambition, and afcribes every thing to fome fordid and felfifi. motive, if fuch a motive can poffibly be thought of. So ftrong, among the lower orders, is this propenfity, that they confider fuperior capacity as nearly fynonimous with fraudulent dexterity. For many years, though even the very vices of Mr. Fox gave the lie to their hypothefis, they imagined that the grand purpose to which he applied the fuperior, vigour of his mind was, to overreach all with whom he might have any dealings, and to practile on the follies and weakneffes of men for the promotion of fome felfish end of intereft. "Od rotten Charley is as deep as Garrick :" meaning nothing lels than that both Fox and Garrick were fly and fhrewd tharpers. The elevation and purity of Mr. Fox's mind was not, for years, underflood even by thofe who in rank and education were much above the vulgar, Some fafpicions were entertained that he might be induced, by private views, to facrifice even great public interefts. His unrivalled talents were univerfally acknowledged: but there fill lurked, in many breafts, fomewhat of a fufpicion, that his political firmnefs and integrity was not inflexible. The fenfibility of his heart, the unaffuming affability, and the fublime fimplicity of his manners, the fleadiness and warmth of his friendships, and the general confiftency of his poli tical conduct, which even the heavy weight of his India bill did not counterbalance, in the process of time, though that not very fhort, produced an almost univerfal conviction that Fox was not only endowed with the most brilliant parts, but also a great, an honeft, and good man. Every one who has been in the habits of attending to the fentiments of the populace, refpecting things and perfons, for five-andtwenty years back, will readily recognize the turn of popular and plebeian opinion in favour of Mr. Fox. While, on the other hand, his great political rival, for obvious reafons, had fallen greatly, and was indeed funk very low in popular efteem and affection. He had a taile for art, as well as a capacity for fcience. Of literature, in which he had made won derful proficiency, amidst fo early, manifold, and continued avocations, he was an excellent judge, and, if circumflances had admitted, would have been at once a judicious and munificent patron. It was not Mr. Fox's fplendid fpeeches in parliament, his quick perception, his demonftrative and mathematical reafoning, that had become at length the principal object of refpect and admiration, but his juft views of the nature and conduct proper to be obferved by Britain in the war on the continent; his advice and warnings on that fubject, all of them most completely fulfilled; the modes he propofed, by which the great evils that happened would have been prevented: these facts, eafily to be comprehended, eafily to be remembered, and impoffible to be rejected from remembrance, yb any act of volition,* ftamp the character of Mr. Fox with the most found political wildom. His comprehenfive views, and his inventive talents, finding new refources in new circumftances and combina tions, beyond all doubt, pointed him out as the fittest man in Britain to contend with Buonaparte, if hostile: while the franknefs and fincerity of his difpofition rendered him the fitteft to negotiate with him, if defirous of peace. So thought many more than what is commonly called his party. But many were afraid, without reason, that he would concede too much. And no profpect was entertained on account of refiftance apprehended in a quarter improper to be mentioned, that his appointment to the firft place in adminiftration, could be easily or foon effected. The fecond party in the flate comprehended, alfo, great talents, great dignity and wealth, and by far greater numbers. The leaders of this party having divided, we fhall fpeak only of thofe who refigned the principal offices; the remainder amalgamated for the prefent with the third party. Mr.Windham, fecretary-at-war, was a man of a philofophical turn, an elegant fcholar, and a polite gentleman: converfant with bufinefs, but never forgetting the mufes whom he adored, and by whom in return he was beloved. He had, on many fubjects, a fingular caft of thinking, not an unusual concomitant of original genius. He was, not a little, an enthufiaft: and in all his enthu fiafm, he was both eloquent and ingenious. His great Rofinante was French jacobinifm; which he faw See Mr. Fox's Letter to the Electors of Weftminster, with Obfervations by Robert Adair, Efq. M. P.-DEBRETT. at |