Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

VIII.

1769.

CHA P. accufations that were fubftantiated by no proof, and totally inconfiftent with probability? The illuftrious Mansfield he defcribed as a moft carrupt and unjust judge, as a mean time-serving and unprincipled courtier, and as a jacobite, inimical to the king and government which he professed to fupport. What weight would an impartial investigator of merit allow to fuch calumnious allegations, not only unfupported by any proof, but difproved by the whole tenor and course of the life and conduct of their object. Aware, that in the misapprehenfion of party rage, the flander of dignity and merit was one road to popularity, Junius infulted a much more exalted character, and completed his calumny by charges which were equally falfe and feditious. Hiftory, after taking a retrospective view of Grecian and Roman demagogues, will fcarcely be able to prefent fuch an inftance of invective, ingenious and and inflammatory; fcurrility, nervous and elegant; plaufible fophiftry, impreffive declamation, poignant and farcaftic malice, as in the English orator of the IRON MASK. These anonymous effufions were not prized only by fuch critics as composed Mr. Wilkes's election mobs, but by readers of real abilities and learning, who, hoftile to government, and approving the fpirit which they breathed, did not rigorously fcrutinize the arguments; men of taste, charmed with the beauties of the compofition, overlooked the reasoning and tendency; and never was a political work more univerfally perused than the Letters of Junius.

Minifters, aware of the prevailing discontents, endeavoured to procure addreffes which might coun

tera&

VIII.

1769.

teract the popular fpirit, but were in England by no CHAP. means fuccessful. Effex, Kent, Surry, and Salop, were the only counties; the univerfities of Oxford and Cambridge, the cities of Bristol and Coventry, and the town of Liverpool, the only corporations of note that expreffed the fentiments defired by government. From Scotland, however, the addresses were more numerous and agreeable to miniftry*. Petitions, on the contrary, were presented Petitions. from many counties, cities, and corporations, and these were of two very different claffes: one fet, though explicit, was temperate; and, though forcible, decorous of this fpecies, the best written and most distinguished were from Buckinghamshire and Yorkshire, supposed to have been refpectively framed by Mr. Burke and fir George Saville. Thefe confined themselves to the rights of election, which they afferted to be violated; and, either indirectly or exprefsly, prayed for a diffolution of parliament. The other clafs, though nominally petitions, were falfe and indecent remonstrances; of thefe, the most noted and prominent were from Middlesex and the city of Londont. They profeffed to review the whole feries of acts during his prefent majefty's reign. According to their account, the king had been uniformly directed by profligate counsellors, who had infused into the royal mind fentiments and counsels of the most dangerous tendency to the liberties and happiness of his fubjects; from those

See State Papers, 1769.

See in the State Papers, the petition of the Middlefex electors, May 24th, 1769, and the London petition of June 30th,

Remonthe city of

ftrance of

London.

VOL. II.

E

pernicious

VIII.

$769.

CHAP. pernicious counfels, according to their affertion and enumeration, had proceeded the corruption of all the orders, and violation of the most sacred rights of Englishmen; and the reign of the king was a tissue of unjust, tyrannical, and cruel acts, flowing from the legislative, executive, and judicative estates: after this statement, they proceeded to pray, that he would banish from his royal favour, truft, and confidence, his evil and pernicious counfellors. Though the tenor and language of the Middlesex and London petitions were effentially the fame, the latter was rendered more notorious, by the perseverance of unfounded expoftulation with which its promoters obtruded their abufive charges upon their fovereign. Falfe as many of the allegations were, yet, coming from the moft opulent body in the kingdom, they had very great influence in fpreading the difcontents, and the diffatisfaction had risen to an extraordinary height before the meeting of the legislature.

$770. Meeting of

[ocr errors]

Parliament was affembled on the 9th of January Parliament. 1770; and, contrary to popular expectation, his ma jefty's fpeech did not mention the public difcontents. One fubject of which the king fpoke, though really of very great importance, was much ridiculed by the speakers and writers of oppofition. An infectious diftemper having broken out among the cattle, threatened one of the chief articles of provifion. The king, by the advice of his privy council, had taken every step which he thought likely to stop the contagion, and confulted his par

*See Jupius's Letter to the duke of Grafton, February 14th, 1770.

[ocr errors]

liament

VIII,

1770.

liament on farther measures to be adopted con- CHA P. cerning a matter of the highest national importance. He expreffed his regret, that his endeavours to tranquillize America had not been attended with the defired fuccefs; and that combinations had been formed to destroy the commercial connection between our colonial provinces and this country. He had, however, received the strongest affurances, that the prefent difturbances in Europe would not interrupt the quiet of Great Britain. The debate upon the address contained a very wide range of animadverfion, and great acrimony of cenfure, into which the oppofition in both houses introduced the Middlefex election, the prevailing discontents in England, and the commotions in America, and urged the diffolution of parliament and a total change of counfels. Minifters, admitting that discontents exifted, imputed them to the fpirit of faction, and the fpeeches, writings, and petitions, which had been thence produced; they, however, were by no means unanimous. Lords Camden and Shelburne withdrew from counfels fo different from those which they and their admired friend lord Chatham would have fupported or approved. Soon Refignation after, to the great aftonishment of the nation, the of the duke duke of Grafton, on the 28th of January, refigned his office of first lord of the treasury. Lord Camden and Mr. Dunning, his chief supporters in their respective houses, had fhewn themfelves inimical to the measures which had been recently purfued; befides, the duke of Grafton profeffed himfelf the political pupil of the illuftrious Chatham; and though, during the illness and inaction of that statef man, he had fwerved from his principles, opinions, and

E 2

of Graf on.

VII.

1770.

CHAP. and maxims, he ftill avowed the highest vene. ration for his character and fentiments. Perfectly recovered, lord Chatham was now returned to parliament, and with his wonted vigour attacked the system and measures of administration. The oppofition of all his ableft friends, Grafton could not endure. In addition to these causes, we may find another probable reafon for the dereliction of his poft. Junius, indefatigable in raking together calumnious anecdotes, and dexterous in bestowing on them the appearance of truth, had made the private as well as the public conduct of this nobleman the chief butt of his fatire, and for his actions affigned the most contemptible and unworthy motives. He must be either grofsly ftupid or ftoically magnanimous, either lefs or greater than ordinary men, who, though conscious of innocence, can bear with indifference powerful calumny that produces general belief. The duke of Grafton, regarding his character, was fo much moved by the Letters of Junius, that they certainly co-operated with other causes in impelling him to refign.

« ForrigeFortsett »