Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Second, Volume 1 (of 3)Walpole, Horace
History
Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Second, Volume 1 (of 3)
Walpole, Horace
Great Britain -- History -- George II, 1727-1760
Mr. Pelham had, according to his manner, tried to soothe where
his brother provoked, been convinced by trifles that his brother’s
jealousy was solidly grounded, adopted his resentments, and
promoted them. While the Court was at Hanover, Lord Sandwich had
drawn a great concourse of the young men of fashion to Huntingdon
races, and then carried them to Woburn to cricket-matches made
there for the entertainment of the Duke. These _dangerous_
practices opened Mr. Pelham’s eyes; and a love affair between
one of his [relations] and a younger brother[19] of the Duchess
of Bedford fixed his aversion to that family. At this period the
Duke of Richmond[20] died, who besides the Duchess and his own
dignity, loved the Duke of Newcastle--the only man who ever did.
The Pelhams immediately offered the Mastership of the Horse to the
Duke of Bedford, which he would have accepted, had they left him
the nomination of Lord Sandwich for his successor.
The King came over: but though the brothers were resolved to
disagree with their associates in the Ministry, they could not
resolve to remove them; none of the great offices were filled up
but the Lieutenancy of Ireland, from which Lord Harrington[21] was
removed in the most unworthy manner. He had raised himself from
a younger brother’s fortune to the first posts in the Government,
without either the talent of speaking in Parliament, or any
interest there. He had steered through all the difficulties of the
Court and changes of Ministry, with great dexterity, till, in the
year 1746, notwithstanding all his personal obligations to the
King, he was the first man who broke into his closet at the head
of those insulting and disloyal resignations that were calculated
and set on foot by the Pelhams, in the very heat of the rebellion,
to force their master, by a general desertion of his servants, to
abandon Lord Granville, whom he was recalling into the Ministry.
The King had brooded over this ingratitude, not with much hope of
revenging it, but as he sometimes resented such indignities enough
to mention them, the Pelhams sacrificed Lord Harrington to their
master, astonished at their complaisance, in order to bargain
for other victims on his part, which they would have forced, not
purchased, if there had been any price necessary but their own
ingratitude. Lord Harrington was removed, and the Lieutenancy of
Ireland again heaped on the Duke of Dorset, then President of the
Council.
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