Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Second, Volume 1 (of 3) — John Shaqi
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
the very sort of Jacobitism that has kept the cause alive, and kept
it from succeeding. Mr. Murray, with Crowle and one Gibson, an
upholsterer, were ordered to attend on the Thursday following with
the High Bailiff, to have his charge made out.
29th.--The report for the eight thousand seamen was made from the
committee, and debated again till past eight at night, when it was
agreed to by 189 to 106. Mr. W. Pitt spoke with great affectation
of concern for differing with Mr. Pelham, protested he had not
known it was his measure (which Mr. Pelham made many signs of
not allowing), and that it was his fear of Jacobitism which had
made him differ on this only point with those with whom he was
determined to lead his life. He called the fleet our standing
army, the army a little body of military spirit, so improved by
discipline, that that discipline alone was worth five thousand
men; made great panegyrics on Mr. Pelham (so did Lyttleton and
George Grenville), and concluded with saying, “I do not believe the
majority of this House like eight thousand better than ten.”
The times were changed! Men who remembered how Sir Robert Walpole’s
fears of the Pretender and his Spithead expeditions were ridiculed
by his opponents, admired Mr. Pitt’s humility and conviction, who
was erecting a new opposition on those arguments.
He was attacked by Hampden, who had every attribute of a buffoon
but cowardice, and none of the qualifications of his renowned
ancestor but courage. He drew a burlesque picture of Pitt and
Lyttleton under the titles of _Oratory_ and _Solemnity_, and
painted in the most comic colours what mischiefs rhetoric had
brought upon the nation, and what emoluments to Pitt. Pitt flamed
into a rage, and nodded menaces of highest import to Hampden, who
retorted them, undaunted, with a droll voice that was naturally
hoarse and inarticulate. Mr. Pelham interposed, and, according to
his custom, defended Pitt, who had deserted him; gave up Hampden,
who had supported him. It was not unusual for Pitt to mix the
hero with the orator; he had once blended those characters very
successfully, when, having been engaged to make up a quarrel
between his friend Hume Campbell[31] and Lord Home, in which the
former had kissed the rod, Pitt within very few days treated the
House with bullying the Scotch declaimer. On the present occasion,
the Speaker insisted on the two champions promising to proceed no
farther, with which Punch first, and then Alexander the Great,
complied.
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