Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Third, Volume 1 (of 4)Walpole, Horace
History
Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Third, Volume 1 (of 4)
Walpole, Horace
Great Britain -- History -- 1760-1789; Great Britain -- History -- George III, 1760-1820
The Earl of Litchfield,[34] a leader of the Tories, was added to the
King’s Bedchamber, as the Earl of Oxford[35] and Lord Bruce[36] had
been before, with the Scotch Earls of March[37] and Eglinton.[38] The
Lord Viscount Middleton,[39] an Irish Peer, was the first who in the
House of Commons here broached a hint of jealousy against the channel
in which Court favour seemed to flow. He was ridiculed for it by
Charles Townshend; but the spirit of dissatisfaction had been infused
into the former by the Duke of Newcastle, who openly censured the
new partiality to the Tories. Partiality there was, but the grievance
came with an ill grace from Newcastle, Stone,[40] suspected for more
than a Tory, had been placed by him as preceptor to the King; Lord
Mansfield had been his bosom favourite; and to gratify that favourite,
the extension of the _Habeas Corpus_ had been prevented. To gain the
Tories had been a prudent measure, but their principles were still more
welcome to the Court than their votes. Having only votes to offer, and
neither numbers nor abilities, they brought much discredit on their
patron, and little strength to his assistance.
In Ireland the prospect was not more promising. By Poyning’s law the
Privy Council of Ireland are to transmit hither all heads of bills,
particularly of money-bills. This latter was omitted by the intrigues
of the Primate, courting popularity. The bills were sent back, with
a severe reprimand for the omission of a money-bill. Mr. Pitt alone
took up the defence of the Irish Commons, and would not sign the
message, which thirty-four others of the English Privy Council who were
present signed. The King thanked the Duke of Bedford for supporting
his prerogative, but the Privy Council of Ireland wrote angry letters
to the Duke and his minister Rigby, telling them that they must not
come into that Kingdom again. The Duke, a little before, had been
challenged even in print by a mad Lord Clanrickard,[41] whose letter
being complained of by his Grace, the Council here ordered the
Attorney-General to prosecute the Earl: Rigby,[42] too, sent him a
challenge, which he did not accept. The Lords Justices sent over a
strong remonstrance in vindication of their conduct, and there the
matter ended for the present; but in the beginning of the next year
the Lords Justices renewed the attack on their Governor, and he and
Rigby were burned in effigy. Mr. Pitt interposed, and prevailed to
have a temperate memorial sent to the Justices, arguing the point with
them, and to _that_ he offered _to set his little name_, which was
done. The Lords Justices submitted, but with threats from the Primate
of resigning his part of the government. Nor yet did they send a new
bill, but a plan for raising the money already voted. Lord Clanrickard,
in answer to Rigby’s challenge, which had been printed and dispersed
in Ireland, replied in print likewise, excusing his not appearing at
Holyhead, the appointed rendezvous, on account of the prosecution
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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