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
this year on the war in Germany. He concluded with high encomiums on
what he called _Mr. Pitt’s divine plan_; but added, that a larger
portion of fame remained for those who should take up the plan and
terminate it by a good peace.
The Court, who wished to veil their eagerness for peace, and who,
instead of attaining that peace, were on the brink of a war with Spain,
took great pains to prevent their creatures from openly attacking the
German war. Lord Egmont was persuaded to be absent from the House; but
Fox’s faction was more intent on discrediting Pitt than even on paying
their court--and perhaps knew how easily they should be forgiven. Rigby
said he had voted for all very large sums; was sorry he began to have
a doubt; wished an end was put--had been put to the whole war. The
Germans were entitled to the protection of the House, but ours was
no protection. They were in a worse condition than if conquered. The
treaty with Prussia would expire on the 12th of the month; he hoped
we should make no more such with that _little power_. Not to quit the
alliance, ought only to be a condition on the party subsidized. In no
one treaty did there exist an article that obliged us to continue our
national troops in Germany. Nor could we supply our army with men;
since 1758, we had sent over twenty-nine thousand men. We had but
thirteen thousand remaining. Could this country furnish four thousand
men a year to Germany? Marshal Ligonier had ordered the old corps to
be recruited at any rate. We had three thousand sick in hospitals, and
were reduced to send boys of ten years old--a good way to make the
war last! He spoke, he said, neither from fickleness nor discontent;
was very well contented; had tried to swallow the measure, but found
it would not do. If these troops had been brought home, we might have
disbanded the militia. Wished he could see the negotiation for peace
renewed; wished even a bad peace was offered. He concluded the French
account of the rupture was authentic, or would have been contradicted.
He spoke, he said, to the country gentlemen; _they_ were not included
in the picture of our _comfortable_ situation. If so much was given to
glory, their cups of comfort would not be drunk so often as they used
to be. Sir Robert Walpole, whom he thought the greatest minister that
this country had known, had always declared the nation could not stand
under a debt exceeding an hundred millions.
Stanley defended the measure of pursuing the German war, and said it
was evident from every page of the printed negotiation that France
wished to get out of Germany; that she was not equal to both wars, and
had therefore neglected everything to make her push there, hoping it
would exasperate the people of England against Hanover. That none of
our allies were in a situation to make conquests, and therefore we
must part with some of ours, to obtain tolerable conditions for them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account