1754.

PITT AND FOX.

41

they agreed to ridicule poor Sir Thomas — or rather, as a contemporary observes, assist him whilst he turned himself into ridicule.* The genius of Pitt tended most to open attack - that of Fox to insidious defence. For example, the Reading Election Petition having been fixed for a future day, Robinson was incautious enough to commit himself against it unheard, asserting with warmth that it would be a short cause, and, on the side of the sitting Member, a poor cause. Upon this Pitt handled him roughly. Fox rose as if in his vindication, pleading Sir Thomas's twenty years' residence abroad on the public service, which had done honour to himself and to the country, and which easily accounted for his present irregular and blamable expressions, and his total inexperience and ignorance of the matters then before the House! This story is told by Fox himself in one of his private letters t; and, he adds ironically, "Sir Thomas "did not like it."

On another occasion Pitt ventured to turn from the tool to the master; not content with piercing Robinson, he let fly his shaft at Newcastle himself. The subject was another Election Petition-for Berwick-on the plea of bribery. Mr. Delaval, one of the sitting Members, made a speech on his being thus attacked, which was full of wit and buffoonery, and kept the House in a continual roar of laughter. Pitt was then in the gallery, but descended with stately step, and rose to speak in solemn tones. He was astonished, he said, when he heard what had been the occasion of their mirth. Was the dignity of the House of Commons on so sure a foundation that themselves might venture to shake it? Then high compliments to the Speaker; then, at last, eloquent exhortations to Whigs of all sections to defend their attacked and expiring liberty"—unless," he added in a voice of thunder, "you will degenerate into a little assembly, "serving no other purpose than to register the arbitrary "edicts of one too powerful subject!" "Displeased as "well as pleased," says Fox, "allow it to be the finest

Lord Waldegrave's Memoirs, p. 31.

To Lord Hartington, November 26. 1754.

66 speech that was ever made; and it was observed that, "by his first two periods, he brought the House to a "silence and attention that you might have heard a pin “ drop.” * According to another ear-witness, "this “thunderbolt, thrown in a sky so long serene, confounded "the audience. Murray crouched silent and terrified. “Legge scarce rose to say, with great humility, that he "had been raised solely by the Whigs, and if he fell sooner or later he should pride himself in nothing but "in being a Whig."†

66

I have, as I think, observed in Parliament, that of all statesmen, former diplomatists-trained as they have been to a formal and ceremonious politeness-wince the most at being baited. Sir Thomas Robinson, after two or three of such "cruel mumblings," as Horace Walpole terms them, grew weary and ashamed of his perilous eminence. On the other hand, the Duke of Newcastle shook with terror at the almost nightly attacks on his puppet or on himself. He was the more provoked since the two ringleaders-Pitt and Fox-both held offices in his administration; yet, so much did he dread their abilities, that he would not venture either to dismiss or to promote them. At length, in the January following, he renewed, through Lord Waldegrave, his negotiation with Fox. The terms he offered were far less than those Fox had formerly refused-neither the lead of the House of Commons, nor the office of Secretary of State-but admission to the Cabinet, provided Fox would actively support the King's measures in the House, and would in some sort lead without being leader. If these terms, as I have stated them, should appear inconsistent, perplexed, and shuffling, let the reader in justice impute the fault to Newcastle, and not to me.

Fox, to the dissatisfaction of many of his friends, and to the surprise of all, accepted this offer. He appears to have communicated each step of the negotiation as it

Mr. Fox to Lord Hartington, November 26. 1754. Lord Waldegrave's Memoirs, p. 147.

† Lord Orford's Memoirs, vol. i. p. 354.

To Sir Horace Mann, December 1. 1754.

.1755.

DIFFERENCES WITH FRANCE.

43

procceded to Pitt, and consulted Pitt's judgment*; nevertheless Pitt felt aggrieved, and as it were forsaken, in the result. He disdained to make any complaint, but took an opportunity of saying that Mr. Fox's line and his own were now different, not opposite, but converging -"a word," adds Fox, "which I do not quite under“stand,”—and that all connexion between them was at an end. In truth the conduct of Fox to Pitt on this occasion seems not easy to reconcile with perfect good faith; while the sudden lowering of his pretensions to Newcastle was, beyond all doubt, an unworthy subservience. On one or both of these grounds he fell in public esteem, and it may be truly said that the desertion of Pitt proved nearly as injurious to the first Fox as the coalition with Lord North to the second.

By the aid of Fox and the silence of Pitt the remainder of the Session passed quietly. But great events were now at hand. The horizon had long been black with war, and in this summer burst the storm. In the East Indies the French and English settlers had for some years carried on hostilities, each party under the semblance of assisting its allies; their jars, however, were, if not composed, at least suspended by a compact between the two Companies. In North America the evil spread wider. Ever since the peace the limits of our colony of Nova Scotia or Acadia as named by the French-had been a matter of angry discussion with the Court of Versailles. Commissioners had been appointed, and had accordingly met, but could come to no agreement. Both sides appealed to the terms of ancient treaties or state papers, but these had been drawn almost at random, while the territories in dispute yet lay waste and unexplored. The very term Acadia had sometimes been applied by the French to the mere Peninsula of Nova Scotia; sometimes to the whole range of country between the 40th and 46th degrees of North latitude.‡ Thus in

* See the Chatham Correspondence, vol. i. p. 124-134. But the date, April 25., which is supplied by the Editor, must be erroneous. See H. Walpole's Letter of January 9. 1755.

† Dodington's Diary, May 9. 1755.-Mr. Fox to Lord Hartington, May 13. 1755.

Sismondi, Histoire des Français, vol. xxix. p. 62. Charlevoix, Nouvelle France, vol. i. p. 112.

like manner the line of demarcation between the French provinces of Canada and the British of New England was by no means free from cavils. With feelings of jealousy so rife, any roving inroad of the wild Indians on one party was always resented as a malicious instigation, as a wanton insult, of the other. Besides, the French were eager to connect their settlements on the St. Lawrence with those on the Mississippi, by a chain of forts beyond their territory. Some progress had already been made in the design, and these encroachments had stirred up no small alarm and indignation in the States, especially, of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Collisions followed, neither slight nor few. In Nova Scotia some French fugitives and insurgents confederating with an Indian tribe took the name of " Neutrals,” and stood their ground against the British, but were routed by a body of 1,000 men dispatched against them under Major Lawrence. On the Ohio it was reported that the French had surprised and sacked Block's or Log's Town, a settlement of the Virginians, who, on their part, sent forward Major George Washington, at the head of 400 men. His orders were to strengthen and maintain an unfinished fort on the Ohio, which, meanwhile, however, the French seized, completed, and called by the name of Duquesne, The Major having advanced to a place called Great Meadows, found himself surrounded in a small fort by superior numbers, and, notwithstanding his resolute resistance, overpowered; he was compelled to capitulate, marching out, however, with military honours. This skirmish, of small importance, perhaps, in itself, was yet amongst the principal causes of the war. It is no less memorable as the first appearance in the pages of history of one of their brightest ornaments, of that great and good man, GENERAL WASHINGTON.

An able diplomacy in Europe exerted betimes would probably have removed the causes and allayed the ran

*A much fuller and of course much better account of this outset of Washington's career is given in a note of several pages by Mr. Henry Reed, the American editor of this history (vol. ii. p. 307. ed. 1849). In my revision I have not failed to make use of the lights it has afforded. See also on some more special points the second volume of Washington's Writings in Mr. Sparks's edition, p. 447477. (1853.)

1755.

LORD ALBEMARLE.

45

cour of these feuds in America. But for our misfortune we had then at Paris as Ambassador the Earl of Albemarle, an indolent man of pleasure. He is held out by Lord Chesterfield to his son as an encouraging instance of the honours and emoluments which his favourite Graces can confer. "Between you and me, for this ex"ample must go no further, what do you think made our "friend, Lord Albemarle, Colonel of a regiment of guards, "Governor of Virginia, Groom of the Stole, and Ambas"sador to Paris; amounting in all to sixteen or seven"teen thousand pounds a year? Was it his birth? "No; a Dutch gentleman only. Was it his estate? — "No; he had none. Was it his learning, his parts, his "political abilities and application? You can answer "these questions as easily, and as soon, as I can ask "them. What was it then?-Many people wondered, "but I do not, for I know, and will tell you.-It was "his air, his address, his manners, and his graces." During his latter years at Paris Albemarle was blindly devoted to a French mistress, who is alleged to have not only ruined his fortune, but sold his secrets to her government. He died suddenly at his post in December 1754, but not until the breach between the nations had widened almost beyond the hope of reconciliation.

In the month of March the King sent a message to the House of Commons, announcing that the state of affairs required an augmentation of his forces both by land and sea. The House of Commons in return voted another million as a vote of credit. But, notwithstanding this troubled state of affairs,-notwithstanding also great confusion in Ireland from the cabals of the Speaker and the Primate, and the mismanagement of the Duke of Dorset, the Lord Lieutenant, whom it was found necessary at this juncture to recall, and to send out Lord Hartington as peace-maker,-His Majesty was not to be turned aside from his favourite recreation-a summer's residence at Hanover. In vain did his Ministers remonstrate; in vain did Earl Poulett, a former Lord of the Bedchamber, and a recent patriot, bring forward a motion against it in the House of Lords. The remon

* Lord Chesterfield to his Son, May 27. 1752.