BOOK the king, seated on the throne with all the XIII. splendid decorations of royalty, delivered

1760.

a

Memora- speech calculated in the highest degree to conblespeech firm all the fond and flattering prepossessions of throne. the public in his favour. After a decent expression

from

of concern for the loss of the late king, and imploring the blessing of heaven on his endeavours to sustain the weight of government which now devolved upon him, the young monarch, with great propriety and dignity of elocution, proceeded in these remarkable words: " Born and educated in this country, I GLORY in the name of BRITON; and the peculiar happiness of my life will ever consist in promoting the happiness of a people whose loyalty and warm affection to me I consider as the greatest and most permanent security of my throne. The civil and religious rights of my loving subjects are equally dear to me with the most valuable prerogatives of my crown." After an ample delineation of the flourishing circumstances of the kingdom, he concludes as follows: "In this state I have found things at my accession to the throne of my ancestors-happy in viewing the prosperous part of it: happier still should I have been, had I found my kingdoms, whose true interest I have entirely at heart, in full peace: but since the ambition, injurious encroachments, and dangerous designs of my enemies, rendered the war both just and

ΧΙΙΙ.

necessary, and the generous overture made last BOOK winter towards a congress for a pacification has not yet produced any suitable return, I am de- 1760. termined, with your cheerful and powerful assistance, to prosecute this war with vigour, in order to that desirable object-a safe and honourable peace. The eyes of all Europe are upon you. From you the Protestant interest hopes for protection, as well as all our friends for the preservation of their independency; and our enemies fear the final disappointment of their ambitious and destructive views. Let these hopes and fears be confirmed and augmented by the vigour, unanimity, and dispatch of our proceedings. In this expectation I am the more encouraged by a pleasing circumstance, which I look upon as one of the most auspicious omens of my reign. That happy extinction of divisions, and that union and good harmony which continue to prevail amongst my subjects, afford me the most agreeable prospects. The natural disposition and wish of my heart are to cement and promote them; and I promise myself that nothing will arise on your part to interrupt or disturb a situation so essential to the true and lasting felicity of this great people."

Although this celebrated speech was conceived in the true spirit of Whiggism, and was expressed with all the energy and animation which cha

BOOK racterized the present minister, it is probable that XIII. Mr. Pitt was not insensible, or inattentive, to the 1760. intrigues and cabals already fortned for the pur

pose of effecting a general removal of the present administration from office. In a few days subsequent to the meeting of parliament, lord Bute declared to his confidential friend, Mr. Doddington, soon afterwards created lord Melcombe, that lord Holderness, who appears to have been the earliest convert to the new system, " was ready, at his desire, to QUARREL with his fellow-ministers, on pretext of slight and ill usage, and throw up in SEEMING ANGER, in order that lord Bute might come in without appearing to displace any body*." This complaisant and courtly, or, to speak in juster terms, this mean and servile offer, lord Bute did not deign for the present to 1761. accept. Very carly in the month of January, ten weeks of the new reign not being as yet completed, lord Bute informed his confident, Mr. Doddington, "that Mr. Pitt MEDITATED A RETREAT." Shortly after this, lord Bute said would be easy to make the duke of Newcastle resign-but who should be the successor ? Не thought it not advisable to begin there." Doddington replied, "that he saw no objection; but, if lord Bute was averse, it might be put into hands that would resign it to him whenever he chose to take * Lord Melcombe's Diary.

"it

it." It is observable, that lord Bute declared his BOOK belief that the duke of Newcastle harboured no

XIII.

hostile intentions, nor, in case of resignation, 1761. would he oppose the future ministry. Doubtless this nobleman, who had grown old in the service of the house of Brunswic, and had long possessed the favour and confidence of the late king, felt at this period little propensity to oppose the measures, or resist the inclinations, of a young monarch borne along by the full tide of popularity and prosperity. Perceiving his political consequence lost, and conscious of being at once hated as a rival and contemned as an incumbrance, he appears to have been now solicitous only to secure an honourable retreat. But from the difficulty of appointing an immediate successor, his grace was permitted yet awhile to linger in office, the mere cypher of a minister, and the phantom of his former greatness.

The enormous supplies demanded for the pro- Enormous secution of the war, amounting to nineteen mil_supplies. lions, of which twelve millions were funded at an high interest, were granted without inquiry or hesitation. Amongst the most remarkable articles of the national expenditure, was the sum of 200,000l. voted by the commons, in consequence of an express message from the throne, as a compensation to the several provinces of America for the extraordinary expences incurred

XIII.

BOOK by them in their vigorous and strenuous efforts ~ during the present war, and which the parlia1761. ment virtually acknowledged by this grant to be

Commission of the judges made permanent.

more than adequate to their proportional ability. Nor was the present grant the first of this nature wisely and indulgently conceded by the parliament; and affording a pleasing and striking contrast to the enormous folly displayed in the extravagant sums lavished in German and Prussian subsidies. The civil list was fixed at the clear annual sum of 800,0001. payable out of the aggre. gate fund, in lieu of the hereditary and other specific revenues settled on the late king.

Towards the close of the session, a very popular measure was recommended by the new monarch, in a speech from the throne, by which much reputation of patriotism and disinterestedness was gained at a very inconsiderable expence. Notwithstanding the act passed in the reign of king William, by which the commissions of the judges were continued during their good behaviour, their offices determined at the demise of the crown; though no instance had in fact occurred since the Revolution, in which a judge had been removed at the accession of a new sovereign. The king, however, now declared, that he considered the independency and uprightness of the judges as essential to the impartial administration of justice, and one of the best securities of the