niftration, by way of elucidating this remark: "I remember," faid his Grace, "at that period a Bill was brought into this Houfe to prevent the members from being fcreened for their debts. I heartily acceded to this Bill upon principle, and had the honour of being joined by the Noble Lord at the head of the Treafury. On the divifion, the Noes, as ufual, went below the bar; when, mifling their leader, they turned fhort, and were much furprised to fee him on the other fide. The late Charles Townshend," added he "remarked on a fimilar circumftance he would hold two to one that, in lefs than a year, thofe very members who had then divided against him, would creep under the table to join him; and had he been taken up, he would have won his wager." On the 7th of February in the fame year, during a debate on the American affairs, his Grace complained" of the inflammatory and ill-grounded reprefentations of a learned and noble Lord (Earl Mansfield), who had laboured all in his power to mislead the Houfe, by endeavouring to prove that the Colonies were in rebellion: an affertion," it was added, "in every point of view, big with the moft horrible and direful confequences; an affertion which, as foon as fanctified by a vote of both Houfes, authorifed every fpecies of rapine, plunder, maffacre, and perfecution whatever." A Prelate (Dr. John Winckcliffe, then Bishop of Peterborough) having spoken foon after in favour of coercion, the fame Nobleman rofe to obferve," that he thought it was extremely improper for the Right Reverend Bench to take any part on the prefent occation, or to be at all acceffory to the fhedding of the blood of their fellow-creatures and fellow-fubjects. It would be much fitter, if they interfered at all, to act as mediators, rather than as perfecutors; more confiftent with the principles they profeffed to teach, and alfo more particularly fuited to the facred functions they were called upon to difcharge." He added, "that, by the fpecimen now given, he should not be fur prited to fee the lawn-fleeves upon thofe benches, ftained with the blood of their nuocent and oppretted countrymen qu the other fide of the Atlantic." On the opening of the next feffion, (26th of October, 1775), the fpirit and numbers of the Oppofition feem to have increated, and the Prelate above-mentioned acceded to the amendment to the feech, propofed by the Marquis of Rock inghan. The Duke of Richmond on this occafion, again reminded the Administration of the fate that awaited the country in confequence of their perfeverence. He at the fame time inftanced the action at Bunker's Hill, as a proof of the bra very of the Americans, denied the fuperiority of numbers to have been on their fide, and obferved, "that he never recollected any other inftance where lines had been forced, and no prifoners taken but fuch as were wounded." Having remarked foon after, "that he did not think the people of America in rebellion, but merely refifting acts of the most unexampled cruelty and oppreffion," the Earl of Denbigh rofe, and openly contended, that thofe who defended rebellion, were themselves little better than rebels; and that there was very little difference between the traitor and he who openly or privately abetted treafon." In reply to this he was told by the noble Duke," that he was not to be intimidated or deterred from his duty by loud words, and that he would not retract a fingle iota he had uttered on this occafion." On the 5th of March, 1776, the Duke of Richmond moved, "That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, praying that he would be graciously pleased to countermand the march of the troops of Heffe, Hanau, and Brunfwick, and likewife give directions for an immediate fufpenfion of hoftilities in America, in order to lay a foundation for a happy and permanent reconciliation between the contending parties of this distracted empire." In the courfe of this debate he obferved, among a variety of other particulars, that a very ingenious gentleman (Mr. Mauduit) had computed, during the German war, that every French fcalp coft the nation ten thoufaud pounds; and he withed noble Lords to eltimate, by the fame rule, what an American fcalp would coft, reckoning 17,000 fʊreigners at the rate of one million and a half per annum. "Much ftrefs, he understood, had been laid on the juftice and popularity of the prefent measures; he fhould not, however, debate that fubject now. It was faid that the independent part of the na tion was for them; but, for his part, he queftioned the affertion ftrongly, in the extent it was contended for. In the other Houfe, he was informed that the Treafurer of the Navy (Sir Gilbert El liot), and the Paymafter of the Forces (Mr. Rigby), the one deriving his fupport and confequence from the Cabinet, and the other from his party, and both deeply deeply interested in measures which, if purfaed, muft quickly prove the means of procuring for them princely fortunes, were thofe who chiefly fupported coercive propofitions. Thefe gentlemen and their connexions, with the whole race of money-jobbers, contractors, &c. he believed, formed no finall part of the independent majorities which had been fo loudly echoed both within and without doors, as precipitating this country into a cruel, expentive, and unnatural civil war." He further obferved, "that the war, if carried on, would not only be a war of heavy expence and long continuance, but would be attended with circumftances of cruelty, civil rage, and devaftation, hitherto unprecedented in the annals of mankind. We wifhed not only to rob the Americans of their property, and make them flaves to fight our battles, but we made war on them in a manner that would fhock the most barbarous nations, by firing their towns, and turning the wretched inhabitants to perifh in cold, want, and nakedness. "Even till more: This barbaric rage was not only directed against our enemies, but against our warmeft and moft zealous friends. The fact was inftanced in the late conflagration of the loyal town of Norfolk in Virginia, as Adminiftration had fo frequently called it, which was reduced to alhes by the wanton and unprovoked act of one of our naval com manders. Such a deed was not lefs inconfiftent with every fentiment of humaBity, than contrary to every rule of good policy. It would turn the whole Continent, as well friends as foes, into the molt implacable and inveterate enemies: it would incente our friends, and render our foes at once fierce, defperate, cruel, and unrelenting: it difgraced our arms; it would render us defpiled and abhorred, and remain an indelible blot on the dignity and honour of the English nation." In 1781, when the Earl of Shelburne (the late Marquis of Lanfdowne) moved an addrefs to the King's fpeech, propofing fuch counfels to be laid at the royal fect, as might excite the efforts, point the arms, and command the confidence of his Majesty's loyal fubjects, he was ably feconded by the fubject of the prejent Menoir. He obferved, that we owed the then ignominious fituation of our affairs, to the fame caufe from which the private misfortunes of individuals frequently proceeded to folly: It was Owing to the wretched fyftem of govern had been early adopted in the reign of his Majefty, and which first gave rife to that abominable title, to that odious diftinétion, of a King's friend, as if a man could not act in perfonal oppofition to Government, without proving a perfonal enemy to his Majesty. His Grace then proceeded to touch upon two topics relative to his own conduct, which foon after occafioned no finall degree of fenfation. Having applauded the propofition of the noble Earl, he remarked," that it was the duty of their Lordships to fuggeft falutary advice to the Crown, and to ftand up as affertors of the rights of the people; but he thought that there was but little profpect of giving fuch advice with effect, unless the original principles of the conftitution were restored." He contended, "that, at prefent, not even one-feventh part of the people were reprefented, while all the remainder had no concern whatever, either virtually or individually, in the management of their own affairs; which," he alfo added, “their Lordfhips well knew the conftitution of this country, as originally framed, gave them a right to poffefs." He then appealed to the House, whether many of the Peers of Parliament did not name the members for several boroughs, and whether the representatives were not chofen by the management of two or three burgeffes? "Was that the fort of reprefcutation defigned by the conftitution? Undoubtedly it was not. Were this point reformed, we might expect to fee the country capable of regaining fome portion of its former greatnefs." After maintaining that the nation was governed by clerks, and not by Minifters, he adverted to the state of the fortifications at home. His Grace particularly inftanced thofe erected on Dover Heights, and Chatham Lines; declaring," as a military man, that, notwithstanding the immenfe charge of erecting them, they were the most abfurd and ineffectual that could poflibly be advised; a difgrace to all other kinds of ancient or modern fortifications, and even the butt of ridicule for the boys at Woolwich. The thicknefs of the parapet was no more than feven feet; and every person who was in the leaft converfant in the rudiments of fortification must know, that, the proper thickness of a parapet, cannon-proof, was never lefs than eighteen feet. Such mere paper-works would be all knocked to pieces at the first fire, were guns brought to bear upon them." The minority on this occasion amount In January, 1782, the Duke of Richmond engaged in an inquiry, that foon after produced a difagrecable perfonal al tercation between his Grace and Lord Rawdon, now Earl of Moira.* This related to the execution of Colonel Ifaac Haynes, whom he stated to be "a gentleman, who (if report spoke truth) had been executed in confequence of the too rigid orders of a British officer, and under circumftances particularly fhocking to the feelings, and repugnant to the principles of every Englihunan. He was defcribed as having fuffered death without a previous trial: this was the alleged matter; and whatfoever had been faid, written, or printed, on the fubject, was aimed (with how confiderable a degree of truth, invekigation might perhaps determine) at the effablifhment of the fact. His Grace afterwards moved for a copy of the various papers relative to this af fair, which, however, was not granted. Soon after this, the Nobleman juft alinded to demanded an explanation; a challenge, as is commonly believed, paff ed on the occafion, and a compromife * It afterwards appeared, that Lord Rawdon had privately interceded for the life of Colonel Haynes, and actually applied to the Joyalists to make fuch an application in favour of the prifoner, as might obtain his pardon from Lieutenant-Colonel Balfour, who commanded. Tut Sir Egerton Leigh, the Attorney-General of Carolina, having declared, that he would fooner cut off his right hand than fign a petition fo injurious to his Majesty's intercits," this project became hopeless. In refpect to this man, if he broke his parole there might be fome pretext for his exe cution; but, even then, his counfel ought to have been heard in his behalf. On the contrary, if, as the Americans affert, he return ed to his allegiance conditionally, the cafe is Entirely altered. was at length effected, through the intervention of common friends. On the elevation of Lord George Germaine to the Peerage, the late Marquis of Carmarthen moved, "That it is extremely reprehenfible in any Minifter, and highly derogatory to the honour of this Houfe, to advife the Crown to exereife its indifputable right of creating a Peer in favour of a perion labouring under the heavy cenfure of a Court-Martial." The Duke of Richmond took an active part in the debate, and was allowed to have diftinguished himself, both by his talents and his refearches, on this occation. He afferted, "that by an attention to the ancient patents of the Peerage, it would be difcovered, that, from the reign of Edward III. until the time of Henry VII. it was exprefsly fated in every new patent of the creation of a Peer, that fuch creation was made with the confent of Parliament; uor did a tingle inftance occur during the whole of this period, that titles were granted without the particular acquiefcence of the House of Lords. Subfequently to the reign of Henry VII. indeed, the Crown carried with a confiderably lefs reftraining hand this exercife of the prerogative; and during the later eras, it had been regarded as an inconteftible and established right. At the epoch to which he adverted, the predeceffors of their Lordships in the Peerage alfo exercifed their privilege of creating new boroughs, and of fending members to Parliament. Yet fo incontrovertible was the polition, that followed power property, that, for a confiderable length of time, and down to the prefent moment, the Commons had holden the right of choofing their own members; and it was alfo customary to increafe the Peerage whenfoever the occafion offered, by calling up to the Houfe of Lords fuch members of the Houfe of Commons as were confpicuous by their opulence, their powerful intereft, or the greatnefs of their alliances." His Grace then proceeded to fiate, that their Lordships were materially inte refied in all new creations whatsoever, as compofed a Court of Hothey, in fact, nour. A commoner fent upon trial for his life, night, on a variety of legal grounds, challenge either one or any number of his jurors; but on the con trary, a Peer, in exactly the faune predicament, did not enjoy this power, and muft be tried collectively by his fellow Peers. Their Lordthips could not there fore fure guard too carefully against the admiflion of members who might be exceptionable, into their body; and as they were excluded from the privilege of enjoying what might properly be termed an after-challenge, they ought to poffefs the right of challenging before. The Duke then recurred to the battle of Minden, and obferved, that Lord Southampton, then prefent, and Earl Ligonier, a Lord of Parliament in Ireland, were the two perfons who delivered the meffages from Prince Ferdinand of Brunfwick to Lord George Germaine, now Lord Sackville. "If," faid his Grace, " as I was fummoned to appear on the trial, my depofition had been called for, I could have proved that the time lot when the noble Viscount delayed to adtance, under pretence that, by receiving fuch contradictory orders, it was become impoflible for him to difcover whether he ought to proceed with the whole, or only part of the British cavalry, was one hour and a half. Thus, in refpect to time, the noble Vilcount was well enabled to bring up the cavalry from the diftance of a mile and a quarter, in order that, joining in the battle, they might have rendered more brilliant and decifive the victory which clofed it; but, previously to their arrival, the engagement was concluded." The Duke of Richmond had now be come one of the most popular men in the kingdom, and he feemed, by every means in his power, to court the refpect and citeen of his fellow-citizens. He, as well as the prefent Duke of Norfolk, and feveral other perfons of the first confideration, had become a member of the Conftitutional Society. His zeal for Parliamentary Reform was fo glowing and ardent, that he became a delegate from the county of Suffex, for the purpose of obtaining the completion of this meafure. When the Convention exprefsly allembled with this view, met at the St. Alhan's Tavern, his Grace of Richmond was unanimoufly chofen Prefident. day. To forward this important object, the names of the people were to be regiftered in each district three weeks before the election,, with their profeffion, trade, or employment, annexed. They were alfa to give their votes in their refpcétive parith-churches, before the church-wardens, who were to close the poll at fun-fet, and deliver the fame perfonally to the fheriff of the district, who was to fum up the whole on a certain day, at the most central town of the diftrict, and make his return of the perfon who poffeffed a majority of fuffrages. Nearly about the fame period, a large body of the people of Ireland having applied by letter to his Grace, with a view of obtaining his opinion as to the best practical method of carrying a reform in their Parliament into effect, he tranfinit ted them a fcheme for that purpose, addreffed to Lieutenant-Colonel Sherinan. In this plan, which was afterwards printed and circulated in the form of a pamphlet, the Duke recommended univerfal fuffrage, a propofition afterwards acted upon in England, on the part of the Correfponding Societies, and which, by inducing them to act on exaggerated principles, brought the idea of reform into difrepute, and tended not a little to ren der every propofition for that purpose ob noxious. At length the misfortunes of the American war opened the eyes of both nation and Parliament, and Lord North was driven with indignation from the helm, like a pilot who, notwithstanding the fre quent warnings that had been given him, had wrecked the veffel of the state on thofe thoals and breakers vifible to every one on board but himself. The new M niftry, headed-by the Marquis of Rock ingham, immediately fet about a redress of feveral flagrant grievances, by exclud ing contractors from Parliament, pre cluding cuftom-honfe and excife-officers from the exercife of the elective franchise, and abolishing a great number of useless, but not unprofitable, offices. The Whigs, however, forgot their promife in refpect to the chief point, viz. a Parliamentary Reform; which, however ferviceable to the people, would perhaps, at that mo ment, have proved rather detrimental to themfelves while Minitters. It is, how For this purpofe, the kingdom of Great ever, but candid to fuppofe, that the Britam was to be divided into five hun-fudden demife of their illustrious leader, dred diâricts, ench to contain an equal and the divisions that immediately enpopulation, and to choose one member He himself alfo drew up a plan with his own hand, to make the election of the reprefentatives annual, and to extend the right of voting to every male perfon in the kingdom, who fhould have attained the age of twenty-one years; criminals and infane perfons only excepted. dection to begin and end in one The Marquis of Rockingham,,, 1 fued, might have prevented them from redeeming their folemn pledge to the nation. Meanwhile, in March 1782, the Duke of Richmond had been nominated to the important office of Matter-General of the Ordnance, in the room of the prelent Marquis of Townshend, During the fchifm that took place in confequence of the divifions in the Cabinet, he left the party of his nephew, and adhered to the fate Marquis of Laufdowne, who had been nominated the new Firft Lord of the Treasury. On this occafion, a deadly war of ambition took place between the rival factions; in which Mr. Fox, by an unnatural but politic coalition with Lord North, which was then viewed with abhorreuce and deteftation, finally triumphed. On this, his uncle refigned his office at the Board of Orduance, on the 9th of April, 1783, and entered once more into the lifts of Oppofition. Under a new, a young, and an eloquent leader, the late Mr. Pitt, victory once more fimiled on their banners; and having, by an unexampled degree of good fortune, united in their own perfons both the royal and popular favour, they fairly drove their enemies from the field, and once more clothed themselves with their poils. On this occation, (December, 1783), his old office, which had been occupied by his old rival, fell to the fhare of the fubject of this Memoir, and it was foon after followed by the ribband and infignia of the Garter. But Mr. Fox, and thofe who called themfelves Whigs par excellence, were ftill formidable. As ufual, they courted popularity in retirement, contended against the unconftitutional proceedings of thofe in power, and promited, in cate of fuccefs, to give full and ample fatisfaction to the nation for all its wrongs, They, too, once more introduced the quettion of Parliamentary Reform; and their leader, for the first time, made a public and folemn declaration in its fa vour. But their opponents, clothed with all the power and influence of the ftate, fairly outbid them at this political auction. Mr. Pitt fill preferved his connexion and correfpondence with Mr. Wyville, and all the leaders who had affociated in favour of a new model of the Iloute of Commons; nay, he even pledged himself," both as a man and a mini The late Mr. Fox. † The Marquis of Townihend. fter, to produce it." The Duke of Richmond, too, boldly perfevered in his former declarations; and, on introducing a bill into the Houfe of Lords, publicly declared, "that his reafons in favour of a Parliamentary Reform, were built on the experience of twenty-fix years; which, whether in or out of Government, had convinced him, that the restoration of a genuine Houfe of Commons, by a renovation of the rights of the people, was the only remedy against that fyttem of corruption which had brought the nation to poverty and difgrace, and threatened it with the lofs of liberty." But thefe fine and fpecious fpecches, were only continued until the nation had become hopelefs, as to this object, by delay, and the Ministry fo ftrong in point of numbers by an increafed influence, that a project of this kind, which might have now endangered their places, was no longer neceffary for the retention of them. His Grace accordingly, instead of reforming the grievances, in his capacity of Mafter-General, determined to reform the fortifications of our island. We have already obferved, that he complained of the fcanty proportions of those erected by his predeceffors; as to his own, they were of a gigantic fize, and calculated to realife the dreams of Friar Bungay and Friar Bacon, who had determined to furround our whole territory with a triple wall of brafs. This was nearly attempted in ftone and iron, by the Duke; and fo alarmed was the Houfe of Commons at these coftly and extenfive preparations, that the fubject was brought under their notice in 1786, and the whole fcheme fet afide, after a divifion, in which the cafting-vote of the Speaker turned the balance. Notwithstanding this, the estimate of expences for repairing old works, was immenie; new ones are faid, with what degree of truth we know not, to have been actually erected under colour of this provifion; and our Weft India islands began to be rather encumbered than defended by extenfive chains of forts, that foon crumbled into ruins. Towards the latter end of 1795, the Duke of Richmond refigned the office of Malter-General to the late Marquis of * Sec, 1. Obfervations on the Duke of Richmond's Extenfive Plan of Fortification, 1794; 2. A Reply to an Anfwer, &c. in a Letter to his Grace; and, 3. An Appendix tu the foregoing; all printed by the Robinfons, 170% Cornwallis, |