1753.

STATE OF EUROPE.

309

this expectation he was deceived. Being accidentally discovered, he was apprehended, conducted to London, tried, and executed. The humanity of the people was outraged by this proceeding, which could not be defended on the grounds of necessity or utility; and which, superfluous for the ends of justice, was regarded as an act of sanguinary revenge. The king is said to have signed the warrant with reluctance, observing, "Surely there has been too much blood spilt upon this account already." The firmness of Cameron increased the sympathy in his fate*; and the populace that attended the melancholy scene at Tyburn, manifested, by their emotion, a strong aversion to the employment of such means for the establishment of the protestant succession.

While this ghastly spectacle was occupying for a brief session the thoughts of the people at home, the horizon of Europe was calm and serene. The court of Vienna,

postponing its project upon the Roman crown to a more favourable opportunity, had just concluded a treaty with the duke of Modena, which, after a variety of stipulations on both sides, guaranteed the cession of the duchy to the house of Austria upon the extinction of the male branch of the house of Este. A petty dispute between Brandenburg and Hanover about East Friedland was referred for arbitration to the Aulic council; and a contemptible squabble between Hanover and the city of Munster, concerning some bailiwicks in the territories of Bremen, was brought to issue by the sequestration, on the part of the former, of some certain revenues belonging to the latter, until the claim should be

* On the evening before his execution, his wife visited him in the Tower, and his parting with her, says Horace Walpole, was heroic and tender; he let her stay till the last moment, when, being aware that the gates of the Tower would be locked, he told her so she fell at his feet in agonies: he said, " Madam, this was not what you promised me," and embracing her, forced her to retire; then, with the same coolness, looked at the window till her coach was out of sight, after which he turned about and wept. His only concern seemed to be at the ignominy of Tyburn: he was not disturbed at the dresser for his body, or at the fire to burn his bowels. The crowd was so great, that a friend who attended him could not get away, but was forced to stay and behold the execution. Walpole adds, that the priest got into a landau, and let down the top for the better convenience of witnessing the execution!

allowed and settled. The only quarters in which the general repose seemed likely to be disturbed were in France, arising from the increasing dissensions between the clergy and the parliament, heightened by the king's espousal of ecclesiastical despotism against the voice of his subjects; and the English settlement in Nova Scotia, where a dispute had been for a long time going forward with the neighbouring French authorities in reference to the boundary line. In spite of the remonstrances of the English government with the court of Versailles, the French settlers countenanced the Indians in numberless lawless depredations; and even went so far, while the commissaries of both nations were sitting in deliberation on the question of limits, to construct a chain of forts over the disputed ground, and take several Englishmen prisoners, in furtherance of a premeditated plan of encroachments, which, by its very audacity, seemed to invite hostilities.

1753.

KING'S SPEECH.

311

CHAP. XIV.

1753-1757.

TIMIDITY OF MINISTERS.

REPEAL OF THE JEWS

NATURALISATION BILL. DEATH OF MR. PELHAM. DUKE OF NEWCASTLE APPOINTED PRIME MINISTER. GENERAL ELECTION. DIFFERENCES WITH THE IRISH PARLIAMENT. CONTROVERSY IN FRANCE CONCERNING THE BULL UNIGENITUS. AFFAIRS OF NOVA SCOTIA. -REMONSTRANCE OF THE ENGLISH AMBASSADOR.HOSTILE PROCEEDINGS OF THE FRENCH IN AMERICA. BRITISH FLEET OFF NEWFOUNDLAND MAKES REPRISALS ON FRANCE. UNSUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS IN AMERICA. ALLIANCES FORMED WITH HESSE-CASSEL, RUSSIA, AND PRUSSIA. — VIOLENT OPPOSITION TO THE TREATIES. PITT AND HIS FRIENDS DISMISSED. -FOX APPOINTED SECRETARY OF STATE. DISUNION IN THE CABINET. HANOVERIAN MERCENARIES ARRIVE IN ENGLAND. -DESCENT ON MINORCA. CONDUCT OF ADMIRAL BYNG.MINORCA SURRENDERS ΤΟ THE FRENCH. PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY INTO THE CAUSES. RESIGNATION OF FOX AND THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF BYNG.

on

THE prospect of a difference with France, arising from the state of affairs in Nova Scotia, was clear to the British cabinet. The negotiations in progress the subject with the court of Versailles, showed not merely the anxiety and impatience of the minister to bring the dispute to a conclusion, but his apprehension that it could not be concluded amicably. Yet, in the speech from the throne, on the opening of the session in November, no reference whatever was made to the subject. His majesty, on the contrary, was made to express himself confident of universal peace and security, and to congratulate parliament upon the fact that he had nothing particular to offer to its consideration in reference to foreign affairs. It is not easy to comprehend

the policy that dictated a speech so dangerous and delusive. The French had actually commenced hostilities, built forts on the territories of the British allies at Niagara and lake Erie, harassed the settlement of Nova Scotia, secretly assisted the Indians in their depredations and massacres, and risen in open rebellion against the British authority in Annapolis, where they were subject to the crown of England. These facts were known to the ministry, and expostulations had been repeatedly raised upon them, and hostile reprisals, on a small and inadequate scale, had already been put into effect. The omission of all reference to circumstances of a nature so alarming as to threaten not only a protracted and doubtful contest in the remote plains of America, but to render a war with France nearer home by no means improbable, could hardly be accounted for on any other ground than that of timidity. The elections were approaching. This was the last session of the parliament. It was necessary to avoid all topics of irritation, and even to impart a tone of security to subjects upon which much doubt and curiosity prevailed amongst the people. Retrenchments had been effected, and more were promised, and it was not a time to talk of war. Had this kind of deception been practised by Walpole, confiding in his diplomatic skill, his wide-reaching sagacity, and great personal influence, it would be intelligible as part of a system of profound ministerial wisdom ; with Pelham, who possessed all the credit that was due to honest intentions, upright actions, and good sense, it was a simple evasion of public opinion, about to explode at the hustings.

The anxiety of the minister to propitiate the constituencies betrayed him into the abandonment of the great principle, which he had defended in the preceding session at the risk of that very hostility he was now afraid to meet. The act for the naturalisation of the Jews had produced a strong sensation all over the kingdom, and the clamour became so violent that the Pelhams considered it prudent to sacrifice their luckless clients

1754.

DEATH OF MR. PELHAM.

313

to the expediency of the hour. The bill was accordingly repealed, and the discussions upon it presented this extraordinary anomaly, — that while all parties were unanimous against the Jews in the commons, an able but fruitless stand was made on their behalf in the lords. Nor did the horror of Hebrew toleration terminate here. There existed amongst the statutes an act by which persons professing the Jewish religion might become free citizens of Great Britain, after having resided seven years in any of his majesty's colonies. Very few individuals had availed themselves of the rights to which they were entitled under this act, the prosecution of the claim being in all instances attended with considerable trouble and expense. Notwithstanding, however, the practical inoperativeness of this act of grace, an attempt was made, in the lower house, to obtain its repeal. But Pelham was not prepared to go quite so far in the crusade against conscience, and, supported by Pitt, he defeated the motion.

The business of the session was as placid as the speech 1754. by which it was opened. The only question that produced an animated discussion, was the continuation of the land forces. An amendment to reduce the number was proposed, but, as usual, negatived. The estimates were voted without opposition, the supply for the year exhibiting a small excess above that of the previous year and the labours of the parliament ended in April. A few weeks before the close of the session, the death of Mr. Pelham deprived the ministry of its zealous and thrifty chief.* The appointment of a successor set in motion all the engines of party intrigue. Amongst the candidates, three distinguished men stood prominently

*On the day of Mr. Pelham's death, a splendid edition in five volumes of Bolingbroke's Works appeared. Garrick supplied the following epigram on the occasion:

"The same sad morn, to church and state
(So for our sins 't was fix'd by fate)

A double shock was given:
Black as the regions of the North,
St. John's fell genius issued forth,

And Pelham's fled to Heaven!"