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the Scotch people unhappily had none; and its CHAP. result was a general irritation throughout the XIII. country, and a serious riot at Glasgow. The mob 1724. assembled in large numbers, shouting "Down "with Walpole," and "Up with Seaforth!" they broke open and plundered the house of Mr. Campbell, of Shawfield, member for the City*; and his cellar being unfortunately well-stocked, added fresh incitement to their fury. Two companies of foot, under Captain Bushell, had been sent from Edinburgh at the first apprehension of a tumult; these were now surrounded by the mob and fiercely assailed with stones and other missiles, until the soldiers being compelled in self-defence to fire, killed nine persons, and wounded many more. Nevertheless, the mob seemed exasperated rather than dismayed; and Captain Bushell was compelled to retire to Dumbarton Castle, still pursued, and pelted by the rabble during a part of the way.

Under these circumstances, the Commander-inChief for Scotland, General Wade, seeing the necessity of prompt measures, marched to Glasgow with so large a force as to disarm all opposition. Not content with seizing some of the rioters, he apprehended the chief magistrates, and sent them prisoners to Edinburgh, under the charge, certainly

* "Had Mr. Campbell himself been in town," says Lockhart, "they had certainly Dewitted him." (Mem. vol. ii. p. 162.) He coins this new term from the savage murder of the two De Witts by the mob in Holland. Thank God! we have no such English word!

XIII.

1724.

CHAP. well-founded, of either timidly or treacherously conniving at the riots. But, being brought before the Lords Justiciary, they were declared innocent, and set at liberty*; and this acquittal, being considered a victory over Government, revived the zeal of the people. A combination was formed amongst the brewers at Edinburgh, engaging not to give security for the new duty, nor to brew if the duty were demanded.

The Duke of Roxburgh was at this time Secre

tary of State for Scotland; he had been attached to Carteret, and was accused by Walpole of fomenting these disturbances. Whether this was really the case, or whether Walpole merely seized the opportunity to acquire a more supple colleague, the Minister now obtained not merely the dismissal of Roxburgh, but the abolition of the office of Secretary for Scotland. Henceforth he centred the power of that department in his own hands; deputing, however, no small share of it to his devoted follower the Earl of Isla. It was Isla who on the fall of Roxburgh was despatched to Edinburgh, with the view of allaying the storm he came armed with full powers from Government, and with no small prudence of his own. So firm, yet so skilful were his measures, that the threatening combination of brewers was speedily dissolved. They at first attempted to make terms; but being told that none would be accepted but

* Culloden Papers, pp. 86-98.

† Walpole to Townshend, August 17. 1725.

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"various CHAP.

an immediate return to their duty,
"opinions" (I quote the words of. Walpole)
"began to arise among themselves in their as-
sembly, and at last they unanimously agreed to
"be determined by a question:- Brew or not.
"Which being put by the chairman, he began
"to take their votes, SERIATIM, at the right
"hand; but his right-hand man thought it a
'hardship upon him to be obliged to speak first,
"his left-hand man thought so too, and they could
"get nobody to give his vote first. At last, one

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Gray declared he thought they had nothing now "left to do, but to return to their trades; that he "would not be bound by the majority, but began "the vote, and voted BREW! He was immediately "followed by another, upon which two warm ones

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hoped they would hold out till their brethren "were set at liberty; but those not being supported, the assembly broke up, and such of them "as had their things in readiness fell to brewing "that night; and next day, at noon, above forty "brewhouses were hard at work in Edinburgh, "and ten more at Leith." * It is probable that the argument which had most weight with the brewers, was that, after all, the ultimate loss must

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fall not on them but on the public. This happy termination is mentioned by Walpole, with much satisfaction and high praises of Lord Isla: he adds, "I think we have once more got Ireland

* To Lord Townshend, Sept. 3. 1725.

XIII.

1724.

CHAP." and Scotland quiet, if we take care to keep "them so."

XIII.

1724.

The Session of Parliament, which began in November, 1724, was distinguished by three important transactions the impeachment of the Lord Chancellor, the partial restoration of Lord Bolingbroke, and the first public breach between Walpole and Pulteney.

Enormous abuses had crept into the Court of Chancery: the offices of Masters were set up to sale; and the buyers, in consequence, attempted to turn them to their own advantage. The price of these offices having latterly been augmented, the extortion of the holders grew in the same proportion. The suitors' money, the estates of widows and orphans, became a source of private peculation; and the public voice was loud against the Chancellor, Parker, Earl of Macclesfield. In January, he resigned the Great Seal, but did not thereby escape the national resentment. His impeachment was moved in the House of Commons by Sir George Oxenden; his trial took place at the bar of the House of Lords, and continued twenty days. He was unanimously found guilty, and sentenced to a fine of 30,000l. ; a motion to disable him from sitting in Parliament, or holding any future office, being, moreover, very nearly carried. His Majesty struck off his name from the List of Privy Counsellors, and Sir Peter King, now created Lord King, was appointed Chancellor in his place. The unanimity of his judges might seem decisive as to his guilt; yet

XIII.

1725.

it may perhaps be doubted, whether they did not CHAP. unjustly heap the faults of the system on one man; whether Parker had not rather, in fact, failed to check gradual and growing abuses, than introduced them by his authority or encouraged them by his example.

Lord Bolingbroke was still at Paris.

"Tired,"

as he says, "with suspense, the only insupportable
"misfortune of life, and with nine years of au-
"tumnal promises and vernal excuses *," he had,
early in 1724, another painful subject of embarrass-
ment in the villany of a banker. His wife, Madame
de Villette, had invested 50,000l. in the English
funds through the hands of Sir Matthew Decker,
who now pretended to make a discovery of it to
the government as a forfeiture, upon proving her
married to Lord Bolingbroke. This brought the
lady to England under the name of Villette, and
ready, if required, to deny her marriage; and
Lord Townshend, who abhorred all dishonesty,
and considered Decker's reasons 66 very bad
ones," gave
gave her his zealous and successful
aid. t But she also seized the opportunity to
ingratiate herself at Court, and obtain Boling-
broke's long-desired restoration. The King was
by no means fascinated with her; he declared
that she talked too much, and without respect +;
but a well-timed present of 11,000l. to the Duchess

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*To Swift, July 24. 1725.

+ Lord Townshend to Horace Walpole, April 2. 1724.

"Elle parle trop et sans respect." (Lord Lansdowne to James, July 10. 1724. Appendix.) He adds, "You can tell,

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