1770. CHAP. murs and disgust, when Horne, who had cordially XII. hated Wilkes from the very commencement of their union, took this opportunity to retire, denouncing the association as an aldermanic tool, and setting up for himself, with a new club, under a new name, 'the Constitutional Society;' from which every person connected with Wilkes was rigorously excluded. A furious newspaper correspondence thence ensued between the two irritated champions, who assailed each other with virulent charges and recriminations, exposing each other's disgraceful transactions in all their naked deformity. Wilkes however still continued the idol of the mob, as he possessed all the qualities which are necessary for its leader: Horne, having released himself from servile dependence, and the mortification of assisting in the triumphs of a detested rival, now started forward alone, to seek for popularity amid the anxieties of perpetual persecution, to live in the protracted miseries of imprisonment, and to die a dependent on the bounty of friends. politics. Continental A war of great importance to the interests of Europe had been for some time raging between Russia and Turkey. The successes of the former power created considerable alarm to the cabinets of Berlin and Vienna, and occasioned in August, 1769, an interview at Neiss, between Frederic and the emperor Joseph I., which seemed likely to remove the enmity that had so long divided their houses. Turkey had been for successive ages on amicable terms with France, by whom she was excited to this contest; but the British government and nation inclined to Russia, attracted by commercial even more than by political interests. In this year Catharine made a grand effort to put into execution her longcherished design of dismembering the Ottoman empire, and seizing on its spoils. Her fleet, under count Orloff, sailed into the Mediterranean about the end of February, took Misitra, and called the Greeks of the Morea to arms: that unfortunate people readily obeyed the summons; but the pasha of Bosnia entered the country with 30,000 troops; and the hopes of XII. 1770. Greece were crushed at Modon. The Russian fleet CHAP. proceeded to the coast of Asia Minor; burned the Turkish navy at Tchesme; and, cutting off all communication between the Porte and its fertile provinces in many quarters of the world, greatly distressed the capital, while the plague was committing dreadful ravages along the frontiers. In the mean time, the Russian armies met with such uninterrupted success under counts Romanzow and Panin, that all the Turkish dominions, from Poland to the Danube southward, and from Hungary to the Euxine eastward, fell into their possession. Under the alarm which these events were calculated to excite, a second interview took place between Frederic and Joseph at Neustadt in Moravia; when the latter declared that neither his mother nor himself would ever permit Catharine to retain Moldavia and Wallachia; and Frederic was earnestly pressed to join the house of Austria in resisting that torrent from the north which now threatened to overwhelm the continent. The king artfully evaded this overture, being desirous of preserving his amity and alliance with Catharine; but he tendered his assistance to conciliate the courts of Petersburg and Vienna, offering to exert his interest, which was very great, with the Ottoman Porte, to induce that power to accept the Austrian mediation. Indeed, before they separated, a message arrived from Constantinople, requesting the joint mediation of Austria and Prussia, and declaring the resolution of the Porte to receive no proposals which were not made through their intervention: this was gladly accepted; and the rival houses of Austria and Brandenburg seemed cordially united in their views and interests. At this interview, says Mr. Coxe,2 Frederic held forth the partition of Poland as a bait to the Austrian court; and urged the policy of persuading or compelling Russia to concur in the dismemberment, instead of retaining Moldavia and Wallachia: the map of Poland was laid before the two sovereigns, by whom XII. 1770. CHAP. the respective portions were adjusted, and a plan of operations arranged.3 A negotiation commenced; but from the jarring interests and views, both of the principal and the mediating powers, it did not produce a peace. France, accustomed to take so active a share in European contests, was now more than ever engaged with disputes between the king and the parliaments; while the authority of Choiseul, the only man able to support her diplomatic interests, was losing ground through the intrigues of the ducs de Richelieu and d'Aiguillon, who made use of the notorious Madame du Barry to procure his downfall. It was to counteract this pernicious influence, that Choiseul so eagerly sought to draw closer the bonds of union with Austria, by uniting the young dauphin, afterwards Louis XVI., in marriage with Marie Antoinette, a daughter of the empress. This ill-fated wedding took place in May, and was attended with some melancholy events, which seemed to presage calamity: in the Rue Royale fifty persons were crushed to death by a tremendous crowd collected there to see a display of fireworks. Proceed ings at sets. In September the assembly of Massachusets again Massachu- met. They found, by communications from England, that the conduct and state of the colony was likely to be submitted to the consideration of parliament in the approaching session; and they had reason to think that the inquiry would produce some diminution of their chartered privileges; it therefore became highly important to prepare instructions for their agent in London: another step which had been taken by the British government also tended to increase their alarm; this was the dismissal of the provincial forces from Castle-William, which fortress was now garrisoned by royal troops. The province, in short, suspected, or rather perceived, that measures were in train to reduce it to a complete dependence on Great Britain, while these forebodings were rendered still more gloomy by I have little hesitation,' says the same author, in asserting that the plan of this partition originated with the king of Prussia: but so infamous was the transaction, that each of the three powers endeavored to fix the blame on the others.' XII. 1770. the prospect of affairs in the middle and southern CHAP. colonies, where irritation against the mother country, seemed in a great degree to have subsided. Besides, owing to their disputes with government, so great an accumulation of domestic business had taken place, that the consideration of it could be no longer delayed without mischief to the colony. The house therefore, after another ineffectual attempt to restore the seat of government to Boston, undertook affairs of legislation, with a strong protest against its conduct being drawn into a precedent. Mr. Hutchinson was soon afterwards appointed governor of the province; but the subject of the assembly's removal continued to afford matter of remonstrance and dispute at the beginning every session. of CHAP. 1770. CHAPTER XIII. GEORGE III. (CONTINUED.)-1770-1. Opening of parliament-King's speech-Supplies voted—Adjournment on account of the affairs of Spain-Parliament meets again -Satisfactory adjustment with Spain-Changes in the ministry -Great seal given to judge Bathurst--Hostility between the two houses of parliament from exclusion of strangers-Proceedings regarding the borough of Shoreham-Attempts made to carry popular motions in parliament, but fail-Proceedings leading to the publication of parliamentary debates-Triumph of Wilkes, &c.-Embankment of the river, and building of the Adelphi-Stability of ministers-Death of lord Halifax, and consequent changes-Plague at Moscow-Troubles in PolandAttempt on the king-Approaching fate of the country-Affairs of Germany and Sweden-Contest between the king of France and the parliaments-Domestic affairs of England-Education of the heir apparent-Pursuits of the king-Meeting of parliament-Naval arrangements-Debates on the subject of subscription to the thirty-nine articles-Nullum Tempus bill regarding the church rejected-Royal marriage act-Bill to relieve dissenters from subscription rejected by the lords-Dr. Nowell's sermon-Motion for abolishing the anniversary of king Charles's martyrdom rejected-East Indian affairs-Lord Clive's conduct. A select committee formed-Custom of pene forte et dure abolished-Parliament rises-Amount of supplies and national debt -Misfortunes of the queen of Denmark-Death of the princess dowager-Revolution of Sweden-Partition of Poland-Alderman Townshend's action against the collector of the land-taxLord Hillsborough resigns-Succeeded by lord DartmouthOther changes-State of British commerce, &c.-Meeting of parliament Affairs of the East Indian company-Adjournment of the house. Opening of THE king opened parliament on the thirteenth of Noparliament. vember, by a speech from the throne, informing the houses, that owing to an act of the governor of Buenos Ayres, in seizing by force one of his possessions, the |