The Sun.
London, England, 1820-11-02 00:00:00

T

RECOLLECTIONS AND REFLECTIONS,
PERSONAL AND POLITICAL,
As connected with Public Affoirs during the Reign .of King
GEORGE the Third, by Jock Nicitot.t.s, Esq. M. P , in the
15th, 16th, and tsth Parliaments of Great Britain.

(Continued from THE Sun of yesterday.)

• (No. 2.)
The following Extract from Mr. Nrcrter,Ls's
Work is equally interesting with that in our
Paper of yesterday, and deserving, at the present
moment, of the most serious and dispassionate
consideration of the Public :

CHAPTER VIII.

ON THE STATE OF PARTIES IN ENGLAND.

The present political parties in England affect to rally under
two names; viz. Pittites and Foxitts. Has either party any
great Political object which it professes to wish to carry ?
The Pittites profess no othr object than that of preventing
changes; the Foxites profess no definite object. The people
therefore, view the two parties under the snore intelligible
names of the Ins and the Outs. Admit for the moment that
both Mr. Pitt and Mr: Fox had great talents, and that both
conferred much benefit on their count ty. It does not follow,
that those who call themselves Pittites have the same talents,
or have a right to claim, as heirs, the reward of his merits.
The same answer may be given to the Foxites. The names
are brought forward as ferns de guerre, and to give splendour
to the several parties.
It may not be undeserving our attention, to consider -how
these parties have arisen , Sir Robert Walpole governed Eng-
land by uniting the influence of the Crown to the Whig
Party. I use the expression Whig Party, because, during that
period, the Whigs were not a faction but a party; for they
had a great political object ; viz. To prevent the return of
the Stuarts and the DREADED ESTABLISHMENT OF POPERY
AND DESPoTIsM.

Sir Robert Walpole fell ; he was succeeded by the Pelhams.
Mr. Pelham was the man of the best understanding in that
Administration ; but he certainly was not a inan.of a superior
mind. George 11. wished to employ Lord Carteret, after-
wards Earl of Granville, as Secretary of State for Futeign-
Affairs. He was beyond all doibt, the ablest man of the day
for that situation. But the Pelhams feared his abilities and
compelled the King to remove him; the Pelhams chrried on
the War of 1741 feebly, and they ended it without wisdom;,
fur they left in existence the seeds of future disputes. The,
Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle must he considered as little more
than a cessation of Arms ; it was a Truce rather than a Peace.
Mr. Pelham died. Ilk party continued in power under the
auspices of his brother, the Duke. of Newcastle.

History hardly points out to us iii any Country or in any
age, a Minister inure incapable or more contempt ible.—The
War of 1756 burst forth, the Duke of Newcastle was under
the necessity of assigning to Mr. Pitt, the employment of Se-
cretary of State, with the management of the War. The great
abilities of this gentleman enabled him to carry on the War
with much success; and the three last years of the reign of
George 11. are perhaps the most glorious period of our History
since the accession of the Brunswick dynasty.
In October 1760, George 111. succeeded to the Crown ; be
had been educated in aversion to those trammels in which his
grandfather had been held; and tutored -from early life to
wish to be his own Minister, within a year after his accession,
he removed Mr. Pitt, and iu the following half year swept
away the whole Pelham Confederacy. He airpointed the Earl
of flute his Prime Minister, who in the year following ter-
minated the war. lint the people were dissatisfied with the
conditions of the peace; pusillanimity induced the Earl of
Bute to resign his-situation. The Ring appointed Mr. George
GrenVille his successor ; het his Majesty soon found that this
Gentleman wished to exer&se the same controttl over..him, as
the Pelhams had exercised ove r George 11.
He removed Mr. Grenville, and placed in the Administra-
tion those Gentlemen who had been Members of the Pulliam
Confederacy. The Marquess of Rockingham wits appointed
Prime Minister. The new Ministers, on their accession to
power, repealed the Stamp Act, and re-established tranquil-
lity between Great Mritain and her Colonies. Did the at-
tempt to. impose taxes on the Colonies by the vote ufthe Bri-
tish Parliament originate with Mr. Grenville, or with the
King, and his own. interior Cabinet ? I cannot pretend to
answer this question. I believe that there are papers in ex-
istence which may hereafter elucidate the subject from the.
unremitted,obstinacy with which the King persevered in this
ottempt to tax the Colonies; from the various artifices which
he employed to induce Isis Ministers to assist hint in the at-
tempt ; from his boundless gratitude to those who supported
hint in this measure, and from his aversion to those who.op-
posed it, we are naturally led to believe that it was time mea-
sure of the King himself. He removed the Rockingham Ad-
ministration ; and by dexterou•sp playing one factioiragainst
another, he succeeded in his wish to revive the dispute with
America. War was the consequence, till Peace was re-esta-•
Wished by the acknowledgement of the Independence of the
American Colonies. From 1766, when the Rockingham's
were removed from office, to the death of Lord Rockingham
in 1784, the. Partizans of that Noble Lord are entitled to be.
considered, not as a faction, but as a party, for they had a
great public object in view; viz, to prevent the rights of the
British Colonists in America from being violated.
Ott the death of Lord Rockingham they ceased to be a
party, and became a faction ; for from that hour their efforts
were no longer employed for the attainment of any great
public object. Their exertions were confined to the Attain-
ment of-office and of emoluments for the Members of their
Confederacy. I have recapitulated these facts to show what
I consider as the distinction between the expressions faction
and pal* It is a faction, where the individuals who com-
pose the Confederacy
have no other view than to obtain of-
fice and emoluments fur themselves. It is a party, where the
exertions of the individuals are directed to obtain a political
object. Whenever those Gentlemen Who called themselves
Foxites declare the public object which their efforts
are directed to obtain, they will then deserve the name
of a partq. Uutil they declare this object, they
will be viewed in England :only as a faction.—
It is idle to attempt to amuse the country by the name of Mr.
Fox, as if they were the heirs of his'merits ; and it they mean
to say that they pursue his opiniiins, they ought to specify
those opinions. The gentlemen who form this faction, ought
to recollect' that the Pelham faction never was popular in
Rogla.ul. The Pelham administration was even Its, populr
than that of sir Robert Walpole. For although Sir Robert
%Valli:des •Administration was feebk and corrupt, yet it had
a public object. viz. To preserve the- Brunswick F.:wily urn
the Throne; and Sir Robert Walpole succeeded in this object.
His perseverance in the pacific system contributed titled to his
success; the Pentanes had no public object ; the dread Of- the
return of the Stuarts was extinguished ; time and the rebellion
of 1745, had relieved the people front all apprehensions on
that head. The great political object of Sir Robert, Wal-
pole's Mininist anon fad almost ceased to affect tbe
The Brunswich's were believed to be fitauly established ; and
the Pelham %Confederacy from the Peace of Aix In--Chapelle
could scarcely be considered as having a Party object.
I have said that. from the death of the MarqueSs of Rocking-
ham in the summer of 1782, the Leaders of those who had
composed his party scarcely pretended to say that their efforts
were directed to the attainment of any public object. The
maxim inculcated war, that you were to look to men, not. to
measures ; that when you had joined a party, your. ext.( •
tions should bedirected to tin:support of that pasty without
quinine into thy particular measuro immediately depending:
In some of Mr. Burke's publications, 1 recollect this doctrine
explicitly avowed. Speaking of ,those who sometimes voted
with the Minister, and sometimes. against hint, he adds, " I
hope to God the race is extinct:: Even Mr. Fox incautious-
ly adopted this sentiment; speaking of an independent man,
he &tined him to he. one whom nobody could depend upon.
That you should look to men, not to measures, might be
very good maxim fora faction; and a very advanta.

[PRICE SEVENPENCE.

geous doctrine for Mr. Burke, who had contrived to
obtain the situation of the Guide of a faction. But it was
not a doctrine calculated to induce the greatly of the peo-
ple to exert themselves in support of those who acted
upon it.

*Review the measures of the Foxites from the death of Lord
Rockingham, to .06 commencement of the year 1793, when
Englandtook part in the Crusade against French
,principles
and let any roan say_ whether there was any. one Measure
brought forward by the party likely to attract. the co-opera-
tMn of the country. The first measure which took place on
the death of that lamented _Nobleman, was the complete and
avowed separation of his friends from those of the Earl of
Shelburne; this measure proceeded wholly from• Mr:Burke:
it was to gratify his personal malice against the Earl of
Shelburne, and to promote his views. of governing the Party
under the nominal direction of the Duke of Portland ; I do
not know that _there was at that time any other man among►
the friends of the deceased Marquess who had-personal ill,
will to the Each of Shelburne. lam certain that Charlei
Fox had not. The Duke of Richmond, Lord Keppel, and
General Conway, remained in office with the Earl of Shel-
burne,

The next measure was the coalition between Mr. Fox and,
Lord North. So far from this taeasure having likely to
conciliate the of the Country, a long Course of years-
was hardly SU :rill. to rescue Mr. Fox from the unpopularity
which it oceasioned

The next measure was Mr. Burke's plan for seizing the
patronage of India, brought forward under the name of• Mr.
Fox's India Bill. • No man will say that this conciliated the
Country; when the Coalitionists were removed from office, they
retained, during the first three months of the tear 1784, a
majority in the House of Commons. Many of those who
had been attached to the'party of the Marquis of Rocking-
Win, were alarmed at the possible consequences of this si-
tuation. They were relievcd from.their fears by the decided
victory Obtained by Mr. Pitt, in the ensuing general election,
in the Spring, 17E4.

.
The next measure was the impeachment of Mr. Hastings,
a measure brought forward solely to gratify the malevolence
of Mr. Burke ; it. is scarcely possible but that the good sense
of Mr. Fox must have pointed out to him the prejudice
which his party would sustain from supporting this impeach-
ment. He yielded to the influence of Mr. Burke.
In the Autumn, 1788, 'the King became deranged. / will
not inquire whether the doctrines advanced by Mr. Fox were
correct or otherwise; but they certainly were not popular
The King recovered, and the party remained under no in-
considerable load of odium

At the close of the tear 1794, Mr. Burke carried the party
into the King's Camp, clamouring fir the Crusade. The
King received them with joy; Mr. Pitt; that he might re-
tain his place, submitted to the Kiiig's wishes'; and .War was
resolved on. HAS TH E Nary either merited or cduelliated the
affections of the Co.untry, by the share TH EY 4,siok in driving
u 8 into fear t Mr. Pitt died early in 1806, and the party
again came into office, under a coalition with the- Grenvilles
and Lord Sidmouth. Did they gain any credit during the year
that they Were in ()Wee ? They are now in opposition. Mr.
Fox is 110 More; but they endeavour to acquits popularity by
assuming his name. They find that it is in vain ; they feel
that-the. people Are not wins them. They complain, but un-
justly; for they have nor'-4;U to expect that the people shotild
exert themselves to place one set of individuals in office,
the room of another.

Would they engage their Country's support, let them bring
forward some great public measure which the Countri posy
be interested to obtain. All men, who give themselves the
trouble to retied, see that the Reform of the House of Coal.;
mons is the only measure which can relieve us from• Oar diffi-
culties. Immoderate taxation, the result of the unnecessary
wars of the Reign of George 111. is the cause of Mit,embar•
rassments; and that immoderate taxation has been occa-
sioned by the liotise of Commons, being composed of Men not
interested to protect the property of the: pe0,,,1e. -
It is well known, that TOE LEADERS (F THE FOXITE party,.
are among those who
‘are the tneelt averse to Reform.; that ifuy
rank-among the usurpers of -the nomination to seats in Par-
!lament, and that by their coaling into office all hope of Re-
'urns woold Le at ass end. 1-1 ,w then can they expect that the
people should wish to seethem in office? I maybe told, per-
haps, that Mr. Fox was himself a great advocate,for a Reform
of the House of Commons. Yes, this is true. But at the
Genet al Election in 1780, he accepted the sitln;tion of Coot-
mantle' in-Chief of the Political Forces of tlfe-Rockinghaus
Party. From that hour, he ceased to be the sincere advocate
of Reform. He could no longer sincerely endeavour so ob-
tain Reform, without being disloyal to that party into whose -
service lie had entered. It may be said that hr voted for Re-
form subsequently to 17S0. I admit it.; so did Mr. Pitt, who,
antecedently to his being in office, had certainly been sin-
cerely desirous of a Reform of Parliament. But•after Mr.
Pitt bad accepted office, he Would, by bringing forward a Re-
form of Parliament, have thwarted the views of the King, as
much as Mr. Fox would, by a similar measure, have thwarted
the views of the Ruckingbains; both, therefore, woe equally-
insincere.

Reform is the only measure which can •relicve the Country.,
Retrenchment, not preceded by Reform, impracticable.--•
Profuse expenditure is wanted, not merely to Iced Members
of Parliament, but to feed those who have a share in making
Members of Parliament. Deprive • the Crown of the means
i
of purchaSing, and your Government instantly becomes an
OLIGARCHY, composed of Pi oprieturs and 1' at cons uf Bo-
roughs. And it cannot be too often repeated, that of all
forms of Government; Oligarchy is the most oppressive. Re-
form is necessary; 'and either Refurneor Revoiution 'will take
place; Universal Suffrage would be Revolution. It is pos-
sible, that a good Gu'vernment might grow out of it ; but the
paroxysms by which we should art ire at the crisis, . would be
dreadful.

'When Earl Grey, in 179 Z, established the Society of the
Friends of the People, fur the arliwed purpose of, bringing
men together to declare their opinions on the necessity of a
Reform of Parliament, I Qcknowleti4e that I, at that time,
thought that it would be practicable to Reform the Howse of
Commons, without departing much from the present form of
Borough Representation ;—that we might Iteforin the diffe-
rent classes of Boroughs according to the different diseases
which existed in them;—that we might proceed gradually,
little by little, en informant, ever heeping in mind that maxim
of the wise physician, Vet protlesse, eel non obesse, as the first
object of our attention. 1 presumed to point ont to that Society
the class of Burgagetenement boroughs ; an Addtess was toted
to the House of Commons, stating the number •of-Ilembers
who sat in that House by`the nomination of Proprietors and
Patrons. nu( it wrs seen, that the correction of this abuse
would be injurious To THE INTEREsTs OF THE I.Eatreas os •CHE
FACTIONOF THE GREAT WHIG FAMILIES and all further at-
temp's at Reform of Pat lianient were abandoned. Had Par-
liament been reformed at that time, we might-possibly have
avoided the Crusade-against French principles.
Ref Orin will take"place. To render it beneficial to the Coon-
try, it must he a complete correction of the existing abuses-1
do not Mean by 'Universal Suffrage, tint by a'Reform which
may Place the House of Commons in a situation W protect
the property of .t he ,people. The French Revd.:Him; has given
us an example; of an Assembly adequate to the discharge of
this duty, viz. an Assembiy elected by men, payers of direct
taxes to such an extent, that none can be Hirt tors, except
those Who are so affected by the payment, that they are inte-
rested that taxation should he moderate. I -ani persuaded
that such a,Reforoi will sooner or later place; though it
is possible that. resistance to such a Refocus may occasion it
to he preceded by Revolution.
The Bourbons, the Nobles, and, the Fanatics may attempt
tore establish the anden regime in France. They will fad.
The pillars on which the fabric stood, arc reduced to powder.
No art can- again cement then, into solid masses. If a Le-
pit • sentative Government should cease to exist in France, it
must he succeeded by a Militaiy Despotism-.
I.o„Spain, though the present OM ts should fail, yet the
Cortes will nitimately be established.
In Germany, the intelligence of the people will probably
prevail a,:ainst all the efforts ,f the Holy .Alliance; and Re-
presentative Goiernment will be ;be consequence.
Carr lny man suppose, that with such examples under its
eye, England will lung submit to the usurped power of Pro-
prieters and Patrons of Boroughs? Lot it be reettileuttAt, that
14is usurped Power is odious t. 7 Royally, insulting to-- Aristo-
cracy, and apptcssive to the Pr °pie. ,
Theie are among those who call themselves Foxites, men
who possess 'both. wisdom. and integrity.. Let them declare
that their effortS are directed to obtain an uhicet in which
their Country is interested. Their Country will rally round
them, and Revolution Inlay be averted.