New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-12
WALPOLE.
A nErrNCE BY JOHN MORLEY.


amonc the steadily increasing NUMBER OF MS
a''o"e 'sa,.o,ers whose original evil reputation
80. hosn mitigated or reversed by the JUG
n, NJ more critical and CONSCIENTIOUS
h;s,or;aps than those who afhxed the
,rord MIR Morleys admirable monograph
will do more for the good name OF nus SUBJECT
than Coxc's far more elaborate memoir was aoie
m ACCOMPLISH for il is so strong, clear anu con'
Else a review of the Walpolian era that the most
careless reader must rise from It's pernsal IN
formed and convinced. There are some broad
outlines in the popular conception OF Walpole
which no fresh research will probably give occa
sion for altering Thus il may still be considered
ms settled that he was thoroughly " pracucai
politician, in the modern sense OF the term; that
he was a man of very thick moral epldermls,
boldly unscrupulous when occasion called for
audacty in few respects above the low level
OF contemporary political ethics. coarse in his
private conversation, gross in many OF his per-
sonal habits-though not more so than many OF
the best men OF his time-and fond OF power
But il can no longer be accepted as true that ne
was addicted to the employment of corrupt means
in politics; that he cynically held every man 10
have his price; that he was capable OF pecuiauon'
that he was in any sense unpatriotlc; that he was
a self.seexer; that be played a double part.
spondence with the Prctender at the same time.
Mr.. Morley deals boldly and trenchantly with
the more serious charges preferred against Wal
pole. and it will be generally admitted that when
he has made his case there is nothing tangible
left of them. No doubt the most cogcnt cOnsid-
grafton of all is the fact that after his fall his
political enemies acting in the ferOcious spirit of
the time. sought his Impeachment. The more
malignant among them would at first rest salts
(ed with nothing less than his head but more
sober counses prevailed, and it was well fol the
Tories that this was so, for when the most dill
gent and persistent inquest possible had been
made into the public career of the deposed Minis
ter no single specific offence could be unearthed
whercon TO base an Indictment 1t is always re-
garded as the strongest proof of public mans
innocence when his foes, with every opportunity,
fail TO substantate in single particular the &C
cusations which in such cases are sure to be
loosely disseminated so long as demonstration of
their truth is not required from the accusers.
II cannot be doubted that the Tories in Parlia-
ment would have given much for some tangible
evidence of Walpoles malfeasance in office. The
modern public conscience, far more sensitive than
that of the eighteenth century, would unques-
tionably find Wapole guilty at least of nepotism;
for he put his own sons and other relatives into
the latest offices he could find, and had no scrupe
about doing this long before they were old
enough TO have done any service, supposing there
had been service to be performed But states
man must be Judged ny the standards OF his own
age and not by those of more advanced period
and by this rule Walpole. in providing for his
family. violated none of the prevailing ethics.
As regards the charge of abuse of patronage.
Mr.. Morley is able to show that it cannot be
"A
certainly and he believed that it easier and
better to carry on the Government with the help
of Wings than 10 frtter away its strength by
putting Tories in office who could work against
him. His practical mind put aside the non-parti-
san theory as unavoidable. and it was so in his
time assuredly. Nor he, perhaps, very far
wrong in asserting that the aim of the Tories
was TO return the Pretender. This charge, OF
course made good election cry, and Wa!pole
was never the man to neglect a useful suggestion
or even taking bit of claptrap. But there were
so MANY Tories compromised with Jacobn plots
that the accusation in this instance was not Vod
of substance and the great Minister of the House
Of Hanover was fully justified in making the
most of the facts against his adversarles who,
on their part never spared him. As 10 his author
ship of what Mr.. Morley terms the shallow
and cynical apophthcgm that every man has
who know nothing else about Walpole believe and
repeat this about him. Yet the story is a pure
piece of Misrepresentation. lie never delivered
himself of that famous Islander on mankind One
dav. hooking the aowery and declamatory pro-
fcssions of some of the patriots in opposition, he
insisted on finding self-interest or family interest
al the bottom of their fine things. All these men,
he said, have their price As TO the revolters'
he told the King 1 know the reasons and know
the price Of every one of them. Nor was nc
wrong as time showed 1t was not general. but
particular proposition, and as particular
proposition it was true. When an honest man
came in his way Walpole knew him well enough
II will not saw he observed, who is corrupt, but
win say who is not and that is Shipper Ana
vet honest Shppen one OF the stoutest
Of his opponents"
When we come to Parliamentary corruption
the evidence fails again. Mr.. Morley says: " The
absence of any tangible evidence of novel; en-
sraordinary lavish and widespread parliamentary
corruntion on Walpolcs part only comedies with
the best positive testimony that we can get ft''
WIN was one of the most vehement promoters
Of the Secret Committee, five years later
publicly acquitted Walpolc of the worst OF the
charges brought against him, in terms ample
enoupb 10 satisfy the late Minister'S own sons
Rnrxe testified TO WalpOe's integrity, saying
"Walpole was an honorable man and a sound
Wbir He was not as the Jacobltes and dis
contented Wings Of his own time have represented
him. and as ill-informeG people still represent
him. prodigal and corrupt Minister Ihey
charged him in their bels and seditous converse
tons as having first reduced corruption to
system Such was their cant. But he was far
from governing by corruption. lie governed by
party attachments The charge of systematic
corruption is less applicable TO him, perhaps than
to any Minister who ever served the crown for so
great length of time lie gained over very few
from the Opposition The real secret
of his strength in Parliament lay in
the skill and tact OF his manage