New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-12


Such was the common report among his con'em-
porares the common people What was the mat
ter of fact whence all these myths originated?
According to Mr. Morley they were generated by
Walpoles Patent and continuous lavishness. Ger
tainly, he spent q great deal of money. But then
he had great deal 10 spend Of his own. Inherit
ing an income which ran from two 10 eight or
nine thousand pounds year, he also married
money, and for thirty years he held Offices ana
drew the emoluments of other Offices held by mem
beers of his family Mr.. Morley goes into MI
mute examination OF his receipts from the puphc
treasury, and sums up thus: His sons were pro-
vided for at the public cost: he had fortune
with his wife he made something OF fortune oy
SPECULATION: his hospitality was ample, but there
was no outrageous or unmeasured profusion' ne
had for twenty years an income from his lands ana
his Offices OF thirteen or fourteen thousand year
and besides debts secured on mortgage, he o"eu
fifty thousand pounds when he died.
The policy of Wapoles administration has per
hans never been set forth so clearly in this vol
ume. IL was in the nature of things one whlch
could not catch the public imagination or produce
the sensational effect OF Pitts, for example. bao
il was characterized by profound wisdom, ana tn"o
of kind too rarely found in the projects even Oh
the greatest statesmen. When Walpoe found Hill
self in power the settlement OF the crown upon
the House Of Hanover was still new, and EngIahu
had seen so many changes in the previous century
that few thoughtful men felt it safe to assume
that the change was permanent. The fre'ehuer
had many and powerful friends The country pop
ulation was largely uncertain. Society had hoV
settled down upon q solid basis. Everything was
auent and jnchoate At such time policy OF Tor
eicn conquest would have opened the door VIDE 10
saps LOYALTY as the pressure of hard times ana
wor meant high taxes, interrupted trade, the rise
~ nricps the impoverishment of the people. 30
he resolved upon peace policy. His task shoulu
he 70 build up the national prosperity. and TO thaO
end all serious acknowledgements abroad must DC
avoided The fall of Marlborough, which on tie
surface looked like abandonment OF all the "in-
tary prestige won during his splendid career, was
necessary to the success Of the new depar'uie'
independent of the more obvious cause iof MS IT,
moval which was afforded by his dangerous emil
nence and restless genius But 10 MAINTAIN
peace the influence of England must not be sui
fered to decline and this necessity demanded the
constant exercise OF diplomatic ana statesman
like capacity possessed by few Ministers. war
pole proved equal TO the difficult enterprise anu
for twenty years he kept his country irer ITO"
foreign conflicts and thus gained time iof inc
Settlement to ground itself firmly, and for com
merce and manufactures to attain iiourlShlhg
condition. 80,
In 1889 Walpole made the great mistake OF his
life in consenting TO the Spanish war step WHICH
only precipitated his downfall by placing HIM IN
an impossible position lie could not consistently
carry on a war in which he did not believe, ana
he could not satisfy public sentiment which was
inspired by one of those Jngo' crazes thao
at times carry nations completely OIL their leet'
He foresaw the failure of the Opposition to form
a stable Government, and that and the entreaties
of George the Second no doubt hnu-
enced him in trying TO retain ohce
under the circumstances But inc pan was
impracticablc, and Notwithstanding his concession
10 the popular Warehouses; he was compelled to
resign. Even then he did not surrender his power
for his enemies soon realized that they had under
taken too large enterprise, and De-
fore long almost the whole OF wal
nole,s Cabinet were in office again, and he himself,
as Lord Oxford, was occupying the position OF un-
official adviser to both Crown and Ministers. Mr.
Morley has highly interesting and
hcid chapter on the constitutional aues-
tions connected with the development
If tbe Cabinet and the functions OF the
Premier Walpole was the first real PREMIER ana
the first Premier who really conducted the Govern
ment personally This, indeed, was one OF the
charges against him, and he was Obliged 10 uiS-
claim any intention pretence of being iirst MIN
ister. but Mr. Morley shows that his Immediate
successors soon went further than he had DONE
and that, moreover their motives were never ques-
toned. m
This Life of Walpole contains many brilliant
portraits: of George the First, George the Second
Queen Caroline Harley Bolngbrokc. Godolphln
Carteret Townshend and other prominent men
His estimate of Bolingbroke is perhaps rather TOO
low and has Characterization of that statesman un-
necessarily acrimonious; though no writer VINO
takes MIR. Morey's view of Walpole can perhaps
avoid forming strongly nlavoraDle Opinions Oh
his bitter and persevering enemy AS a rule now
ever. the judgments of the biographer are excel
lently tempered, and his character sketches vivid
and full of color He has written an Important
and carefully considered survey of deeply inter
esting period of English history, and he has not
done more than justice to the great statesman
! whose true services and claims upon posterity he
| has undertaken 10 set forth.