The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-03

was forced to adopt certain severity OF de.
meanor in order to impose respect; and he
seems to have had something OF Peers lofty
shyness.
During the force contest which ragged In
Parliament between the surrender OF York
town and the fall OF Lord North's ministry.
Pitt bore so conspicuous part as to justify
his declaration that he would not accept
subordinate situation In new administration.
Lord Rockingham. who succeeded North. Of
fered him the Vice. Treasuryship Of Ireland.
But, although this post had been held by Pitt 8
own father and was. In point OF emolument.
prize. he refused 1t without hesitation.
1t Is we'll known that Pitt who ended as q
firm upholdcr Of exlsting institutions. began
rs an ardent reformer. Lord Rockingham had
scarcely been Primo Minister six weeks be-
fore Pitt brought forward motion for parlia-
mentnry reform. and delivered speech Us re-
mnrkable for vigorous defamation against
tho power Of the Crown az those subsequent
ly made on tho same side by Fox and Burke.
In less than two years Pitt WAS defending tho
prerogatiye OF tho monarch against the as
saults OF the Wing leaders. who had formed a
coalition with Lord North. Tho author OF this
biography contends that the anomaly was
more apparent than real. He asserts that what
Pitt defended in 1884 were tho rights OF tho
constituencies, betrayed by the formation OF
the coalition. against q close. and corrupt Par.
lament in a struggle whero the King had in
tervensd for once as the agent Of the people.
The general election OF 1884 ratified the
Kings action and cleared Pitt OF responsible
ty. but Lord Rosebery admits that had 1t
turned differently Pitt might have ranked
with Stanford.
1t is we'll known that Fox refused to re-
tain Office under shelburns when tho latter
succeeded Rockingham as Prime Minister. In
order to parry the effect OF that detection.
Pitt, although only 90 years old, was invited to
take tho post Of Chancellor OF the Excheauer.
which practically carried with 1t the leadership
Of the House OF Commons. There Is no doubt
that by this appointment Shelburne succeeded
In dishine Fox, and brought about the life
long rivalry between tho latter and tho son OF
Lord Chatham. We are reminded that In one
OF the first speeches made by Pitt In Minis
terial capacity he had the bad taste to taunt
Sheridan with his connection with the stage.
and brought on himself the retort that the
dramatist would be tempted to try an
Improvement on tho Angry Boy In tho
AichemisL Strangely enough it was not
the vanauished but the victor in this en-
counter. who mover forgave or forgot 1t.
Just week later Pitt made one Of
Of tho peace concluded between Great
Britain and the United States. He was ex-
tremely Ill at the time. and while Fox spoke in
denunciation OF the treaty. the Chancellor Of
the Exche1uer stood holding open with one
hand the door behind the Speakers chair. to
hear the attack. while with the other he hold
tho basin into which he was obliged to vomit
Yet when Fox sat down Pitt at once replied in
speech Of nearly three hours. which it seems
may be credited with reducing the Opposition
majority from tho expected figure Of seventy
to seventeen. Upon Shelburnes resignation.
which Immediately followed. every effort was
made to induce Pitt to accept the place Of
Prime Minister. but the young barrister COM
pretended that his time had not yet como. and
he accordingly left the field clear for the coali-
ton Cabinet formed by Fox and North. Re-
lieved from the duties of office Pitt went
abroad for the only time In his life. There are
two interesting incidents connected with his
sojourn In France: he WAS thrown into close
companlonship with the young Abba de Peri
CORD. afterward Prince de Talleyrand. and
there is a story that he narrowly escaped
marriage with the daughter OF Necker. who
was afterward to write "Corinne" He is said
also to have astonished Franklin. not merely
by his talents. but by the antl-republican char
acter OF his sentiments. Pitt returned to
England on Oct -. 1852; within month tho
coalition Cabinet had fallen. and this time
Pitt. at the age OF twenty-four. deferred to the
Kings wish aud undertook to form q Ministry.
accepting for himself the posts OF First Lord Of
the Treasury and Chancellor OF the Exchequer.
Thus began q supreme and unbroken Minis
try OF seventeen years. Yet at the outset
Pitts assumption OF the Premiership was
regarded even By friends as boyish
prank. and he and his colleagues were
described as n set OF children May
ing Mt government. who must DO sent
back to school. It is true that tho majority
against him in tho House of Commons was not
less than forty or fifty. including. with the ex-
ception Of Pitt himself and Dundas. every de-
batter Of emnence Under such conditions his
ministry was supposed to be stillborn. and
that it should have not only evinced signs OF
life. but have attained extraordinary longevity.
seemed to onlookers a kind OF miracle. Two
circumstances contributed to an extraordinary
reaction In Pitts favor. One Was the fact that
no was waylaid and nearly murdered by an
ambuscade Of blackguards opposite Brooks g
Clubs the other was his refusal to accept the
Clerkship Of the Pells a sinecuro worth 49,
600 a year. which would have made him lnde-
pendent for life He did not himself possess
81 800 year. and his refusal to enrich him
sell at the expense OF the state eItorted I'D.
miration. even from his enemies. Joined to
these revelations OF his incorruptible char
acter was the respect aroused by the
discovery that Pitt. young. uaaided. anu
alone was able to hold his own against
the great leaders allied against him. Exposed
to the heaviest artillery that wit and fury and
eloqusnce could bring to bear. he was never
swayed or silenced. The result was that In.
stead of being sent back to school he obtained
a tremendous victory In tho ensuing general
election. His ma orlty Ia the new House Of
Commons telected In the spring of 1884
In tho division on tho address WAS los.
and three weeks latcr II rose on the India bill
10 III. The number Of "Foxs Martyrs" that
IL to Say. OF Foxs followers. who earned that
nickname by losing their seats. was 100. II
Fox manage ed Ia get himself returned for the
borough of Wcstin in sfsr. this was mainly due
to tho grace. spirit. and energy displayed on
his behalf 10 the can yass by Georgi lana. Ouch
ess Of D"yonshire.
We cannot undertake to follow LORD Rose.
Lery's account III Pits exceptionally long
tenure OF the Office u Prime Minister. but va
cannot pass over the chapter devoted ~ Ire
iaDu. because Itt was undoubtedly the rbi.l
author Of the Act OF Union. while Lord Rose