The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-06-06
FORMER KING GEORGES
Did Little to Make Name llustrious
in Annals Of English History

in Annals Of English History
The four English rulers who have
borne the name of George before the
present king are not antecedents of
character to give him inspiration.
Thackeray, in his history of THE
Four Georges" arraigns them as mer-
cilessly as though he were a French
historian who was using this means
of venting a patriouc prejudice. All
four were more or less stupid and
stubborn and being obliged to assume
task which they did not covet and
to rule a people which they did not
like, theirs was not an easy lot.
George was the first Hanoverian
king Of Great Britain and ireland,
ruled from TIA to 1927. When his
mother became Queen Anne of Eng
land by the Act of Settlement of 1901
he was q dissoute officer in the Han
oyerian army where he had made a
reputation as a brave soldier and an
indiscriminate love of women. When
he came TO the throne he at once an
tagonzed a large part of his people
by calling only Wings to assist him
in the government. He could not
speak English knew nothing Of the
English character, and only seemed
bent on exploiting his Office for the
profit Of his electorate in Hanover.
There he spent much of his time,
leaving his ministers to govern. In
the kings absence, Walpole, his last
prime minister, was able to largely
increase his personal power. The
suppression of the Jacobite insurrec-
ton in l7l5 the bursting Of the South
Sea Bubble, which was largely laid
at the kings door, and a brief war
with Spain are the chief events of his
reign.
The best thing George ! did was
what he didn't do enabling his min
listers to build up wise foreign pol
icy. He had two legitimate children
and an uncounted number that were
not legitimate His son succeeded
him to the throne as George II and
reigned from 1927 to 1860. His code
of morals was on the low level Of his
fathers but he had the good fortune
TO marry a woman who, unlike his
mother, did not divorce her husband
but condoned his infdelties and
thereby gained a great influence over
him. He had quarreled much with
his father, and upon coming 20 the
throne was only induced by his wifes
persuasiOns to retain WalpOle. his
fathers prime minister, who carried
out his profitable peace policy until
1742, when his unwilllngness TO de-
clare war with Spain led to his resig
nation He allied with Maria Their
esa and In l7f3 took part personally
i'm the Silesian wars Later England
Joined Prussia I'm the seven years war
which brought about the downfall Of
the colonial power OF France The
laying Of the foundations OF the lndi-
an Empire and Wolfc's victory at
Quebec are other important events of
his reign Pitt presided over the na-
TONS destInies Ia the last years of
George lis reign and the king was
wise enough 20 leave matters TO that
statesman.
George III is most interesting 10
Americans because hts reign covers
the period of he Americas Reyolu-
lion. The picture which Tnackcray
drew OF him iu "rhe -Four Georges is
worth quoting as being fairly typical
of each of the four kings who have
born this name. Gle SIS said not 20
have cared for Shakespeare tragedy
much; iarccs and nantomines were
DTS Joy. and especially when "a clown
swallowed o. carrot or a string of slu-
ssees. ho would laugh so outrageously
chat the lovely princess by his side
would have to say Nv gracious mou-
arch. DO compose yourself George,
Doc O. king were the words which she
Ibis mofher-was ever cr0aking Don
the ears of her some A king. the SIM
pie stubborn. anoction1to. higoted
man tried io Dc ile dld DIS best. De-
worked according to his lights. what
virtues be knew be- tried to practice.
what knowledge be- could master Doc
str1vo 90 acquire
Tie WAS often called Farmer George
and "The royal button maker Uu-
Ike his predecessors ho wanted to
rule himself aud objected to having
his ministers act for him. Tie organ
lied o. party OF his own and hy the
use of patronage managed Co break
un the Whig ol.garchy. o. proceeding
which met with support from the
country at large. lord North who
was his minister from l110 TO- 1889
agreed with King Georges ideas and
put his mouarch's suggestions into
practice, go that during this period
George ms rule was absolute. He
Was Goo favor of thc long and ruInous
war with France which England be.
gan lu iho last decade of the long aud
ulnoua WAT with France which Eng
land boun Zoo ne last decade of the
eighteenth century and opposed Cath.
ollie emancipation. ln 1895 and iu
i5NN hc Tor short periods became men.
I tally demngod aud ln iSll Doc became
horclcssly insane having been blind
for two years previous
Goorgo ~ his son. became regent
aud succeeded 20 Che Nugship upon
hia lathCrs death Goo 1929. lie was
born in So James palace August i2
Z 1869. % century before the birth of
George v and became Prince oI
Wales when five days old he mar
llcd q Airs. Fluhcrbert in 1885 hul