New-York tribune., 1911-04-06
TOWNSHEND PAPERS.
Thew Relate to the United States
and Are About To Be Sold.

,A. fo1t ,,. the brentwood Company
legal sanction has Just been given ny
-, r,srisb courts for the disposal by pub
,c auction next month IN London OF col
Lection OF letters state papers and docu-
-,ents Of one kind and another OF ex-
.~aordinarv interest not 70 say priceless
,aIue 10 Americans The collection Is
owned by the Marquis Townshend. ana re-
,stes almost exclusively TO Englano 5
American colonies from the time of their
earliest settlement down 10 the DAYS OF the
War of independence. which. as every one
knows. was largely brought about by that
charles Townshend who was Chancellor or
tho Exchequer Of George III. and who ny
his insistence upon the payment by the
American colonies of tax the entire
. amount Of which represented less tnan
yn00n a year preciptated the conflict re-
shifting in the birth Of the United States
Nor was he by any means the only mem
nor Of the Townshend family who Played a
-oje In connection with american affairs.
fcr one Of his brothers was killed at the
battle Of Ticonderoga. while another the
frs- Marquis Of Townshend. was one OF
fie most famous generals Of the Georgian
ga and assumed the command or the
English troops in the battle on the Heights
o. Abraham after the fall Of his intimate
friend and comrade Wolfe, and the seri-
ous woundlng Of General Monckton' the
second in command. Indeed. il Tas TO him
that the keys Of the city OF Quebec were
celivered on the following day.
The Townshend family may be said to
AVE been founded by Edward Tvs princi
nal legal adviser. Roger Townshend a law
ver II great eu1nence. Sir Roger Town
sl-nd was knighted by Queen Elizabeth
fo- hir services in connection with the de-
s.ruction Of the Spanish Armada. and his
SON. Sir John Townsbend knghted
rr the same Queen for bravery at the
seEe OF Cadz. II is through him that
Yarnam Hall in Norfolk. first came into
-re possession Of the Townshend family.
81 John Townshend's son was created
hronet by James l. and his young son.
Uoratio was one OF the leaders Of the
movement which brought about the resto-
ration OF Charles II. He was one Of the
six members OF the House OF Commons
7ro together with six peers OF the realm.
crossed the Channel from England 10 The
Hague 20 request Charles II 10 return to
f.s dominiO1s. When Charles was firmly
established on the throne he elevated Sir
IIo-ato 20 the peerage, first as Baron
Townshend of Lyn Regis ana then as Vis
count Townshend OF Rainham. The sec
ord Viscount Tovpshend vas Queen Annes
ambassador et The Hague and Secretary
% state % her successor. George l. as well
a. Lord Lieutenant OF Ireland. President
OF the Privy Council and Lord Justice ap-
ronted 20 administer the United Kingdom
and Ireland during the absence OF King
George IN Hanover. He married Dorothy
Walpole sister Of Sir Robert Wapole first
Earl Of Orford. and his correspondence
with this famous statesman II comprised
ir the collection that is about TO be sold.
The third Viscount Townshend was lord
ir-waitins 20 George II, and his sons were
--suectfvelv the first Marquis Of Town
~rend and the Right Hon Charles Town
shend. the chancellor OF the Exechequer,
90 whom mention has been made above.
WITH the bestowal OF the marQuisate the
Townshend family seems to have reached
MS zenith. for the second marquis. a
though the earldom Of Leicester was added
q. his many honors. was insignificant.
while his son. the third marquis. was
man OF such Infamous character that he
was never allowed to take his seat in the
House OF Lords. in spite of which he be-
came responsible for what is known to this
cav in English Jurisprudence as the Town
>-end act Terribly in debt. ne had mar
rcd the daughter OF n rich lawyer OF the
r.u7c Of William Dunn Gardner on the
condition that his debts We're paid and
large annuity settled upon his wife. In
CirteG for a whole series OF frightful crimes
which excited the horror Of English So
ciatv. even Of that singularly corrupt and
Immoral era ne was obliged 10 leave his
wife at the very altar on his wedding day
his haste 70 escape arrest by fight
broad His father. the second marquis,
o,s.nherited him. but could not prevent
r.m from succeeding 10 his various hOnors
81. third marquis He died as recently as
.,-5. az Genoa without ever having re
trrued % the land Of his birth. his earl
cr-r Of Leicester becoming extinct. while
ti- rnarqusate OF Townshend went TO his
cousin. Admiral John Townshend. Of the
royai navy
Af-er this expatrate marquis had been
l,7o FOR more than year. his wife filed
DIN in the ecclesiastical cour; for the
sr71Inenf ~ her marriage. But the case
could never be brought 10 a conclusion.
owing 70 tho impossibiIitv Of serving pa
r-rs upon the marquis abroad. Ultimately
sHe cur the matter short by running away
'r0m her fathers country place. at chat
ts-is. 10 Gretna Green with neighboring
brewer. Richard Margetts, Of St. Ives BY
Wis union she had a family Of children.
i7@ eldest of whom. John, was advised by
l "ver- 90 assume the courtesy title Of
'srl ~ Leicester. which a. the second
title NJ the second and third Marquis Town
shend should in the ordinary course OF
things be borne by their eldest son. The
ground on which he wa. advised 20 assume
ini- dignity was the old legal doctrine that
'iha wifes husband is the father Of her
r-iid. and that the ladys marriage 70
80 third Marquis Of Townshend never
having been legally dissolved the chill
Cren born OF her regal Gretna Green
union with MIR Margetts must be consid-
cred as born I'm wedlock. and as such re-
Tarded as the legitimate issue Of the third
marquis OF Townshend until proved He
sitinate the only court having the iuris-
tiction 70 DO this being the Committee of
Privileges Of the House Of Lords when
rival claims 70 the succession oi a peer
Sse are submitted 70 81 for decision
The Townshend Act.