Front matter
THE AGE OF PITT AND FOX THE AGE OF PITT AND FOX. DV THE AUTHOR OF "IRELAND AND ITS RULERS." "We may no.v, wiihout any breach of public duty — without any wound to personal feelings — explore the hidden thoughts, the inward workings of those great minds which stood arrayed against each other during twenty-three stormy and eventful years.'— QuAnTisKLir He view C.X.L. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: T C. NEWBY, 72, MORTIMER St., CAVENDISH Sq. 1846. C ONTENI S.
Chapter I. Page
England in 1782 ----- 1 Close of the American War - 2 Character of Lord North 4 The Whig Party ... 7 Position of George the Third ... 8 His Contest with the Whigs ... 9 His personal character - - - 10 The Rockingham Cabinet ... 12 Character' of Charles James Fox - - - 13 His dissipation - - - - - 15 Peculiarity of his genius - - - -16 His Oratory - - - - - 17 His political position - - - - 1 9
Chapter II
The Rockingham Whigs - - - 22 The Shelburne Whigs ... 23 Their relations to each other ... 24 Policy of Fox to the Prince of Wales - 26 Character of the Prince ... ib His accomplishments - - - - 27 Influence of the Court on morals - CONTEXTS. Anecdote of the Queen ... - 28 The Whigs pay court to the Prince - - 30 Mrs. Robinson (note) - - - - 31 Character of the Duchess of Devonshire Society at Devonshire House - 24 Anecdote of Fox and the Duchess (note) - ib Hare— the wit, anecdotes of him - - - 35 Manners of the aristocracy in 1782 - - 36
Chapter III
Questions of the time - - - - 38 Irifli History ----- .39 Causes of Irish troubles ... - 40 Effects of the Revolution os' 1688 - - 41 Origin of Protestant Nationality 42 Swift and Flood - - - - 43 Position of the English Government - - 44 Lord Townshend ... 46 Influence of American War 47 Henry Grattan - - - - 48 Declaration of Irish Rights 50 Mr. Fox and the Revolutionists - - 53 Character of Colonel Fitzpatrick 55 Policy of Mr. Fox - 56 Grattan's Conduct 59 Principles of the Revolution, and its cause examined 60 Two Nations in Ireland 62 Ideas as Grattan -. 63
Chapter IV
Parliamentary Reform - - - - 69 Lord Chatham's views on it - - - 70 Wilkes ------ it, Character of Home Tooke - - - 71 The Licentious Reform party - .- - 73 Ideas of Reform in 1782 ... 74 Advantages of the Borough System - - 75 Opinions of Fox on Reform - - - 77 His diversity of character - - - -78 Burke's opposition to Reform - - - 7i) His mode of feeling on the question - - 80 Opinions on the abilities of Burke, by Gibbon — Hamilton — Townshend — Thurlow — Fox — and — Johnson — . CONTENTS. V Burke's notion of the effect of Reform on the Whig party ----- 83 Error of Burke ----- 85 The nature of English Democracy - - 86
Chapter V
William Pitt the Younger - - - - 90 Contrasted with the elder Pitt - - - 91 His extraordinary talents 92 His qualifications for an orator - - - 93 Strength and energy of his character - - 94 Loftiness of his nature - - - - 95 His accession to the Reformers - - - 96 Popular Reformers of 1782 - 97 Major Cart wright ----- ib On Plebeian Clubs - - - - 98 Tuft-hunting Reformers - - - 99 Pitt brings Reform before the House " - - 100 The death of Lord Rockingham - - - 104 Its important consequences - - - 105 Character of Shelburne (afterwards Marquess of Lansdowne) ... . 106 His ideas 108 Contest between him and Fox - - 110 Its origin - - - - - -111 Errors of Fox - .... 112 Pitt leads the House of Commons at four and twenty 113 His manners at this time - - - 114 First attack of Pitt on Fox - - - 115
Chapter VI
Lord Shelburne's Difficulties - - - 117 Remarks of Gibbon - - - - 118 Symptoms of Coalition - - - - ib Last interview between Fox and Pitt - - 111' Tendency to coalesce - 120 Foreign Policy. - - - - -121 Speech of Burke - 122 Peace of Versailles .... 124 Close of the American War - - 127 Lessons taught by it on English Politics - - 129
Chapter VII
Views of the Opposition - •- 133 Feelings of Fox and North - - - CONTENT?. VI The Coalition - - - - - 135 Its objects ------ Great debate on the Peace - - - 137 Speech of Charles Fox - - - - 138 Pitt's Sarcasm on Sheridan - - - 140 Personality of the debate - - - - 141 Sheridan's retort on Pitt - - - 14
Chapter VIII
Proceedings of the Coalition . - - - 143 Public feeling against them - - - 144 Old speeches of Fox recalled to him - - 145 Vote of censure on the Peace - - - 146 Anecdote of Pitt ----- ib His speech in reply to Fox - 147 Attacks the Coalition ... - 151 Obtains great applause - - - - 15S Anecdote of Mr. Canning (note) - - - 155 Fall of Shelburne - - - - 166 Embirassment of the King ib Ho offers Pitt the Premiership - - - ib Triumph of the Coalitionists - - - 157
Chapter IX
Bishop Watson on the Coalition - - 159 Pitt's motion for Reform - - - - 160 Its merits - - - - - 161 Unpopularity of Burke - 163 General Fitzpatrick saying on him (note) - ib Burke's knowledge of Indian affairs - - 165 Prepares with Fox the India Bill - - 166 The East India Company - - - - ' 167 Fox brings forward the India Bill - - 169 Pitt's hostility to it - - - - 171 Fox's defence of his measure - - - 173
Chapter X
Public opinion on the Bill - - - - 176 Effects of Fox's profligacy - - - 177 Dr. Price's comments on him (note) - - ib Zeal of Fox and Burke - - - 17y Burke's advocacy of the Bill - - - 179 History of the measure - - . lyi CONTENTS. VII Debate on its third reading - - - 183 Success of the Coalition - - - 185 Personal courage of the King ... 186 He throws himself on the Peers - - 187 The Lords reject the Bill - - - - 188 Pitt made Prime Minister - - - 189 Scene in the House of Commons - - - 190
Chapter XI
Bold speech of Fox - - - 191 Pitt's difficulties - - - - - 192 His singular position - - - - 193 Invective of Fox against Pitt ib Opinions on Pitt of Walpole and others - 194 His treatment by the " Revolution Families" - ib
Chapter XII
England in 1784 ... - 196 Secession of Lord Temple - - - - 197 Physical powers of Pitt — Fox — Burke (note) - ib Meeting of Parliament ... - 199 Proceedings of the Foxites ... 200 Resolution of King George ... 201 Pitt's India Bill ... - 202 Committee on State of the Nation - , - - 204 Addresses to the King - - - - 205 A middle partv - - - - - 208 The Duke of Portland - - - - 209 Interference of ihe House of Peers - - - 210 They embarass the Opposition - - - 211 Another attempt to compromise - - - 212 Remarkable letter to Pitt from the King - 213 Audacity of Fox - - - - 216 Address to the King - - - . 220
Chapter XIII
Close of the struggle .... 222 Defeat of the Coalitionists ... 225 Curious list of divisions (note) - - - ib Dissolution of Parliament - - - 226 Rejection of Coalition Candidates - - - 227 The Yorkshire Election ... ib Wilberforce's Election .... CONTENTS. The Westminster Election ... 231 Canvass of Duchess of Devonshire - - - 232 Anecdote of Lady Duncannon (note) - - ib The Prince of Wales - - 233 His pleasantries (note) - - - - ib
Chapter XIV
Retrospect. The three powers of the Constitution - - 235 References to preceding narrative - - 236 Necessity of the three powers ... 237 Use of Monarchy - 238 Mr. Fox's mode of defending it - - - ib Reasons for supporting it in England - - 239 Illustrations ----- 240 Objection of the Republican - 241 Its Refutation .... ib Use of the Peers - 242 Responsibility of the King - - - 243 Mingled good and evil of George 3rd - - ib His crushing the Whig Oligarchy- - - - 246 Conduct of Fox examined ... 247 His errors ----.. 248 Sir Brook Boothby cited (note) - - ib The India Bill a party measure ... 249 Reasons of its failure - - . . 251 Pitt's talents ..... 252 North and Gibbon's sayings on him - - 253
Chapter XV
Resumption of Irish affairs - 254 Mr. Flood and Simple Repeal - 255 Character of Mr. Flood ... 256 His influence in Irish Politics - 258 Introduces Grattan to Politics - - - 261 Subsequent Rivalry - 262 Flood raises the question of " Simple Repeal" - ib His mistaken views - . ogq Effects of his conduct - 9gc Fierce reply to Grattan - - - - 266 Grattan's Philippic - 268 Evil Consequences - . . -271 State of Ireland - CONTENTS. IX Neutrality of Grattan - - - - 273 Necessity of Rulers - - - - 275 Irish Parliamentary Reformers - - - 276 National Convention - 277 Character of Lord Charlemont - - - 278 The Bishop of Derry - - - . 280 Protestant Plan of Reform - , - - 281 Lord Avonmore (note) - - - 282 Contest between Parliament and the Convention - 284 Defeat of the Convention ... 286 Promotion of John Fitzgibbon — afterwards Earl of Clare - - - - 288 Character of Lord Clare - - - - 289 Youthful Rivalry with Grattan - ib His pravity not that of a Demagogue - " 290 His splendid courage - " - - 291 Selfishness and Malignity - 292 Effects of the Union on his class - - 293 What he might be now-a-days ib The Lhjion has more moral effect on the Oligarchy than on the Demagogues - - - • 294 True mode of dealing with the great bad men of Ireland ----- ib Mr. Flood struggles for Reform - - 295 Masterly letter of Mr. Fox - - - 297 Grattan's loss of power - - - . 301 Cause of his mistakes - 304 His inconsistent views - - - - JOS
Chapter XVI
Mr. Pitt's commanding position ... 307 The Pittite party - ' - - ib Influence of Scottish intellect ... 309 Largeness of the Scotch mind - 310 Lord Kames and native philosophers - - 311 \dam Smith ----- 313 fox's neglect of the " Wealth of Nations" - ib and influence of Smith - - - 316 ''itt's first efforts on Finance ... 318 lis India Bill - 320 she Foxites attack it - - - - - 324 ■'arliamentary Reform - - - - '--A> the King's view on it - - - - CONTENTS. X Westminster Scrutiny - - - - Pitt's final plan of Reform - . - -
Chapter XVII
Mr. Pitt's Irish " difficulty" - - - 335 His view of the two countries - - - 336 Three courses open to him . - - ib Character of the Irish nation ... 338 Pitt resolves on a Commercial Union - ■ 340 He lays his views before Parliament - - 341 Alarm of the English Manufacturers - - 344 The Foxites join them ib Pitt's plan ... - - 346 He triumphs in England - 350 Approaches the Irish " difficulty" - - ib His admirable letter to the Irish Viceroy - " 351 His views on the whole question - - 354 Mr. Grattan's Opposition - 357 Opinions on his speech - 361 Letter of the Duke of Rutland ... ib Pitt's resolution - - - - 363 Situation of Ireland - - - - 366 Causes of Irish character ... ib Final failure of the Revolution of 1782 - - 369
Appendix
. (a) — Rodney's victory over de Grasse - - 373 (b) — Memoir of the first Lord Holland, and the education of C. J. Fox - 384 (c) — Dialogue between a Pittite and Foxite in"1784 404 (d) — Charles Sheridan on the nature of political power in Irehnd -
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