A History of England from the conclusion of the great war in 1815

Preface

. These two volumes form the commencement of a His tory of England which, it is proposed, should extend from the conclusion of the great European War in 1815 to a very recent time. No other period of English history is of greater interest to the historical student. During the first few years, which succeeded Waterloo, Englishmen enjoyed less real liberty than at any time since the Eevolution of 1688. The great majority of the people had no voice in the Legislature. Political power was in the hands of a few fortunate individuals, who were bent on retaining the monopoly which they had secured. The taxpayers were laden with fiscal burdens which were both unequal and illdevised. Death was the punishment which the law awarded to the gravest and most trivial crimes. The pauper was treated as a criminal, and the administration of the Poor Laws made almost every labourer a pauper.

Harsh and oppressive as the laws already were, the oligarchy, by which England was governed, was continually demand ing harsher and more oppressive legislation. During the five years which succeeded Waterloo the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended ; the liberty of the Press was restricted ; the right of public meeting was denied ; domiciliary visits in search of aims were allowed. The

PREFACE.

. VI first volume of this work is an attempt to relate the history of the unhappy period during which these laws were made. Soon after the accession of George TV. to the throne a new period of English history commenced. Mackin tosh, following up the labours of Eomilly, reformed the Criminal Code; Huskisson, adopting the doctrines of Adam Smith, reformed the commercial system ; Canning, rejecting the principles of Castlereagh, reformed the policy of the Foreign Office ; a Tory Government, abandoning the traditions of its party, emancipated the Eoman Catholics and the Dissenters ; and a Whig Ministry, at length succeeding to power, reformed the constitution of the House of Commons. These five great revolutions in law, in commerce, in foreign policy, in religion, and in internal politics were the memorable achievements of twelve years of progress.

An attempt has been made to relate the history of these twelve years in the second volume of this work. It is proposed, in future volumes, to deal with the labours and doings of a Eeformed Parliament. It may possibly be objected to the plan of this work that the events of which it treats are too recent to be dealt with judicially. The same objection could, how ever, have been raised to some of the greatest histories which the world has yet seen. The Author relies for replying to it on the avowed intention of one great authority. Macaulay, when he commenced his immortal history, contemplated as a final halting-place the Eeform Bill of 1832. K it were legitimate in 1848 to contem plate writing the history of 1832, it must be legitimate in 1878 to contemplate writing the history of 1862.

PREFACE.

. VII Objection may perhaps be also taken to the Author's method. It may be thought that one or two occurrences have been omitted from these volumes which ought to have been included in them. History may, undoubtedly, be written in two ways. The historian may, on the one hand, relate every event in the history of a nation in strict chronological order. He may, on the other hand, endeavour to deal with each subject in a separate episode. A good deal may probably be advanced in support of either of these methods. But, on the whole, the second of them seems preferable to the first. The Author, who deliberately adopts it, has, at any rate, the satisfaction of knowing that he has rejected the easier and adopted the more laborious method, and that his choice has not, therefore, been dictated by any consideration for his own convenience.

In this work an endeavour will be made to deal with each subject separately ; and, with this object, various matters, which had their origin before 1832, have been passed over for the present in silence, and reserved for future treatment in subsequent volumes. London: August 1878. CONTENTS UF THE FIRST VOLUME.

Chapter I. Faoe

The Dawn after Waterloo .... 1 The Effects of the Great Revolutionary War . . .1 On France ....... 2 On Austria ...... 7 On Prussia . . . . . .12 On Russia . . . . . . .13 On the Minor States of Europe . . . .17 On the United Kingdom . . . . .18 Description of the United Kingdom . . . .24 Its Population . . . . . . .25 The National Debt . . . . . .28 The Sinking Fund ...... 34 The Revenue . . . . . . .35 The Excise ....... 37 The Customs ....... 38 Other Branches of the Revenue . . . .39 The Revenue and the Revolution of 1G88 . . .40 The Growth of the Revenue since the Revolution . . 42 The Irish Revenue . . . . . .45 The Suspension of Cash Payments . . . .46 The Bank of England ...... 47 The Development of British Industry . . . .50 The Trade in Wool . . . . . .52 In Cotton . . . . . . .54 In Linen . . . . . . .66 In Silk 66 The Introduction of Steam as a Motive Power . . .68 Iron . . . . . . . .71 Coal ........

X PAGE Population and the Rivers . . ■ • .76 The Invention of Canals . . . • .78 The Improvement of Roads . . . • .83 The Post Office ....... 90 London . . . . . . . .93 Dublin ........ 98 Manchester ....... 100 Liverpool . . . . . . .102 Glasgow . . . , . . . 103 Edinburgh . -. . . . . .104 Birmingham . . . . . . .105 The Development of British Commerce . . . .108 The Colonial Possessions of England . . . .110 Gibraltar ....... Ill Malta . ... . . . . .112 The Cape of Good Hope . . . . .113 The West Indies . . . . . .115 Slavery . . . . . . . .116' Wilberforce and the Slave Trade . . . .118 The East Indies . . . . . .122 The United States . . . . . .127

Chapter II

Effects of Travelling on Political Life in England . .132 The House of Commons . . . . .134 The Borough Owners . . . . . .135 County Constituencies . . . . . .138 Borough Constituencies . . . . . .140 Close Boroughs . . . . . . .141 Their Sale ....... 142 Promoted by the Accumulation of Wealth . .143 Bribery ..•....,. 144 Expense of Elections . . . . . 146 Election Petitions .... 146 Pensions and Sinecures . . , . 147 Peerages . . . . . _ 149 The Evils of the System of Government . . .150 Its solitary Advantages . . . . . 151 The Education of the Higher Orders . . 152 ' The Old English Gentleman ' . . .' [ ' 154 Duels '. '. 155 Intemperance .... PAGE The Game Laws . . . . . 157 The Corn Laws ...... 161 Enclosure Bills . . . . , ; I64 Improvements in Agriculture . . . . I65 Rise of Rents during the War . . . . 166 Declining Influence of the Landed Classes . . .167 Real Property not applicable to Contract Debts . 170 The Church of England . . . , .171 Non-Residence in the Church . . . . 172 The Bishops ....... 173 Their Abuse of their Patronage . . . .174 The Country Clergy . . . . . .176 The Supremacy of the Church . . . . .177 The Labouring Classes . . . . . . 1 80 Their Wages . . . . . . .180 Their almost General Distress . . . . .181 The Poor Laws ....... 182 The Law of Settlement . . . . . .184 Parish Apprentices . . . . . .186 Poor Law Discipline . . . , . .188 The Criminal Classes ...... 191 The Severity of the Criminal Code . . . .192 Convicts and Prisons . . . . . .195 Prison Reformers.

John Howard . . . .199 Elizabeth Fry . . . . . . .201 Jeremy Bentham and his ' Panopticon ' . . . . 203 The Police . . . . . . .204 Blood-Money . . . . . . .206 Vagrants . . . . . . .208 Poachers and Smugglers . . . . .210 The Education of the Lower Orders . . . .211 Vaccination ....... 216 The Army . . . . . . .217 The Navy . . . . . . .224 The Piratical States of Barbary . . . .227 The Expedition against Algiers .... 237

Chapter III

The Rise of England during the Reign of George III. . . 240 The Characteristics of the Reign .... 241 The Character of George III. . . . . .242 Queen Charlotte . . . • • .245 PAGB The Prince of Wales . . . • • .246 The Princess of Wales . . . ■ • .248 Princess Charlotte ...... 252 The Younger Sons of George III. .... 255 The Wellesley Family . . . . . .260 The Elder Brother, Lord Wellesley . . . .261 The Duke of Wellington . . . . .262 The Ministry . . . . . . .268 Its First Chief, the Duke of Portland . . . .271 Its Second Chief, Perceval '. 272 Its Third Chief, Lord Liverpool . . . .273 The Chancellor, Lord Eldon . . . . .276 The Home Secretary, Lord Sidmouth .... 280 The Leaders of the Opposition : Lord Grenville . . 282 Lord Grey . . . . . . .286 The Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Castlereagh . 288 Canning ....... 292 The Leader of the Opposition, Ponsonby . . . 298 Grattan ....... 299 The Irish in Parliament . . . . s. 302 The Finance Minister, Vansittart . . . .303 Bragge Bathurst ...... 305 Robinson ....... 307 The Opposition.

Tiemey ..... 309 Brougham ....... 310 Homer and Whi thread . . . . . .313 Romilly ..... . 314 Charles Abbot, Lord Colchester . . . .316 The Chief Justice, Lord Ellenborough . . . .319 Sir Vicary Gibbs . . . . . 32 1

Chapter IV

English Literature .... 324 Intellectual Activity of the Eighteenth Century 326 Adam Smith ..... 007 Jeremy Bentham ... 009 The French Revolution and the Reaction occasioned bv it <m Malthus .... , HI Ricardo •••... 339 Historical Literature . . ., A Hallam. . _ Mackintosh ....... 344 Revival of Poetry . . , . o*,. Crabbe .......... 340 Campbell ..... 34a Scott .......... 350 Southey . . •-.. 353 Coleridge . . . . . 356 Wordsworth ..... 357 Moore 360 Bvron '••■•••. 362 Shelley ........ 364 Literary Women . 370 Effects of Christianity on Women . . . 370 Women in the Middle Ages . . . . 37 1 Influence of Queen Charlotte ..... 372 Capacity of Women for Novel-Writing . . . 373 Maria Edgeworth ...... 375 Frances Burney and Jane Austen . . . .376 The Ultimate Consequences of Women's Work . . . 378 The Periodical Press ...... 379 The Stamp Duty on Newspapers .... 380 The Principal Newspaper — the 'Times' . . .381 The ' Courier ' and the ' Post ' . . . . . 382 The ' Morning Chronicle '..... 383 Social Position of Journalists ..... 383 The ' Edinburgh Review ' . . . . .384 Sydney Smith . . . . . . .385 Jeffrey . . . . . . . .386 Homer . . . . . . . .386 Brougham ....... 387 The ' Quarterly Review ' . . . . .389 Its Editor, Gifford . . . . .389 Blackwood and Wilson ..... 390 Cobbett . . . • . . -.391 Concluding Remarks . . . . . .394

Chapter V

The Peace of 1815 . . . . . .398 The Effects of the War on Capital . . . .398 On Trade . . . . . . .399 On Agriculture ...... 400 On Labour . . . . . .'401 TAGE Effects of the Peace . ... 402 Aggravated by the Suspension of Cash Payments . . 403 Attitude of the Ministiy ..... 404 The Property Tax . . ■ • • .404 Attack upon the Estimates ..... 406 The Property Tax repealed ..... 408 The War Malt Tax abandoned . . . .410 The Weakness of the Ministry . . . . .411 Their Amended Financial Proposals . . . .412 The Irish Revenues . . . • .412 Consolidation of the English and Irish 'Exchequers . . 413 Critical Condition of the Country . . . .416 The Harvast fails . . . . . .417 Universal Distress . . . . . .418 Riots ........ 419 Trial of the Rioters . . . . . .421 Distress in the Coal and Iron Trades . . . .422 Irritation at the Use of Machinery . . . .423 The Radicals . . . . . . .425 Their Leader, ' Orator ' Hunt . . . . .426 The Spa Fields Riot . . . . , .428 Alarm at these Disturbances ..... 432 The Ministry appoint Secret Committees of Inquiry . .433 Their Reports lead to Repressive Measures in Great Britain . 435 Milder Measures adopted in Ireland . . . .437 Cobbett leaves the Country ..... 438 The March of the Blanketeers ..... 440 The Risings in Yorkshire and Derby .... 441 Revival of the Secret Committees .... 443 Abortive Prosecutions ...... 444 Trial of the Derby Rioters . , . . . . 446 Return of Prosperity ...... 448 Measures of Retrenchment ..... 449 Appointment of a Finance Committee . . . 449 Its first Report, and the Reduction of Sinecures . 451 The Finance Committee's Second Report . . 452 The Sinking Fund .... 453 Grants for Local Works .... 454 Institution of Savings Banks . . . 45 k Prosecution of Political Writers . . 4^ 6 The Prosecution of Wooler . . . a ™ The Three Trials of Hone . . 461 The Retirement of Lord Ellenborough .

Parliament Meets ..... 464 The Secret Committees are revived . . 465 An Indemnity Act passed . . . . 466 Strike of the Lancashire Cotton Spinners . . .467 The Budget of 1818 . . . . . .469 Grant to Spain for abolishing the Slave Trade . . 470 Grant for New Churches . . . . 47 1 The Alien Act ...... 474 The Dissolution and General Election .... 476 Prospects of Increased Prosperity .... 478 The Resumption of Cash Payments . . . 479 The Rise in the Value of Gold after 1808 . . 480 The Bullion Committee of 1810 . . . . 482 Bank Paper made Legal Tender .... 483 The Value of Gold after 1811 ... .484 The Partial Resumption of Cash Payments in 1817 . . 484 The Currency Question in 1819 . . . . 486 Robert Peel, Chairman of the Bank Committee . 488 The Resumption of Cash Payments agreed to . . .490 The True Nature of Money . . . . .491 Gold the True Standard of Value .... 496 Huskisson's Memorandum on Finance .... 497 Vansittart's Financial Policy ..... 499 The Distress of 1819 . . . . . .501 Accompanied by a Fresh Agitation for Reform . . . 502 Motions for Reform in Parliament . . . .503 Agitation for Reform in the Country .... 504 The Meeting at Peterloo . . . . .505 The Ministry approve the Conduct of the Magistrates . . 509 Indignation in the Country . . . . .512 Lord Fitzwilliam removed from the Lord Lieutenancy of Yorkshire . . . . . . .515 Divisions among the Opposition . . . .515 'The Six Acts' 516 The Death of George III. . . . . .523 The Cato Street Conspiracy ..... 524 The Riot at Glasgow . . . . . .529 The Battle of Bonnymuir ..... 530

Chapter VI

Princess Charlotte in!816 . . . . .533 Her Marriage with Prince Leopold .... 534 Her Death . . . . . . .535 VOL. I. a PAGE Marriages in the Royal Family ..... 538 Death of Queen Charlotte . . ■ • .541 Arrangements on her Death . . . • 54 2 Death of the Duke of Kent . . . . .544 Death of George III. . . . . • .545 Serious Illness of George IV. ..... 547 The Princess of Wales in Italy ..... 547 Her Suite . . . . . . .549 Her Chamberlain, Bergami ..... 550 Her Conduct . . . . . . .552 Her Husband's Anxiety for a Divorce .... 554 Encouraged by Vice-Chancellor Leach .... 555 The Milan Commission ...... 557 Brougham, the Princess of Wales' Adviser . . . 558 His Desire for a Compromise ..... 559 The Princess threatens to return Home . . .561 Renews her Threat after the King's Death . . .562 And after the Omission of her Name from the Liturgy . 563 Her Annoyance . . . . . .566 Denman, her Solicitor-General . . . . .567 Alderman Wood, her Adviser ..... 568 The Queen sets out for England .... 569 Refuses the Terms of the Ministry . ... . 570 She arrives in England ..... 571 Her Progress to London . . . . .572 Her Popularity and its Causes . . . . 573 Action of the Ministry . . ... . . 575 Negotiations for a Compromise . . . . 577 They fail 580 Proceedings in the House of Lords .... 581 Report of the Secret Committee . . 583 The Queen's Progress to the Trial .... 584 The Scene in the House of Lords . . 586 The Counsel . . 507 The Trial ■..'.'..'. 588 The Defence . . . . kqa The Queen's Witnesses . . . . _ 593 The Divorce Bill is read a Second Time . 595 And is abandoned ... p.qsi The Queen's Dejection after her Victory . 598 The Prorogation ... ,„„ Demonstrations during the Recess . 600 Canning leaves the Ministry . . f01 PAGE Peel refuses Office ...... 604 Parliament meets . . . - . . . 604 Decline of the Queen's Popularity .... 605 The Coronation of George IV. decided on . . 606 The Queen's Claim to be crowned . . . . 608 And to attend the Coronation ..... 609 Her Protest on being refused . . . . .610 She is refused Admission to the Abbey . . .611 The Scene in Westminster Abbey . . . .613 The Scene in Westminster Hall . . . .614 The King's Visit to Ireland . . . . .616 The Queen's Death . . . . . .618 Her Funeral ....... 619 Sir Robert Wilson removed from the Army for his Conduct at it . . . . . . .621 The King lands at Dublin ..... 623 His Reception by the Irish ..... 624 INDEX Errata.

Page 14 line 26 fm her read their „ 23 „ 17 „ fourteen „ twenty-four „ 236 „ 26 „ which „ whom „ 288 „ 1 „ brother „ nephew „ 410 „ 25 „ Sutton Western „ Western „ 533 „ 13 „ ill-fated „ fated „ 586 „ 34 „ the four Peers „ three of the four Peers „ 588 „ 1 „ Parker „ Parke CHAP. I, The dawn after Waterloo. HISTORY OF ENGLAND.