登陆注册
5406800000429

第429章 WILLIAM PITT(9)

The general opinion was, that there would be an immediate dissolution.But Pitt wisely determined to give the public feeling time to gather strength.On this point he differed from his kinsman Temple.The consequence was, that Temple, who had been appointed one of the Secretaries of State, resigned his office forty-eight hours after he had accepted it, and thus relieved the new government from a great load of unpopularity;for all men of sense and honour, however strong might be their dislike of the India Bill, disapproved of the manner in which that bill had been thrown out.Temple carried away with him the scandal which the best friends of the new government could not but lament.The fame of the young prime minister preserved its whiteness.He could declare with perfect truth that, if unconstitutional machinations had been employed, he had been no party to them.

He was, however, surrounded by difficulties and dangers.In the House of Lords, indeed, he had a majority; nor could any orator of the opposition in that assembly be considered as a match for Thurlow, who was now again Chancellor, or for Camden, who cordially supported the son of his old friend Chatham.But in the other House there was not a single eminent speaker among the official men who sate round Pitt.His most useful assistant was Dundas, who, though he had not eloquence, had sense, knowledge, readiness, and boldness.On the opposite benches was a powerful majority, led by Fox, who was supported by Burke, North, and Sheridan.The heart of the young minister, stout as it was, almost died within him.He could not once close his eyes on the night which followed Temple's resignation.But, whatever his internal emotions might be, his language and deportment indicated nothing but unconquerable firmness and haughty confidence in his own powers.His contest against the House of Commons lasted from the 17th of December 1783, to the 8th of March 1784.In sixteen divisions the opposition triumphed.Again and again the King was requested to dismiss his ministers.But he was determined to go to Germany rather than yield.Pitt's resolution never wavered.

The cry of the nation in his favour became vehement and almost furious.Addresses assuring him of public support came up daily from every part of the kingdom.The freedom of the city of London was presented to him in a gold box.He went in state to receive this mark of distinction.He was sumptuously feasted in Grocers' Hall; and the shopkeepers of the Strand and Fleet Street illuminated their houses in his honour.These things could not but produce an effect within the walls of Parliament.The ranks of the majority began to waver; a few passed over to the enemy;some skulked away; many were for capitulating while it was still possible to capitulate with the honours of war.Negotiations were opened with the view of forming an administration on a wide basis; but they had scarcely been opened when they were closed.

The opposition demanded, as a preliminary article of the treaty, that Pitt should resign the Treasury; and with this demand Pit steadfastly refused to comply.While the contest was raging, the Clerkship of the Pells, a sinecure place for life, worth three thousand a year, and tenable with a seat in the House of Commons, became vacant.The appointment was with the Chancellor of the Exchequer: nobody doubted that he would appoint himself; and nobody could have blamed him if he had done so: for such sinecure offices had always been defended on the ground that they enabled a few men of eminent abilities and small incomes to live without any profession, and to devote themselves to the service of the state.Pitt, in spite of the remonstrances of his friends, gave the Pells to his father's old adherent, Colonel Barre, a man distinguished by talent and eloquence, but poor and afflicted with blindness.By this arrangement a pension which the Rockingham administration had granted to Barre was saved to the public.Never was there a happier stroke of policy.About treaties, wars, expeditions, tariffs, budgets, there will always be room for dispute.The policy which is applauded by half the nation may be condemned by the other half.But pecuniary disinterestedness everybody comprehends.It is a great thing for a man who has only three hundred a year to be able to show that he considers three thousand a year as mere dirt beneath his feet, when compared with the public interest and the public esteem.

Pitt had his reward.No minister was ever more rancorously libelled; but, even when he was known to be overwhelmed with debt, when millions were passing through his hands, when the wealthiest magnates of the realm were soliciting him for marquisates and garters, his bitterest enemies did not dare to accuse him of touching unlawful gain.

At length the hard fought fight ended.A final remonstrance, drawn up by Burke with admirable skill, was carried on the 8th of March by a single vote in a full House.Had the experiment been repeated, the supporters of the coalition would probably have been in a minority.But the supplies had been voted; the Mutiny Bill had been passed; and the Parliament was dissolved.

The popular constituent bodies all over the country were in general enthusiastic on the side of the new government.Ahundred and sixty of the supporters of the coalition lost their seats.The First Lord of the Treasury himself came in at the head of the poll for the University of Cambridge.His young friend, Wilberforce, was elected knight of the great shire of York, in opposition to the whole influence of the Fitzwilliams, Cavendishes, Dundases, and Saviles.In the midst of such triumphs Pitt completed his twenty-fifth year.He was now the greatest subject that England had seen during many generations.

He domineered absolutely over the cabinet, and was the favourite at once of the Sovereign, of the Parliament, and of the nation.

His father had never been so powerful, nor Walpole, nor Marlborough.

同类推荐
  • 大乘本生心地观经

    大乘本生心地观经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上玄一真人说三途五苦劝诫经

    太上玄一真人说三途五苦劝诫经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 证道歌

    证道歌

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说箭喻经

    佛说箭喻经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 不必定入定入印经

    不必定入定入印经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 眉寿堂方案选存

    眉寿堂方案选存

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 儿子的选择

    儿子的选择

    丈夫去外地打工,没有给家里寄回一文钱。她靠卖水果抚养着可爱的儿子。他回来了,变成了大款。欢喜之后,他告诉她:这次回来,是要和她离婚。因为他在那个城市,又找到一个小他十余岁的女人。站在判决厅里,法官问儿子:你跟谁?由你自己选择。儿子毫不犹豫地说:我跟爸爸。她流泪了,儿子,妈妈对你那么好啊…儿子跟爸爸走了。她孤独度生活在屋子里。母亲病了,她把钱花光了。还是城管人员帮她度过了难关…..她收到了一笔钱,落款是:我爱你….她迷茫了,仿佛看到那个人…..
  • 稼轩词

    稼轩词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 盛开·90后新概念·初梦

    盛开·90后新概念·初梦

    作为盛开的新特色系列,作品均来自90后获奖者的最新作品,他们用丰富细腻的情感和超强的文字,勾勒出了最独特的青春风貌和青春生活,是可读性非常强的作文学习辅导和课外阅读书籍。
  • 美学与历史(中国艺术研究院学术文库)

    美学与历史(中国艺术研究院学术文库)

    《中国艺术研究院学术文库:美学与历史》主要包括“康德与美学史”“新时期以来的美学与知识分子”“反传统主义与现代化”“三个中国两次转型”“社会结构与话语权之争”等,这些论题既有理论深度,更有对现实社会的沉思。对推动美学及其中国社会的发展具有重要借鉴意义。
  • 江山不若你倾城

    江山不若你倾城

    她,本是龙族继承人,生而便无辜卷入两族纠纷。初醒时才色惊人,护龙母,斗侧妃庶妹,震慑龙帝。她嚣张,狂妄,却引来争相追捧。凤族太子,谪仙般的人物,高冷,残酷,众生皆不可高攀,却只对她一人软语温存,“瑛之,你是我的人,情场如战场,看你往哪逃。”夜瑛之好像发现一件不得了的事,这似乎都是一个人。且看她一曲思君舞天下,手执仙剑魅江山,把杀伐果断的他,彻底逼成三界第一醋王。
  • 最真实的汉朝

    最真实的汉朝

    少年时代,刘邦认真读书,但这不是他唯一的追求,他的最高目标是做一个自由放任、潇洒如风的游侠。所以成人之后,他不断改变自己,努力做一个闻名遐迩的侠士。游侠与无赖的区别是非常大的。游侠不工作,却以声张正义为根本,得到世人的尊敬,而无赖是人人唾弃的废人。如果混淆了这一关系,那刘邦的身份必受巨大贬低。这也不符合他的历史成就。刘邦是个侠肝义胆的游侠,而非无赖。他的建国之路,就是一条游侠的发展道路。“游侠”这个定位深深地印刻的刘邦的大脑和骨骼上,甚至流淌在他的血液中。
  • OLIVER TWIST

    OLIVER TWIST

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 绝对狂神

    绝对狂神

    在武者的世界,拳头大就是老大,夜飞羽不甘平凡,自从获得一枚龙形琥珀后,快速崛起为一代狂神。
  • 列祖提纲录

    列祖提纲录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。