Avignon; but Dunbar still retained the chief influence at the little Court of the Pretender.

Meanwhile events in England were proceeding very far from favourably to his cause. The new Parliament, which met in January, 1728, displayed a Ministerial majority even greater than the last. "On the first day," says Horace Walpole, "we had 427 members in the House, most of them "sincere and hearty friends, and in perfect good humour."* Their choice for Speaker (Sir Spencer Compton being now a Peer) fell unanimously upon Mr. Arthur Onslow, sprung from a family which had already twice filled the Chair**, and endowed with high personal qualifications for that office. During three and thirty years did this accomplished man continue to preside over the House of Commons, with thorough knowledge of forms, and perfect impartiality of judgment; and even after his retirement he still contributed. to the public service, by his ready advice and guidance to younger politicians. ***

The King's Speech on opening the Session lamented the tedious and still unsettled negotiations with Spain, and the consequent necessity of continuing warlike preparations; but did not omit the usual professions of economy, and willingness to reduce the national expenses. Such professions, in fact, are frequently the most ardent where the supplies to be demanded are largest. To the Address, in answer, Shippen moved an amendment, and inveighed against Hosier's expedition as useless and insignificant; for that we might have rifled the galleons at Carthagena, and plundered Porto Bello, and have had those riches in our hands to dispute with the Spaniards. † He was seconded by Wyndham; but their observations were so ill received by the

*To Earl Waldegrave, January 24. 1728. Coxe's Walpole. ** See Parliamentary History, vol. i. p. 703.; and vol. vi. p. 744. *** "It was permitted to the compiler of this work to visit that excellent "man in his retirement, and to hear those observations on the law and con"stitution, which, particularly in the company of young persons, Mr. "Onslow was fond of communicating." Hastell's Precedents, vol. ii. Preface, p. ix. ed. 1785.

Mr. Tilson to Earl Waldegrave, February 2. 1728. Mahon, History. II.

9

House, that they did not venture on a division. Almost the first occasion when the Opposition made a stand was when they had reason and justice completely on their side. It was proposed by Horace Walpole that the sum of 230,000l. should be granted for maintaining, during this year, 12,000 Hessians in the British pay a measure quite unworthy the King of England, but very advantageous to the Elector of Hanover. If troops were wanted, could we not raise them at home? Or, if a similar step had been taken in the rebellion of 1715, amidst pressing and fearful dangers, can it be urged that the precedent applied to orderly and settled. times; and might we not quote against this motion the very words of its mover on another occasion, when he said that "little, low, partial Electoral notions are able to stop or "confound the best conducted project for the public?"* Nevertheless, so strong was the party in power, that 280 voted with, and only 84 against them.

Of a similar tendency was a treaty just concluded with the Duke of Brunswick, stipulating a subsidy of 25,000l. a year to him during four years, whilst, on his part, he was to furnish, if required, 5000 men.

In this temper of the House a discussion between Walpole and Pulteney afforded a certain triumph to the former. Pulteney asserted that, in spite of the Sinking Fund, the public burthens had increased instead of diminishing since 1716. Such statements, enforced in an able pamphlet, and in several numbers of the "Craftsman," began to pass current upon the public. On the other hand, it was maintained by Walpole, in the House of Commons, that 6,000,0007. had been discharged since that year; and that, allowing for new debts, the decrease was still no less than 2,500,000l. Pulteney defended his calculations, adding, that he should be prepared to prove them in a few days, and would stake his reputation on their accuracy. Accordingly, on the 4th of March, there ensued a sort of pitched battle between the rival statesmen, when the statement of Walpole was affirmed *Horace Walpole to Sir Robert, September 1. 1739.

by a large majority, and afterwards embodied in a Report, which was laid before the King.

The Opposition hoped to be more successful in calling for a specific account of so large a sum as 250,000l., which was charged for Secret Service. Walpole gave the usual answer, that the public interest would suffer by the disclosure; and the debate was still proceeding when some important news arrived. The King of Spain, on learning the death of George the First, had determined not to ratify the preliminaries signed in his name, but without his authority, at Vienna. He hoped to see, not merely a change of administration but a change of dynasty follow the Royal decease in England; he expected, at least, great discord and divisions in the new Parliament: but finding the result quite otherwise, and unable to stand alone against the Hanover allies, his reluctance at length gave way. From his country palace he issued what was termed the Act of the Pardo, accepting the preliminaries with France and England, and referring further difficulties to a Congress, about to be held at Soissons. The express which brought this intelligence reached Walpole in the midst of his speech on the Secret Service; he immediately availed himself of this event, and having communicated it to the House, added, that the country would now be relieved from the burthen of its late expenses, and that he could assure the Members who clamoured for an account of the Secret Service money, that it had been expended in obtaining that peace of which the preliminaries were just signed. So much satisfaction did this news spread through the House, that the question was instantly called for, and passed without a division. In fact, to the end of this Session (I might almost say, of this Parliament) the Ministerial numbers continued steady, and even increasing; and verified the shrewd saying, that a good majority, like a good sum of money, soon makes itself bigger.

At the Congress, which opened in the month of June, the

* Walpole's Letters to Mann, December 3. 1741.

English plenipotentiaries were William Stanhope, Poyntz, and Horace Walpole. The business at Paris was intrusted to Lord Waldegrave, whom Horace Walpole praises for "a good understanding:" but still more for what was most requisite under Sir Robert, "a supple and inoffensive dis"position." At the Hague our interests were most ably conducted by the Earl of Chesterfield, one of the most shining characters of this age; whom Smollett, though with much party spirit, goes so far as to call the only man of genius employed under Walpole. **

The Congress of Soissons, however, proved a worthy counterpart of the Congress of Cambray. It was a mere routine of forms — a dull accumulation of endless memorials and counter memorials, without leading to the decision of a single disputed point. A proposal for a provisional instead of a definitive treaty equally failed, and it became necessary to revert once more to separate negotiations. "It is evident "to us all here," writes Townshend, that this nation will not "long bear this uncertain state of things." *** It was lamented in the King's Speech, when Parliament met again in January, 1729, "and I am not insensible," said His Majesty, "that some may be induced to think that an actual war is prefer"able to such a doubtful and imperfect peace; but the ex"change is very easy to be made at any time."

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Although the Session of 1729 was almost entirely engrossed with Foreign affairs, there are two other of its transactions that seem deserving of attention. The first was, the expression of the public joy and loyal congratulations to the King at the arrival of Frederick Prince of Wales. For some reason not very clear, but probably to gratify the Hanoverian party, the young Prince had never been allowed to visit England in the lifetime of George the First. He now came over at the age of twenty-one, a pledge of the Protestant Succession, and not without qualities to captivate

Coxe's Walpole, vol. iii. p. 8. **History of England, book ii. ch. 4. *** To Mr. Poyntz, February 21. 1729.

the multitude, who are always apt to love an heir apparent better than a King. I shall have occasion to show how soon this fair prospect was clouded and darkened by faction, and how scrupulously Frederick followed his father's example in caballing against him.

Another affair this Session, in which the Court was less honourably mingled, was a motion for granting His Majesty 115,000l. to supply a deficiency in the Civil List. It afterwards appeared that in truth there was no such deficiency, yet the Minister persevered and carried the Bill by a large majority. The transaction was very painful to Walpole, and no less injurious to his public character; and he is said to have used every argument with the Court to dissuade it from urging the demand. We are told also that the resistance to it in the House of Lords was very strong, although (so strictly were their Standing Orders enforced) no report at all, however meagre, appears of their debates in this and the foregoing Session.

Indeed, had it depended on the wish of the House of Commons, their debates also would have remained wholly unrecorded. A complaint being made to the House of one Raikes, a printer of Gloucester, who had published some reports of their proceedings, they passed an unanimous resolution on the 26th of February, "That it is an indignity "to, and a breach of the privilege of, this House for any 66 'person to presume to give in written or printed newspapers 66 any account or minutes of the debates or other proceedings "of this House, or of any Committee thereof." And, "that "upon discovery of the authors, printers, or publishers, "this House will proceed against the offenders with the ut"most severity."

The points on which it had been found most difficult to come to an understanding with the Spaniards were the possession of Gibraltar, and the claim of the English to cut logwood in the Bay of Campeachy. The latter had, for some years, been contested by the Spaniards; in 1717 the Marquis de Monteleon had delivered a memorial against it, which