first night of his reappearance, it had been thought that he could carry with him a much greater number in any vote that he might move; but the middle course which he had taken between contending and exasperated parties was, as middle courses are apt to be, distasteful to the House of Commons. We find Fox, in a private letter, descant with natural exultation on the defeat of his ancient rival; and, adverting to Pitt's great effort on the 23rd, Fox adds, "The contrast between the reception of that speech and of his last was perhaps the strongest ever known."2 66 Pitt himself was not chafed. He talked of the matter very calmly to Lord Malmesbury, who called upon him one morning as he sat at breakfast. Perhaps," he said, "it was not good generalship. I was aware of this, and of the sort of talk and blame to which it would give rise. Yet I had considered it over and over again before I determined what to do. . . . My plan is not to take any retrospective view-to be silent as to all that is past; but not so as to prospective measures. The situation of the country is so serious that over these I must most carefully watch. I will not oppose idly and vexatiously. On the contrary, my general line will be support. But I shall oppose most decidedly, and with all my power, any weak or pernicious half-measures— any unequal to the pressure of the moment." In the Lords a Vote of Censure, in the same words as by Colonel Patten, had been moved by Earl Fitzwilliam on the 2nd of June. Both Lord Grenville and Lord 2 To Lord Holland, June 6, 1803. Carnarvon spoke with energy against the Government. Lord Mulgrave, acting on the views of Mr. Pitt, and declaring that he thought the present time improper for such discussions, moved an adjournment of the House. In this course he was supported by Lord Melville, but they were defeated by 106 votes to 18. On the 6th of June, and in a less full House, the debate on the main question was renewed; and the Government prevailed by 86 against 17. Thus, in the Peers as in the Commons, the ascendency of Mr. Addington was clearly for the time established. Of all Pitt's personal adherents, at this time out of office, Mr. Canning, as we have seen, was the only one who persisted in voting with Colonel Patten on the 3rd of June. For some time past, indeed, he had declared against the Ministers open war. For some time past he had given to his satirical temper full rein. Light pieces of poetry, some distinguished by their talent, and all directed against Addington, proceeded from his pen into print. Several of these may deserve to be still remembered. Here is one entitled 'Moderate Men and Moderate Measures.' It thus commences : "Praise to placeless proud ability And sing the statesman-all civility- Splendid talents are deceiving, And then follow some jests, rather too broad, suggested by the nickname of "the Doctor," and applied to the practices of the medical profession. Here is another-an "Ode to the Doctor" himself. It condemns him above all for the partial favour (but was not Lord Chatham's a still stronger case?) which had led him to promote his brother Mr. Hiley Addington and his brother-in-law Mr. Charles Bragge. He had raised both these gentlemen to the rank of Privy Councillors. He had named the one joint Paymaster of the Forces, and the other Treasurer of the Navy. On the other hand they were expected to strain their lungs in his defence. "When the faltering periods lag, Or the House receives them drily, Each a gentleman at large, Brother Bragge and brother Hiley, Another sally of wit, more doubtfully ascribed to Mr. Canning, was written when block-houses were in progress to fortify the approaches of the Thames. "If blocks can from danger deliver, " Two places are safe from the French: The one is the mouth of the river, The other the Treasury Bench." Best of all, perhaps, is a couplet in which Canning compares the ability of the two Prime Ministers according to a rule-of-three sum. "Pitt is to Addington As London to Paddington." It is worth while to note in this year, 1803, the opposite complaints against two statesmen destined to become a few years later the main rivals in the House of Commons. Mr. Canning was justly accused of imprudent and impetuous ardour; while, on the other hand, an icy reserve might be imputed to Lord Castlereagh. "As for my friend Lord Castlereagh, he is so cold that nothing can warm him"-so writes the Marquis Cornwallis. Such is only part of the contrast that might be drawn through life between these two eminent men. Yet in one most amiable feeling, shown in many signal instances, they entirely concurred-in a kindly and affectionate attachment to their friends. It was a feeling that glowed no less beneath the satirical vein of Canning than beneath the stately demeanour of Castlereagh. Meanwhile the measures of the Session were in active progress. On the 6th of June the Army Estimates came on. Both Pitt and Windham spoke, and nearly to the same effect. Pitt assented to the principle of a new and further levy beyond the regular establishment; at the same time he said care must be taken that the number of Militia should not bear too large a proportion to the whole of our force. A war that should be solely 3 To General Ross, November 3, 1803. defensive would be, in his opinion, both dishonourable and ruinous. He urged expedition, and proffered himself as ready to associate with others in sharing the obloquy of harsh measures of defence and finance at such a crisis.4 On the 10th there was passed without opposition, and almost without remark, a vote for forty thousand additional seamen. That day also Mr. Pitt saw the outline of the proposed Budget, which Steele communicated to him. He said that the magnitude of the supplies to be raised within the year exceeded his expectations, and fully met his wishes. On the 13th, accordingly, Addington brought forward his Budget in a speech of two hours. He had that very morning negotiated a loan of twelve millions upon favourable terms. To provide for the further expenses which the large armaments required, he proposed, in the first place, an increase in the duties of excise, to augment the revenue by six millions. Secondly, he asked a renewal of the Property Tax, to be fixed at a lower rate, namely, five per cent., but applied to a wider range, and estimated to produce four millions and a half. Next day, on the Report of the Budget, there was a desultory debate of three hours, but with a general approbation of the plan. Mr. Pitt did not speak. He had strong doubts as to the new plan for the Property Tax, but desired to reserve himself until it should be embodied as a Bill, and clearly brought before the House. On the 17th there was a Message from the King For this speech compare the | p. 1578, with Lord Colchester's Parliamentary History, vol. xxxvi. Diary, vol. i. p. 427. |