"His

king, and in the strength of his friends. success on this occasion," as a contemporary pamphleteer justly expresses himself, "threw him into a lethargy of power. He imagined that the breach between the Whigs and the Tories was too great to be repaired during the time of electing a new parliament; he thought that it would daily become wider; he seems to have mistaken the motives which influenced the conduct of the Tories, and formed too favourable a judgment of the temper and spirit manifested by the people on that unjust motion. He gave them time to reconcile this temporary ebb, and suffered the popular opinion against him to flow back again with increasing violence."*

While the minister laboured under this pressure of great unpopularity; while he was arraigned for the measures of others, of which he was accused of being the sole director; while the cabinet was divided, and the support from the crown so feeble; the exertions on the side of government were inadequate to the vigorous efforts made by opposition. The Tories and Jacobites were reconciled with the disaffected Whigs, and all united to demolish their common enemy. Letters from the Pretendert were circulated among the Jacobites and high Tories,

* A View of the whole Conduct of a late Eminent Patriot, p. 148. + From lord Orford. -Etough also, in a letter to Horace Walpole, says, "The Pretender, as this your great brother positively assured me, to his certain knowledge, sent at least a hundred letters, which were transmitted to his friends, in November 1741. The purport of them was to engage them to use all possible endcavours, in order to compass Walpole's demolition." Walpole Papers.

exhorting them to use all their efforts for the purpose of effecting the disgrace of Sir Robert Walpole; and such was the temper of the people, that his fall became the open or secret wish of all parties.

CHAPTER 59.

1741-1742.

Meeting of the Parliament-Complexion of the new House of Commons-King's Speech-Walpole permits an Alteration to be made in the Address-Small Majority in Favour of the Bossiney Election -The Appointment of a Chairman of the Committee of Election carried against him-Loses the Question of the Westminster Election—Adjournment of the House-Ineffectual Attempt to detach the Prince of Wales from the Opposition-House again assemblesWalpole loses the Chippenham Election-Adjournment of the House of Commons, at the King's Request-Sir Robert Walpole created Earl of Orford, and resigns—Affecting interview with the King-Regret of his Friends.

THE new parliament assembled on the 4th of

December; when Arthur Onslow was re-chosen speaker. On the 8th, the king made a speech from the throne. He said:

"It is always a great satisfaction to me to meet you assembled in parliament; and especially at this time, when the posture of affairs makes your counsel and assistance so necessary; and when by means of the new elections, I may have an opportunity of knowing the more immediate sense and disposition of my people in general, from their representatives chosen, during a season, which has been attended with a great variety of incidents of the greatest consequence and expectation, and during the course of the

war, in which we are engaged with the crown of Spain; a war in itself just and necessary, entered into by the repeated advice of both houses of parliament, and particularly recommended to me to be carried on in America, which has been my principal care. I can therefore make no doubt, but that you are met together, fully sensible of our present situation, and prepared to give me such advice, as shall be most conducive to the honour and true interest of my crown and kingdoms."

He next mentioned the powerful confederacy formed against the queen of Hungary, &c. "Had other powers," he said, " that were under the like engagements with me, answered the just expectations they had so solemnly given, the support of the common cause had been attended with less difficulty. I have, pursuant to the advice of my parliament, ever since the death of the late Emperor, exerted myself in support of the house of Austria. I have endeavoured, by the most proper and early applications, to induce other powers that were equally engaged with me, and united by common interest, to concert such measures as so important and critical a conjuncture required; and where an accommodation seemed to me to be necessary; I laboured to reconcile those princes, whose union would have been the most effectual means to prevent the mischiefs that have happened, and the best security for the safety and interest of the whole. Although my endeavours have not hitherto had the desired effect, I

cannot but still hope, that a just sense of the common and approaching danger will produce a more favourable turn in the counsels of other nations." He then exhorted parliament to put the nation in a condition of assisting friends, and defeating enemies in any attempts they might make against him or his dominions, and concluded with an exhortation, that they would act with unanimity, vigour, and dispatch.*

The remarkable caution with which the king had always mentioned any thing relating to his allies, made this speech the more noticed, and it was generally supposed not to have been dictated by the minister,† a circumstance which seemed to demonstrate, that there was a preponderant party against him in the cabinet.

It soon appeared from the complexion of the house, and the conduct of the minister, that his power and influence were on the decline. An address of thanks being proposed by Henry Herbert, some of the opposition objected to a clause, "for returning his majesty the thanks of this house, for his royal care in prosecuting the war with Spain." Sir Robert Walpole now felt, for the first time, the awkwardness of his situation, and he appeared "shorn of his strength." Instead of opposing with spirit any alteration in the address, and manfully declaring that the misfortunes of the war, could not be charged upon government, he attempted to palliate the losses which the nation had suffered, and to show that the war had not been so un

* Journals-Chandler. † Tindal, vol. 20. p. 525.