perhaps, he had only been an improver of it; but notwithstanding this, and that he boafted that he knew every man's price, he found himfelf, at length, unable any longer to procure a majority in the House of Commons. There is an instinctive propensity in mankind to think reverently of the mysteries of Government; and a person who is able, in whatever manner, to prefide over the affairs of a nation for a confiderable period, is infallibly exalted into a great man. In pursuance of this propensity, we have heard much of the abilities of Sir Robert Walpole. He had a great fluency and readiness of language; and though what he uttered was neither nervous nor elegant, yet it had its weight with those, who estimate the value of a fpeech by its length, and think him the best Orator, who can harangue upon all occafions without hefitation. He was well skilled in parliamentary bufinefs, and poffeffed a certain eafinefs of foul, and calloufnefs of fenfation, which made him proof against all attacks, and raised him superior to every embarrafiment. By an unwearied attention to figures and calculations, he had acquired a knowledge of the fubject of finance, which his fyftem of Government did not always allow him to turn to the greatest advantage. That fyftem was founded on the narroweft and most detestable principles. As he had never known what it was to be concerned in a popular Administration, he was acquainted with no means of preferving his power but that of corruption. The maxim which he pursued and avowed is well known. He ridiculed the very ideas of patriotism and public fpirit, thought felf-intereft the wifeft principle by which a man could be actuated, and bribery the most elevated and comprehensive system that ever entered into the human mind. After this, it is but fair to add, that in the well-known debate relating to Steele, for publishing the "Crifis," he greatly diftinguished himself in behalf of liberty; and the Schifm Bill soon after gave him a fine opportunity of exerting his powers, and appearing appearing in the character of the champion of civil and religious liberty. But whatever objections his minifterial conduct may be liable to, in his private character, he is univerfally allowed to have poffeffed very amiable and benevolent qualities. That he was a tender parent, a kind mafter, a beneficent patron, a firm friend, an agreeable companion, are points that have seldom been difputed him; and POPE, who was no friend to Courts and Courtiers, hath paid him gratis, an handfomer compliment on the last of these heads, than any liberality could ever purchase. In answer to his friend, who perfuades him to go and fee Sir Robert, he says—————— "Seen him I have, but in his happier hour, No Minister, perhaps, ever diftinguished himself more by his writing than Sir Robert Walpole. About the end of Queen Anne's reign, and the beginning of George the First, he wrote the following pamphlets.-1. "The Sovereign's Answer to the Gloucestershire Addrefs." The Sovereign meant Charles Duke of Somerset, so nick-named by the Whigs. 2. Answer to the Representation of the Lords on the State of the Navy." 3. "The Debts of the Nation stated and confidered in four pages, 1710." 4. "The thirty-five millions accounted for, 1710."5. "A Letter from a Foreign Minister in Eng land to Mofieur Pittecum, 1710." 6. "Four Letters to a Friend in Scotland upon Sacheverell's Trial." 7. "A Short Hiftory of the Parliament." 8. "The South-Sea Scheme confidered." 9. "A Pamphlet against the Peerage Bill, 1719." 10. "The Report of the Secret Committee, June 9, 1715." Upon the whole, the first remarkable concuffion that the Government of Walpole occafioned in the minds of the governed, was ་ was owing to a scheme he had formed for extending the Laws of Excife, by which, under fpecious pretences, he hoped to fwell the number of dependents, and add to the means of corruption. But what filled up the measure of his unpopularity, was his inglorious fyftem with relation to foreign affairs. As he was the Minister of the King, and not the Man of the People, he had long facrificed the interefts, and lavished the treasures of Great-Britain, in fubferviency to a system of continental meafures, to which his Master was invincibly attached. After his refignation, Sir Robert Walpole spent the remainder of his life in tranquillity and retirement, and died in the year 1745, in the 71ft year of his age. BEAU OF THE BRITISH SENATE. I Rife not only to offer my fentiments against the terms of the Address propofed, but likewise to make a Motion. It has, Sir, upon fuch an occafion, been the ancient custom of this House, to present an Addrefs of Thanks to his Majesty, for his most gracious Speech from the Throne, but such Addresses were in former days always in general terms; there were in them no flattering paragraphs, no long compliments made to the Throne, for tranfactions and fucceffes which had never been laid before the Houfe, and of which, by a neceffary confequence, the House must have been supposed to have been entirely ignorant it is true, Sir, we have of late years, fallen into a custom of complimenting the Throne upon every such occafion with long Addreffes; and this custom has been followed fo long, that I am afraid it may at last become a Vote of course, to vote an Address to his Majefty, in fuch terms as shall be concerted by those very men, whofe measures are approved of by the compliment made to the Throne. I confefs, Sir, that I am fo little of a courtier, that I cannot return thanks for what I know nothing of; nor can I applaud before I know a VOL. I. reafon B reafon for fuch applaufe. I am not at all against an Address of Thanks in the ancient ufual ftyle: but tho' I fhould happen to be fingle and alone in my oppofition, which I hope I shall not, yet I am refolved to oppofe addreffing in thofe terms; for, if it were for no other reason than this, that fuch a Motion may not ftand upon the Journals of the House, as agreed to nem. con. for if not taken notice of in time, fuch humble Addreffes to the Throne may at laft come to pass as matters of course, and be as little regarded or opposed, as fome affairs now are, which at first stood a long conteft before they could be introduced. It is no new thing in me to oppose such Addreffes; I always have opposed them; and though I do not thereby appear to be a good courtier, yet it fhews that I have some respect for the honour and dignity of this House: befides, when fuch Addresses have been proposed, it has been promifed, and we have been affured, that no advantage should afterwards be taken of any words contained in any complimentary part of such Address: but every Member in this Houfe knows, that when the Houfe had an opportunity of examining things more particularly, and Debates enfued thereupon, they have been told, that they could not cenfure any of the paft tranfactions, because they had approved of them all by their Addrefs of Thanks to his Majefty for his moft gracious Speech from the Throne. I hope, for the fake of my country, that all things are well; that our affairs both at home and abroad are in that profperous condition in which they have been reprefented to us; but as we cannot yet judge from the effects, and as the treaties, from which this great prosperity and lasting tranquillity is to arife, have not yet been laid before us, I cannot but look upon it as an anticipation of the Refolutions of this Houfe, to thank his Majefty for thofe Treaties, which we have not as yet had an opportunity either to perufe or confider; and therefore I move, that the first part only of the Motion already made should stand, and that all the other complimentary paragraphs fhould be left out. Mr. Shippen, Jan. 13, 1732. |