XIII. CHA P. Lord Townshend, the vice-royalty of Ireland, defignated Mr. Yorke, fon of the late Lord Hardwicke, for chancellor, and probably had made other appointments, when his life was unexpectedly terminated by a putrid fever. 1767. 4th Sept. His character. CHARLES TOWNSHEND, from whose splendid abilitics government was expected to receive a new impulfe, and whofe talents were employed in an attempt to rescue the administration from the feebleness of fluctuating councils, was defcended from Charles Viscount Townshend, the able and upright minifter of the House of Brunswick. He paffed through the schools with distinguished reputation, and was celebrated for that pointed and finished wit which rendered him the delight and ornament of parliament, and the charm of private fociety. In his speeches he brought together in a fhort compass all that was neceffary to establish, to illuftrate, and to decorate that fide of the queftion which he supported. He stated his matter skilfully and powerfully; his ftyle of argument was neither trite and vulgar, nor fubtle and abftrufe. He excelled in a most luminous explanation and display of his fubject. His defects arofe from his lively talents and exquifite penetration: he readily perceived and decried the errors of his co-adjutors, and from the versatility of his political conduct acquired the nick-name of the weather-cock. He fat in parliament twenty years, and fucceffively filled the places of lord of Trade, and of the Admiralty, fecretary at war, paymaster of the forces, and chancellor of the Exchequer, in which offices he executed business with fuch accuracy and dispatch, as demonftrated that genius and industry are not incompatible. He was carried off in the meridian of life, at the age of forty-two, at a time when it might be hoped his lively talents were matured by experience, and the irregular fallies of his verfatile temper, fubjected to the restraints of judgment. Burke's Works, vol. i. p. 566. XIII. 1767. THIS event renewed the difficulty of effecting a CHAP. ministerial arrangement; the chancellorship of the Exchequer was filled ad interim by Lord Mansfield. It was offered to Lord North, who, for fome reasons 12th Sept. which are not precisely known, declined accepting it. The offer was fubfequently made to Lord Barrington, who had difcharged the duties of the fame ftation with diftinguished ability, under the administration of the Duke of Newcastle, during a period of no inconfiderable difficulty. Lord Barrington expreffed great reluctance at being placed in a fituation to which he thought Lord North's parliamentary talents more equal, but declared his readiness to undertake the office from a sense of duty to his King and country, if a renewed application to Lord North fhould fail; a negotiation ift Dec. was attempted with the Duke of Bedford, but without effect, and at length Lord North was prevailed on to accept the offices. of the Ex chequer. LORD NORTH, eldeft fon of Francis Earl of Guil- Lord North ford, was now in the thirty-fixth year of his age: he Chancellor commenced his education at Eton, and completed it at Oxford, with confiderable reputation for his profi- His chaciency in claffical literature. His elegant taste as a scholar racter. was eminent through a life fully occupied with the most momentous public concerns. On his travels he applied with much affiduity to the acquifition of diplomatic knowledge, and ftudied with great fuccefs the Germanic conftitution, under the celebrated Mascove. He commenced his parliamentary career in 1754, and during Mr. Pitt's administration, in 1759, obtained a feat at the Treasury Board; he was removed by the Rockingham miniftry in 1765, but, with Lord Chatham, came again into office, as joint paymaster of the forces. His talents, erudition, and experience, eminently qualified him for the important fituation he was now called upon to fill. His abilities for debate were univerfally acknowledged, and had been advantageously displayed in the motions against Wilkes, and in the difcuffions on India affairs. СНАР. XIII. 1767. 5th Dec. Grafton tion. 20th Jan. 1768. Mr. THOMAS TOWNSHEND fucceeded Lord North as paymaster, and Mr. Jenkinson was appointed a lord of the Treafury; Lord Northington and General Conway refigning, Lord Gower was made prefident of the adminiftra- council, Lord Weymouth fecretary of State, and Lord Sandwich joint poft-mafter-general. Thefe promotions indicated an accommodation between the ministry and the Bedford party, and the cabinet was further ftrengthened by the appointment of Lord Hillsborough to the office of fecretary of ftate for America. ministry, thus modelled, was called the Duke of Grafton's administration; for although Lord Chatham ftill retained his place, he was incapable of tranfacting February. bufinefs; in confequence of which, the privy seal was for a fhort time put in commiffion, though it was afterward restored to him. March. 24th. Nov. 1767. Refraint on grain. Reftriction of dividends on Eaft The THESE changes were effected during the fitting of parliament, but as the King in his fpeech from the throne, announced that they were called together merely to tranfact the urgent public business, that a diffolution might take place at a time not inconvenient to the people, no affairs of importance were agitated. The King's fpeech principally recommended to attention, the relief of the poor, who ftill fuffered from the high price of provifions, and particularly of corn. Petitions on this fubject were presented from the city of London, and from Devizes, and an act was paffed fimilar to that of the preceding feffion, prohibiting the export, and encouraging the importation of grain. THE act of the laft feffion, restraining the East India Company from increafing their dividend beyond ten India ftock. per cent. being expired, was now renewed. 15th Jan. 1768. The company strenuously refifted this interference in their affairs, and presented a petition against the bill. As a chartered body, they claimed exemption from fuch authority; and, as British fubjects, demanded relief from a restraint, which, if urged as a precedent, would affect all the public and private property in the kingdom. The bill, however, paffed the Heufe of Com mons |