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In the fucceeding feffion, which began on the 11th of January 1753, and ended the 7th of June in the fame year, Mr. Pitt took no part in any of the debates,

And he was also totally filent in the next feffion, which commenced on the 15th of November 1753, and closed on the 6th of April 1754:

In 1754 Parliament was diffolved.

CHAP

IX.

1753.

1754.

Mr. Pitt's

bill for the

relief of

fea penfi

oners.

The new parliament met on the 14th of November. Mr. Pitt was ftill in his office of Paymaster. The next day (the 15th), as foon as the addrefs was reported, Mr. Pitt moyed for leave to bring in a bill which will be an everlasting monument to his humanity. the ChelHe prefaced this motion with a melancholy defcription of the hardships to which the out-pensioners of Chelsea Hofpital were expofed by the prefent improper mode of paying their penfions. The poor difabled veterans, he faid, who were entitled to this excellent charity, were cruelly oppressed by a number of wretches who fupplied them with money in advance. By the prefent method, the poor man can receive no money

IX.

CHAP until he has been twelve months upon the lift. This was extremely unjust, because

1754.

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the poor veteran's merit and claim to the charity commenced from the moment of his disability in the fervice. But by this delay of the firft payment, he was under the neceffity of borrowing money upon the certificate of his admiffion upon the lift. He was fupplied with a pittance by one of the people called ufurers, who compelled the poor wretch to allow him a most exorbitant intereft. The practice continuing a few years, the penfioner had nothing to fubfift on; the whole of his pension being swallowed up in ufury. To remedy this grievance, he proposed, by his bill, that when the pensioner was admitted upon the lift, half a year's pension should be advanced and paid him; with fome other regulations on the fame humane principle, and the bill to commence on the 25th of December 1754.-The bill was immediately brought in, and unanimously paffed both Houses, with uncommon ex、 pedition.

Mr. Pitt took no part in the debates during the feffion, which ended on the 25th of April 1755; and three days after the King fet out for Hanover.

CHAP. X.

Death of Mr. Pelham.-Mr. Fox wishes to fuccceed Mr. Pelham, and to be Minifter of the Houfe of Commons. Explanation of Minister of the Houfe of Commons. Mr. Pitt expects to be made Secretary of State.-Sir Thomas Robinfon appointed. General Diffatisfaction.-Party at LeicesterHoufe.-State of the Nation.

IN

X.

N March 1754, Mr. Pelham died. This CHAP event proved as fatal to the ministry as the death of the Prince of Wales had been Mr. Pel

to the oppofition.

1754

ham dies.

Mr. Fox

fucceed

ham, and

minifter

House of

Mr. Fox, who was fecretary at war, wifhed to fucceed to Mr. Pelham's fituation, withes to and the oppofition offered to act under him Mr. Pelif he was appointed; but the Duke of to be Newcastle faid, "He had been fecond of the minister long enough; that he would not Commons. have acted in that capacity under any body but his brother, and now his brother was gone he would be at the head of the treasury himself." Mr. Fox then folicited the Duke to fucceed his Grace in the office of fecretary of state; and it is very probable that

822

CHAP. this request would have been granted, had X. he not infifted upon having the manage

1754.

Explanati

on of minister of

the House of Commons.

ment of the Houfe of Commons, which the Duke peremptorily refused; and upon that point the negotiation broke off.

The management of the Houfe of Commons, as it is called, is a confidential department, unknown to the conftitution. In the public accounts it is immersed under the head of fecret fervice. It is ufually given to the fecretary of ftate, when that poft is filled by a commoner. The bufinefs of the department is to diftribute with art and policy, amongst the members who have no oftenfible places, fums of money for their fupport during, the feffion; befides contracts, lottery tickets, and other douceurs. It is no uncommon circumftance, at the end of a feffion, for a gentleman to receive five hundred or a thousand pounds for his fervices*.

When

*Mr. Foxwas fo confident his negotiation with the Duke would fucceed, that while it was pending, he fent the following letter to his friends:

SIR,

"The King has declared his intention to make me secretary of state, and I (very unworthy as I fear I am of such an undertaking) must take the conduct of the Houfe of Commons. I cannot

there

1

When it was known that the Duke of CHAP.

X.

Newcastle intended the Treasury for him- 1754. felf, Mr. Pitt expected that the feals of fecretary of flate would have been offered expects to him. It is certain that he did not afk fecretary

therefore, well accept the office, till after the firft day's debate, which may be a warm one. A great attendance that day of my friends will be of the greatest consequence to my future situation, and I should be extremely happy, if you would, for that reafon, Thew yourfelf amongst them, to the great honour of &c. &c.

"H. FOX."

Mr. Pitt

to be

of state.

In the Memoirs of the Marchionefs of Pompadour (vol. i. pages 57, 58, 59, Eng. tranf. 1766) we are prefented with a very interefting anecdote, written to Cardinal Fleury, by an English minifter of that time:

"I penfion (writes the minifter) half the Parliament, to keep it quiet. But as the King's money is not sufficient, they, to whom I give none, clamour loudly for a war; it would be expedient for your eminence to remitme three millions of French livres, in order to filence these barkers. ill qualities in the blood. A pension of 2000l. a-year will make the most impetuous warrior in Parliament as tame as a lamb."

Gold is a metal which here corrects all

By the help of this anecdote, we are enabled to comprehend the mystical meaning of a minifter's planning of a Parliament, and of a minifter's conducting a House of Commons. The former phrafe we find ufed by Mr. Tindall, in the c&tavo edition of his History of England, vol. xxi. page 439-it runs thus: "Mr. P, before his death, had fettled the plan of the new Par liament."-And fame vol. page 510, he subjøins-"As to the elections, they went much in the fame track that had been laid out by Mr. P

for

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