Cleveland Row, Sept. 20th, 1797.
MY DEAREST BROTHER,
Late last night we got a messenger from Lord Malmesbury, with an
account that he was ordered away from Lisle, and was on his way to
London, where he arrived this morning. It is not easy to say
beforehand what effects it will produce here, where people's
spirits are so susceptible of alarm and depression; but I really
think, in the manner of doing the thing, the Directory have done
everything they could to play our game.
The dissatisfaction will be great in France, but they seem, for the
moment, completely masters there. Ireland is our weakest point, and
to that our attention must be most directed; for anything else I
have very little apprehension.
I think it probable that the consequences of this new state of
things will be to detain me in and about town, and to put an end to
my hopes of a journey to Stowe or Wotton; but I am not yet quite
sure as to this. I hope we shall not be in a hurry to meet
Parliament, as I understand that it will not be necessary, in point
of finance, till about the middle of November. Between this and
that time many things may still happen to raise people's spirits,
which I should fear would in the present moment be much depressed,
whatever pains we took to raise them.
Ever, my dearest brother, most affectionately yours,
G.
1798.
CONDITION OF ENGLAND--PLANS FOR THE NATIONAL DEFENCES--THE AUGMENTATION
OF THE MILITIA--VOLUNTARY SUBSCRIPTIONS--A REBELLION BREAKS OUT IN
IRELAND--LORD CORNWALLIS SUCCEEDS LORD CAMDEN AS LORD-LIEUTENANT--LORD
BUCKINGHAM VOLUNTEERS FOR IRELAND--DIFFERENCES WITH LORD CORNWALLIS--MR.
THOMAS GRENVILLE IS APPOINTED ON A MISSION TO VIENNA AND BERLIN.
A rebellion in Ireland, and a threat of invasion from France, for which
active preparations were making on the coast and in the Channel, almost
exclusively absorbed the attention of Government at the beginning of the
year 1798, and demanded all the resources which the devotion of the
people could contribute to the protection of the country. The extremity
of the public danger had the effect of uniting all classes in a combined
effort for self-preservation; and the national enthusiasm was pronounced
so strongly and unanimously on this point, that the heads of the
Opposition, shattered and enfeebled, retired from the fruitless contest
they had been so long waging against the Administration, and left Mr.
Pitt and his colleagues in almost undisturbed possession of both Houses
of Parliament.
But security was not to be purchased without great sacrifices. The
expenditure of the past year had amounted to the enormous sum of
twenty-five millions and a half; and Mr. Pitt found it necessary, in
order to provide a supply equal to the emergencies of the future, to
introduce an entirely new system of finance. He proposed to triple the
amount of the existing assessed taxes, with a limitation, restraining
the maximum of taxation to the tenth of each person's income; and to
borrow the remainder of what was required without creating any
additional debt, by appropriating the produce of the sinking fund.
There was a violent resistance in both Houses to this plan; Mr. Fox, Mr.
Sheridan, and others, who had previously seceded, re-appearing in their
places for the express purpose of opposing it; but it was carried,
nevertheless, by large majorities. Several other measures, to provide
means for carrying on the war, and strengthening the national defences,
were also introduced; and at no period, since the commencement of
hostilities, was public opinion declared so energetically in favour of
the ministerial policy. Numerous circumstances contributed to feed the
popular ardour as the year advanced. Splendid naval victories inspired
the highest confidence in the ultimate issues of the war; commerce once
more resumed its former activity; the harvest was unusually abundant;
and all branches of trade and industry reached a height of prosperity
that completely relieved the depression under which they had suffered
during the preceding year.
The most active measures were set on foot to promote the common object
of protecting the empire against foreign invasion and domestic treason.
The most prominent of them was a plan for augmenting the Militia,
afterwards matured and introduced by Mr. Dundas; and the collection of
subscriptions towards the formation of a national defence fund. No
greater proof could be given of the zeal of the people, at a period when
their burthens were already so excessive, than the munificence and
promptitude of their contributions on this occasion. At a meeting of
bankers and merchants held in the open square of the Royal Exchange,
upwards of forty-six thousand pounds were collected on the spot; the
King subscribed L20,000; the Queen L5,000; numerous mercantile firms and
private individuals contributed large sums, varying from L3,000 to
L10,000; and the Bank of England, the noble tribute of L200,000. That
this urgent necessity should have pressed heavily upon those public men
whose position made a heavy demand upon their patriotism, was to be
expected, and in some instances, sacrifices were made to an extent which
rendered unavoidable the reduction of their domestic establishments; but
no considerations of personal inconvenience were suffered to interfere
with the paramount claims of duty. The subjoined letters throw
considerable light on these transactions, and are of especial interest
from the minute details they present respecting the measures that were
adopted in this great emergency for augmenting and organizing the
Militia force of the kingdom.