1780,
meetings of the populace took place in various parts of the kingdom, and
ministers were boldly accused of having prodigally and wastefully spent
the public money; while petitions were presented, praying "for a
correction of abuses in the public expenditure." Riots in many parts of
England were the consequences of unjustly continuing wars and taxation,
and several hundred people were killed and wounded by the military;
while many others forfeited their lives on the scaffold for daring to
raise their arms against tyranny. Lord George Gordon was also committed
to the Tower on a charge of high treason; but no jury of his countrymen
could be found to consider his undaunted attempt to _redress the
people's grievances as treasonable_, and he was, consequently,
_honorably acquitted_! The influence of her majesty, however, kept a
minister in office, though contrary to the sense of the wisest and best
part of the community; and a ruinous war was still permitted to drain
the blood and money of the many.
War might probably be considered by those in power a _legal trade_; but
was it not continued for the untenable purpose of avarice? We think it
was. There did not appear to be any rational hope for reform or
retrenchment, while men versed in corruption were so enriched, and had
an almost unlimited sway over the councils of the reigning authority.
Popular commotion was dreaded; yet the ministers could not be prevailed
upon to dispel the cause of anxiety by conciliatory measures,--by a
timely redress of grievances, by concession of rights, and by
reformation of abuses. If they had done so, they would have given
satisfactory evidence that government had no other object in view than
faithfully to discharge their duty, by adopting such plans as would
really benefit mankind, and furnish means to secure the comfort and
happiness of all men.
In the mean time, much distress was imposed upon the unfortunate king,
by the increasing and uncontroulable prodigality of some of his
children, especially of GEORGE. The queen would not hear of any thing to
his discredit, and thus what little of family enjoyment remained was
ultimately destroyed.
The unrestrained predilection of this youthful prince now became
habitual pursuits, and excesses of the most detestable description were
not unknown to him. Within the circle of his less nominally illustrious
acquaintance, every father dreaded the seduction of his child, if she
possessed any personal charms, while the mother feared to lose sight of
her daughter, even for a moment. It is not in our power to give an
adequate idea of the number of those families whose happiness he ruined;
but we well, too well, know the number was infamously great. The country
gave him credit for being liberal in political principles, and
generously disposed for reform. But little of his _real_ character was
then known; his faults, indeed, were named as virtues, and his vices
considered as _gentlemanly exploits_, so that his dissembled appearance
was received, by those unacquainted with him, as the sure and
incontestable mark of a great and noble soul. But, before our pages are
concluded, we fear we must, in duty, prove him a widely-different
character! It is true, his acquaintance with political characters was
chiefly amongst "the Whigs;" it may also be added that those "Whigs,"
so particularly intimate with this prince, did not gain much by their
connexion with him, but finally became as supine and venal as himself.
They determined that, as the heir-apparent, he should not be allowed to
suffer any deterioration of greatness, and the principles and practices
of so mighty an individual were considered by them to constitute a
sufficient patent for continual imitation.
At this period, Mr. Dunning moved his famous resolution to the House,
with unbending firmness and uncompromising fidelity. He said, "The
influence of the crown has increased, is increasing, and ought to be
diminished." It was carried by a majority of 233 against 215; but a
second resolution, which was to give effect to the first, was lost by a
majority of fifty-one votes.