1780. dalous, and difgraceful. Not fo in those who oppofed c HAP the propofition of the fixth of April; they acted con- XXXVII. fiftently, and like men differing upon principle, and would have been guilty of the most shameful verfatility, if they abandoned the measures they had once avowed. But who could contemplate, without mingled indignation and furprise, the conduct of another set of men, who after voting with him that the influence of the crown ought to be diminished, pledging themselves to the house, the nation, their constituents, the people at large, to each other, and to themselves, for the redress of grievances, abandoned that folemn engagement by rejecting the means propofed it was fhameful, it was bafe, it was unmanly, it was treacherous. The contempt he felt for those who were at the devotion of the minister, was mingled fometimes with pity, and fometimes with fo much respect as was due to the folitary virtue of fidelity, gratitude, or confiftency. They did not take in their patron or their friends with falfe hopes or delufive promises; they divided regularly with the minifter, through thick and thin, on every question. To concur in general propofitions, and refufe affent to effective ones, was a paradox in party, and in politics; he was taken in, deluded, impofed upon. He trusted, however, that fuch grofs tergiverfation would never pass without detection, nor fail to be followed by the contempt it deferved; he did not defpair that the people would fee and purfue their own intereft at a general election, that they would learn to distinguish between their open friends and foes, and their worst of enemies, the concealed ones. LORD NORTH extended the protection of his eloquence to thofe who had drawn on themselves this fevere attack; he faid, Mr. Fox's language was fuch as no provocation could juftify; it was indecent and improper; an invective, and not a parliamentary fpeech. He bantered the leader of oppofition with confiderable humour and effect on his irritability at Q 2 finding 228 1780. CHAP. finding himself in a minority again, after having, for XXXVII. a fhort moment of his life, been in a majority, and contrafted it with his own philofophical calmnefs, when he stood in fo unexpected and novel a fituation. He did not think himfelf justified in rifing in the anguifh of defeat and difappointment, and accufing thofe who had frequently voted with him, of baseness, treachery, versatility, and other improper motives, and he advised Mr. Fox not to be, for the future, so rash and hafty. Farther proceedings on the petitions. ALTHOUGH lord North truly obferved on this occafion, that the petitions, and the refolutions framed on them, were still before the house, and the rejection of one fingle measure did not preclude the right of further confideration, yet this defeat of oppofition did, 19th May. in fact, conclude the difcuffion. A motion by ferjeant Adair, for withholding the grant of further fupplies, till the grievances of the people were redreffed, was negatived without a debate"; and when Mr. Dunning moved to receive the report of the committee on the tenth of April, the question for the chairman's quitting the chair was carried by a majority of forty-three *. 26th. Report of the com. mittee refused. SUCH was the termination of this famous contest, which, confidering the means used to intereft the people at large, the ftrenuous exertions of oppofition, the alarming tendency of the refolutions past on the fixth and tenth of April, and the menacing afpect of the times, may be fafely pronounced one of the moft critical struggles which the conftitution had sustained fince the Revolution. Ir will naturally ftrike the reader with as much astonishment as it did the public, that a houfe of com-mons which had fo warmly adopted the American war, and fupported the measures of government with fo large a majority, fhould affent to Mr. Dunning's extraordinary motion against the influence of the crown, and for the exclufion of perfons holding certain offices of government from fitting in par- CHAP. liament. It will appear no lefs inconceivable, that having manifefted fo decided a refolution to overturn the miniftry, the fame houfe fhould, after a recefs of only fourteen days, negative all the subsequent motions of oppofition, though intended to carry their former refolutions into effect. THIS fudden change in the conduct of the houfe, has been attributed folely to influence and corruption, and those independent members who thus thwarted the effects of their former vote, have been accused of inconfiftency and treachery. But their conduct in both cafes naturally refulted from the temper of the times, the state of the miniftry, and the violence of oppofition. THE diftracted ftate of Ireland, the unfuccessful progrefs of the war in America, and the degraded condition of the English navy, which had fuffered the united fleets of France and Spain to ride triumphant in the channel, and menace the British coasts, excited general alarm and indignation. The divided ftate of the cabinet, the candid and eafy temper of lord North, and the unpopularity of lord Sandwich and lord George Germaine, increafed the ferment and apprehenfions of the nation, and induced many independent members of the house of commons, who were warm friends to government, to fecond the efforts of oppofition. On the other hand, the marquis of Rockingham and Sir George Savile's character for integrity, the manly fpirit of Mr. Fox, and the fplendid talents of Mr. Burke, infpired hope and confidence, and the parliament, as well as the people, were inclined to any measure, not detrimental to the conftitution, which was likely to fubftitute an efficient cabinet in the room of a distracted ministry. SUCH was the general difpofition at the time of Mr. Dunning's first motion, on the influence of the crown, which was accordingly carried by a majority Q3 of XXXVII. 1780. CHA P. of eighteen. But on his fecond motion, for the XXXVII. exclufion of certain perfons holding offices under government, the violence of the oppofition had al1780. ready disgusted many of their new adherents, and the question paffed by a majority of only two. In this fituation of affairs, the illness of the fpeaker occafioned an adjournment of ten days, and after the recefs, the oppofition being too eager to purfue their advantages, alarmed the moderate party by a motion which tended not to diminish, but to annihilate the power of the crown, and to revive the tyranny of the long parliament. Accordingly the houfe threw out, by a majority of fifty-one, the laft motion of Mr. Dunning. CHAPTER THE THIRTY-EIGHTH: 1778-1779-1780-1781. Effects of appeals to the people.- Origin and progress of the riots in Edinburgh and Glafgow on the fubject of popery.-Formation of Proteftant affociations.-Difcuffions in parliament.--Correfponding committees established.--Lord George Gordon elected prefident of the Proteftant affociations.-Effects of debating focieties.-Intemperance of Lord George Gordon.Petitions to parliament against the Catholics.-London petition. Meeting at Coachmakers Hall.-Meeting of petitioners in St. George's Fields.-Motion by the duke of Richmond for a reform of parliament.-The members infulted.-The houfe of commons interrupted.-Chapels of embaffadors burnt-Riots fubfide-and are renewed.-Privy council held.-Proclamation.--Riots more alarming.--Parliament adjourned.-Numerous conflagrations-Timidity of government.-Second privy council.-Exertions of the military.The riots quelled. -Lord George Gordon committed to the Tower.-King's Speech on the riots.—Lord Mansfield's opinion on a military interference.-Petitions rejected by parliament.-Judicious Speech from the throne on terminating the feffion.-Political effect of the riots. Trial of the rioters-And of Lord George Gordon.-Diffolution of parliament. Τ - appeals to IT is a misfortune ever attendant on appeals to the CHA P. people in questions of government, that the firft XXXVIII. measures, however reasonable and moderate, are per- 1778. verted by enthufiafts or intriguers. Extravagant or Effect of defigning men, affuming the direction of the popu- the people. lace, find it eafy to obtain a dangerous afcendancy; and through their want of difcretion, or want of integrity to guide aright the fteps of the erring and giddy multitude, tremendous effects are the refult of causes apparently inadequate, and in their origin contemptibly infignificant. While men of the first talent Q4 and |