being inserted in the bill, it passed the genius and literature, to all those who are house, was sent back to the lords, who warmed with zeal for the liberties of their agreed to the alterations, and then received country. "Our stage (said he) ought certhe royal assent. tainly to be kept within due bounds; but, PLAYHOUSE BILL. for this purpose, our laws as they stand at THE next effort of the minister was ob- present are sufficient. If our stage-players liquely levelled at the liberty of the press, at any time exceed these bounds, they ought which it was much for his interest to to be prosecuted; they may be punished. abridge. The errors of his conduct, the We have precedents, we have examples of mystery of that corruption which he had so persons punished for things less criminal. successfully reduced to a system, and all than some pieces which have been lately the blemishes of his administration, had been represented: a new law must, therefore, be exposed and ridiculed, not only in political unnecessary; and in the present case it periodical writings produced by the most cannot be unnecessary without being daneminent hands, but likewise in a succession gerous. Every unnecessary restraint is a of theatrical pieces, which met with un- fetter upon the legs, is a shackle upon the common success among the people. He hands, of liberty. One of the greatest either wanted judgment to distinguish men blessings we enjoy, one of the greatest of genius, or could find none that would en- blessings a people can enjoy, is liberty. gage in his service: he therefore employed But every good in this life has its alloy of a set of wretched authors, void of under- evil. Licentiousness is the alloy of liberty. standing and ingenuity. They undertook It is an ebullition, an excrescence; it is a the defence of his ministry, and answered speck upon the eye of the political body, the animadversions of his antagonists. The which I can never touch but with a gentle, match was so extremely unequal, that, in- with a trembling hand; lest I destroy the stead of justifying his conduct, they ex- body, lest I injure the eye, upon which it posed it to additional ridicule and contempt; is apt to appear. If the stage becomes at and he saw himself in danger of being de- any time licentious, if a play appears to be spised by the whole nation. He resolved a libel upon the government, or upon any to seize the first opportunity to choke those particular man, the king's courts are open; canals through which the torrent of censure the law is sufficient to punish the offender. had flowed upon his character. The man- If poets and players are to be restrained, ager of a playhouse communicated to him let them be restrained as other subjects a manuscript farce, entitled, The Golden are, by the known laws of their country; Rump, which was fraught with treason and if they offend, let them be tried as every abuse upon the government, and had been Englishman ought to be, by God and their presented to the stage for exhibition. This country. Do not let us subject them to the performance was produced in the house of arbitrary will and pleasure of any one man. commons. The minister descanted upon A power lodged in the hands of a single the insolence, the malice, the immorality, man to judge and determine without limitand the seditious calumny, which had been ation, control, or appeal, is a sort of power of late propagated in theatrical pieces. A unknown to our laws, inconsistent with our bill was brought in to limit the number of constitution. It is a higher, a more absoplayhouses; to subject all dramatic writers lute power than we trust even to the king to the inspection of the lord chamberlain; himself; and, therefore, I must think we and to compel them to take out a license ought not to vest any such power in his for every production before it could appear majesty's lord chamberlain." His arguon the stage. Notwithstanding a vigorous ments had no effect, though the house adopposition, this bill passed through both mired his elocution; and the playhouse bill houses with extraordinary dispatch, and ob- passed into a law. On the twenty-first day tained the royal sanction. In this debate of June the king made a short speech to the earl of Chesterfield distinguished him- both houses, and the lord chancellor proself by an excellent speech, that will ever rogued the parliament. endear his character to all the friends of

CHAPTER III.

The Russians take Oczakow-Death of Gaston de Medicis, Duke of Tuscany— Death of Caroline, Queen Consort of England-Dispute in Parliament about the Standing Army-Spanish Depredations-Motives of the Minister for avoiding a War-Address to the King on the Subject of the Depredations-Bill for securing the Trade of his Majesty's Subjects in America-Debates in the House of LordsBirth of Prince George-Admiral Haddock sails with a Squadron to the Mediterranean- -Progress of the War against the Turks-Dispule and Rupture between Hanover and Denmark-Sir Robert Walpole extols the Convention in the House of Commons-Motion for an Address, that the Representations, Letters, &c. relating to the Spanish Depredations should be laid before the House-Petitions against the Convention-Substance of that Agreement-Debate in the House of Commons on the Convention-Secession of the chief Members in the Opposition— Debate in the House of Lords upon an Address to his Majesty touching the Convention-Message from the throne touching a Subsidy to Denmark, and a Power to augment the Forces of the Kingdom-Parliament prorogued-The King of Spain publishes a Manifesto-The Emperor and Czarina conclude a Peace with the Turks-Preparations for War in England-Apology in the House of Commons for the seceding Members-Pension Bill revived, and lost-Porto Bello taken by Admiral Vernon-Hard frost-Marriage of the Princess Mary to the Prince of Hesse-Strong Armament sent to the West Indies—Death of the Emperor and Czarina-Proceedings in Parliament—Seaman's Bill-Discontents against the Ministry-Motion for removing Sir Robert Walpole from his Majesty's Councils and Presence for ever-Debate on the Mutiny-Bill-Proceedings in the House of Lords-Close of the last Session of this Parliament.

THE RUSSIANS TAKE OCZAKOW. fortune. The Turks attacked the post which A CONGRESS had been opened at Nieme- the Imperialists occupied along the Danube. row in Poland, to compromise the differ- They took the fort of Padudil, burned the ences between the czarina and the grand town of Ilas in Wallachia, and plundered seignior; but this proving ineffectual, the the neighboring villages. The prince of emperor declared war against the Turks, Saxe-Hildburghausen, who had invested and demanded assistance from the diet of Bagnalack in Bosnia, was defeated, and the empire. He concerted the operations obliged to repass the Saave. Count Seckof the campaign with the empress of Mus- endorf was recalled to Vienna; and the covy. It was agreed, that the Imperialists command of the army devolved upon count under count Seckendorf should attack Wid- Philippi. Count Kevenhuller was obliged din in Servia, while the Russians, command- to retreat from Servia; and Nissa was retaed by count de Munich, should penetrate to ken by the Musselmans. The conferences the Ukraine, and besiege Oczakow, on the at Niemerow were broken off; and the Boristhenes. They accordingly advanced Turkish plenipotentiaries returned to Conagainst this place, which was garrisoned by stantinople. twenty thousand men; and on the side of The kingdom of Poland now enjoyed the the Boristhenes defended by eighteen gal- most perfect_repose under the dominion of leys. The Muscovites carried on their ap- Augustus. Ferdinand, the old duke of proaches with such impetuosity and perse- Courland, dying without issue, the succesverance, that the Turks were terrified at sion was disputed by the Teutonic order their valor, and in a few days capitulated. and the kingdom of Poland, while the Among those who signalized themselves by States of Courland claimed a right of elecuncommon marks of prowess in these at- tion, and sent deputies to Petersburgh, imtacks, was general Keith, now field-marshal ploring the protection of the czarina. A in the Prussian service, who was danger- body of Russian troops immediately entered ously wounded on this occasion. Mean- that country; and the States elected the while count Seckendorf, finding it impossi- count de Biron, high-chamberlain to the ble to reduce Widdin without a squadron empress of Muscovy. The elector of Coof ships on the Danube, turned his arms logn, as grand master of the Teutonic oragainst Nissa, which was surrendered to der, protested against this election; but the him on the eight and twentieth day of July; king of Poland agreed to it, on certain conbut this was the farthest verge of his good ditions settled at Dantzick with the com

DISPUTE IN PARLIAMENT.

missaries of the new duke and those of the princess, and afterwards hurrying her from czarina. In the month of July, John Gas- place to place in such a condition, to the ton de Medicis, great duke of Tuscany, manifest hazard of her life, his majesty had died at Florence; and the prince de Craon certainly cause to be offended at this part took possession of his territories, in the of his conduct; though the punishment name of the duke of Lorrain, to whom the seems to have been severe, if not rigorous; emperor had already granted the eventual for he was not even admitted into the presinvestiture of that dutchy. ence of the queen his mother, to express DEATH OF CAROLINE, QUEEN CONSORT. his duty to her, in her last moments, to imIn England, the attention of the public plore her forgiveness, and receive her last was attracted by an open breach in the roy-blessing. She died of a mortification in her al family. The princess of Wales had ad- bowels, on the twentieth day of November, vanced to the very last month of her preg- in the fifty-fifth year of her age, regretted nancy before the king and queen were in- as a princess of uncommon sagacity, and as formed of her being with child. She was a pattern of conjugal virtue. twice conveyed from Hampton-court to the palace of St. James's, when her labor-pains THE king opened the session of parliawere supposed to be approaching; and at ment on the twenty-fourth day of January, length was delivered of a princess in about with a short speech recommending the distwo hours after her arrival. The king be- patch of the public business with prudence ing apprized of this event, sent a message and unanimity. Each house presented a by the earl of Essex to the prince, express- warm address of condolence on the queen's ing his displeasure at the conduct of his death, with which he seemed to be extremeroyal highness, as an indignity offered to ly affected. Though the house of commons himself and the queen. The prince depre- unanimously sympathized with the king in cated his majesty's anger in several sub- his affliction, the minister still met with missive letters, and implored the queen's contradiction in some of his favorite meamediation. The princess joined her en- sures. One would imagine that all the artreaties to those of his royal highness; but guments for and against a standing army in all their humility and supplication proved time of peace had been already exhausted: ineffectual. The king, in another message but, when it was moved that the same numsent by the duke of Grafton, observed, that ber of land forces which they had voted in the prince had removed the princess twice the preceding year should be continued in in the week immediately preceding the day pay for the ensuing year, the dispute was of her delivery, from the place of his ma-renewed with surprising vivacity, and projesty's residence, in expectation of her la- duced some reasons which had not been sugbor; and both times, on his return, indus-gested before. The adherents of the mintriously concealed from the knowledge of ister fairly owned, that if the army should the king and queen every circumstance re- be disbanded, or even considerably reduced,' lating to this important affair: that at last, they believed the tory interest would prewithout giving any notice to their majes- vail: that the present number of forces was ties, he had precipitately hurried the prin- absolutely necessary to maintain the peace cess from Hampton-court, in a condition not of the kingdom, which was filled with to be named: that the whole tenor of his clamor and discontent, as well as to support conduct, for a considerable time, had been the whig interest; and that they would so entirely void of all real duty to the king, vote for keeping up four times the number, that his majesty had reason to be highly should it be found expedient for that puroffended with him. He gave him to under-pose. The members in the opposition replistand, that until he should withdraw his re-ed, that this declaration was a severe satire gard and confidence from those by whose on the ministry, whose conduct had given instigation and advice he was directed and birth to such a spirit of discontent. They encouraged in his unwarrantable behavior said it was in effect a tacit acknowledg to his majesty and the queen, and return to ment, that what they called the whig inhis duty, he should not reside in the palace: terest was no more than an inconsiderable he, therefore, signified his pleasure that he party, which had engrossed the administrashould leave St. James's, with all his family, tion by indirect methods; which acted conwhen it could be done without prejudice or trary to the sense of the nation; and deinconvenience to the princess. In obedience pended for support upon a military power, to this order the prince retired to Kew, and by which the people in general were overmade other efforts to be readmitted into awed, and consequently enslaved. They his majesty's favor, which, however, he affirmed, that the discontent of which the could not retrieve. Whatever might have ministry complained was in a great meabeen his design in concealing so long from sure owing to that very standing army, the king and queen the pregnancy of the which perpetuated their taxes, and hung

over their heads as the instruments of arbi- could not justify the depredations and crueltrary power and oppression. Lord Pol- ties which the commanders of the guardaworth explained the nature of whig princi- costas had committed, without provocation ples, and demonstrated that the party which or pretence.

distinguished itself by this appellation, no MOTIVES OF THE MINISTER FOR AVOIDlonger retained the maxims by which the

SPANISH DEPREDATIONS.

ING A WAR.

whigs were originally characterized. Sir THE merchants of England loudly comJohn Hynde Cotton, who spoke with the plained of these outrages: the nation was courage and freedom of an old English bar- fired with resentment, and cried for venon, declared, he never knew a member of geance; but the minister appeared cold, that house, who acted on true whig princi- phlegmatic, and timorous. He knew that ples, vote for a standing army in time of a war would involve him in such difficulties peace. "I have heard of whigs (said he) as must of necessity endanger his adminiswho opposed all unlimited votes of credit: tration. The treasure which he now emI have heard of whigs who looked upon cor- ployed for domestic purposes, must in that ruption as the greatest curse that could be- case be expended in military armaments: fall any nation: I have heard of whigs who the wheels of that machine on which he esteemed the liberty of the press to be the had raised his influence would no longer most valuable privilege of a free people, move: the opposition would of consequence and triennial parliaments as the greatest gain ground, and the imposition of fresh bulwark of their liberties; and I have heard taxes, necessary for the maintenance of the of a whig administration which has resent- war, would fill up the measure of popular ed injuries done to the trade of the nation, resentment against his person and ministry. and revenged insults offered to the British Moved by these considerations, he industriflag." The ministers triumphed as usual, ously endeavored to avoid a rupture, and to and the same number of forces was contin- obtain some sort of satisfaction by dint of ued. memorials and negotiations, in which he betrayed his own fears to such a degree, as EVER since the treaty of Seville, the animated the Spaniards to persist in their Spaniards in America had almost incessant- depredations, and encouraged the court of ly insulted and distressed the commerce of Madrid to disregard the remonstrances of Great Britain. They disputed the right of the British ambassador. But this apprehenEnglish traders to cut logwood in the bay sion of war did not proceed from Spain of Campeachy, and gather salt on the island only: the two branches of the house of of Tortugas; though that right was ac- Bourbon were now united by politics, as knowledged by implication in all the trea- well as by consanguinity; and he did not ties which had been lately concluded be- doubt that in case of a rupture with Spain, tween the two nations. The captains of they would join their forces against Great their armed vessels, known by the name of Britain. Petitions were delivered to the guarda-costas, had made a practice of board- house by merchants from different parts of ing and plundering British ships, on pre- the kingdom, explaining the repeated viotence of searching for contraband commodi- lences to which they had been exposed, and ties, on which occasions they behaved with imploring relief of the parliament. These the utmost insolence, cruelty, and rapine. were referred to a committee of the whole Some of their ships of war had actually at- house; and an order was made to admit tacked a fleet of English merchant-ships at the petitioners, if they should think fit to be the island of Tortugas, as if they had been heard by themselves or by counsel. Sir at open enmity with England. They had John Barnard moved for an address to the seized and detained a great number of king, that all the memorials and papers reBritish vessels, imprisoned their crews, and lating to the Spanish depredations should confiscated their cargoes, in violation of be laid before the house; and this, with treaties in defiance of common justice and some alterations proposed by Sir Robert humanity. Repeated memorials were pre- Walpole, was actually presented. In comsented to the court of Spain, by the British pliance with the request, an enormous mulambassador at Madrid. He was amused titude of letters and memorials was prowith evasive answers, vague promises of duced. inquiry, and cedulas of instructions sent to

The house, in a grand committee, prothe Spanish governors in America, to which ceeded to hear counsel for the merchants, they paid no sort of regard. Not but that the and examine evidence; by which it appearSpaniards had reason to complain, in their ed that amazing acts of wanton cruelty and turn, of the illicit commerce which the injustice had been perpetrated by Spaniards English traders from Jamaica and other on the subjects of Great Britain. Mr. Pulislands carried on with their subjects on the teney expatiated upon these circumstances continent of South America; though this of barbarity. He demonstrated, from trea

standing his warmest endeavors, it was rejected upon a division.

ties, the right of the British traders to the logwood of Campeachy, and to the salt of Tortugas: he exposed the pusillanimity of When the mutiny-bill was sent up to the the minister, and the futility of his negoti- house of lords, a long debate arose upon the ations: he moved for such resolutions as number of troops voted for the ensuing year. would evince the resentment of an injured Lord Carteret explained the situation of nation, and the vigor of a British parlia- affairs, in almost every nation of Europe, ment. These were warmly combated by with great conciseness and precision. He Sir Robert Walpole, who affirmed, they demonstrated the improbability of a rupture would cramp the ministers in their endeav- between Great Britain and any power ors to compromise these differences: that against which a land army could be of any they would frustrate their negotiations, in-service. He examined the domestic circumtrench upon the king's prerogative, and pre- stances of the nation; and proved, that cipitate the nation into an unnecessary and whatever discontents there might be in the expensive war. Answers produced replies, kingdom, there was little or no disaffection, and a general debate ensued. A resolution and no seeming design to overturn or diswas reported; but the question being put turb the government. In answer to an argufor recommitting it, was carried in the neg-ment, that such a number of regular forces ative. The house, however, agreed to an was necessary for preventing or quelling address, beseeching his majesty to use his tumults, and for enabling the civil magisendeavors to obtain effectual relief for his trate to execute the laws of the country, he injured subjects, to convince the court of expressed his hope that he should never see Spain that his majesty could no longer suffer the nation reduced to such unfortunate cirsuch constant and repeated insults and in- cumstances: he said, a law which the civil juries to be carried on, to the dishonor of power was unable to execute, must either be his crown, and to the ruin of his trading in itself oppressive, or such a one as affordsubjects; and assuring him, that in case his ed a handle for oppression. In arguing for a royal and friendly instances with the Cath- reduction of the forces, he took notice of olic king should miscarry, the house would the great increase of the national expense. effectually support his majesty in taking He observed, that before the revolution, the such measures as honor and justice should people of England did not raise above two make it necessary for him to pursue. To millions for the whole of the public charge; this address the king made a favorable an- but now what was called the current expense, for which the parliament annually provided, exceeded that sum; besides the civil-list, the interest due to the public 1738. THE next important subject on creditors, and the sinking-fund, which, which both sides exercised their talents, was added together, composed a burden of six a bill prepared and brought in by Mr. Pul- millions yearly. The earl of Chesterfield, teney, for the more effectual securing the on the same subject, affirmed, that slavery trade of his majesty's subjects in America. and arbitrary power were the certain conseThis was no other than the revival of part quences of keeping up a standing army for of two acts passed in the reign of queen any number of years. It is the machine by Anne, by which the property of all prizes which the chains of slavery are riveted upon taken from the enemy was vested in the a free people. They may be secretly precaptors; while the sovereign was empower-pared by corruption; but, unless a standing ed to grant commissions or charters to any army protected those that forged them, the person or societies, for taking any ships, people would break them asunder, and chop goods, harbors, lands, or fortifications of the off the polluted hands by which they were nation's enemies in America, and for holding prepared. By degrees a free people must be and enjoying the same as their own property accustomed to be governed by an army; by and estate for ever. The ministry endeavor- degrees that army must be made strong ed to evade the discussion of this bill, by enough to hold them in subjection. England amusing the house with other business, until had for many years been accustomed to a an end should be put to the session. A mean standing army, under pretence of its being artifice was practised with this view; and necessary to assist the civil power; and by some severe altercation passed between Sir degrees the number and strength of it have Robert Walpole and Mr. Pulteney. At been increasing. At the accession of the length the bill was read and gave rise to a late king, it did not exceed six thousand; it very long and warm contest, in which the soon amounted to double that number, which greatest orators of both sides found oppor- has been since augmented under various tunities to display their eloquence and satire. pretences. He therefore concluded, that Mr. Pulteney defended the bill with all the slavery, under the disguise of an army for or of paternal affection; but, notwith-protecting the liberties of the people, was

swer.

BILL FOR SECURING THE TRADE IN
AMERICA.