X. 1719. bois, on his part, sent directions to Marquis Scotti, CHAP. Father d'Aubenton, and others in the French interest, to unite their exertions with Schaub's, and use their influence over Elizabeth. The struggle was arduous, from the difficulty of prevailing with the Queen; but that point once gained, it was more easy for her to prevail with her husband. Some difficulties that could not then be overcome were eluded by referring them to be discussed at a future congress, to be held at Cambray. But on the 26th of January Philip issued a decree, announcing his accession to the Quadruple Alliance, and declaring that he gave peace to Europe at the expense of his rights and possessions. He also renewed his renunciations of the French crown, and promised to evacuate Sicily and Sardinia within six months a condition which he punctually performed, It is remarkable that the orders to the Marquis de Lede arrived just as the two armies, drawn out in front of Palermo, were in motion against each other, and on the point of engaging in a great and decisive battle. Thus was that unnecessary bloodshed successfully averted; and thus, by the firmness, skill, and union of the French and English Governments, and especially of Stanhope and Dubois, were laid the foundations of a solid and happy peace for Europe, which endured for upwards of twelve years, In the affairs of the North the union of England and France was no less salutary. On the death of the King of Sweden, the new Queen had been glad X. 1719. CHAP. to conclude a peace with George the First, and to yield to him the duchies of Bremen and Verden. Poland was satisfied with the acknowledgment of King Augustus. Prussia also, after much negotiation, agreed to a suspension of arms, accepting Stettin and some other Swedish territory. But the Czar and the King of Denmark, seeing Sweden drained of men and money, and even of provisions*, and deprived of her military ruler, were not to be appeased with moderate concessions, and sought for the total ruin of that monarchy. In this state of things, the Cabinet of St. James's combined with that of the Palais Royal to offer, and if necessary to enforce, their mediation between the warring powers. Lord Carteret, a young statesman of the highest promise, was sent ambassador to Stockholm; and Sir John Norris, with eleven men-of-war, sailed for the Baltic. Neither the Ambassador nor the Admiral could, at first, prevail. The Russian fleet ravaged the coasts of Sweden with dreadful havoc, burning above a thousand villages, and the town of Nykoping, which, next to Stockholm and Gothenburg, was reckoned the most considerable in the kingdom. Remonstrances and threats were used in vain; and at length Stanhope, then at Hanover, sent orders "Outre l'épuisement d'argent où les Suedois se trouvent, "ils manquent aussi de vivres, et l'on nous mande qu'ils n'en "ont que pour trois ou quatre mois pour tout le Royaume." (Stanhope to Dubois, Hanover, July 31. 1719. Hardwicke Papers, vol. xxxix.) X. 1719. to Norris to treat the Russian fleet as Byng had CHAP the Spanish. The Admiral consequently effected his junction with the Swedish men-of-war at Carlscroon, and was proceeding in search of their enemy, when the Czar, alarmed at this combination, and finding the intention serious, hastily recalled his fleet. Still, however, he brooded over future victories, and entertained no thoughts of peace. The Danes, being weaker, appeared more reasonable. They had already taken Marstrand, and threatened Gothenburg, when the interference of England forced them to desist, and to conclude a treaty, accepting a sum of money as an equivalent for their conquests.t And thus, in 1720, of the five Powers leagued against Sweden, none except the Czar, remained in arms. It is not to be supposed that these negotiations, either with Spain or Sweden, were carried on without frequent rubs and jars from the Hanoverian faction. A letter of Craggs at this period lifts up a corner of the veil which the loyalty of the Ministers hung over the frailties of the favourites. "La Suede n'a donc plus d'autre ressource que notre "escadre et elle en convient. Avec les quatre vaisseaux qui "doivent incessamment joindre notre Amiral il en aura quinze, " et pourvu que la Suede en ait 6 ou 8 nous hasarderons un com"bat, quoique nous ne soyons pas sans apprehension que les "Danois ne viennent au secours des Russes." (Stanhope to Dubois, July 31. 1719.) ↑ "S. M. Danoise qui n'a pas un ducat pour defrayer ses "besoins, est il encore capable de refuser de bonnes sommes ! "Si on augmente la dose je ne le croirai jamais !" (Craggs to Schaub, Oct. 13. 1719. Hardwicke Papers, vol. xxxvii.) M M CHAP. He inveighs most severely against the undue X. 1719. power and selfish views of Bernsdorf, and the extreme rapacity of all the Germans. "It is incredible," he adds, "what prejudice all these sales "of offices do to the King's service; for, to complete our misfortunes, I have remarked that "there is no distinction of persons or circum"stances, - Jacobites, Tories, Papists, at the Ex 66 66 change or in the Church, by land or by sea, "during the session or in the recess; nothing is objected to, provided there is money. 66 You "see that at the rate we are now going on, Lord "Stanhope is on the point of resigning every day. "It is possible that his friends may continue in "out of pure respect to the King, but without 66 hoping to do the least good."* There is certainly much passion and exaggeration in this picture; but still Lord Chesterfield's bitter sarcasm was not quite without some pretext, when he said some years afterwards, "If we have a mind effec"tually to prevent the Pretender from ever obtain 66 ing this crown, we should make him Elector of "Hanover, for the people of England will never "fetch another King from thence !"* King George arrived in London from his German states on the 14th of November, and opened Parliament in person nine days afterwards. The first and most important measure of the session Secretary Craggs to Mr. Schaub, June 30. 1719. Appendix. + H. Walpole's Letters to Sir H. Mann, December 9. 1742. was the celebrated Peerage Bill, which had already CHAP. been brought forward in the previous winter; but which I have not noticed till now, in order to present a more clear and connected account of it. The creation of twelve Peers to establish a majority for the Court had been justly reprobated in Lord Oxford's administration, and had formed an article in his impeachment. The punishment of the wrongdoer might be sufficient to satisfy the multitude; but reflecting men would naturally consider whether any means existed to prevent the recurrence of the wrong, or whether the danger might not be more tolerable than the remedy. It was the remembrance of that outrage which first gave rise to the project of limiting the King's prerogative in the creation of Peers. But this, like other projects for the improvement of the constitution, might perhaps have remained dormant for a considerable time, had it not been quickened by the personal difficulties and fears of Ministers. The German favourites, hungering for titles and honours, were constantly pressing to repeal the limitations of the Act of Settlement, and a restraint upon new creations of Peers would have been very useful as a further and final barrier against their selfish ambition. A still more powerful motive was supplied by the unhappy division in the royal family. The exasperation of the Prince of Wales, and some incautious expressions ascribed to him, made Stanhope and Sunderland apprehend his measures on coming to the throne, and Sunderland did not hesitate 1719. |