William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne

“ The copy in the National Library of Ireland is a reissue dedicated to Petty's son Henry as Earl of Shelburne. It must have been published, therefore, after 1719, the date at which the earldom of Shelburne was created, and before 1751, when Shelburne died. ↑ The settlement of the Irish question by the fusion of Irish and English was a favourite notion of Petty's from 1655, when, in collaboration with Vincent Gookin, he is said to have opposed the segregation of the Irish by transplantation into Connaught, to the year of his death. Fitzmaurice, 31, 32, also Petty's Treatise of Ireland. ”

“ Shelburne, William Petty, Earl of, statesman, born in Dublin; succeeded to his father's title in 1761, a few weeks after his election to the House of Commons; held office in the ministries of Grenville (1763) , of Chatham (1766) , and of Rockingham (1782) ; his acceptance of the Premiership in 1782, after Rockingham's death, led to the resignation of Fox and the entry of William Pitt, at the age of 23, into the Cabinet ”

“ He still insisted that the true course for the Government to pursue was to persevere in the course of parliamentary and economic reform, which they had originally marked out for themselves. It was in no small degree owing to his efforts that the clauses of the Traitorous Correspondence Bill depriving the prisoner of the means of defence were modified in the House of Lords. The question, he said, was not one that might affect the life of one or two individuals, but the lives of many. Great as had been the alarm about treason, and of treasonable intentions, he owned he knew of neither ”

“ Conway's conduct, and was inclined immediately to have dismissed him; but Mr. Grenville advised His Majesty to wait till the recess at Christmas, and then to extend it to Colonel Barré and the others." [33] When the same resolution was discussed on the 29th in the House of Lords, Shelburne spoke with success against it, [34] making a compliment at the same time to Bute, who was absent, and flattering the Crown, in order to separate himself from Lord Temple, whose protest he did not sign. [35] But George III. was a king to whom all opposition was alike. It was enough that it was opposition. ”

“ Next to himself he owed his consideration to his mother's country; he erected a Scotch Standard which always stuck to him, and his Westminster connection never failed to advise and support him underhand, even when he was most pressed. But he wanted judgment in all great affairs, and he wanted heart on every occasion. He neither knew mankind nor did he know himself: the first is sufficiently proved by his never having had a creditable connection ”

“ On the other hand, the constant inroads of the House of Commons on the proper sphere of the Executive and on the patronage of the Crown were to be terminated, bearing in mind the disastrous effects which had thereby been produced under Lord North. There was to be a real first minister, on whom the King could rely in these matters for advice and support. Few however of Shelburne's principal colleagues—Pitt, Ashburton and Conway were probably the only exceptions—understood these ideas. Grafton and Richmond openly resented them as encroachments on their own rights ”

“ His being in such a station is the thing (and perhaps the only thing) that would fix that capricious being, the Duke of Bedford, whose present intention is to resign and take no other employment. If that should be the case he would dine a fifth Duke at Devonshire House within this twelvemonth.
"The second, Lord Shelburne, has uncommon abilities, great activity, and loves you sincerely. I need say no more to you of him than that he cannot with decency or ability remain as he now is; if he has an employment it must be a very high one, and he will fill it well. ”

“ Shelburne wrote in reply to the question of the Lord-Lieutenant, "that neither the King nor his servants have any predilection for any men or set of men whatever; that having nothing else in view than to conduct the King's affairs honourably and safely to the mutual satisfaction of the Crown and people, they must naturally choose to see the public business carried on without being obliged to make any changes whatsoever among his servants, as long as they are both able and willing to serve ”

“ Pitt, William (second son of the Earl of Chatham) enters Parliament, ii. 63; is offered the Vice-Treasurership of Ireland, ii. 91; Chancellor of the Exchequer, ii. 155; speech on Charles Fox's attack on Lord Shelburne, ii. 160; reply to Charles Fox on the treaty with the American Colonies, ii. 211; interview with Charles J. Fox, ii. 233; speech in the debate on the address on the Peace, ii. 248; on Lord Shelburne, ii. 249; is sent for by the King, ii. 252; interview with Thomas Orde, ii. 270; his imperious manner, ii. 283; and Lord Shelburne, ii. ”

“ To Bute the struggle seemed mainly one for the personal rights and prerogatives of a patriotic King; to Pitt it was a struggle for the freedom of the crown from cabals and connection and for an efficient executive. Bute therefore had now determined to seek the evils he knew not of, rather than those of which he had daily experience, and he commissioned Shelburne to treat, not only as before with Bedford and Gower, but with Pitt as well. ”

“ If I am made uneasy in my private situation, it cannot be expected I shall not severely feel it, and that it will add to my disquietude at having been forced to yield to the times.
"If Lord Shelburne has any wish to consult the Chancellor in the different stages of this business, I do not object to his showing him this letter; all that can be done at the Cabinet this day is to settle if a message is to be sent; then the words of it, and that a Bill when framed shall be laid before the Cabinet for examination previous to being presented to Parliament. ”

“ It is no wonder that so young a man should have made a slip. This would do him honour. I think at all events it is highly material that Lord Shelburne should not by any language in the House of Lords appear to change his conduct, let the blame fall where it may. I do not wish he should appear but in that dignified light which his station in my service requires, and which can only be maintained by his conduct in the whole negotiation of peace having been neat, which would not be the case if Mr. Fox could prove that independence was granted otherwise than as the price of peace ”

“ Of one thing I can answer, that no difficulties shall drive me to throw myself into the hands of any party, and that a coalition of the best of all parties, not the narrow line of one can prevent anarchy." [44]
On the 23rd Shelburne called a Cabinet, and in the evening a larger assembly of his own friends. To both meetings he declared his resolution of resigning, which on the following day he accordingly did; recommending the King to send for Mr. Pitt. This advice the King instantly followed. "Our friends," writes Mr. ”

“ Fox and the Duke of Portland will make up a Government with Pitt, for I cannot hear of Pitt's high notions of not taking part in any Government where I am not one. He shall not think of resigning with me. Lady Shelburne is so distressed that I cannot think of remaining longer in this situation; and having worked the great work of peace, I am not desirous to remain"; and he ended by expressing his own belief that a junction would take place between Pitt and Fox, to the exclusion of North. ”

“ The ambiguous position he had for some time past occupied in a ministry, from the chief measures of which he was known to differ, could be justified by facts known only to a few persons; while the politicians best acquainted with the wheels within wheels of the recent negotiations, were also those most interested in making the character and conduct of Shelburne appear in an unfavourable light. His sudden rise to very high office when a young man increased the number of his enemies. ”

“ Shelburne replied. On his way to London he had had an interview with Pitt at Bath, and consequently spoke animated not only with the consciousness of a good cause, but with the knowledge that he was the mouthpiece of a more powerful statesman than himself, though possibly this was one of the occasions when he felt that the Great Commoner had preferred throwing the responsibility of overt action on others, to taking it on his own shoulders. ”

“ I told him of what had passed between the D. of R. and me, he expressed much satisfaction, and finished with these words, 'Ld Shelburne must with very little attention and management be at the head of us, our body has property, &c., but we have not those powers that enable men to take the lead in public assemblies. You see what has been the case of C. Fox. We must naturally give way to such men.'
"In my last letter I told you Dunning agreed in opinion with you and me ”

“ Anything that would just give us breathing time, and serve to break the dangerous confederacy against us, would be a prosperous event. But when the grievous task was shifted to others, how did the language differ! The navy grew as it were by magic. The resources of the State became immense. The condition of the country flourishing; and the Ministry were to be tried by the strictest and most rigid law."
There was yet another reason against dissolution. Shelburne's extensive ideas of Reform had alarmed many of his own colleagues and had probably frightened the King himself. ”

“ It is not my business, still less my inclination, to judge the motives of any; the public, however, necessarily will; and I greatly fear the consequence will either be general despondency, or very ill-judged violence. ... In this situation I have given the necessary orders for my journey, and hope to be gone in the course of next week, persuaded your Lordship can have no further commands for your humble servant." [49]
On May the 11th accordingly Shelburne, accompanied by Barré, started on his journey.
↑ Walpole, Memoirs of the Reign of George III., iv. 40. ↑ Ibid. iv. 42. ”

“ These suspicions were soon converted into positive opposition.
"Though Lord Shelburne had the confidence of the King from March 27th, when the Administration was dismissed,"—so he writes himself in an unfinished memorandum on these times—"yet from the influence of the Rockingham party, their number in the Cabinet, and their numbers in Parliament, it was impossible for him to do much good. He found it easier to prevent evil. ”

“ Pitt's opinion by his last words to me: 'Assure Lord Shelburne he may depend on hearing from me the instant an opening comes from any quarter; that I will ever avow his conduct from our first beginning. Let him stick to measures. Connections as to men are mean, but on measures commendable. I make no professions, but Lord Shelburne will infer.' He also strongly commended Barré's conduct, to which I did all the justice in my power. We laughed about the fifteen expresses reported to be sent him from Administration, and he remains not a jot nearer Lord Bute, the Duke of Bedford, or Mr. ”

“ He finally engaged himself in a discussion with the House of Assembly on the relative rights of the Crown, the English Parliament, and the Colonies; till the Assembly, weary of perpetual altercations, and fearing that the salaries of the judges as well as those of the Governor were soon to be paid from England, petitioned the King in council to remove him. What Hutchinson was in Massachusetts, Governor Wright was in Georgia, and Lord Charles Montagu in South Carolina. "If you want to lose your Colonies," said Shelburne, many years after these events, "you should begin with the Governors" ”

“ I wish you entertainment where you are; no place can be duller than London." [36]
Thus the King again found himself without advisers. At length in desperation he sent Cumberland to negotiate with the rump of the old Whig party, and the Rockingham-Newcastle administration emerged out of the chaos. Pitt refused the overtures which the new Whig leader at once made to him. Shelburne followed his example, declining the post which Rockingham offered him:
The Marquis of Rockingham to the Earl of Shelburne. ”

“ After, however, making full allowance for the circumstances of his political position, it remains clear from the unanimity of contemporary testimony that certain faults of manner greatly contributed to injure Shelburne's reputation. While no man obtained more general recognition of his abilities in office, or was able to surround himself with a more devoted body of friends, an overstrained affectation of extreme courtesy, and a habit of using unnecessary compliments in conversation, gained him the reputation with the general public of saying more than he really meant. ”

“ Ce que j'aurois voulu que vous vissiez c'est l'étonnement qu'elle causoit à milord Shelburne. Il et simple, naturel; il a de l'âme, de la force: il n'a de goût et d'attrait que pour ce qui lui ressemble, au moins par le naturel. Je le trouve bien heureux d'être né Anglais; je l'ai beaucoup vu, je l'ai écouté, celui-là: il a de l'esprit, de la chaleur, de l'élévation. Il me rappeloit un peu les deux hommes du monde que j'ai aimés, et pour qui je voudrois vivre ou mourir."—Lettres de Madame de l'Espinasse, i. ch. lxiii. ↑ Mémoires de Morellet, i. ch. vi. ix. Rutt, Life of Priestley, i. ”

“ It is impossible to conceive that they will suffer any private considerations to interfere with their desire of showing a proper sense of that paternal regard which they have experienced from His Majesty, and of that attention which Parliament has given to their complaints, which can never be done with more propriety than by granting with the utmost cheerfulness a just compensation to those who have suffered by the late disorders." [56]
The friendly attitude of Shelburne seems to have caused a general willingness to grant relief to the victims of the riots, and relief was granted ”