THE WESTMINSTER SCRUTINY.
The first business which engaged the attention of the house, was the state of the Westminster scrutiny, which had now continued for eight months, at a great expense, and only two parishes out of seven had been gone through. It was calculated that as one of the parishes scrutinized was a small one, it would take three years to scrutinise the whole. Under these circumstances, the electors petitioned the house on the subject, and the high-bailiff and his counsel were in consequence examined at the bar of the house, touching the practicability of proceeding with greater dispatch. The high-bailiff frankly confessed that it would not take less than two years to finish the scrutiny; and Mr. Welbore Ellis, now in opposition, moved that he should obey the writ, and make a return of the precept; that is, that he should declare those elected who stood highest on the poll. This was negatived by one hundred and seventy-four against one hundred and thirty-five; and another motion, of a similar tendency, moved by Colonel Fitzpatrick, at a subsequent date, was likewise rejected, though only by a majority of nine, the numbers being one hundred and forty-five against one hundred and thirty-six. This small majority was ominous, inasmuch as it indicated that there was a change in public opinion upon the subject; and encouraged by it, on the 3rd of March, Alderman Sawbridge brought forward the motion for the third time. Pitt, whose proceedings on this subject reflect no credit on his feelings, moved the question of adjournment upon this repeated motion, and had the mortification of being left in a minority of thirty-eight; the numbers being for the adjournment one hundred and twenty-four, and against it, one hundred and sixty-two. After this the main question was put and carried without a division; and on the next day Lord Hood and Mr. Fox were declared duly returned. Yet the house, while it condemned the scrutiny as inexpedient, still maintained its legality; for when, on the 9th of March, Mr. Francis moved a resolution for expunging that of the 8th of June preceding, by which it was authorised, he was left in a minority of one hundred and thirty-seven against one hundred and forty-two. It is said that Mr. Pitt engaged in this discreditable affair from the conviction, that, within a reasonable time, a decided majority of legal votes would be substantiated in favour of Sir Cecil Wray; but it would rather appear that it was from the enmity which he bore to his rival, Fox. This, indeed, is borne out by the debates on the subject, for the speeches of Pitt teem with bitter invective against his opponent; which, perhaps, may have been a leading cause in the change of sentiments that took place among the young premier’s friends. There is in the nature of man, enlightened by education, an utter abhorrence to the spirit of persecution; and it must be confessed that Pitt exhibited much of that spirit in this affair of the Westminster scrutiny. And that Fox was looked upon in the light of a martyr is evident from the words of Pitt himself. In one of his speeches, having accused his rival of filling his speech with everything that was personal, inflammatory, and invidious, he remarked:—“I am not surprised if he should pretend to be the butt of ministerial persecution; and if, by striving to excite the public compassion, he should seek to reinstate himself in that popularity which he once enjoyed, but which he so unhappily has forfeited. For it is the best and most ordinary resource of these political apostates to court, to offer themselves to persecution for the sake of the popular predilection and pity which usually fall upon persecuted men; it becomes worth their while to suffer, for a time, political martyrdom, for the sake of the canonization that awaits the suffering martyr; and I make no doubt the right honourable gentleman has so much penetration, and at the same time so much passive virtue about him, that he would be glad not only to seem a poor, injured, persecuted man, but he would gladly seek an opportunity of even really suffering a little persecution, if it be possible to find such an opportunity.” In this extract is at once seen the animus by which Pitt was actuated in this contest; and the light in which the house and the public were disposed to look upon the object of his unseeming vindictiveness. A generous conqueror never persecutes, or exults over a fallen enemy.