Memoirs of the Reign of King George the Second, Volume 2 (of 3)

by Horace Walpole

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

This is Volume 2 of 3. The first volume can be found in Project Gutenberg at: [http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/57016]

The List of Illustrations has been copied from Volume I. This list describes six illustrations, two in each volume.

As the Editor notes in his Preface in Volume I, “Some, though very few, coarse expressions, have been suppressed by the Editor, and the vacant spaces filled up by asterisks.” There is one such occurrence in this volume (on [page 205]). Some omitted text is indicated by * * * (on [page 416].)

The Editor has also inserted the occasional [word] in brackets, when that makes the passage more sensible.

Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the footnotes have been placed at the end of each chapter.

Some minor changes to the text are noted at the [end of the book.]

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MEMOIRS
OF THE REIGN OF
KING GEORGE THE SECOND.

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VOL. II.

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M^R. FOX.
London, Henry Colburn, 1846.

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MEMOIRS

OF THE REIGN OF

KING GEORGE THE SECOND.

BY

HORACE WALPOLE,

YOUNGEST SON OF SIR ROBERT WALPOLE, EARL OF ORFORD.

EDITED, FROM THE ORIGINAL MSS.

WITH A PREFACE AND NOTES,

BY THE LATE

LORD HOLLAND.

Second Edition, Revised.

WITH THE ORIGINAL MOTTOES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:
HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER,
GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1847.

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CONTENTS
OF
THE SECOND VOLUME.

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	CHAPTER I.
A. D.		PAGE
1755.	Endeavours for Peace with France in vain	[2]
	Duke of Dorset removed; Lord Hartington made Lord-Lieutenant	[3]
	Debate on King Charles’s Martyrdom	ib.
	Affair of Sheriffs-Depute in Scotland, and Debates thereon	[4]
	Ireland	[10]
	History of the Mitchel Election	[11]
	Scotch Sheriff-Depute Bill	[14]
	History of Earl Poulet	[18]
	Preparations for War	[19]
	Ireland	ib.
	Preparations for War in France	[20]
	King’s Journey to Hanover	ib.
	Duke of Cumberland at head of Regency	[21]
	Prospects of War	[22]
	Affairs of Ireland	[23]
	CHAPTER II.
1755.	Commencement of the War	[27]
	War with France	[28]
	War in America	[29]
	Author avoids detailing Military events minutely	[30]
	Defeat and Death of General Braddock	[31]
	Events at Sea	[32]
	Spain neutral	[33]
	Fears for Hanover	ib.
	Negotiations at Hanover. Treaties made there	[34]
	Dissensions in Ministry and Royal Family	[36]
	Disunion of Fox and Pitt	[37]
	Affairs of Leicester House	[39]
	King arrives	ib.
	Ministers endeavour to procure support in Parliament	[41]
	Fox made Secretary of State	[43]
	Resignations and Promotions	[44]
	Both Ministers insincere and discontented	[45]
	Sir William Johnson’s Victory	[46]
	Accession of Bedford Party	ib.
	The Parliament meets	[47]
	Address in Lords	[48]
	New Opposition of Pitt, &c.	[50]
	Debates on the Treaties	ib.
	Pitt &c. dismissed	[62]
	Sir George Lyttelton Chancellor of the Exchequer	[63]
	Complaint of Mr. Fox’s Circular to Members of Parliament	ib.
	Debate on Fox’s Circular Letter	[65]
	Debates on number of Seamen	[67]
	CHAPTER III.
1755.	Earthquake at Lisbon	[77]
	Debates on a Prize Bill	[78]
	Death of the Duke of Devonshire	[86]
	Debates on the Army	ib.
	Remarks on the above Debate	[96]
	Debates on a new Militia Bill	[97]
	CHAPTER IV.
1755.	Debates on the Treaties	[103]
	Affair of Hume Campbell and Pitt	[107]
	Changes in the Administration settled	[139]
	Lord Ligonier and Duke of Marlborough	ib.
	Further Changes and new Appointments	[140]
	Lord Barrington and Mr. Ellis	[141]
	Pensions granted to facilitate Changes in Ministry	[143]
	Parliamentary Eloquence	ib.
	History of Oratory. Account and comparison of Orators	[144]
	CHAPTER V.
1756.	Parliament	[150]
	Negotiations with France	ib.
	Accommodation with the King of Prussia	[152]
	Parliament	ib.
	Affair of Admiral Knowles	ib.
	Supplies	[153]
	Grants to North America	[154]
	Parliament and Parties	ib.
	Hessians sent for	[155]
	Mischiefs produced by Marriage Act	ib.
	Prevot’s Regiment	[156]
	Debate on Prevot’s Regiment	[157]
	Author’s Speech on Swiss Regiments	[163]
	Debate on Swiss Regiments continued	[170]
	Affair of Fox and Charles Townshend	[172]
	Divisions	[174]
	Swiss Regiment Bill opposed in all its stages	ib.
	Swiss Regiment Bill passed the Commons and Lords	[175]
	Anecdote of Madame Pompadour	[176]
	Debates on Budget and Taxes	[177]
	New Taxes	ib.
	CHAPTER VI.
1756.	Tax on Plate	[179]
	Tranquillity restored in Ireland	[183]
	Hessians and Hanoverians sent for	[184]
	Private Bill for a new Road, and Dissensions thereupon	[186]
	Hessians	[187]
	Hanoverians	[188]
	Debate on Hanoverians	ib.
	French attack Minorca	[190]
	Militia Bill	[191]
	Vote of Credit	ib.
	Debates on the Prussian Treaty	[197]
	War declared	[201]
	Militia Bill in Lords	ib.
	Parliament Prorogued	[202]
	Troops raised by Individuals	[203]
	The Prince of Wales of age	[204]
	History of Lord Bute’s favour	ib.
	Scheme of taking the Prince from his Mother	[206]
	CHAPTER VII.
1756.	Minorca	[209]
	Character of Richelieu and Blakeney	[210]
	Siege of Minorca	[212]
	Incapacity of Administration	[213]
	Reinforcements from Gibraltar refused	[214]
	French Reports from Minorca	[215]
	Public Indignation	ib.
	Admiral Byng’s Despatch	[217]
	Remarks on the Character of Government	[218]
	The Empress-Queen joins with France	[220]
	Conclusion of the Law-suit about New Park	[221]
	Continuation of the proceedings with the Prince of Wales	[221]
	Death of the Chief Justice Rider, and designation of Murray	[223]
	Loss of Minorca	[225]
	Proceedings on Loss of Minorca	[227]
	General Fowke tried	[229]
	Addresses on the Loss of Minorca	[230]
	Revolution in Sweden	[231]
	Deduction of the Cause of the War in Germany	[232]
	German Ministers	[233]
	Bruhl	ib.
	Kaunitz	[234]
	Views and Conduct of the Courts of Dresden and Vienna	[235]
	Character of the Czarina	[236]
	League of Russia, Austria, and Saxony	[238]
	King of Prussia apprized of the League against him	ib.
	King of Prussia endeavours to secure Peace	[240]
	Invasion of Saxony by the King of Prussia	[241]
	Dresden Conquered, and the Archives searched by the Prussians	[242]
	Campaign in Saxony	[243]
	CHAPTER VIII.
1756.	Affairs at Home	[245]
	Mr. Byng publishes a Defence	[246]
	Effect of Byng’s Pamphlet	[247]
	Loss of Oswego	[248]
	Affair of the Hanoverian Soldier at Maidstone	ib.
	The King admits Lord Bute into the Prince’s Family	[249]
	Fox discontented with Newcastle, and insists on resigning	[251]
	Precarious state of the Ministry	[252]
	Lord Grenville takes Fox’s resignation to the King	[253]
	Fox, irresolute, applies to the Author	[254]
	Author’s motives in declining to interfere	[255]
	Fox has an Audience	[256]
	Pitt’s objections and demands	[257]
	Prince of Wales’s new Household	[258]
	Pitt visits Lady Yarmouth	[259]
	State of Parties	[260]
	Duke of Newcastle determines to resign	[262]
	Pitt declines acting with Fox	ib.
	Negotiations for the formation of a new Ministry	[263]
	Fox labours to obstruct the formation of a Ministry	[268]
	The designs of Fox defeated	[269]
	Duke of Devonshire accepts the Treasury	ib.
	New Ministry	[270]
	Duke of Newcastle resigns	[272]
	The Chancellor resigns	[273]
	The changes settled	[274]
	Pitt Minister	[275]
	Parliament meets	[276]
	CHAPTER IX.
1757.	Character of the Times	[278]
	Contest between the Parliament and Clergy in France	[279]
	France	[280]
	King of France stabbed	[281]
	Torture and execution of Damiens	[282]
	The King compliments Louis on his escape	[283]
	Trial of Admiral Byng	[284]
	Admiral Byng’s sentence, and the behaviour of the Court-Martial	[287]
	Author’s impressions	[288]
	Sentence of Court-Martial on Byng	[289]
	Representation of Court-Martial	[292]
	Remarks on Byng’s case	[293]
	Two Highland Regiments raised	[300]
	Ordnance Estimates	[301]
	Guinea Lottery	ib.
	Militia Bill	[302]
	Ordnance	[303]
	CHAPTER X.
1757.	Baker’s Contract	[304]
	Parliamentary Inquiries limited to Minorca	[305]
	Byng’s Sentence produces various impressions	[306]
	The Sentence of the Court-Martial referred to the Judges	[307]
	Conduct of the Judges on the Case referred to them	[308]
	Conduct of Fox	[309]
	The Admiralty sign the Sentence	[311]
	The Sentence notified to the House of Commons	[312]
	Mr. Pitt demands Money for Hanover	[313]
	Lord G. Sackville declares for Pitt	[314]
	Motives of Lord G. Sackville	[315]
	Approaching Execution of Byng	[317]
	House of Commons	[318]
	Sir Francis Dashwood animadverts on Byng’s Sentence	ib.
	Debate on Byng’s Sentence	ib.
	Some applications to the King for mercy	[326]
	Members of Court-Martial desirous to be absolved from their Oaths	[327]
	Author urges Keppel to apply to House of Commons	ib.
	Author promotes an application to House of Commons	[328]
	Sir Francis Dashwood applies for Mr. Keppel	ib.
	Keppel’s application to House of Commons	ib.
	Debate on Keppel’s application	[329]
	Keppel’s application considered in Cabinet	[331]
	The King’s Message on respiting Byng	[332]
	Breach of Privilege in the King’s Message	[332]
	Debate on the King’s Message	ib.
	Bill to release Court-Martial from Oath	[335]
	Sensations excited by proceedings in House of Commons	[341]
	Holmes and Geary disavow Keppel	[342]
	Further debate on Court-Martial Bill	[344]
	Court-Martial Bill passes House of Commons	[350]
	CHAPTER XI.
1757.	Debate in Lords	[351]
	Debate in Lords on proposal to examine the Members of Court-Martial	[354]
	Court-Martial ordered to attend House of Lords	[358]
	Examination of Court-Martial in House of Lords	[359]
	Bill debated and dropped in House of Lords	[366]
	Result of Proceedings in Parliament	[367]
	Petition for Mercy from City intended and dropped	[368]
	Death of Admiral Byng	[369]
	Reflections on Admiral Byng’s behaviour	[370]
	Rochester Election	[372]
	Death of Archbishop Herring	[374]
	Abolition of the Office of Commissioners of Wine-Licences	[375]
	Intrigues to dismiss Mr. Pitt, and form a new Ministry	[376]
	The Duke goes to Hanover to command the Army	[378]
	Change in Ministry	[379]
	———
Appendix		[383]

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