That the security of this Government being built on Whig principles, and alone supported by Whig zeal; that the establishment of the present Royal Family being settled on the timely overthrow of Queen Anne’s last Ministry, it cannot but alarm all true Whigs, to hear of schoolmasters of very contrary principles being thought of for Preceptors; and to see none but the friends and pupils of the late Lord Bolingbroke entrusted with the education of a Prince, whose family that Lord endeavoured by his measures to defeat, and by his writings to exclude from the Throne of these kingdoms.
That, there being great reason to believe that a noble Lord has accused one of the Preceptors of Jacobitism, it is astonishing that no notice has been taken of a complaint of so high a nature; on the contrary, the accused person continues in the same trust, without any inquiry into the grounds of the charge, or any steps taken by the accused to purge himself from a crime of so black a dye.
That no satisfaction being given to the Governor and Preceptor, who, though a nobleman of the most unblemished honour, and a Prelate of the most unbiassed virtue, have been treated in the grossest terms of abuse, by a menial servant in the family, is derogatory to his Majesty’s authority, under which they acted, is an affront to the Peerage, and an outrage to the dignity of the Church.
That whoever advised the refusal of an audience to the Lord Bishop of Norwich, who was so justly alarmed at the wrong methods which he saw taken in the education of the Prince, is an enemy to his country, and can only mean at best to govern by a faction, or is himself influenced by a more dangerous faction, who intend to overthrow the Government, and restore the exiled and arbitrary House of Stuart.
That to have a Scotchman of a most disaffected family, and allied in the nearest manner to the Pretender’s First Minister, consulted on the education of the Prince of Wales, and entrusted with the most important secrets of Government, must tend to alarm and disgust the friends of the present Royal Family, and to encourage the hopes and attempts of the Jacobites.
Lastly, the Memorialists cannot help remarking, that three or four low, dark, suspected persons are the only men whose situation is fixed and permanent, but that all the great offices and officers are so constantly varied and shuffled about, to the disgrace of this country, that the best affected apprehend that there is a settled design in those low and suspected persons to infuse such jealousies, caprices, and fickleness into the two Ministers whose confidence they engross, as may render this Government ridiculous and contemptible, and facilitate the Revolution, which the Memorialists think they have but too much reason to fear is meditating.
God preserve the King!
Of these papers, one had been sent to General Hawley, and another to Lord Ravensworth. The former immediately carried one copy of his to the Duke, who gave it to the King, and another to the Duke of Newcastle, whose fright was only equalled by the noise raised by other copies of the Memorial, which was soon dispersed. Whoever was ill at or discontented with the Court, whoever was popular, whoever was remarkably Whig, were said to be in the number of the Memorialists. But why Hawley was selected for one of the first copies, was not so easily guessed. It was well said, by somebody, that it was judiciously intended by the author, if he meant to have it propagated; for as Hawley could not read, he must of necessity communicate it to others. Why Lord Ravensworth received one was obvious. He was reckoned one of the warmest and honestest Whigs in England. His being reckoned so, was a reason for the authors of the Memorial to address one to him; perhaps not their only reason; perhaps their thinking him rather a factious and interested, than an honest Whig, was the chief inducement to them to sow their seeds of discontent in a rank soil, which did indeed produce an ample crop.
In the beginning of February, Lord Ravensworth came to town, and acquainted Mr. Pelham that he had strong evidence of Jacobitism to produce against Stone, Murray, the Solicitor-General, and Dr. Johnson, Bishop of Gloucester. The notification was not welcome; yet could not be overlooked nor stifled. Lord Ravensworth had already communicated his intention of having the affair sifted to the Duke of Devonshire, the Chancellor, Lord Anson, and Mr. Fox, the latter of whom he had consulted, whether he should carry the notice to the King or to the Duke. Mr. Fox told him that the Duke never meddled out of his own province, the Army. The Ministry determined, against the opinion of Lord Granville, that the Cabinet Council should hear Lord Ravensworth’s information.