[78] Humphry Sturt, Esq., M. P. for the county of Dorset, where the family has long enjoyed considerable wealth and parliamentary influence.—E.
[79] Query whether instead of John Pitt, it ought not to be George Pitt, Mr. Sturt’s colleague, and afterwards Lord Rivers, and Minister at Turin. He died in 1801.—E.
[80] This man became much more known about a dozen years after this period. [His character has not yet ceased to be a subject of controversy; and those who wish to know all that can be said for and against him, may consult Mr. Hunt’s recent biographical work, and Mr. Keppel’s Life of Lord Keppel. His generous and constant patronage of Captain Cook has given more interest to his memory than belongs to his political squabbles. The King’s favour, Lord Sandwich’s friendship, and lastly his own merit, raised him among other distinctions to the honourable post of Governor of Greenwich Hospital. He was made a Baronet in 1773, and died unmarried in 1796.—E.]
[81] By the Duke of Newcastle and Mr. Pelham.
[82] Grenville was of Buckinghamshire.
[83] This must be confined to the following period of fluctuations in the Administration. When it became resettled under Lord North, who was a Tory, the Court’s system of prerogative predominated entirely.
[84] The præmunire clauses of the Regency Act (24 George II. c. 24) are in the 4th and 22nd sections. By the 4th section these penalties attach on any person having the custody of the King’s appointment of the Council of Regency, that ventures to open the same without his Majesty’s order, or to neglect or refuse to deliver up the same after his Majesty’s death. The 22nd section is more important, and as it contains the clause to which the text applies, and was the subject of much discussion in the House of Commons, where it met with warm opposition, even from the Speaker, Mr. Onslow, the following transcript of it may not be without interest: “All commissions, letters patent, orders, matters, and things to be made, passed, had, or done by the said Regent, either with or without the consent of the said Council of Regency, in order unlawfully to set aside, change, or vary the order and method of Government, and administration of Government settled by this Act during such minorities as aforesaid, shall be absolutely null and void; and every person advising, concurring, promoting, or assisting therein shall incur the penalties of a præmunire.” An animated report of the debates on this clause is given by Walpole, Mem. Geo. II. vol. i. p. 191.—E.
[85] This is no doubt the truth.—E.
[86] With his brother Henry Pelham, and Lord Chancellor Hardwicke.
[87] Charles Fitzroy, second Duke of Grafton, Lord Chamberlain, and K.G., grandson to Charles the Second, whom he appears to have resembled in some of the better parts of that monarch’s character.—See the account of him in Walpole’s Geo. II. vol. i. p. 157. He died May 6, 1757, aged 78.—E.