the miscellaneous writings and speeches-3-第33章

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astounding　explosion。　　The　question　which　ought　undoubtedly　to　have　been　considered　as　paramount　to　every　other　was；　whether　the　proposed　change　was　likely　to　be　beneficial　or　injurious　to　the　thirty　millions　of　people　who　were　subject　to　the　Company。　　But　that　question　cannot　be　said　to　have　been　even　seriously　discussed。　　Burke；　who；　whether　right　or　wrong　in　the　conclusions　to　which　he　came；　had　at　least　the　merit　of　looking　at　the　subject　in　the　right　point　of　view；　vainly　reminded　his　hearers　of　that　mighty　population　whose　daily　rice　might　depend　on　a　vote　of　the　British　Parliament。　　He　spoke；　with　even　more　than　his　wonted　power　of　thought　and　language；　about　the　desolation　of　Rohilcund；　about　the　spoliation　of　Benares；　about　the　evil　policy　which　had　suffered　the　tanks　of　the　Carnatic　to　go　to　ruin；　but　he　could　scarcely　obtain　a　hearing。　　The　contending　parties；　to　their　shame　it　must　be　said；　would　listen　to　none　but　English　topics。　　Out　of　doors　the　cry　against　the　ministry　was　almost　universal。　　Town　and　country　were　united。　　Corporations　exclaimed　against　the　violation　of　the　charter　of　the　greatest　corporation　in　the　realm。　　Tories　and　democrats　joined　in　pronouncing　the　proposed　board　an　unconstitutional　body。　　It　was　to　consist　of　Fox's　nominees。　　The　effect　of　his　bill　was　to　give；　not　to　the　Crown；　but　to　him　personally；　whether　in　office　or　in　opposition；　an　enormous　power；　a　patronage　sufficient　to　counterbalance　the　patronage　of　the　Treasury　and　of　the　Admiralty；　and　to　decide　the　elections　for　fifty　boroughs。　　He　knew；　it　was　said；　that　he　was　hateful　alike　to　King　and　people；　and　he　had　devised　a　plan　which　would　make　him　independent　of　both。　　Some　nicknamed　him　Cromwell；　and　some　Carlo　Khan。　　Wilberforce；　with　his　usual　felicity　of　expression；　and　with　very　unusual　bitterness　of　feeling；　described　the　scheme　as　the　genuine　offspring　of　the　coalition；　as　marked　by　the　features　of　both　its　parents；　the　corruption　of　one　and　the　violence　of　the　other。　　In　spite　of　all　opposition；　however；　the　bill　was　supported　in　every　stage　by　great　majorities；　was　rapidly　passed　and　was　sent　up　to　the　Lords。　　To　the　general　astonishment；　when　the　second　reading　was　moved　in　the　Upper　House；　the　opposition　proposed　an　adjournment；　and　carried　it　by　eighty…seven　votes　to　seventy…nine。　　The　cause　of　this　strange　turn　of　fortune　was　soon　known。　　Pitt's　cousin；　Earl　Temple；　had　been　in　the　royal　closet；　and　had　there　been　authorised　to　let　it　be　known　that　His　Majesty　would　consider　all　who　voted　for　the　bill　as　his　enemies。　　The　ignominious　commission　was　performed；　and　instantly　a　troop　of　Lords　of　the　Bedchamber；　of　Bishops　who　wished　to　be　translated；　and　of　Scotch　peers　who　wished　to　be　re…elected；　made　haste　to　change　sides。　　On　a　later　day；　the　Lords　rejected　the　bill。　　Fox　and　North　were　immediately　directed　to　send　their　seals　to　the　palace　by　their　Under　Secretaries；　and　Pitt　was　appointed　First　Lord　of　the　Treasury　and　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer。　The　general　opinion　was；　that　there　would　be　an　immediate　dissolution。　　But　Pitt　wisely　determined　to　give　the　public　feeling　time　to　gather　strength。　　On　this　point　he　differed　from　his　kinsman　Temple。　　The　consequence　was；　that　Temple；　who　had　been　appointed　one　of　the　Secretaries　of　State；　resigned　his　office　forty…eight　hours　after　he　had　accepted　it；　and　thus　relieved　the　new　government　from　a　great　load　of　unpopularity；　for　all　men　of　sense　and　honour；　however　strong　might　be　their　dislike　of　the　India　Bill；　disapproved　of　the　manner　in　which　that　bill　had　been　thrown　out。　　Temple　carried　away　with　him　the　scandal　which　the　best　friends　of　the　new　government　could　not　but　lament。　　The　fame　of　the　young　prime　minister　preserved　its　whiteness。　　He　could　declare　with　perfect　truth　that；　if　unconstitutional　machinations　had　been　employed；　he　had　been　no　party　to　them。　He　was；　however；　surrounded　by　difficulties　and　dangers。　　In　the　House　of　Lords；　indeed；　he　had　a　majority；　nor　could　any　orator　of　the　opposition　in　that　assembly　be　considered　as　a　match　for　Thurlow；　who　was　now　again　Chancellor；　or　for　Camden；　who　cordially　supported　the　son　of　his　old　friend　Chatham。　　But　in　the　other　House　there　was　not　a　single　eminent　speaker　among　the　official　men　who　sate　round　Pitt。　　His　most　useful　assistant　was　Dundas；　who；　though　he　had　not　eloquence；　had　sense；　knowledge；　readiness；　and　boldness。　　On　the　opposite　benches　was　a　powerful　majority；　led　by　Fox；　who　was　supported　by　Burke；　North；　and　Sheridan。　　The　heart　of　the　young　minister；　stout　as　it　was；　almost　died　within　him。　　He　could　not　once　close　his　eyes　on　the　night　which　followed　Temple's　resignation。　　But；　whatever　his　internal　emotions　might　be；　his　language　and　deportment　indicated　nothing　but　unconquerable　firmness　and　haughty　confidence　in　his　own　powers。　　His　contest　against　the　House　of　Commons　lasted　from　the　17th　of　December　1783；　to　the　8th　of　March　1784。　　In　sixteen　divisions　the　opposition　triumphed。　　Again　and　again　the　King　was　requested　to　dismiss　his　ministers。　　But　he　was　determined　to　go　to　Germany　rather　than　yield。　　Pitt's　resolution　never　wavered。　　The　cry　of　the　nation　in　his　favour　became　vehement　and　almost　furious。　　Addresses　assuring　him　of　public　support　came　up　daily　from　every　part　of　the　kingdom。　　The　freedom　of　the　city　of　London　was　presented　to　him　in　a　gold　box。　　He　went　in　state　to　receive　this　mark　of　distinction。　　He　was　sumptuously　feasted　in　Grocers'　Hall；　and　the　shopkeepers　of　the　Strand　and　Fleet　Street　illuminated　their　houses　in　his　honour。　　These　things　could　not　but　produce　an　effect　within　the　walls　of　Parliament。　　The　ranks　of　the　majority　began　to　waver；　a　few　passed　over　to　the　enemy；　some　skulked　away；　many　were　for　capitulating　while　it　was　still　possible　to　capitulate　with　the　honours　of　war。　　Negotiations　were　opened　with　the　view　of　forming　an　administration　on　a　wide　basis；　but　they　had　scarcely　been　opened　when　they　were　closed。　　The　opposition　demanded；　as　a　preliminary　article　of　the　treaty；　that　Pitt　should　resign　the　Treasury；　and　with　this　demand　Pit　steadfastly　refused　to　comply。　　While　the　contest　was　raging；　the　Clerkship　of　the　Pells；　a　sinecure　place　for　life；　worth　three　thousand　a　year；　and　tenable　with　a　seat　in　the　House　of　Commons；　became　vacant。　　The　appointment　was　with　the　Chancellor　of　the　Exchequer：　　nobody　doubted　that　he　would　appoint　himself；　and　nobody　could　have　blamed　him　if　he　had　done　so：　　for　such　sinecure　offices　had　always　been　defended　on　the　ground　that　they　enabled　a　few　men　of　eminent　abilities　and　small　incomes　to　live　without　any　profession；　and　to　devote　themselves　to　the　service　of　the　state。　　Pitt；　in　spite　of　the　remonstrances　of　his　friends；　gave　the　Pells　to　his　father's　old　adherent；　Colonel　Barre；　a　man　distinguished　by　talent　and　eloquence；　but　poor　and　afflicted　with　blindness。　　By　this　arrangement　a　pension　which　the　Rockingham　administration　had　granted　to　Barre　was　saved　to　the　public。　　Never　was　there　a　happier　stroke　of　policy。　　About　treaties；　wars；　expeditions；　tariffs；　budgets；　there　will　always　be　room　for　dispute。　　The　policy　which　is　applauded　by　half　the　nation　may　be　condemned　by　the　other　half。　　But　pec