When the strongest and best concerted opposition that ever was had prevailed against Sir Robert Walpole, and Mr. Pulteney was created Earl of Bath, Mr. Newton was appointed his first chaplain and as a particular account was then written of the principal transactions at that important period, the curious reader may perhaps be pleased to have the sum and substance of it laid before him.

"At the beginning of the new parliament in 1741, when it appeared by the choice of a "chairman for the committee of elections, and by "the Westminster election and some other points "carried against the Court, that Sir Robert Wal

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pole could no longer maintain his power in the "House of Commons, the Duke of Newcastle

requested of Mr. Pulteney to give him and the "Lord Chancellor Hardwicke the meeting pri"vately one evening at Mr. Stone's house at "Whitehall. Though he had all due respect for "those two great persons, yet he prudently de"clined to give them a private meeting, as in "that critical situation of affairs it might give ad

vantage to his enemies, and occasion jealousy "in his friends: but he was willing to receive "them publicly at his own house, and only de"sired that as they were two, one other might be joined with him, naming Lord Carteret, to

which they readily consented.

Accordingly "they

they met at Mr. Pulteney's house that evening; and His Grace began by saying that they came deputed from His Majesty, that His Ma

jesty was sensible Sir Robert Walpole could "not any longer carry on the business of the "House, and therefore His Majesty was willing

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to throw all his affairs into Mr. Pulteney's "hands; but upon this express condition, that "Sir Robert Walpole should not be prosecuted; "for the King could not consistently with his "honor give him up to the people. Mr. Pulteney "replied, that if that condition was to be made "the foundation of the treaty, the treaty must be "at an end before it had begun; for that was a "condition that he never would comply with: but

even supposing it was his inclination, yet it

might never be in his power to fulfil such an engagement, for the heads of the parties were "somewhat like the heads of snakes which were "urged on by the tail. He therefore neither "could, nor ever would accept of such a condi"tion. For his part he would be no screen; but "if His Majesty pleased to have any farther treaty

or discourse with him, he was very ready to pay "his duty at St. James's, though he had not been "there for so many years; but he would not come privately, but publicly and openly at noon-day, "to prevent all jealousy and suspicion. And so

they broke up, and the meeting ended with

tc out effect. Before they parted, some Champagne was called for, and the Duke of New"castle drank Here's to a happier meeting,' "Mr. Pulteney immediately replied out of Shake"spear's Julius Cesar,

If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;
If not, why, then this parting was well made.

"A day or two passed, and nothing farther

was transacted; but then another meeting was "desired at the same place of the same company, "and they met accordingly. The noble Duke "said that he was now commissioned by His "Majesty to give up every thing into the hono"rable Gentleman's hands, and without the con"dition that was mentioned before but only "His Majesty begged and entreated of him, if " any prosecution should be commenced against "Sir Robert Walpole, though he might not choose "to oppose it, yet that he would not inflame it; "the thing was not insisted upon, but was left to "his generosity and good nature. He made an

swer that he was by no means a man of blood; "what might be done, or might be proper to be

done, he could not undertake to say; he must "take the opinion and advice of his friends; but "he thought that some parlamentary censure at "least ought to be inflicted for so many years of "mal-administration. The noble Duke said far

VOL. II.

E

"ther

"ther by authority from His Majesty, that he hoped the honorable Gentleman would not be "for distressing the government, or making too "C many alterations now in the midst of a session "of parlament, but that he and his friends would "be content for the present with the removal of "Sir Robert Walpole and a few others. The "honorable Gentleman was so far from ever in"tending to distress His Majesty's government, "that he had always the most dutiful thoughts "and affections towards him; and he was sensi"ble enough that to make all the changes now in "the midst of the session would put too great a

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stop to the public business, and throw every "thing into confusion. For upon new changes "there must of course be new writs and new "elections and if the parlament should be ad

journed till all the members could be rechosen, "the business of the nation could not go on, nor "the necessary supplies be raised in due time; "and if the parlament should not be adjourned, "then those who should be turned out would dur

ing the vacancies be too strong for those who "should come in, and might undo all that was

doing, and set every thing afloat again, so that "there would be little less than a civil war in the parlament and in the nation. His moderation "therefore was as great and conspicuous as his "prudence. He did not insist upon a total

5

"change

"change of every person belonging to the court; " he acknowledged that he had no particular objection (for instance) to the noble Duke or the "Lord Chancellor: but he said that there must

be an alteration of men as well as of measures; "and for the present he insisted only upon the "main forts of government being delivered into "their hands as their security for the rest, that "is upon a majority in the Cabinet Council, 66 upon a Secretary of State for Scotland, upon a "board of Treasury and of Admiralty, and upon "turning out some other persons who were most "obnoxious. Some of these points were contro"verted; but Mr. Pulteney insisting absolutely

upon them, they were at last yielded to him.

"It was not without some reluctance that his "Grace assented; and he said that he supposed "the honorable Gentleman would choose to be "himself at the head of the Treasury: it was "His Majesty's earnest and repeated desire that " he would be so. No, said the honorable Gen"tleman; as the disposition of places is put into

my hands, I will accept of none myself; I have "often declared against accepting any place, and "will be constant to myself; and named Lord "Carteret for to be at the head of the Treasury, "who bowed, and was very thankful to him for "the honor he had done him, and readily accepted it. He named likewise Mr. Sandys to