The Political History of England - Vol. X. - The History of England from the Accession of George III - to the close of Pitt's first Administration

William Hunt, Reginald Lane Poole

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Title: The Political History of England - Vol. X.  The History of England from the Accession of George III  to the close of Pitt's first Administration

Author: William Hunt

Editor: Reginald L. Poole  William Hunt

Release Date: April 29, 2008 [EBook #25232]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

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THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

Seventy-five years have passed since Lingard comple ted his H ISTO RYO F E NG LAND ,which ends with the Revolution of 1688. During that period historical study has made a great advance. Year after year the mass of materials for a new History of England has increased; new lights ha ve been thrown on events and characters, and old errors have been corrected. Many notable works have been written on various periods of our h istory; some of them at such length as to appeal almost exclusively to professed historical students. It is believed that the time has come when the advance which has been made in the knowledge of English history as a whole should be laid before the public in a single work of fairly adequate size. Such a bo ok should be founded on independent thought and research, but should at the same time be written with a full knowledge of the works of the best mode rn historians and with a

desire to take advantage of their teaching wherever it appears sound.

The vast number of authorities, printed and in manuscript, on which a History of England should be based, if it is to represent t he existing state of knowledge, renders co-operation almost necessary and certainly advisable. The History, of which this volume is an instalment, is an attempt to set forth in a readable form the results at present attained by research. It will consist of twelve volumes by twelve different writers, each of them chosen as being specially capable of dealing with the period which he undertakes, and the editors, while leaving to each author as free a hand as possible, hope to insure a general similarity in method of treatment, so that the twelve volumes may in their contents, as well as in their outward appearance, form one History.

As its title imports, this History will primarily deal with politics, with the History of England and, after the date of the union with Scotland, Great Britain, as a state or body politic; but as the life of a nation is complex, and its condition at any given time cannot be understood without taking into account the various forces acting upon it, notices of religious matters and of intellectual, social, and economic progress will also find place in these volumes. The footnotes will, so far as is possible, be confined to referen ces to authorities, and references will not be appended to statements which appear to be matters of common knowledge and do not call for support. Each volume will have an Appendix giving some account of the chief authoriti es, original and secondary, which the author has used. This account will be compiled with a view of helping students rather than of making long lists of books without any notes as to their contents or value. That the History will have faults both of its own and such as will always in some measure attend co-operative work, must be expected, but no pains have been spared to make it, so far as may be, not wholly unworthy of the greatness of its subject.

Each volume, while forming part of a complete History, will also in itself be a separate and complete book, will be sold separately, and will have its own index, and two or more maps.

Vol. I. to 1066. By Thomas Hodgkin, D.C.L., Litt.D., Fellow of University College, London; Fellow of the British Academy.

Vol. II. 1066 to 1216. By George Burton Adams, M.A., Professor of History in Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

Vol. III. 1216 to 1377. By T. F. Tout, M.A., Professor of Medieval and Modern History in the Victoria University of Manchester; formerly Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford.

Vol. IV. 1377 to 1485. By C. Oman, M.A., Fellow of All Souls' College, and Deputy Professor of Modern History in the University of Oxford.

Vol. V. 1485 to 1547. By H. A. L. Fisher, M.A., Fel low and Tutor of New College, Oxford.

Vol. VI. 1547 to 1603. By A. F. Pollard, M.A., Professor of Constitutional History in University College, London.

Vol. VII. 1603 to 1660. By F. C. Montague, M.A., Professor of History in

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University College, London; formerly Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford.

Vol. VIII. 1660 to 1702. By Richard Lodge, M.A., Professor of History in the University of Edinburgh; formerly Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford.

Vol. IX. 1702 to 1760. By I. S. Leadam, M.A., formerly Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford.

Vol. X. 1760 to 1801. By the Rev. William Hunt, M.A ., D.Litt., Trinity College, Oxford.

Vol. XI. 1801 to 1837. By the Hon. George C. Brodrick, D.C.L., late Warden of Merton College, Oxford, and J. K. Fotheringham, M.A., Magdalen College, Oxford, Lecturer in Classics at King's College, London.

Vol. XII. 1837 to 1901. By Sidney J. Low, M.A., Balliol College, Oxford, formerly Lecturer on History at King's College, London.

The Political History of England

IN TWELVE VOLUMES

E DITEDBY WILLIAM HUNT, D.L ITT ., AND REGINALD L. POOLE, M.A.

X.

THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND

FROM THE ACCESSION OF GEORGE III. TO THE

CLOSE OF PITT'S FIRST ADMINISTRATION

1760-1801

BY WILLIAM HUNT, M.A., D.L ITT . PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.

39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON

NEW YORK AND BOMBAY

1905

The production of this book, which was ready in April, has unavoidably been postponed by the Publishers

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

T HE K INGAND B UTE .

25 Oct., Accession of George III. 1760. National feeling The king's education and character His plan of government His first cabinet Influence of the Earl of Bute The civil list 1761.The war in Germany 7 June.Capture of Belle Ile The king's covert attack on the whig ascendency Opposing views with respect to the war The general election of 1761 25 Mar.Bute secretary of state 8 Sept.The king's marriage Bute's unpopularity

CHAPTER II.

T HE P EACEO F P ARIS .

1761.Negotiations for a peace France and Spain act together in negotiation Pitt maintains British honour and interests

PAGE

1

1 3 6 8 11 13 13 15

15

17

19 20 21 22

23

25

26

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Pitt and his colleagues 5 Oct.Pitt resigns office The family compact. War declared 2 Jan., 1762. against Spain Frederick of Prussia offended Newcastle's resignation. Bute 25 April. succeeds to the treasury The war in Germany British conquests: Martinique, Havana, Manila Negotiations with France A majority in the commons secured The terms of peace 10 Feb., Definitive treaty signed at Paris 1763. Mar.The cider tax 11 April.Bute retires from office

CHAPTER III.

T HE G RENVILLE A DMINISTRATIO N .

1763.The new ministers TheNorth Briton, No. 45, and the April. general warrant The king's attempts to strengthen the Aug. administration Sept.Changes in the administration Proceedings in parliament against Nov. Wilkes 19 Jan., The commons expel Wilkes 1764. Violation of the privileges of parliament Grenville's economy Great Britain's colonial policy 1763.Defence of the American colonies 10 Mar., The stamp bill proposed 1764. 22 Mar., The bill enacted 1765. American resistance The right of taxation Unstatesmanlike policy

CHAPTER IV.

T HE K ING , T HE W HIG S , AND C HATHAM .

28 31

32

33

34

35

37

38 39 40

42

43 44

45

46

48

49

50

51

52

53 54 58

59

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60 62 63

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1765.The king and Grenville April-May.The regency bill The weavers' riot A whig administration formed under 16 July. Rockingham Its weakness and difficulties Jan., 1766.Pitt on American taxation Burke, his character and political principles Repeal of the stamp act. The Mar. declaratory act Pitt forms an administration, and is July. created Earl of Chatham His foreign policy Sept.-Nov."A forty days' tyranny" Feb., 1767.Chatham incapacitated by disease June, 1763.Revolt of Mír Kásim 23 Oct., Battle of Baxár 1764. Parliamentary interference with the E. June, 1767. India Company 1767-69.Haidar Alí's invasions of the Karnatic

CHAPTER V.

G RO WTHO FTHE K ING ' S P O WER .

C. Townshend and the new American 1767. duties The ministry in Chatham's absence Jan., 1768.Junction with the Bedford party Feb.TheNullum Tempusbill Massachusetts heads resistance to the revenue acts Partial repeal of the new duties 1 May, 1769. decided on Condition of Ireland. Rise of 1761. Whiteboyism The government of Ireland Octennial act and augmentation of 1768-69. Irish army 1768.The general election of 1768 Wilkes returned for Middlesex 10 May.Riot in St. George's Fields 1769.Wilkes and the Middlesex electors French annexation of Corsica. Faltering policy of ministers Arrears of the civil list

64 65 66

67

68 69

70

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73

74 76 76 77

78

79

80

82

85 87 87

88

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91

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94 95 96 97

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28 Jan., 1770.

TheLettersof Junius Chatham in opposition Grafton resigns. North forms an administration Triumph of the king's policy Discontent with the constitutional machinery Chatham and Burke differ on character of needful reforms

CHAPTER VI.

T HE K ING ' S R ULE .

1770.Two parties in the opposition The struggle in parliament The Grenville controverted elections April. act 5 Mar.The "Boston massacre" Chatham and his city friends demand a dissolution They are foiled by the king Dispute with Spain concerning the Falkland islands England's foreign policy 1770-71.Changes in the ministry The law of libel The house of commons and the printers 1772.Religious toleration The royal marriage act and C. J. Fox Affairs of E. India Company. North's June, 1773. regulating act May.Clive's acquittal The king's political predominance

CHAPTER VII.

T HE Q UARRELWITH A MERICA .

1772-73.Resistance to law in America 16 Dec., The Boston tea-riot 1773. 29 Jan., Franklin before the privy council 1774. The penal acts The Quebec act First meeting of a continental 5Sept.

99 100

102

103

103

105

106 107

108

109

110

111

112

114 115 116

117

118 119

121

122 123

124

126

126

128 129

132

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5Sept. congress The American loyalists The general election of 1774 Opinion in England on the American crisis Feb.-Mar., Bills and resolutions for conciliation 1775. The Americans prepare for war 19 April.Fighting at Lexington and Concord

CHAPTER VIII.

T HE C O LO NIAL R EBELLIO N .

April, 1775.The American army at Cambridge Americans seize Ticonderoga and May. Crown Point English opinion on the outbreak of war Washington appointed American 15 June. commander-in-chief 17.The battle of Bunker hill The invasion of Canada 31 Dec.Defeat of the Americans at Quebec The king hires German troops 17.The evacuation of Boston May-June, The Americans chased out of Canada 1776. Spread of the idea of separation 28 June.Unsuccessful attempt on Charleston Declaration of American 4 July. independence The war generally popular in Great 1775. Britain The opposition in parliament The state of the navy Nov.North's prohibitory bill

CHAPTER IX.

S ARATO G A .

27 Aug., The battle of Long Island 1776. 15 Sept.British take New York 11, 13 Oct.Carleton's victory on Lake Champlain Washington retreats across the 8 Dec. Delaware

132

134 135

136

138

139 140

143

144

144

146

147 151 152 153 155

155

156 157

158

158

159 161 162

164

165 166

167

26.The surprise of Trenton Partial secession of whigs from parliament Impressment for the navy 1777.Arrears of the civil list Plan for co-operation between Howe and Burgoyne Howe's campaign. Battle of the June-Nov. Brandywine, Sept. 11 American camp at Valley Forge 6 July.Burgoyne captures Ticonderoga His difficulties, distress, and failure 17 Oct.The convention of Saratoga Responsibility for the disaster Alliance between France and the 6 Jan., 1778. Americans Why England had not yet subdued the Americans

CHAPTER X.

W ARWITH F RANCEAND S PAIN .

1777-78.The opposition and the war The king's refusal to allow Chatham to Mar., 1778. form a ministry 11 May.Chatham's death Constitutional importance of the issue of the war Abuses in naval administration 27 July.Naval action off Ushant Progress of the war in America Lord Howe and Count d'Estaing Mistaken naval policy of Great Britain Combined French and Spanish fleets Aug., 1779. in the Channel The war in various parts of the world 12 May, The surrender of Charleston 1780. Jan.-Feb.Rodney's relief of Gibraltar 17 April.His indecisive action off Dominica Ireland's grievances 1779.The volunteers Removal of restrictions on Irish trade 1779-80.Activity of the opposition in England 2-7 June.The Lord George Gordon riots

168

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170 171

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175 176 177 179 179

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191 193 193 194 195

196

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198 199 200 202 202 202 205

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CHAPTER XI.

Y O RKTO WNANDTHE K ING ' S D EFEAT .

Mar., 1780.The armed neutrality 20 Dec.Dispute with the Dutch: war declared Defence of Gibraltar 5 Aug., 1781.Battle of the Dogger Bank General election and the new 1780. parliament 2 Oct.The fate of Major André 3 Feb., 1781.Rodney takes St. Eustatius July, 1780.French squadron at Rhode island Cornwallis's campaign in the south: 16 Aug. battle of Camden 17 Jan., Battle of the Cowpens 1781. 15 Mar.Battle of Guilford May.Cornwallis in Virginia How England lost command in the American waters 19 Oct.The capitulation at Yorktown Causes of the disaster Reception of the news in England Events in the war with France and Spain The second Rockingham ministry; the Mar., 1782. king's defeat

CHAPTER XII.

T HE R O UTO FTHE W HIG S .

208 209 210 212

212

215 216 218

219

221

222 223

224

225 225 226

227

229

Attack on the corrupt influence of the 1782. >231 crown Legislative independence conceded May.232 to Ireland 12 April.The "battle of the Saints" 234 Last scenes of the siege of Gibraltar 236 1780-84.War in India and in the Indian waters 236 Quarrel between Fox and Shelburne 238 July, 1782.240Shelburne forms a ministry Preliminaries of peace between Great 30 Nov.241 Britain and America The American loyalists 242 3 Sept., Definitive treaty of Versailles 242 1783. State of parties in parliament 243 The coalition between Fox and North 244

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