178 
to which we have already alluded. 
Conscious of the reception overtures 
from him, to detach any of the 
members of the ‘* new opposition” 
from those principles which had 
led them so repeatedly to express 
their decided contempt for the cha- 
racter and conduct of administra- 
tion, would meet; and alarmed at 
the prospect of supporting, by 
«numbers alone, those unpalatable, 
though perhaps necessary measures, 
inevitable hostilities had rendered 
necessary ; in an evil hour, for the 
reputation of his public and private 
character, he turned towards the 
** old opposition,” as the only quar- 
ter whence he cou!d derive that as- 
sistance, his irresolution and feeble- 
ness in the conduct of public affairs, 
had rendered indispensible: to 
the astonishment of all, and grief 
of those few who still continued to 
think highly of Mr. Addington’s 
administration, he chose from its 
ranks that person as his colleague, 
with whom, from every motive that 
might be supposed to operate on 
his mind or feelings. a connexion 
was utterly impracticable, if not 
impossible, 
Of all those individuals, who, 
during the long period of Mr. Pitt's 
ardent struggle to preserve the 
British government and constitution 
free and unpolluted from the con- 
tamination of French principles, 
opposed, with scarcely an excep- 
- tion, the whole of those salutary 
measures, to which we, at this 
moment owe our name and ex- 
istence as a free people; the most 
zealous, active, and pertinacious, 
was'the gentleman now adyanced 
by the minister to high rank in of- 
ace, and a place in the councils of 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1 $05. 
his sovereign. During the period 
of the government of his predeces= — 
sor, in which Mr, Addington was dis- 
tinguished, not only by dignity of | 
situation, but by the personal and — 
unlimited confidence of Mr. Pitt, — 
it was the object of its adherents, — 
with what justice it does not now 
become us to investigate, to hold 
up to public notice and animadver- 7 
sion, the character and conduct of | 
this active partizan of opposition, — 
as dangerous in the extreme; as 
the decided foe to the principles 
on which monarchy and the British 
constitution were founded, and as 
the champion and bulwark of Eny — 
glish republicanism. 
It is not to be questioned, but | 
that, under all the advantages 
which Mr, Pitt's administration pos- 
sessed; the popularity of the cause 
it upheld, and its long continuance; ~ 
impressions should have been made 
much to the prejudice of any indi-_ 
vidual, against whom its unceasing 
efforts had been urged, to produce 
such effect, The surprize, theres” 
fore, of those who knew that the- 
present chancellor of the exchequer ~ 
must have been a party, doubtles: 7g 
a conscientious one, to this species” 
of proscription, and who, howeve "| 
slightly they might appreciate his 
abilities, thought highly of the 
purity and goodness of his inten | 
tions, exceeded all bounds, at finding” 
this very individual, to one of th 
most lucrative and honourable si; 
tuations in the patronage of the 
crown ! 
But however strongly this deri+ 
liction of public principle might 
operate to the prejudice of the 
minister, some considerations of @ 
