Political Diftraction of the Times.” 
if ee 
Died. 1 In his 6oth year, the Right Honour- 
able Willoughby Bertie, “Earl of Abingdon. 
This fingular nobleman was educated at Ge- 
neva, and fucceeded to his title in the year 
1760, being then twenty years old. His 
lordthip feems at firft to have been deftined to 
a military life, as he was the fame year 
appointed aid-de-camp to General, afterwards 
Earl, Waldegrave, then going out on an ex- 
pedition; but he foon relinquifhed this kind 
of life, and entered warmly into political 
warfare. Lord Abingdon attached himfelf to 
the Whig party, which at ‘that period could 
boat of poffefling the firft fortune, and the 
firft talents 6f the kingdom. With that part 
ef the oppofition which was led by the late 
Lord Chatham, Losd Abingdon was more 
particularly connectede When: his friends 
came into power, he fupported them with 
that warmth, or it may be faid enthufiafm, 
for which he was diftimguifhed: we do not, 
however, find that he ever ftooped to accept 
a place, but maintained a pure independence, 
During the deftructive adminiftration of Lord 
North, Lord Abingdon feadily attached him- 
felf to ‘his opponents, voting with them, and 
{peaking on every great queftion on money; 
and we frequently find his name to feveral 
of the protetts then entered on the Journal: 
Lord Abingdon’s fpeeches in the Houfe were 
often aiiGniewidied ‘by their eccentricities, 
although fraught with found fenfe and reafon, 
But what caufed them to be more particu. 
larly noticed out of decors, was their appear- 
ing verbatim in every newfpaper, and always 
written in the firft perfon. © Subfequent in- 
quiries have explained this, andit has been 
found that, not poffeffing the talent of ex- 
tempore fpeaking, he was in the cuftom of 
writing what he had to fay, and fending co- 
pies to the editors of the different papers. 
To enable him to introduce thefe effufions 
with propriety, he was obliged either to give 
notice of a motion, or by early attendance to 
get what, in parliamenta:y language, is called 
pofleffion of the Houfe. But Lord Abingdon 
has not only endeayoured to be-ufeful to his 
country in the Houfe of Lords, he has fre- 
quently taken up his pen in her fervice; of 
his publications we fhall fpeak afterwards. 
In 1768 his lordfhip married Charlotte, 
daughter of the late Admiral Sir Peter War- 
ren, by whom he has had two fons and two 
daughters. Of the former once only furvives, 
Lord Norreys, who fucceeded him in title and 
eftate. _ His lordfhip had the misfortune to 
lofe one of his daughters a few months ago. 
With a fortune never large, but which he 
hadreduced by fome imprudent conduét in the 
early part of his life, he maintained his fa- 
mily, and fupported an independence for many” 
years. In 1777 Lord Abingdon publithed 
** Thoughts on Mr. Burke’s Letter to the 
Sheriff of Briftol, onthe Affairs of America,” 
which’ was read with applaufe; and in 1780 
he fent forth another pamphlet, ‘¢ On the 
Thete 
. 
Account of the Earl of Abingdon. 
~mies, abroad. 
$27 
publications fhew that his lordfhip, although 
an oppofition man, is of the Chatham or 
Shelburne party, who were never inclined to 
vo the lengths with refpe@ to American in+ 
dependency that the other party were. The 
year 1782 was a bufy year. for his lordfhip. 
Having refided at Geneya, he could not but 
feel himfelf interefted in the faze of that pee- 
ple opprefled by the monarch of France. His 
lordfhip made fome attempts to intereit the 
Britifh miniftry inthe fate of this republic; 
for which the commiflaries of that city fent 
him theiracknowledgments, and befoug ht hina 
to continue his good offices. Lord Abingdon, 
in reply, lamented that his application to the. 
British miniftry had been unfuccefsfal, and 
that he had too much reafon to fear they. 
would continue to be fe. He attributed this 
to the. prefent iituation of Great Britain, rent 
by divifions at home, and furrounded by ene- 
“6 Pere was a time,’ > he fait, 
*< when the aiacen and armies of Great Britain 
{poke juftice to the world; but there was a 
fad reverfe ; and the was ab longer in'a-capa-= 
city to {peak to the enemies of the liberties of 
mankind in her wonted ftrain of autherity.” 
In the beginning of this year the North ads 
miniftration found themfelves tottering on. a 
precipice, and Lord Abingdon fteadily fup- 
ported every motion thatcould rid his country 
of fo bad a fet of men. . When Lord Carmar- 
then made his fecond motion relative to-the 
difhonour the Peers fuftained: by ‘admitting 
fuch) a. charaéter' as Lord? George ‘Germain 
among them, his lordfhip tuppoyted the ma- 
tion; and contended, that, although there 
was not a right of eleCian vefted tm the 
Houle, there muft be a right of exclufisn, 
when the admidiion of any Peer happened to 
be againft the fenfe of their lordfips. ‘This 
reafoning le enforced with great energy, and, 
was ably fupported by the Duke vor Rich- 
mond. Thiisisa point in the Englith Confti- 
tution of the greateft i impo: ‘tance, and which 
may one day or other be ferioufly taken up. 
When the party with-whonnhe had-been act. 
ing came into power, Lord Abingdon does not 
appear to have received any favour from them; 
on the divifion of that party he joined Lord 
Shelburne, with whom, when the coalition 
had oufted him, hecontinuedtoaé; andfoon 
after joined Mr. Pitt in harraffing the mini- 
ftry, by a very vexatious and troublefome bild 
for reform in the public offices; and on the 
lofs of the bill in the Houfe of Lords, he en- 
tered his proteft. " The India bill of Mr. Fox 
his lordfhip fteadily oppofed ; and on the re- 
mioval of ,that adminittration as fteadily fup- 
ported their ‘fucceflor, with whom he’ has 
continued to a& arene invariably ever fince. 
His lordfhip has not favoured the world with 
any political pamphlet for fome years; indeed, 
he feems to have been fo. warm an admirer 
of the prefent miniftry and their plans, that 
he had no opportunity to employ his pen, 
till a late he of a pair of colours by 
Lady Loughborough, to the Plage ier y Vo- 
lunteeérs, | 

