390 
was then thought, disgraced for ever, 
than anew distribution of their employ- 
ments took place. On this occasion, the 
government of Ireland, ah office, at 
that period, not only of great honour, 
but also of great power and authority, 
was assigned to the Duke of Portland, 
who accordingly repaired thither, as 
Viceroy, with General Fitzpatrick for his 
secretary. The administration of that 
day continued, by means of their in- 
structions, which were liberal and manly, 
¢o insure popularity to his mission, Te 
accordignly conceded freely, what might 
etherwise’ fave been demanded in a 
forcible manner; and, accordingly, one 
of his first acts was the independence of 
Freland, or rather complete emancipation 
from the power and controul of a British 
Parliament. He is perhaps the only Lord 
Bieutenant with whom the Irish. peo- 
ple were so completely pleased, as to be 
eaver to drag him to-the Parllament- 
house, which they were, indeed, only pre- 
vented from accomplishing by the inter- 
vention of the horse-guards. , In the 
mean time, an event occurred in this 
country, which produced his speedy re- 
tarn, atthe end of three short months. 
his was the lamented death of the 
Marquis of Rockingham, whose talents 
and virtues were of the first order, 
so that all conceded to him the first 
place. But no sooner was the nation 
deprived of this ‘great statesman by 
death, than a most contemptible and 
interested struggle took place, for the 
nomination of his successor. ‘The can- 
didates, set up by their respective friends, 
were the first Marquis of Lansdowne and 
the Duke of Portland, the latter of 
whom was supported by Charles Fox, 
and recommended to the Sovereign by 
the majority of the Cabinet. Bat his 
Majesty was pleased to pitch upon the 
Earl of Shelburne, a nobleman of great 
talents, and, by way of counteracting 
that measure, a scheme was recurred to, 
which was then deemed equally mon- 
strous and abominable; and after the 
lapse of nearly thirty years, when the 
passions of men have become cool, and 
the judgment is allowed to operate in 
full force, it must be allowed, that it 
was a measure, at once weak, unprin- 
cipled, and unjustifiable ! 
On the other hand, it cannot be de- 
nied, that it was completely successful, 
so far as the gratification of human am- 
bition is to be considered, although even 
that proved but short, unpopular, and 
unsatisfactory. The Duke, however, 
Memoirs of the late Duke of Portland. 
[Jan 1, 
obtained that high and honourable situa- 
tion of First Lord of the Treasury, and 
succeeded to the government of an exas- 
perated people, while the Cabinet was 
so divided, by the Lords North, Carlisle, 
and Stormont, being placed in opposition 
to Lord Keppel, Lord John: Cavendish, 
and Mr. Fox, on all great constitutional 
questions, that nothing could be effected, 
either honourable to themselves, or ad- 
vantageous to the country. Accordingly, 
thisill-fated ship, and ill-assorted crew, 
ran a-ground on the East India bill, for 
securing the patronage of Asia, and chain- 
ing down the directors to their counters 
and calicoes in Leadenhall-street. This 
event brought Mr. Pitt on the stage, as 
a principal actor, for he had hitherto’ 
only exhibited ina subordinate capacity. 
Although young in point of years, it was 
soon seen, that he was calculated “ to 
teach the hoary Numidian guile,” and 
accordingly, in a negociation fer, power, 
during which he declined to descend 
from his new appointment, he first ouwé- 
witted the Duke of Portland, and then — 
the House of Commons, the latter of 
which was dissolved. Notwithstanding 
an implied promise to the contrary, while» 
he bereaved the former of his friends 
and supporters, by those courtier-like 
acts, this great man did not disdain 
sometimes to practice. In revenge, the 
Duke, whose candour and whose vera- 
city had remained unimpeached, is 
asserted to have declared, in the most 
unequivocal manner, that he §* would 
never sit in the same Cabinet” with 
this youthful statesman !” Nothing, how- 
ever, is so rash, and, perhaps, so im- 
politic, as a promise of this kind, on the 
part of a public man, as has been clearly 
evinced in the case of Mr. Fox, and the 
subject of this article, after the supposed 
solemn abjuration of Lord North on one 
part, and William Pitt on the other, 
both of whom were afterwards taken to 
their respective bosoms. A . 
Disappointed and deceived, the Duke 
of Portland now tried to regain his tar-_ 
nished popularity, and strove, if possible, 
to restore his friends, after a six-years 
political martyrdom, to their seats in the 
House of Commons.* | 
“© Facilis 
* The Duke of Portland appears not to 
have taken an active part on Mr Hastings’s 
trial. He, doubtless, at first agreed with 
his friends in the propriety of that mea- 
sure, but did not vote on any of the charges. 
By the time it was finally concluded (April, 
1795), 
