66 noble lord," said Mr. Dunning, was against the motion on Tuesday night, from motives of delicacy to some of his old acquaintances in his younger days, certain Lady Betties, and Bridgets, and Jennys, in the kingdom of Ireland; but when his old friends read what he had said of them in the newspapers, they will not much thank him for his delicacy. He freely gives up his old female friends, but screens the great political defaulters, against whom, and whom only, this motion was levelled. Poverty is no disgrace, when it is not brought on by vice or folly. It is no shame for persons nobly descended, when reduced to want through the extravagance or vices of some of their ancestors, to receive bounty from the royal hand. I should be glad to see the list of pensioners made up of persons of that description; but truly I suspect it abounds with persons of far less than even the negative merit of maiden ladies in circumstances of indigence." In the course of the American war, which, by its vast expenditure, was exhausting the treasures of the country, various attempts were made by the opposition to introduce an economical reform, which would not only have the effect of relieving the burthens of the people, but also of depressing the influence of the crown. Burke and Barré had already called the attention of parliament to the subject; and, in the month of April, 1780, Mr. Dunning, in a speech which may be regarded as the greatest of his parliamentary efforts, moved, in the committee for considering the petitions for economical reform, the following resolutions:-"That it is the opinion of this committee, that it is necessary to declare that the influence of the crown has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished;" and, "That it is competent to the house to examine into and to correct abuses in the expenditure of the civil list revenues, as well as in every other branch of the public revenue, whenever it shall appear expedient to the house so to do." Mr. Dunning was ably supported by Sir Fletcher Norton and Mr. * Parl, Hist. vol. xxi. p. 88. Thomas Pitt; and after an ineffectual defence by Lord North, in the course of which it was obvious how much that minister had lost in the favour of the house, both the resolutions were carried. * Inspirited by this triumph, Mr. Dunning, a few days afterwards, moved and carried, in the committee, another resolution-" That it is the opinion of this committee, that, for preserving the independence of parliament, and obviating any suspicion of its purity, there be laid before the house, within seven days after the first day of every session, exact accounts, authenticated by the signatures of the proper officers, of every sum and sums of money paid in the course of the preceding year out of the produce of the civil list, or any other branch of the public revenue, to, or to the use of, or in trust for, any member of either house of parliament, by way of pension, salary, or on any other account whatsoever, specifying when and on what account." + Although the foregoing resolution was only carried by a majority of two, the opposition determined to push their advantage to the utmost; and after a recess of a few days, occasioned by the illness of the speaker, Mr. Dunning, on the 24th of April, moved an address to the king, the injudicious boldness and novelty of which deprived the opposition of all the advantages which might have flowed from their late successes. In a very full house, he moved, "That an humble address be presented to his majesty, praying that he will be graciously pleased not to dissolve the parliament or prorogue the present session, until proper measures have been taken to diminish the influence and correct the other abuses complained of by the petitions of the people." After a long and spirited debate, the motion was lost by a majority of fifty-one; many members who had supported Mr. Dunning on the former motions now voting with the minister. After a vehement denunciation of these defaulters from Mr. Fox, Mr. Dunning said that he had now no further measures to propose; that his labours and assiduities were already determined; that when he *Park, Hist. vol. xxi, p. 340. + Id. p. 376. + Id. p. 497. had moved that the committee might be adjourned and kept open till Monday, his intention in so doing was only to give other gentlemen an opportunity of conveying their sentiments through that medium to the house. He said that he had doubted for some days past, but that he despaired since the vote which had now passed, of being able to render any service to his country. Notwithstanding these expressions of disappointment, Mr. Dunning still continued an active attendance on parliament, and spoke several times in the debates on the bill for appointing commissioners to examine the public accounts, on the affair of Sir Hugh Palliser, and on other occasions. In the session of 1780-81, the legality of the various associations and societies which had been formed for political objects was much debated in parliament, and was maintained with much vigour and eloquence by Mr. Dunning.* In the following session the American war, now drawing to a crisis, had so far embarrassed the ministry, that, finding themselves unable to continue it with success, they were at length disposed to entertain pacific measures. But here again they met with all the impediments that the opposition, animated by the hope of speedy triumph, could throw in their way. Mr. Dunning said, that “he was not ready to give up the dependency of America; that he thought the ruin of this country was accomplished when America was acknowledged to be independent."+ To prevent the proposition which must soon have proceeded from ministers, General Conway, on the 22d of February, 1782, brought forward his motion for putting an end to the war, which, whatever might have been Lord North's private inclinations, he was compelled to oppose, and which was only negatived by a majority of one. The fate of his lordship's administration was now decided; and though he continued for upwards of a month to struggle against the superior forces of the opposition, he was ultimately compelled to retire. Mr. Dunning, selected as the *Parl. Hist. vol. xxii. p. 194. † Id. p. 850. organ of the ministers elect, to inform the house of commons of the new arrangements, on the 25th of March stated to the house, "that it was with peculiar satisfaction he found himself enabled, through some communication he had had that day with a most respectable member of the upper house, to inform gentlemen that arrangements were now making for forming a new administration, which he trusted would meet the wishes of that house and of the nation at large.' >> * In consequence of this announcement the house adjourned for a few days, at the end of which period the new administration was formed under the auspices of the Marquis of Rockingham, Lord Shelburne and Mr. Fox being appointed secretaries of state. The fortunes of Mr. Dunning were materially influenced by these changes. The administration had been scarcely formed before a request was preferred by Lord Shelburne to the king for peerage for his faithful adherent and friend Mr. Dunning. The request thus made by Lord Shelburne was not communicated either by the king or by himself to the Marquis of Rockingham, who had no intimation of the intended honour until Mr. Dunning kissed hands on his creation. The Rockingham part of the administration, irritated by this mark of want of confidence in their leader, immediately resolved that another peerage must be bestowed at the personal recommendation of Lord Rockingham. Sir Fletcher Norton was selected by them as the individual upon whom the honour should be conferred; and the king was informed that, unless a peerage was without the smallest delay conferred upon him, it would be impossible for Lord Rockingham and his friends to remain in power. The usual forms of court etiquette were waved, and Sir Fletcher Norton, with a notice of only a few hours, attended at St. James's and kissed his majesty's hand on his creation as a baron by the title of Baron Grantley.+ On the settlement of the Rockingham administration, Parl. Hist. vol. xxii. p. 1237. + Wraxall's Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 162. Lord Shelburne secured a seat in the cabinet for Lord Ashburton, who was appointed chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster. After his elevation to the peerage, Lord Ashburton did not take any active part in the debates in parliament. His influence was sometimes exerted to prevent the inconveniences and mischiefs which arose from the impracticable temper of the chancellor, Lord Thurlow, who was opposed, both in political views and in personal feelings, to the administration of which he was a member. In the debates on the contractors' bill*, and on the Cricklade election bill †, the name of Lord Ashburton appears; but he never assumed in the house of lords the distinguished position which he occupied in the commons. On the death of the Marquis of Rockingham, and the removal of Lord Shelburne to the head of the administration, Lord Ashburton continued to fill the office of chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, and was consulted as the confidential adviser of the premier. In an interview which Dr. Watson the Bishop of Landaff had with Lord Shelburne, that nobleman, after expressing a desire that they might be better acquainted, said, that as he had Dunning to assist him in matters of law, and Barré to advise with upon army affairs, he should, in the same manner, be happy to avail himself of the bishop's services in consulting on the interests of the church. A civil reply was the sole service rendered by the bishop; but the more substantial exertions of Dunning and Barré met with a substantial reward. They both received pensions; the former to the amount of 4000l. per annum, an application of the public money which gave rise to much observation in parliament. § Of the relation which subsisted between Lord Shelburne, Colonel Barré, and himself, Mr. Dunning thus spoke, in the course of his celebrated motion respecting the influence of the crown :-" I would add a word or two respecting my honourable friend below me (Colonel Barré). Parl. Hist. vol. xxii. p. 1377. + Id. p. 1385. Parl. Hist. vol. xxiii. p. 582. &c. |