Geo. I. Mr. William Young, fon of Sir Walter Young, faid, ⚫ That some days before he had been against the motion for granting 1717. a who in the worst of times had given undoubted proofs of their affection and attachment to his intereft, in the room of those, who had been preferred in the laft reign, as the fittest inftruments to destroy the Proteftant fucceffion, even before it took place, and who had fince been in open rebellion against his majefty. That, as for the other mistakes charged upon the adminiftration, they might be reduced to these two, The not paffing the Act of Indemnity, and the defign to repeal the Occafional Bill. That, as to the first, there were various opinions about it; and, confidering the restless spirit of the difcontented party, it was hard to determine, whether an Indemnity was proper way to reduce them, fince it was notorious, that the repeated inftances of clemency, which his majefty had given fince his acceffion, have been abufed and despised. That, as to the repeal of the act against the Diffenters, nothing, in his opinion, was either more juft or reasonable; and he could not but wonder, that a gentleman, who had been turned out of his employment in the laft reign, and restored fince the king's coming to the crown, fhould account it a mistake, on the other hand, to make his majefty's undoubted friends eafy.' Mr. Smith, after an explanation demanded and given, about his being turned out of place and reftored, replied to the last part of Mr. Shute's fpeech, That he ever was for allowing liberty of confcience to the Diffenters, and had even voted against the Occafional Bill: But that, the fame being paffed into a law, it was his opinion, that it could not be repealed without difquieting the whole nation.' The defign mentionedin these speeches, of repealing the Schifm and Occafional Conformity acts, took its rife from hence: Mr. Hillerfden, member for Bedfordfhire, and Mr. Tuckfield, member of Ashburton, happening to meet at a tavern, and complaining to each other of the breach of court promises, with regard to the Diffenters, came to a refolution each of them to invite three members to meet the next night at the fame place. When thefe met, they all entered into the fame way of thinking; and, when they parted, every one agreed to invite their friends. In a little time, the number increased to above two hundred members of the house of commons, who, on the 26th of March, had a meeting at the Rofe Tavern; near Temple-Bar, in order to confult together, . Whether a bill for repealing the act against Occafional Conformity fhould be brought in? The lord Molefworth, Mr. Jeffop, Sir Richard Steele, and fome others, made fpeeches, to fhew the reasonablenefs and juftice of eafing the Diffenters of thofe hardships, which had been put upon them in the last reign, chiefly upon account of their zeal and affection for the Pro teftant granting a fupply upon the king's meffage, because he thought Geo. I. it unparliamentary; and it was then his opinion to addrefs 1717. the king to enter into fuch engagements, as his majesty hould think proper; and that the commons would make good the fame. But that, fince the majority of the house had determined to grant a fupply, they had brought themfelves into this dilemma, either to grant what was asked as neceffary for the fervice, or to tell the king, that fervice must remain unperformed, which they, in a manner, determined to be neceffary, by granting a fupply. This fpeech was supported by Sir John Brownlow, and Mr. Gould, who owned, That we could not carry on our trade to the Baltic, without bringing the king of Sweden to reafon; and therefore he was for granting the supply.' teftant fucceffion, and of putting them in a capacity to ferve their king and country; urging, that they had reafon to believe, that fuch a bill would be very acceptable to the king. The majority of the affembly inclined to this opinion: But Mr. Tufnel, who had confulted a perfon in a high poft, and found, that the court were apprehenfive, fuch a bill would meet with strong oppofition in the house of peers, made a fpeech, wherein he faid, That, as for his own part, he had already fo often declared against the Occafional Act, that he hoped no-body would fufpect him of entertaining any doubt concerning its repeal. For, befides the reafonableness and justice of it, they ought, out of gratitude, to take off a mark of infamy, which the enemies of the Proteftant fucceffion had put on them, who appeared moft zealous for it. But that, in his opinion, the question now before them was not, whether the repeal of the act was reasonable and juft, VOL. XIX. for he hoped, the whole af repeal at this juncture; and a . Geo. I. Mr. Walpole, who closed the debate, faid, That, hav 1717. ing already fpoken of the fupply, he would not refufe the court his vote; and, the fum being named, he was for granting it (a). Upon this, most of the Tory members, who were divided among themselves as to the fum, going out of the house, it was carried, That a fum not exceeding 250,000l. be granted, to inable his majesty to concert fuch meafures with foreign princes and ftates, as may prevent any charge or apprehenfions from the defigns of Sweden for the future.' Which refolution was afterwards paffed in form. Changes in By this time there was almost a total change in the minithe miniftry. ftry. The earl of Sunderland was appointed fecretary of ftate, as was alfo Mr. Jofeph Addifon: Mr. Stanhope was made first commiffioner of the treafury, and chancellor of the exchequer; Lord Torrington, Mr. Wallop, Mr. Baillie of Jerwifwood, and Mr. Micklethwaite, were the other commiffioners of the treasury; Sir William St. Quintin, Mr. Methuen, and Mr. Edgecombe, being removed, Mr. Craggs was declared secretary at war; Mr. Charles Stanhope, coadjutor to Mr. Lowndes, fecretary to the treasury; and Mr. Jofeph Micklethwaite, fecretary to Mr. Stanhope, as chancellor and under-treafurer of the exchequer. The earl of Orford refigned his place of first commiffioner of the admiralty, which was given to the earl of Berkley. The reft of the commiffioners of the admiralty were, Mr. Aylmer, Sir George Byng, Mr. Cockburne, and Mr. Chetwynd. The duke of Bolton was appointed lord-lieutenant of Ireland; and his place of lord chamberlain of the houfhold was beftowed on the duke of Newcastle. The duke of Devonshire refigned his place of prefident of the council. A fleet fent The commons, having been adjourned during these to the Baltic. changes, met again the 6th of May. All the expedition poffible had been used to fit out a fleet for the Baltic, confifting of twenty-one fhips of the line, befides frigates and fire-fhips. This fleet, under the command of Sir George Byng, arrived at Copenhagen the 11th of April, in order to fail into the Baltic, to obferve the motions of the Swedes. (a) Mr. Walpole, upon bringing in a bill concerning the window-tax, juft after the refigning his places, told the houfe, He now prefented the bill as a country gentleman, but hoped it would not fare the worfe for having two fathers, and that his fucceffor would take care to bring it to perfection.' Pr. H. C. An An exprefs of his arrival in the Sound came juft before the meeting of the parliament. The king thought proper to acquaint the parliament with the news, which, as it was unexpected, could not but agreeably surprise both houses. To this end he came to the house of lords, and delivered to the chancellor the following speech: "My Lords and gentlemen, Geo. I. 1717. both houses. "TT is with great fatisfaction, that, after this fhort re- The king's "cefs, I can acquaint you with the certain advice I fpeech to "have received, that my fleet is fafely arrived in the Sound, May 6. "which, by the bleffing of Almighty God, will fecure Pr. H. C. "thefe kingdoms against any immediate danger of an ̧ inva fion. "I have, by this means, an opportunity, which is very "acceptable to me, of making a confiderable reduction in "our land-forces, having established it as a rule with my"felf, to confult the ease of my people in every thing, fo far as is confiftent with their fafety. And, for my own "part, as I fhall always place my greatnefs in the profperity of my fubjects, fo I fhall always defire that my power 66 may be founded in their affections. "It is upon these confiderations that I have given "orders for the immediate reducing of ten thousand ❝ men. "That nothing may be wanting in me to quiet the "minds of all my fubjects, I have likewife given directions "to prepare an act of grace; and, however it may be re❝ceived by those, who are obftinately bent on the ruin of "their country, I promise myself, that it will raise a due "fense of gratitude in all fuch, as have been artfully misled "into treafonable practices againft my perfon and govern"ment, and preferve them from ftanding in need of the "like mercy for the future, when fuch an inftance of cle"mency may not be fo expedient for the public wel"fare, as it would be agreeable to my own inclina ❝tions. "Gentlemen of the houfe of commons, "I thank you for your readiness to fupport me in the "prefent juncture of affairs, and for the fupplies, which you have given me; and do promife you, that they ** fhail G 2 Geo. I. "fhall be employed for the uses, to which you defigned 1717. Addreffes of thanks from "them. "I fhall order fuch faithful accounts to be laid before you "the next feffion, as will make it appear, there was no other "view in asking any particular fupply, than to prevent a "much greater expence, which the nation must have un"avoidably incurred without it. "I muft recommend to you, as I did at the begin"ning of the feffion, to take all proper methods for reduce"ing the public debts, with a juft regard to parliamentary "credit. "The year being fo far advanced, I hope you will go through the public bufinefs with all poffible dispatch and "unanimity; it being my intention to meet you early the "next winter, that the fitting of parliament may be brought "into the more usual and convenient season." The lords immediately voted an addrefs of thanks, which both houfes, they presented the next day. The like addrefs being moved for in the house of commons, and reported, Mr. Shippen proposed an amendment. Inftead of, The reducing such a body of land-forces is the most acceptable pledge you could give your people of your tenderness for them,' he proposed to fay, That nothing could more endear his majefty to all his fubjects, than the reducing the land-forces to the old establishment of guards and garrifons, fuch as his majesty found it at his acceffion to the crown.' To fupport this motion, he represented the danger of a standing army, urging, that in Cromwell's time, a force, much less than what will remain in Great Britain, had, after the intended reduction, overturned the monarchy, abolished Epifcopacy, put down the house of peers, and drove the commons from their feats. He was feconded by Mr. Bromley, and fupported by Mr. Herne and general Rofs; but they were answered by Mr. Stanhope, who faid, That the member, who spoke firft, could not pitch upon a properer juncture to move for the difbanding of the army, efpecially if the news was true, that the pretender defigned to come incognito to Paris, to confer with a certain prince;' meaning the czar of Mufcovy, who was now arrived at Paris. To this purpose it may be obferved, that the very day before, |