misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写3)-第33章
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pitched battle lost by the allies； the annexation of a new department to the
French Republic； a sanguinary insurrection in Ireland； a mutiny in the fleet；
a panic in the city； a run on the bank； had spread dismay through the ranks
of his majority； that dismay lasted only till he rose from the Treasury
bench； drew up his haughty head； stretched his arm with commanding
gesture； and poured forth； in deep and sonorous tones； the lofty language
of inextinguishable hope and inflexible resolution。 Thus； through a long
and calamitous period； every disaster that happened without the walls of
Parliament was regularly followed by a triumph within them。 At length he
had no longer an opposition to encounter。 Of the great party which had
contended against him during the first eight years of his administration
more than one half now marched under his standard； with his old
competitor the Duke of Portland at their head； and the rest had； after many
vain struggles； quitted the field in despair。 Fox had retired to the shades of
St Anne's Hill； and had there found； in the society of friends whom no
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vicissitude could estrange from him； of a woman whom he tenderly loved；
and of the illustrious dead of Athens； of Rome； and of Florence； ample
compensation for all the misfortunes of his public life。 Session followed
session with scarcely a single division。 In the eventful year 1799； the
largest minority that could be mustered against the government was
twenty…five。
In Pitt's domestic policy there was at this time assuredly no want of
vigour。 While he offered to French Jacobinism a resistance so feeble that it
only encouraged the evil which he wished to suppress； he put down
English Jacobinism with a strong hand。 The Habeas Corpus Act was
repeatedly suspended。 Public meetings were placed under severe restraints。
The government obtained from parliament power to send out of the
country aliens who were suspected of evil designs； and that power was not
suffered to be idle。 Writers who propounded doctrines adverse to
monarchy and aristocracy were proscribed and punished without mercy。 It
was hardly safe for a republican to avow his political creed over his
beefsteak and his bottle of port at a chop…house。 The old laws of Scotland
against sedition； laws which were considered by Englishmen as barbarous；
and which a succession of governments had suffered to rust； were now
furbished up and sharpened anew。 Men of cultivated minds and polished
manners were； for offences which at Westminster would have been treated
as mere misdemeanours； sent to herd with felons at Botany Bay。 Some
reformers； whose opinions were extravagant； and whose language was
intemperate； but who had never dreamed of subverting the government by
physical force； were indicted for high treason； and were saved from the
gallows only by the righteous verdicts of juries。 This severity was at the
time loudly applauded by alarmists whom fear had made cruel； but will be
seen in a very different light by posterity。 The truth is； that the Englishmen
who wished for a revolution were； even in number； not formidable； and in
everything but number； a faction utterly contemptible； without arms； or
funds； or plans； or organisation； or leader。 There can be no doubt that Pitt；
strong as he was in the support of the great body of the nation； might
easily have repressed the turbulence of the discontented minority by firmly
yet temperately enforcing the ordinary law。 Whatever vigour he showed
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during this unfortunate part of his life was vigour out of place and season。
He was all feebleness and langour in his conflict with the foreign enemy
who was really to be dreaded； and reserved all his energy and resolution
for the domestic enemy who might safely have been despised。
One part only of Pitt's conduct during the last eight years of the
eighteenth century deserves high praise。 He was the first English minister
who formed great designs for the benefit of Ireland。 The manner in which
the Roman Catholic population of that unfortunate country had been kept
down during many generations seemed to him unjust and cruel； and it was
scarcely possible for a man of his abilities not to perceive that； in a contest
against the Jacobins； the Roman Catholics were his natural allies。 Had he
been able to do all that he wished； it is probable that a wise and liberal
policy would have averted the rebellion of 1798。 But the difficulties which
he encountered were great； perhaps insurmountable； and the Roman
Catholics were； rather by his misfortune than by his fault； thrown into the
hands of the Jacobins。 There was a third great rising of the Irishry against
the Englishry； a rising not less formidable than the risings of 1641 and
1689。 The Englishry remained victorious； and it was necessary for Pitt； as
it had been necessary for Oliver Cromwell and William of Orange before
him； to consider how the victory should be used。 It is only just to his
memory to say that he formed a scheme of policy； so grand and so simple；
so righteous and so humane； that it would alone entitle him to a high place
among statesmen。 He determined to make Ireland one kingdom with
England； and； at the same time； to relieve the Roman Catholic laity from
civil disabilities； and to grant a public maintenance to the Roman Catholic
clergy。 Had he been able to carry these noble designs into effect； the Union
would have been an Union indeed。 It would have been inseparably
associated in the minds of the great majority of Irishmen with civil and
religious freedom； and the old Parliament in College Green would have
been regretted only by a small knot of discarded jobbers and oppressors；
and would have been remembered by the body of the nation with the
loathing and contempt due to the most tyrannical and the most corrupt
assembly that had ever sate in Europe。 But Pitt could execute only one half
of what he had projected。 He succeeded in obtaining the consent of the
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Parliaments of both kingdoms to the Union； but that reconciliation of races
and sects； without which the Union could exist only in name； was not
accomplished。 He was well aware that he was likely to find difficulties in
the closet。 But he flattered himself； that by cautious and dexterous
management； those difficulties might be overcome。 Unhappily； there were
traitors and sycophants in high place who did not suffer him to take his
own time； and his own way； but prematurely disclosed his scheme to the
King； and disclosed it in the manner most likely to irritate and alarm a
weak and diseased mind。 His Majesty absurdly imagined that his
Coronation oath bound him to refuse his assent to any bill for relieving
Roman Catholics from civil disabilities。 To argue with him was impossible。
Dundas tried to explain the matter； but was told to keep his Scotch
metaphysics to himself。 Pitt； and Pitt's ablest colleagues； resigned their
offices。 It was necessary that the King should make a new arrangement。
But by this time his anger and distress had brought back the malady which
had； many years before； incapacitated him for the discharge of his
functions。 He actually assembled his family； read the Coronation oath to
them； and told them that； if he broke it； the Crown would immediately
pass to the House of Savoy。 It was not until after an interregnum of several
weeks that he regained the full use of his small faculties； and that a
ministry after his own heart was at length formed。
The materials out of which he had to construct a government were
neither solid nor splendid。 To that party； weak in numbers； but strong in
every kind of talent； which was hostile to the domestic and foreign policy
of his late advisers； he could not have recourse。 For that party； while it
differed from his late advisers on every point on which they had been
honoured with his approbation； cordially agreed with them as to the single
matter which had brought on them his displeasure。 All that was left to him
was to call up the rear ranks of the old ministry to form the front rank of a
new ministry。 In an age pre…eminently fruitful of parliamentary talents； a
cabinet was formed containing hardly a single man who； in parliamentary
talents； could be considered as even of the second rate。 The most
important offices in the state were bestowed on decorous and laborious
mediocrity。 Henry Addington was at the head of the Treasury。 He had been
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an early； indeed a hereditary； friend of Pitt； and had by Pitt's influence
been placed； while still a young man； in the chair of the House of
Commons。 He was universally admitted to have been the best speaker that
had sate in that chair since the retirement of Onslow。 But nature had not
bestowed on him very vigorous faculties； and the highly respectable
situation which he had long occupied with honour had rather unfitted than
fitted him for the discharge of his new duties。 His business had been to
bear himself evenly between contending factions。 He had taken no part in
the war of w
