THE EARL OF MANSFIELD.

(1705-1793.)

Secret of Success in Parliament.-Lord Chesterfield, in one of his letters to his son, thus wrote of Mansfield, then Mr. Murray, SolicitorGeneral: "Your fate depends upon your success as a speaker, and take my word for it that success turns more upon manner than matter. Mr. Pitt and Mr. Murray are, beyond comparison, the best speakers. Why? Only because they are the best orators. They alone can inflame or quiet the House; they alone are attended to in that numerous and noisy assembly, that you might hear a pin fall while either of them is speaking. Is it that their matter is better, or their arguments stronger, than other people's? Does the House expect extraordinary information from them? Not in the least; but the House expects pleasure from them, and therefore attends; finds it, and therefore approves."

Pitt's Antagonism.-Throughout the whole course of Murray's career in the House of Commons, he was the invariable object of Pitt's unsparing invective. "Pitt," says Lord Waldegrave, "undertook the difficult task of silencing Murray, the Attorney-General, the ablest man, as well as the ablest debater, in the House of Commons." Dissimilarity of character, no less than of political principles, added bitterness to the eloquence of Pitt. Despising the policy and distrusting the principles of Murray, he eagerly availed himself of every occasion which presented itself of expressing his indignant sarcasms. Brilliant and argumentative as was the oratory of Murray, he did not always possess the nerve necessary to ward off or to return assaults so terrible as these, and for the most part he bore, in agitated silence, the attacks to which he did not venture to make any reply. In a letter from Lord Holland, describing a speech just given, the writer says, In both Mr. Pitt's speeches every word was Murray, yet so managed that neither he nor anybody else could or did take public notice of it, or in any degree reprehend him. I sat near Murray, who suffered for an hour."-Roscoe's "British Lawyers."

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Mansfield's Powers in Debate.-One of the first occasions (says Roscoe) on which Lord Mansfield distinguished himself in the House of Lords, after his elevation to the peerage, was in the debate on the Bill for the Amendment of the Habeas Corpus Act. A gentleman having been impressed and confined in the Savoy, his friends applied for a writ of habeas corpus; but, as the imprisonment was not for any criminal matter, it was found that the statute of 31 Car. II., c. 2, did not apply. This palpable deficiency in the law attracted the attention of some friends to liberty, who introduced a bill into the House of Commons for the purpose of extending the provisions of the statute of Charles II. to cases where the imprisonment was not upon any criminal charge. The bill passed the Lower House, but was violently opposed in the House of Lords by Lord Mansfield and Lord Hardwicke. The King himself talked openly against the bill at his levee, and the supporters of it were understood to incur his displeasure. Such was the earnestness and so great the ingenuity and eloquence which Lord Mansfield exerted on the occasion, that the bill was

ultimately rejected. "The fate of the bill," says Horace Walpole, "which could not be procured by the sanction of the judges, Lord Mansfield was forced to take upon himself. He spoke for two hours and a half; his voice and manner, composed of harmonious solemnity, were the least graces of his speech. I am not averse to own that I never heard so much argument, so much sense, so much oratory united. His deviations into the abstruse minutiae of the law served but as a foil to the luminous parts of the oration. Perhaps it was the only speech which, in my time at least, had real effect-that is, convinced many persons; nor did I ever know how true a votary I was to liberty, till I found that I was not one of the number staggered by that speech."

LORD NORTH.
(1732-1792.)

A Pattern of Good Humour.-A few only of his sayings have reached us, and those, as might be expected, are rather things which he had chanced to coat over with some sarcasm or epigram that tended to preserve them; they consequently are far from giving an idea of his habitual pleasantry, and the gaiety of thought which generally pervaded his speeches. Thus, when a vehement declaimer, calling aloud for his head, turned round and perceived his victim unconsciously indulging in a soft slumber, and, becoming still more exasperated, denounced the Minister as capable of sleeping while he ruined his country, the latter only complained how cruel it was to be denied a solace which other criminals so often enjoyed-that of having a night's rest before their fate. When surprised in a like indulgence during the performance of a very inferior artist, who, however, showed equal indignation at so ill-timed a recreation, he contented himself with observing how hard it was that he should be grudged so very natural a release from considerable suffering; but, as if recollecting himself, added that it was somewhat unjust in the gentleman to complain of him for taking the remedy which he had himself been considerate enough to administer. The same good humour and drollery quitted him not when in opposition. Every one has heard of the speech which, if it had failed to injure the objects of its attack, was very effectual in fixing a name on its honest and much respected author. Or Mr. Martin's proposal to have a starling placed near the chair and taught to repeat the cry of "Infamous coalition!" Lord North coolly suggested that, as long as the worthy member was preserved to them, it would be a needless waste of the public money, since the starling might well perform his office by deputy.*-Brougham's "Statesmen." Earl Russell gives the following more concisely: "North's good humour and readiness were of admirable service to him when the invectives of his opponents would have discomfited a more serious Minister. He often indulged in real or seeming slumber; an opponent in the midst of an invective exclaimed, 'Even now, in the midst of these perils, the noble lord is asleep.' 'I

"I submit that this House is in possession of a Martin, who will serve the purpose quite as well."-Russell's "Life of Fox."

wish to God I was,' rejoined Lord North. Alderman Sawbridge, having accompanied the presentation of a petition from Billingsgate with accusations of more than ordinary virulence, Lord North began his reply in the following words: 'I cannot deny that the hon. alderman speaks not only the sentiments, but the very language of his constituents.'"

Extracting a Compliment.-Butler relates that the assault of Mr. Adam on Mr. Fox, and of Colonel Fullarton on Lord Shelburne, had once put the House into the worst possible humour, and there was more or less savageness in everything that was said. Lord North deprecated the too great readiness to take offence which then seemed to possess the House. 66 One member," he said, "who spoke of me, called me that thing called a Minister.' To be sure," he said, patting his large form, "I a am a thing; the member, therefore, when he called me a thing said what was true, and I could not be angry with him. But when he added, 'that thing called a Minister,' he called me that thing which of all things he himself wished most to be, and therefore I took it as a compliment."

Sleeping through the Centuries.-On an occasion when Colonel Barré brought forward a motion on the British navy, Lord North said to a friend of his who was sitting next him in the House, “We shall have a tedious speech from Barré to-night. I dare say he'll give us our naval history from the beginning, not forgetting Sir Francis Drake and the Armada. All this is nothing to me, so let me sleep on, and wake me when we come near our own times." His friend at length roused him, when Lord North exclaimed, "Where are we?" "At the battle of La Hogue, my lord." "Oh, my dear friend," he replied, "you have woke me a century too soon!"-Harford's " Recollections of Wilberforce."

A New Member.-Once, when speaking in the House, Lord North was interrupted by the barking of a dog which had crept in. He turned round, and archly said, "Mr. Speaker, I am interrupted by a new member." The dog was driven out, but got in again, and recommenced barking, when Lord North, in his dry way, added, “Spoke once.”

Fretting. The Duke of Newcastle (says Horace Walpole) went to Lord North at Bushey Park, to lament the miscarriage at Charleston (during the War of Independence), and to inquire into his cousin Clinton's behaviour; but finding Lord North treat the affair with his usual indifference and jollity, took notice of it to him. Faith, my lord," said Lord North, "if fretting would make me thin, I would be as sorry as your grace; but since it will not have that effect, I bear it as well as I can."

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Impudent Silence.-Colonel Luttrell moved in the House of Commons, April 12th, 1774, that the sheriffs of Middlesex should be called to answer at the bar for their conduct in summoning Wilkes instead of himself to serve in Parliament. After a long pause, Charles Fox rose and said Colonel Luttrell should not want a second; and then poured out a torrent of invective against Lord North for his pusillanimity, and for what he called his impudent and shameless silence. Lord North, with great quickness and humour, replied that he had never before heard of impudent silence; that he had, indeed, seen gentlemen on their legs whose shameless impudence had shocked all mankind.

Laughing at the Bankers.-At the meeting of Parliament, January 13th, 1774, when the Address was moved in the House of Commons, Mr. Prescott, a very rich banker, complained of the late regulation of the gold coin, by which, he said, there was not a banker in England that had not lost £500. Lord North laughed, and made the House laugh at him, by saying he was glad the loss had fallen on those who were the best able to bear it.-Walpole's "George III."

Complimenting his Adversary. In the debate on an address in 1777, Lord George Germaine was severely attacked by Fox for his conduct of the American war, the speaker calling him an ill-omened and inauspicious character. Lord North (writes Walpole) handsomely defended Lord George, and owned he had invited him into the Administration. He said he was glad Fox had abandoned him, an old hulk, to attack a man-ofwar; but afterwards he perhaps hurt Lord George as much as Fox had done, for the latter coming to the Treasury bench, Lord North, who was thought not to love Lord George, said in his hearing, "Charles, I am glad you did not fall on me to-day, for you was in full feather."

Good Quarters.-Horace Walpole gives the following in his “Journal ” :—Jan. 27, 1778. Charles Fox, in an admirable speech, attacked Lord North on having called himself an unfortunate Minister, and proved that all the disgraces had happened by ignorance, blunders, and misconduct, not by misfortune. Lord North answered with some humour, and, as Fox had accused him of idleness and listening to flatterers, he said he passed a great deal of time in that House, where he could not be idle, and it was plain was not flattered. Lord North, being asked, the day before the Parliament met after the holidays, if the army had good quarters at Philadelphia, replied, "So good that I wish I was to pass the next three months there"-meaning, rather than in the House of Commons.

North and Parliamentary Reform.-The prevailing notion in 1780 (writes Earl Russell) was to diminish the representation of the boroughs and increase that of the counties; or, at all events, to add 100 to the representation of the counties, by way, as it were, of diluting the noxious ingredients. Lord Chatham highly approved of this remedy; but Lord North, with characteristic humour, said, "Some ask, with Lear, for a hundred knights; and some, with Goneril, for fifty; but I say, with Regan, what need of one?"

The Opposition Over the Water.-During the American War, Lord North, at a City dinner, having announced the receipt of intelligence of an important advantage gained over the "rebels," and being taken to task by Charles Fox and Colonel Barré, who were present, for applying such language to "our fellow-subjects in America," exclaimed, with the inimitable talent for good-humoured raillery which distinguished him, “Well, then, to please you, I will call them the gentlemen in opposition on the other side of the water." This has been told me (writes Lord Campbell) as a traditionary anecdote not hitherto in print.

A Reluctant Apology.-In one of the debates on the American war, in 1782, Colonel Barré attacked Lord North violently, calling him the

scourge of the country. Upon this Lord North, for almost the only time in his life, lost his temper, and said “he had been used, from that quarter, to language so uncivil, so brutal, so insolent." At these words the House got into an uproar, and Mr. T. Townshend called upon Lord North to apologise. Lord North said he was ready to ask pardon of the House, but not of Barré. At the end of a tumult of three hours, he consented to ask pardon even of Barré."-Russell's " Life of Fox."

The Fall of Lord North.-In the session of 1782, the ministry of Lord North had several times narrowly escaped a vote of censure. "On the 20th of March," says Earl Russell, "Lord Surrey was to renew the motion in a different shape. When the day arrived, the House was remarkably crowded, and curiosity was on tiptoe to learn the event. Before Lord Surrey commenced, Lord North rose, and said he had some information to give to the House, which might make any further proceeding in the motion unnecessary, and might require an adjournment. Upon these words there was great confusion, many members calling out, 'No adjournment!' some Lord Surrey! Lord Surrey!' and some Lord North! Lord North!' Upon this Mr. Fox rose and moved, That Lord Surrey be now heard;' upon which Lord North, with great quickness, said, And I rise to speak to that motion.' Lord North then said he could assure the House, with authority, that the present Administration was no more, and that his Majesty had come to the full determination of changing his ministers. He then took leave of the House as minister, thanking them for the honourable support they had given him during so long a course of years, and in so many trying situations. . . Lord North had borne his elevation with modesty; he showed equanimity in his fall. A trifling circumstance evinced his good humour. On the evening when he announced his resignation to the House of Commons, snow was falling, and the weather was bitterly cold. Lord North kept his carriage. As he was passing through the greatcoat room of the House of Commons, many members (chiefly his opponents) crowded the passage. When his carriage was announced, he put one or two of his friends into it, and then, making a bow to his opponents, said, 'Good night, gentlemen; it is the first time I have known the advantage of being in the secret.' Mr. Adam, from whom I heard this anecdote, says in his memoranda, 'No man ever showed more calmness, cheerfulness, and serenity. The temper of his whole family was the same. I dined with him that day, and was witness to it.""

On the Defensive.-Sir N. Wraxall records a good example of the power Lord North could exhibit. He had been violently attacked by Sir Richard Hill for his conduct of the American war, and in reply said that, far from deprecating agitation of the subject, he demanded it. He denied that he had caused the calamities of the war, and called on his accusers to bring forward a circumstantial charge against him. "I found," said he, "the American war when I became minister. I did not create it. On the contrary, it was the war of the country, the Parliament, and the people. But if the gentlemen opposite think otherwise, let them come forward and accuse me. I shall not shrink-I am ready to meet and