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protection to our trade。 Fortunately he was succeeded by George Earl
Spencer； one of those chiefs of the Whig party who； in the great schism
caused by the French Revolution； had followed Burke。 Lord Spencer；
though inferior to many of his colleagues as an orator； was decidedly the
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best administrator among them。 To him it was owing that a long and
gloomy succession of days of fasting； and； most emphatically； of
humiliation； was interrupted； twice in the short space of eleven months； by
days of thanksgiving for great victories。
It may seem paradoxical to say that the incapacity which Pitt showed
in all that related to the conduct of the war is； in some sense； the most
decisive proof that he was a man of very extraordinary abilities。 Yet this is
the simple truth。 For assuredly one…tenth part of his errors and disasters
would have been fatal to the power and influence of any minister who had
not possessed； in the highest degree； the talents of a parliamentary leader。
While his schemes were confounded； while his predictions were falsified；
while the coalitions which he had laboured to form were falling to pieces；
while the expeditions which he had sent forth at enormous cost were
ending in rout and disgrace； while the enemy against whom he was feebly
contending was subjugating Flanders and Brabant； the Electorate of Mentz；
and the Electorate of Treves； Holland； Piedmont； Liguria； Lombardy； his
authority over the House of Commons was constantly becoming more and
more absolute。 There was his empire。 There were his victories； his Lodi
and his Arcola； his Rivoli and his Marengo。 If some great misfortune； a
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；