Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/389

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

LETTERS OF LORD BATIIURST. IJl

him to justice in case he landed or attempted to land. An- other alteration was made in the address by Lord North to leave itt to the Queen when She saw convenient. The Answer (which I suppose you have seen already) took notice that She did not att present see any occasion for issuing out this Proclamation, but wou'd do itt when ever itt was necessary and that the most effectual security to the Hanoverian Succes- sion was to putt an end to groundless jealousies &c. Lord Wharton fell upon this next day and said he was afflicted to the last degree with this unkind answer to so dutiful! an address. He knew her Majestys goodness was such that She wou'd never take any thing in ill part from her House of Lords, unless some bold whisperer had misrepresented their debates and intentions, therefore the Ministry ought to answer for this, &c. The debate lasted some time in this manner, other Lords urging that the House had left itt to her Majesty to take her own time in issuing the Proclamation, but the Whig- Lords insisted upon the latter part of the Answer in which they said the Queen charg'd that house with being the Authors of groundless jealousies. Upon that Lord Trevor explained the Queen's meaning to be that She approv'd of the pains the House had taken in considering of the state of the Nation and agreed with them that the proper and only means to secure the Succession was to putt an End to jealousies, as the House had endeavour'd to do by the Vote they pass'd that the Succession was not in Danger. Upon this Lord Abingdon mov'd an address of thanks to her Majesty for Her gracious answer and that they wou'd continue to doe their utmost to secure the Succession and to prevent those jealousies which had been so universally and indiistriously spread over the Nation.

I may mistake the exact words of these motions for I have not gott any copies by me but I think I remember the sense right.

I must now tell you that the whiggs mov'd the words a)id not without reason and the tories added and industriously in the room of them, for the motion was made without either.

Another day the D. of Argile and Lord Townshend fell

�� �