File:Social England - a record of the progress of the people in religion, laws, learning, arts, industry, commerce, science, literature and manners, from the earliest times to the present day (1901) (14778524331).jpg

Identifier: socialengland05trai (find matches)
Title: Social England : a record of the progress of the people in religion, laws, learning, arts, industry, commerce, science, literature and manners, from the earliest times to the present day
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Traill, H. D. (Henry Duff), 1842-1900 Mann, James Saumarez, 1851-
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Publisher: New York : Putnam
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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is Dropped. -I T I- T ■,. • 111 1 . -, . . . ^ doubtiul it it could liave been carried into execution—certamivnot without bloodshed ; and I will not be the minister, hesaid to his supporters, to enforce taxes at the expense ofblood, adding, in a tone more congenial to his natural humour,■ this dance will no further go. He bowed to the storm, andannounced that for prudential reasons he seceded from thatwhich he thought as right as ever. It Avas a strange object-lesson as to the value of catcliAvordsin politics. Had it but been called, as Lord Chesterfield inafter years cynically remarked, an Act for the better securingthe liberty and property of his Majestys subjects by repealing.some of the most burdensome custom-house laws, it Avould havebeen welcomed by all classes. As things Avere, its AvithdraAvalAvas receiAed Avith a roar of triumph from the Avhole nation.Men Avore cockades marked Liberty, Property, and no Excise.Bonfires blazed in the London streets. At Oxford for three
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166 THE AGE OF WALPOLE. (1714-1742 nidits the gown treated the town to stronof drinks and irrelevant huzzas for James the Third. A generation later, in the sturdy prejudices of J3r. Johnson, excise Avas still a hateful tax levied upon commodities, and adjudged by wretches hired by those to wdiom excise is paid. It has been said that after such a defeat a minister should have resigned. But constitutional morality in that day did not profess to be scrupulous. Instead of resigning, he inflicted a sharp and merited punishment on a group of noble lords who had long been caballing against him, though ostensibly his supporters and some of them even his colleagues. It was well for the prosperity of England to have nine years more of peace and sound finance under his rule ; but for all that, his position w^as seriously shaken, and in the new^ Parliament of 1735 his majority was much diminished. The , In 1714 the Debt stood at £52,000,000, and the annual National , . , . i ^ ■, Debt. charge

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