the adverse party-which indeed was the real BOOK VI truth; and it became every day more apparent. 1709. Govern Earl of On the 5th of May 1709, the earl of Wharton, Oppressive successor to the earl of Pembroke in the government of the ment of Ireland, opened the session of parlia- wharton ment with a speech, in which this avowed in Ireland. and zealous advocate for liberty exhibited himself in the odious character of a bigot and persecutor. He called the attention of the two houses to the inequality between the Roman-catholics and protestants with respect to numbers, and reminded them of the sanguinary disposition of the former, as often as they had an opportu~ nity to gratify it. The Irish parliament wanted little incitement at any time to extend and render more ferocious the persecuting laws against the papists; and in pursuance of this suggestion, a horrid bill was introduced and passed, inflicting penalties disgraceful to humanity on those. they were pleased to consider as delinquents; though, since the æra of the Revolution, the catholics had submitted with exemplary and uniform patience to hardships and oppressions, under the intolerable pressure of which even their sighs and groans were regarded as symptoms of an implacable and rebellious spirit. A prorogation of parliament took place on the 30th of August, and in the succeeding month of May (A. D. 1710) another session was held by the earl BOOK VI of Wharton, in which some acts passed for the 1709. Confer ences for Peace encouragement of manufactures and commerce. At the latter end of the summer this nobleman took his final leave of Ireland, the government of which in his hands displayed throughout the features of violence and injustice*. FRANCE being now reduced to great extremities by the unparalleled series of misfortunes the Hague. which had attended her arms, as well as by the opened at decline and almost extinction of public credit from the unjust and despotic measures of finance adopted by the court, again entertained serious thoughts of peace; and after the departure of the duke of Marlborough to England, M. Rouillé was sent to Holland to treat with the States upon the subject. But their high mightinesses, though The famous Swift, who had been disappointed in his expectations of preferment from this nobleman, has drawn his portrait with all the force of wit and malice. "He is," says this political caricaturist, "without the sense of shame or glory, as some men are without the sense of smelling; and therefore a good name to him is no more than a precious ointment would be to these. He goeth constantly to prayers in the form of his place, and will talk baudy and blasphemy at the chapel door: he is a presbyterian in politics, and an atheist in religion. He has three predominant passions, love of power, love of pleasure, and love of money, having gained by his government, of under two years, five and forty thousand pounds. He was never yet known to refuse or keep a promise. But here I desire to distinguish between a promise and a bargain, for he will be sure to keep the latter when he has the fairest offer." + March 1709. 1709. they permitted him to enter the country, would BOOK VI. admit no communication without the knowledge and participation of their allies the queen of England and the emperor. In April, prince Eugene and the duke of Marlborough arrived at the Hague, and held several conferences with the pensionary and the deputies of the States respecting the proposals of M. Rouillé, whose overtures were finally declared unsatisfactory, and the duke returned in a short time to London. The French court, unwilling to relinquish all hope of pacification, resolved, upon this intelligence, to send M. de Torcy, minister for foreign affairs, to the Hague, in person, in order to renew the negotiation. The duke of Marlborough and lord Townshend, a young nobleman rising into political eminence, and now joined with the duke in this important commission, immediately repaired thither a second time: and count Zinzendorf also arrived nearly at the same time from Vienna as joint plenipotentiary with prince Eugene. The conferences were now revived with fresh ardor; and such concessions made by M. de Torcy on the part of the French king as the dire necessity of his affairs demanded-such indeed as amply secured the interests, and ought to have satisfied the utmost ambition of the allies. The French minister, having gone without avail to the utmost extent of his commission, réquired a specification 1709. BOOK VI. of the terms on which the allies would grant peace. to France. Preliminary articles were accordingly framed and even signed by the ambassadors of the allied powers; which M. de Torcy was authorised to lay before his Most Christian majesty, and to which he promised that a final answer should be given on or before the 4th of June ensuing (1709). The articles imported in substance, "That the Most Christian king shall acknowledge Charles III. as king of Spain; that in two months Sicily shall be put into the hands of king Charles; and the duke of Anjou shall evacuate Spain; to which if he refuses his consent, the French king and the allies shall enter into proper measures for its enforcement-that the French king shall deliver up Strasburgh and Landau to the emperor, and demolish New Brisac, Fort Louis, and Huningen-that he shall acknowledge the queen of Great Britain and the protestant succession-that he shall demolish Dunkirk, and cause the Pretender to retire from France-that he shall deliver up Furnes, Menin, Ypres, Warneton, Commines, Werwick, Poperingen, Lisle, Condé, and Maubeuge, for the barrier of the States-that he shall make over Exilles, Fenestrella, and Chemont, with the valley of Pragelas, &c. for a barrier to the duke of Savoy-that the pretensions of the electors of Bavaria and Cologne shall be referred to the ge neral negotiation that the allies shall be allowed BOOK VI. to make farther demands at the general congress 1709. that the suspension of arms shall terminate at the end of two months, if the whole Spanish monarchy be not surrendered up before that time." Such was the excessive rigor of these terms, that M. de Torcy was observed to be affected even to tears in the course of the conferences*. The ation of the ces. king of France, deriving courage from despair, Unsuccessdetermined to reject these exorbitant demands; ful Terminand on the 4th of June, prince Eugene, being Conferenthen at Brussels, received a letter from M. de Torcy, importing that his Most Christian majesty, having examined the project of peace concluded at the Hague, found it impossible for him to accept it. The article which chiefly influenced his decision was the last, which, as he affirmed, made the continuance of peace to depend upon a condition not in his power to execute-though he consented to recognize the archduke as king of Spain, and to withdraw all assistance from the reigning monarcht. * Cunningham, vol. ii. p. 241. †M. de Torcy was most politely received by the duke of Marlborough, who denied not his secret correspondence with the house of Stuart. But all the intimations of personal advantage held out to him made no visible impression. It was well understood that the Dutch deputation, satisfied as to their barrier, were willing to relax in the articles respecting Naples and Sicily; but prince Eugene and the duke were obstinate and immoveable.-TORCY's Memoirs. |