William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, Volume 3G. P. Putnam's sons, 1907 - Great Britain |
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action affairs Albemarle alliance allies American appointment Archives attack attitude Austria Bedford Correspondence Burton Pynsent Bute Bute's cabinet Chatham Correspondence Chatham MSS colonies command consequently court danger debate declared demand desire despatch Duke of Cumberland Duke of Grafton Duke of Newcastle Earl Egremont endeavoured England English expressed favour favourite France Frederick French friends George George Grenville George III Grenville Papers Hayes House of Commons House of Lords important induced influence island king king's Lady Chatham letter Lord North Lord Shelburne Lord Temple Martinique matter measures Memoirs ment ministers ministry mother-country nation negotiations obliged occasion opinion opposition Parliament party peace Pitt Pitt's political position possible proceeding proposed prove Prussian ambassador Prussian ambassador's report Pynsent question received refused regarded repeal resignation Rockingham Shelburne ships Spain Spanish speech Stamp Act Thackeray tion town treaty troops Walpole Whig whilst whole Wilkes
Popular passages
Page 170 - At the same time let the sovereign authority of this country over the colonies be asserted in as strong terms as can be devised, and be made to extend to every point of legislation whatsoever. That we may bind their trade, confine their manufactures, and exercise every power whatsoever, except that of taking their money out of their pockets without their consent.
Page 168 - I rejoice that America has resisted. Three millions of people, so dead to all the feelings of liberty as voluntarily to submit to be slaves, would have been fit instruments to make slaves of the rest.
Page 109 - I am in doubt whether the imposition is greater on the sovereign or on the nation. Every friend of his country must lament that a prince of so many great and amiable qualities, whom England truly reveres, can be brought to give the sanction of his sacred name to the most odious measures, and to the most unjustifiable public declarations, from a throne ever renowned for truth, honour, and unsullied virtue.
Page 170 - Upon the whole, I will beg leave to tell the House what is really my opinion. It is that the Stamp Act be repealed absolutely, totally, and immediately; that the reason for the repeal be assigned, because it was founded upon an erroneous principle.
Page 166 - Taxation is no part of the governing or legislative power. The taxes are a voluntary gift and grant of the Commons alone.
Page 183 - He made an administration, so checkered and speckled; he put together a piece of joinery, so crossly indented and whimsically dove-tailed; a cabinet so variously inlaid; such a piece of diversified Mosaic; such a tesselated pavement without cement; here a bit of black stone, and there a bit of white...
Page 259 - The Constitution intended that there should be a permanent relation between the constituent and representative body of the people. Will any man affirm that, as the House of Commons is now formed, that relation is in any degree preserved ? My Lords, it is not preserved ; it is destroyed.
Page 121 - ... persons of whose abilities and integrity the public have had experience, and who have weight and credit in the nation. I should only deceive your Majesty, if I should leave you in an opinion that I could go on, and your Majesty make a solid administration, on any other foot ! ' — ' Well, Mr. Pitt, I see (or I fear) this won't do. My honour is concerned, and I must support it ! Et sicfrnita estfabula.
Page 339 - I thank God that I have been enabled to come here this day to perform my duty, and to speak on a subject which has so deeply impressed my mind. I am old and infirm — have one foot, more than one foot in the grave — I am risen from my bed, to stand up in the cause of my country — perhaps never again to speak in this House.
Page 259 - Since we cannot cure the disorder, let us endeavour to infuse such a portion of new health into the constitution, as may enable it to support its most inveterate diseases. " The representation of the counties is, I think, still preserved pure and uncorrupted. That of the greatest cities is upon a footing equally respectaable ; and there are many of the larger trading towns which still preserve their independence.