Cricklade. Rippon. Christopher Tilson,-One of the clerks of the William Aislabie,-Son to John, sen. William Aislabie,-Nephew to John, sen. Treasury. Sir Thomas Read. Richmond. Thomas Harrison,-Colonel of a regiment of James Tyrrel, foot. Scarborough. George Gregory,-Store keeper of the Ord Hastings. John Hungerford,Died; a new. writ ordered, Thomas Townshend,-Made his election for Jan. 14, 1730. Sir Wm. Strickland, the University of Cambridge. Sir Will. Ashburnham, William Thompson, A commissioner of the Tho. Pelham, jun.-Secretary to the British Victualling-office, ambassadors at the Congress, Dunbarton. Edinburgh City. John Campbell,-Groom of the bedchamber John Campbell. to his Majesty. Edinburgh. Robert Dundass. Elgin. Alexander Brodie. Fife. Sir John Anstruther. Forfur. William Stuart,-Made his election for the boroughs of Air, &c. James Scot, jun.-Died, a new writ ordered, Peter Campbell. March 23, 1733. Robert Scot. Air, &c. Lieut-gen. Charles Ross,-Died; a new writ William Stuart,-Made paymaster of divers ordered, Jan. 23, 1733. John Monro. annual bounties and pensions in England; and a new writ being ordered, May 5, 1781, he was re-elected. LIST OF THE SIXTEEN PEERS OF SCOTLAND. Duke of Montrose cancy had been twice supplied from his family,* with great honour, and, when the duty of the Chair came to be considered, he doubted not but all the qualifications, necessary for an exact performance of it, would be found in him: A thorough knowledge of the orders and methods of Parliament; a clearness, and readiness, in delivering opinions in matters of the greatest intricacy; and, above all, an unshaken zeal in the service of the kingdom, and an impartiality in judging on all occasions: And who had sat with him in the last Parliaments, without obthose virtues which distinguished that respectable character, and in endeavouring to point them out as patterns of imitation to all who' wish to tread in his steps. Superadded to his great and accurate knowledge of the history of this country, and of the minuter forms and proceedings of Parliament, the distinguishing fea "January 24. The King came yesterday to the House, and ordered us to choose a Speaker, and present him on Saturday; Mr. Onslow was chosen by the most general concurrence that was ever known, moved by lord Hartington and seconded by sir William Strickland. We had 427 members in the House; most of them sincere and hearty friends and in perfect good humour, and things I am per-ture of Mr. Onslow's public character was, a suaded will go gloriously to the satisfaction of his Majesty and his friends abroad; 1 went through the park by chance, when his Majesty passed that way to the House, and the quantities of people were numberless; and the acclamations of joy the greatest that were ever known; I must own I never saw such a sight. I am with the greatest affection and respect, &c." Horace Walpole to the Earl of Waldegrave: Coxe's Walpole. "Mr. Arthur Onslow was chosen Speaker, with an unanimity which could only be inspired by that opinion of his virtue and abilities, which his conduct has since so fully justified in a longer series of public aud irreprehensible service in that station, than any man ever discharged." Tindal. Mr. Onslow: "It will be impossible to peruse a page of the following work, without observing the great advantage that it derives from the Notes and Observations of Mr. Onslow, the late Speaker of the House of Commons, which have been very obligingly communicated upon this occasion by his son, the present lord Onslow. regard and veneration for the British constitution, as it was declared and establsihed at the Revolution. This was the favourite topic of his discourse: and it appeared, from the uniform tenor of his conduct through life, that to maintain this pure and inviolate, was the object at which he always aimed. In private life, though he held the office of Speaker of the House of Commons for above three and thirty years, and during part of that time enjoyed the lucrative employment of Treasurer of the Navy, it is an anecdote perfectly well-known, that, on his quitting the chair in 1761, his income from his private fortune, which had always been inconsiderable, was rather less than it had been in 1727, when he was first elected into it. "These two circumstances in Mr. Onslow's Mr. Hatsell, in his valuable book of Prece-character, are of themselves sufficient to render dents (vol. 3 p. vi.), pays the memory of that character revered and rethe following tribute of gratitude and respect to the memory of spected by all the world; but the recollection of them is peculiarly pleasant to the editor of this work; who, amongst the many fortunate events that have attended him through life, thinks this one of the most considerable, that, in a very early period of it, he was introduced and placed under the immediate patronage of so respectable. a man; from whose instructions, and by whose example, he was confirmed in a sincere love and reverence for those principles of the constitution, which form the basis of this free government; the strict observance of, and adherence to which principles, as well on the part of the crown as of the people, can alone maintain this country in the enjoyment of those invaluable blessings, which have deservedly drawn this eulogium from the bestinformed writers of every nation in Europe, That as this is the only constitution which, from the earliest history of mankind, has had for its direct object "Political Freedom;" so 'there is none other in which the laws are so 'well calculated to secure and defend the life, the property, and the personal liberty of every individual,'" "It would be impertinent in the Editor of this collection to suppose, that any thing, which he can say, will add to the reputation of a character so truly eminent as that of Mr. Onslow; but, as it was under the patronage, and from the instructions of that excellent man, that he learnt the first rudiments of his Parliamentary knowledge; and, when Mr. Onslow retired from a public station, as it was permitted to the Compiler of this work, to visit him in that retirement, and to hear those observations on the law and constitution of this government, which, particularly in the company of young persons, Mr. Onslow was fond of communicating, he may be perhaps be allowed to indulge himself for a moment, in recollecting * See vol. 1, p. 704, and vol. 6, p. 744, : serving, how exactly he had appeared to be versed in the orders and methods of proceed ing, with what zeal for the liberties of his country, with what strength and perspicuity, he had debated, and how impartially he had acted in all the important affairs then in agitation? That these were the qualifications, which so eminently pointed him out a most worthy successor to the noble person, who last, and for so many years, filled the Chair with so great dignity and that, thus qualified, he hoped, from the duty the worthy person owed his country, and from the zeal he had always shewn for the service of it, that he would not decline any service the House might require from him, how difficult and painful soever it might appear; and that he should be excused for the share he had taken in this matter, since, he assured him, it proceeded from a full conviction of the truth of what he said, and, of consequence, from the duty he owed to the House, and his country: That he forbore adding more to what he had said; not doubting other gentlemen's impatience to be as great as his to call to the Chair the worthy person named; and therefore concluded, by seconding the motion that Arthur Onslow, esq. do take the Chair of this House, as Speaker. And the House calling upon Mr. Onslow to the Chair; he stood up in his place, and said, "Mr. Stables, : "I am very sensible bow great an honour I receive, in the noble lord and the worthy gentheman thinking me in any degree qualified for that high station, the filling of which is now the subject of our consideration. Their motion to the House, Sir, will be the glory of my life; but, to make it so, it must stop here, lest my having the execution of this office should lose me that credit which their recommendation will otherwise give me ; an office, Sir, that all, who have been chosen to, have not succeeded in the greatest men have tried their abilities there, and some, who have been esteemed such before, it is said, have found this eminence too high for them: nay, Sir, even speeches of disability, having become a custom and a fashion on these occasions, and should they be thought only such, shew the sense of mankind in all times as to the hazard of this undertaking. But that, which most increases my dread, is, the difficulty, the example of the great person who presided last among us, has left upon the behaviour of his successor. What then, Sir, must the terrors of my mind be, under the appre hension of being raised to this dangerous height, when surely no one, who ever came there, but gave fairer hopes of well performing his duty, than it is possible for me to do? Who, Sir, (of lato ages at least) has been called to this promotion at the end of so short a service in the House, as mine has been? and who has bad it to say in any age, that his knowledge of the business of Parliament was not greater than what I have acquired? I should also urge my want of years, would not that be an argument against some gentlemen here, whose great qua lifications might long ago have recommended them to this charge, and whom, among others, I wish my honourable friends had rather thought of, than the person they have now named. Many, Sir, and great, are my other inabilities for the discharge of this important trust; needless for me to mention, where there are so many witnesses of them, and who, I am satisfied, Sir, will join with me in beseeching the noble lord and the honourable gentleman to recede from the motion they have made, and by that to make way for another, which will be more for the credit and benefit of the House." But the House again calling upon Mr. Onslow to the chair; he was taken out of his place by the lord marquis of Hartington and sir William Strickland, who led him from the bar of the House up to the chair; where (upon the first step to the chair) he said, "I hope, before I go any further, gentlemen will re-consider what they have done, and suffer me to return to my place, in order to the making choice of another person more fit for this." But the Members cried, "No, no." Whereupon Mr. Onslow ascended the upper step: and standing there, said, "Since Gentlemen will not receive the reasons I have offered, for my not being brought hither, I am to return (which I do) my humblest thanks to the House for the great honour, which has this day been done me; but I hope, I shall have the leave of gentlemen to submit my inabilities to his Majesty, and to implore his gracious permission for the House to make another, which I am sure must be a better, choice." The House cried, "No, no." And thereupon he sat down in the chair; and then then the Mace (which before lay under the table) was laid upon the table. The Speaker's Speech on being presented and approved of] January 27. The King, being seated on his royal throne, adorned with his his officers of state; the Lords being also in crown and regal ornaments, and attended with their robes cominanded the gentleman usher of the black rod to let the Commons know, "It is his Majesty's pleasure, they attend him immediately, in this House." Who being come; Mr. Onslow said, May it please your most excellent Majesty, "The Commons of Great Britain, in Parliament assembled, having received your Majesty's commands to make Choice of one of their members to be presented to your Majesty for their Speaker, have, in pursuance thereof, and according to their ancient right, proceeded to an election; and their choice, Sir, is fallen on me, for that important trust; but how proper a choice, is now with your Majesty to judge; and happy, Sir, is it for your Commons, that your Majesty's disapprobation will give them an opportunity to re-consider what they have done, and to make another election, more worthy of them, and of your Majesty's approval; |