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Memoir of the Public and Private Life of Richard Brinsley Sheridan, With a Particular Account of His Family and Connexions
Memoir of the Public and Private Life of Richard Brinsley Sheridan With a Particular Account of His Family and Connexions Author:John Watkins General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1818 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: CHAPTEB XVII, .:.:. . -i i . Popularity of Ministers. -- Spirit of Dissention among their Opponents. -- Observations on the Conduct of Mr. Sheridan. -- Association formed to prevent Schism. -- Defensive Proceeding of the Irish Patriots. -- Oppo- sition to fortifying the West India Islands. -- Debates on Ways and Means. -- Excise on Tobacco opposed by Mr. Sheridan. -- On lending Newspapers. -- Motion - for a Financial Committee. -- Proposed Reform of Royal Scotch Burghs. The recovery of His Majesty not only secured the ministry in their seats, but increased their popularity. It was now seen, in refutation of the haughty prediction of their opponents, that the measures proposed for the supply of the royal authority were neither considered by the king as derogatory to the dignity of his crown, nor injurious to the interests and honour of his family. The nation at large joined with the monarch in the approbation of these councils: and amidst the universal joy which prevailed on this happy occasion, a sentiment of gratitude was strongly expressed towards the men, who, by their firmness in a period of peculiar difficulty, had preserved the real dignity of the throne, and the rights of the people. This consolidation of power in the union of royalconfidence with public esteem exhibited a striking contrast to the state of- the party in opposition, whose disappointment was rendered the more mortifying by the general exultation which it produced. To aggravate their chagrin, the spirit of discord began to manifest itself among them with strong indications of open schism; for some, whose expectations had been...« less