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quainted with several young noblemen, and among others with "Mr. Stephen Fox, eldest son of the first, and father of the present Lord Holland," with whose family he continued ever after in habits of intimacy. With the philosopher of Ferney he also entertained a correspondence till his death. On his return, he was introduced to Lord Sandwich, then secretary of state for the northern department; and this led to his first diplomatic essay in Russia, where a cast of the political dice, familiar in that country, had just placed the ingenious and ambitious Catharine on the throne. A treaty of commerce with Russia was then a desideratum with the British ministry, as that of 1734 had expired; and the Empress Elizabeth, notwithstanding the talents of Sir C. H. Williams, the good humour of Mr Keith, and the splendour of Lord Buckinghamshire, declined renewing it, and Catharine manifested herself completely hostile to the measure. In this state of things Sir George Macartney received the honour of knighthood from his Majesty in October 1764, set out upon his mission, and had his first audience of the empress, as envoy extraordinary from his Britannic Majesty, on the 11th Jan. 1765. He was introduced by M. Panin, the minister for foreign affairs, and confidant of the empress, whom he addressed, after the usual official explanations, in the following terms. "Forgive me, Madam, if I here express my own particular satisfaction in having been chosen for so pleasing, so important an employment. By this means I shall have the happiness of more nearly contemplating those extraordinary accomplishments, those heroic virtues, which make you the delight of that half of the globe over which you reign, and which render you the admiration of the other." This address, added to the beauty of Sir George's person, had the desired effect; and he ultimately succeeded in negociating a commercial treaty, notwithstanding the unaccountable inconsistencies and difficulties occasioned by the English ministry. This treaty has been very generally approved of, as being what all treaties ought to be, mutually advantageous to the contracting parties; but it was suffered to expire without renewal by the late or petty administration. It is now very improbable that it will ever be renewed, as the subsequent hostility of Russia has taught us to seek other resources, and to attempt more earnestly to cultivate the articles furnished by that country in our own colonies. The difficulties which Sir George experienced in negociating this treaty, with the obstinacy of M. Panin, and the unforeseen objections started by the British cabinet respecting the mention of the Navigation Act, while they afford a most interesting detail both to ministers

and negociators, evince the zeal and abilities of this distinguished and genuine patriot.

We come now to the next epoch in the life of this statesman, his return from Russia, his subsequent appointment as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Russian court, his resignation of this appointment, and his disinterested refusal of the ambassador's service of plate, although he had spent 6000l. of his own money in Petersburgh. In February 1768 he was married to Lady Jane Stuart, second daughter of the Earl of Bute, became a member for Cockermouth, and the next year was appointed chief secretary of Ireland, under Lord Townshend. It is in this capacity, and by his speeches in the Irish House of Commons, that the talents and wisdom of Sir George Macartney became known; the justice and acuteness of his remarks on the Irish "professors of patriotism," (still a very numerous and very worthless race in that country,) not unfrequently silenced the impetuous declamations of Flood, and rendered the fanatical effusions of the apothecary Lucas ridiculous and laughable. The judicious part of the Irish, have ever sincerely admired and revered his talents and integrity, and the reform which he effected will always be remembered with gratitude by every true friend to his country.

In 1775 Sir George was appointed captain-general and governor in chief of the Caribbee Islands, and in June 1776 was created Lord Macartney, Baron of Lissanoure, in Ireland. When he arrived at Grenada, he found the peace and prosperity. of the island considerably obstructed by religious feuds, chiefly between the French and Scotch; the latter detesting the former for being papists, and the former the latter for being intruders. Here, again, his lordship's stern integrity inspired confidence, and his conciliating manners soon effected the establishment of general harmony, and the complete extinction of religious or national animosity. This, however, was no sooner effected, than Grenada, through the culpable negligence of Admirals Young, Barrington, and Byron, particularly the latter, was attacked by a powerful French force, under the bête D'Estaing, and obliged to surrender at discretion. The enemy amounted to above 7000 men, whilst Lord Macartney had only 100 soldiers, with a few volunteers and militia, many of whom were French, in all not exceeding 500 persons under arms. They defended themselves most gallantly, and killed and wounded nearly their own number before they surrendered. Lord Macartney, finding that the enemy would not allow him an honourable capitulation, tore the star of the order of the Bath from his breast, observing, "that the ensigns of his sovereign's favour should not grace the trophies of a Frenchman's victory." The French, with their

usual brutality, plundered all his lordship's private property, and seized or destroyed all his papers. D'Estaing also refused him permission to go to any other of the West India islands on his parole of honour, and sent him a close prisoner to France. This was not the sole calamity which his lordship experienced at the same time: the vessel in which Lady Macartney had proposed taking her passage for England was burnt with all her clothes, many of his lordship's papers, and other articles which were dispatched for security on the alarm of the enemy's approach. Lord Macartney received one powerful consolation, indeed, in the public address of thanks from all the principal inhabitants of the island, delivered to him when a prisoner, and even before his brutal conqueror. His defence of the island was no less admired at home; and the British legislature passed an act allowing the import of Grenada sugar, although it was subject to the enemy.

Lord Macartney remained but a very short time prisoner in France; and on his return was solicited by Lord North to undertake a secret and confidential mission to Ireland, which he accomplished equally to the satisfaction of his Majesty's ministers, and Lord Buckingham, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In 1780 the governorship of Madras becoming vacant, the India company proprietors, friends of Lord Macartney, naturally turned their attention to him, believing that his talents and integrity only were capable of re-establishing the company's affairs in that presidency. Here, however, another difficulty arose; the intriguers and adventurers wished to have a governor chosen from the company's servants, under the specious pretext that local knowledge and experience were necessary to the fulfilment of the duties of that high station. This attempt to confirm, and, as it were, legalize corruption, failed; his lordship was appointed president of Fort St. George, and arrived before Pondicherry, after a passage of four months, on the 21st of June 1781. From Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, the commander in chief of his Majesty's ships on that station, he learned the "intelligence of the war with Hyder Ali, (of which no apprehensions had been entertained in England), the invasion of the Carnatic by this intrepid adventurer, the ill success of our arms, and the general gloomy appearance of our prospects in every part of India." Such a state of things required no less fortitude than ingenuity, both in a military and civil capacity. It raised a dilemma which would have been fatal to many men of some distinction. Yet, strange to say, even the talents and character of Lord Macartney, instead of vanquishing difficulties, served rather to raise them; his appearance, armed with authority to correct abuses, was the signal of discord and dis

obedience among the peculating agents of the company, who were at that time by far the most numerous class of Europeans in India.

The narrative of Lord Macartney's conduct during his presidentship at Madras, necessarily includes the history of Hin-. dostan during the same period, and consequently far exceeds our limits to give even but a slight outline of such multifarious events. In it, however, we have a bird's-eye view of some of the intrigues, peculations, bribery, and corruption of every possible kind, which have disgraced the British name, multiplied wars and devastation, continued the slavery and barbarism of the unfortunate Hindoos, and prepared a mine which sooner or later will ingulf the whole India company. The picture is truly hideous; but on reflecting, that the most vicious persons in those scenes of iniquity have generally passed through life in silence, while many of the more virtuous ones have been the topic of popular clamour, venal calumny, or malignant and invidious invective, it becomes painfully melancholy. The suf ferings of an ingenuous and honourable mind, amidst adventurers who would sacrifice every thing that is great or good in society, for the sake of accumulating wealth, may be easier conceived than described. In addition to these, his lordship had the mortification to see the enemies (French and Dutch) triumph on the coast, even in the face of a superior English fleet, which, if properly commanded, could have sent them to the bottom; he also beheld that cruel savage, Hyder Ali, massacre thousands of unresisting and innocent natives in cold blood, while vast numbers of fugitives were expiring with hunger in the streets of Madras. The nabob of Arcot and his family were obliged to take refuge in the town. The numerous cavalry of Hyder Ali had spread all over the Carnatic, and "parties of them approached daily even to the very gates of Madras." The failure of every supply of provisions, except by sea, was accompanied with an increased demand to feed the multitudes which flocked within the walls; and even that supply was rendered precarious by interruptions from the enemy's privateers. No hope of resources could be entertained from any of the princes of India. Their disposition towards the English was avowedly hostile. A general alarm seemed to prevail on account of our supposed ambition, and a suspicion entertained of our ill faith; as well as disrespect arising from the fluctuations of our councils, and the inconsistency of our proceedings." There were indeed strong grounds for believing that a general confederacy was projecting for our expulsion from the Indian peninsula.

Such was the deplorable state of our affairs when Lord Ma

cartney became president of the council of Madras, and when Sir Edward Hughes with eighteen ships fought the French Admiral Suffren with only sixteen, and suffered him to sheer off without capturing one of them, this same admiral, with more caprice than courage or skill, thought proper to set off to Bengal, and leave the coast unprotected to the ravages of the enemy. Sir Eyre Coote, also, the commander in chief of the army, a brave and skilful officer, possessing a delegated absolute authority, was no less jealous of his superiority; and, whether from the vanity of his fortune in battle, or peevishness arising from bodily infirmities, it required all the address of the governor to flatter and humour him like a child, in order to make him do his duty. The correction of abuses, reforms in the civil administration of the presidency, and the general check which his lordship had given to peculation, could not fail to raise up an host of the most dangerous, because the most unprincipled, enemies. Even his name and character had awakened a vulgar jealousy in the mind of the governor-general of Bengal, Mr. Hastings; and not only governors, generals, agents, and adventurers, but even nabobs, became his most determined opponents. Lord Macartney's disinterestednesss only aggravated the malignity of his enemies, as appear by his "rejection of the highest BRIBE that was probably ever before offered to a governor of Madras in one sum-two lacks of pagodas, or £ 80,000 !!!” (P. 114.)

It would be tedious and disgusting to enter minutely into all the intrigues and double-dealings of Hastings, or the more open rapacity of a Sullivan, a Stuart, and many others; suffice it to say, that all of them combined to vilify and calumniate the inflexible honesty of Lord Macartney. Nay, they even went farther, and intrigued with the nabobs, in order to raise a clamour against his lordship in the British House of Commons. The following sentiments are so deserving of the most attentive consideration of all those who read the reports of debates in parliament, that we give them in the author's own words.

"That a considerable portion of thinking men in the British nation should suffer themselves to be so long and so repeatedly abused, with regard to the complaints of the dependent Mahommedan princes of India, can only be explained by the little trouble that is taken to inform themselves accurately on the subject: but the enormous sums of money which these intriguing men are always ready to lavish on those who may either be sufficiently ignorant, or sufficiently corrupt, to undertake their cause, will readily account for the zealous advocates which now and then stand forth as their avowed chumpions; but the real fact is, that there is not, perhaps, a single individual among these mock princes which the company's servants have erected, who has not viofated his engagements with those who raised him to power; and so

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