mob was dispersed for a time, but soon assembled again, and
became still more alarming. Houses were plundered, churches were
entered, and the city set on fire in thirty-six different places. The
people were obliged to chalk on their houses "No popery," and pay
contributions to prevent their being sacked. The prisons were emptied
of both felons and debtors. Lord Mansfield's splendid residence was
destroyed, together with his pictures, furniture, and invaluable law
library. Martial law was finally proclaimed--the last resort in cases
of rebellion, and never resorted to but in extreme cases; and the
military did what magistrates could not do--restored order and law.
Had not the city been decreed to be in a state of rebellion, the
rioters would have taken the bank, which they had already attacked.
Five hundred persons were killed in the riot, and Lord George Gordon
was committed to the Tower. He, however, escaped conviction, through
the extraordinary talents of his counsel, Mr. Erskine and Mr. Kenyon;
but one hundred others were capitally convicted. This disgraceful riot
opened the eyes of the people to the horrors of popular insurrection,
and perhaps prevented a revolution in England, when other questions,
of more practical importance, agitated the nation.

But no reform of importance took place until the administration of
William Pitt. Mr. Burke attempted to secure some economical
retrenchments, which were strongly opposed. But what was a
retrenchment of two hundred thousand pounds a year, when compared with
the vast expenditures of the British armies in America and in India?
But though the reforms which Burke projected were not radical or
important, they contributed to raise his popularity with the people,
who were more annoyed by the useless offices connected with the king's
household, than by the expenditure of millions in war. At first, his
scheme received considerable attention, and the members listened to
his propositions so long as they were abstract and general. But when
he proceeded to specific reforms, they no longer regarded his voice,
and he was obliged to abandon his task as hopeless. William Pitt made
his first speech in the debate which Burke had excited, and argued in
favor of retrenchment with the eloquence of his father, but with more
method and clearness. The bill was lost, but Burke finally succeeded
in carrying his measures; and the offices of the master of the
harriers, the master of the staghounds,