ndidates appeared, men without party connexion
or local interest, who had lately become rich, West India merchants,
"nabobs" gorged with the spoils of the East, shareholders of the East
India Company, admirals and others who had reaped a splendid harvest
from the destruction of the commerce and shipping of France. The
competition for seats was extraordinary; at Andover there were nine
candidates. Constituencies which had long obeyed the orders of great
landlords were no longer to be reckoned upon. No political question was
exciting public interest, and the borough elections were decided rather
by money than by measures. Bribery was carried to a preposterous height,
and the new-rich bought seats as openly as they bought their horses. The
borough of Sudbury went so far as to advertise itself for sale. Those
who without political aims or connexions forced themselves into
parliament by their wealth were peculiarly open to court influence.
Newcastle's belief that the elections would secure his position was
ill-founded; many members on whom he relied were ready to desert him at
the bidding of the court. By the beginning of March, before the
elections were over, the king and Bute were sure of the support they
desired.

Bute was in a position which enabled him to take office and to begin to
carry out the designs cherished by his master and himself, to bring the
war to an end and to encourage the jealousy of Pitt's colleagues to such
an extent that they would force him to leave them. He could be dispensed
with as soon as peace was made, and without him the whig ranks could
easily be broken up, for Newcastle could be crushed at any time. With
Bute as an ally Pitt dominated over his fellow-ministers, who bore his
yoke with rebellious feelings. If Bute came over to their side they
could make a stand against him. Viri's secret negotiations on Bute's
behalf gave them a chance not to be neglected. Newcastle, Hardwicke, and
the Duke of Devonshire took counsel together, and Newcastle went to the
king with a proposal that Bute should accept office. To this George, of
course, readily assented. Pitt knew nothing of all this until the matter
was settled.[27] On March 12 Holdernesse was dismissed. It was not a
creditable business; four months before he had signified his readiness
to make room for Bute,[28] and he received a present pension of L4,000 a
year and the reversion of the wardenship of the Cinque Ports, which was
at least equally va