e Duke of Newcastle and Mr.
Pitt. Neither of these held his importance by the _new tenure_ of the
Court; they were not, therefore, thought to be so proper as others for
the services which were required by that tenure. It happened very
favourably for the new system, that under a forced coalition there
rankled an incurable alienation and disgust between the parties which
composed the Administration. Mr. Pitt was first attacked. Not satisfied
with removing him from power, they endeavoured by various artifices to
ruin his character. The other party seemed rather pleased to get rid of
so oppressive a support; not perceiving that their own fall was prepared
by his, and involved in it. Many other reasons prevented them from
daring to look their true situation in the face. To the great Whig
families it was extremely disagreeable, and seemed almost unnatural, to
oppose the Administration of a Prince of the House of Brunswick. Day
after day they hesitated, and doubted, and lingered, expecting that other
counsels would take place; and were slow to be persuaded that all which
had been done by the Cabal was the effect, not of humour, but of system.
It was more strongly and evidently the interest of the new Court faction
to get rid of the great Whig connections than to destroy Mr. Pitt. The
power of that gentleman was vast indeed, and merited; but it was in a
great degree personal, and therefore transient. Theirs was rooted in the
country. For, with a good deal less of popularity, they possessed a far
more natural and fixed influence. Long possession of Government; vast
property; obligations of favours given and received; connection of
office; ties of blood, of alliance, of friendship (things at that time
supposed of some force); the name of Whig, dear to the majority of the
people; the zeal early begun and steadily continued to the Royal Family;
all these together formed a body of power in the nation, which was
criminal and devoted. The great ruling principle of the Cabal, and that
which animated and harmonised all their proceedings, how various soever
they may have been, was to signify to the world that the Court would
proceed upon its own proper forces only; and that the pretence of
bringing any other into its service was an affront to it, and not a
support. Therefore when the chiefs were removed, in order to go to the
root, the whole party was put under a proscription, so general and severe
as to take their hard-earne