STORATION OF THE RUMP: ACQUIESCENCE OF THE ARMY
CHIEFS: LENTHALL'S OBJECTIONS: FIRST FORTNIGHT OF THE RESTORED RUMP;
LINGERING OF RICHARD IN WHITEHALL: HIS ENFORCED ABDICATION.

OLIVER was dead, and Richard was Protector. He had been nominated, in
some indistinct way, by his father on his death-bed; and, though
there was missing a certain sealed nomination paper, of much earlier
date, in which it was believed that Fleetwood was the man, it was the
interest of all parties about Whitehall at the moment, Fleetwood
himself included, to accept the death-bed nomination. That having
been settled through the night following Oliver's death, Richard was
proclaimed in various places in London and Westminster on the morning
of September 4, amid great concourses, with firing of cannon, and
acclamations of "_God save His Highness Richard Lord
Protector!_" It was at once intimated that the Government was to
proceed without interruption, and that all holding his late
Highness's commissions, civil or military, were to continue in their
appointments.

Over the country generally, and through the Continent, the news of
Oliver's death and the news that Richard had succeeded him ran
simultaneously. For some time there was much anxiety at Whitehall as
to the response. From all quarters, however, it was reassuring.
Addresses of loyal adhesion to the new Protector poured in from
towns, counties, regiments, and churches of all denominations; the
proclamations in London and Westminster were repeated in Edinburgh,
Dublin, and everywhere else; the Armies in England, Scotland, and
Ireland were alike satisfied; the Navy was cordial; from Lockhart, as
Governor of Dunkirk, and from the English Army in Flanders, there
were votes of confidence; and, in return for the formal intimation
made to all foreign diplomatists in London of the death of the late
Protector and the accession of his son, there came mingled
condolences on the one event and congratulations on the other from
all the friendly powers. Richard himself, hitherto regarded as a mere
country-gentleman of simple and jolly tastes, seemed to suit his new
position better than had been expected. In audiences with deputations
and with foreign ambassadors he acquitted himself modestly and
respectably; and, as he had his father's Council still about him,
with Thurloe keeping all business in hand in spite of an inopportune
illness, affairs went on apparently in a satisfactory course.--A
matter whic