to the parliament; who on May the 26th, 1698, ordered a bill for settling the trade to that place:  Mr. Montague transacted this whole affair; and by his industry and skill, in touching the affections of the people, raised two-millions, by only doubling the duties on paper, parchment, and salt; which to have done by any other means, was at that time matter of the utmost difficulty.  These proofs of affection and zeal to his majesty’s person and government, induced the king to declare him first:  lord commissioner of the treasury; and on the 16th of July, 1698, appointed him one of the persons to whose fidelity, and honour, he reposed the trust of lords justices of England, for the administration of government during his absence.  In the year 1700 his lordship resigned the place of first lord commissioner of the treasury, having obtained a grant of the office of auditor of the receipts of the exchequer, vacant by the death of Sir Robert Howard; and on the 4th of December, the same year, was advanced to the dignity of baron Hallifax, in the county of York.

On the accession of queen Anne, he was concerned in vindicating the memory of king William, and on all occasions shewed a disinterested zeal in the service of his country.  He first projected the equivalent, which was given to the Scots, in order to promote the Union between the nations; and without which it had never been effected.  And as his lordship first moved for appointing commissioners to treat of an Union between the two kingdoms; so he had not only a great share in that treaty, as one of the commissioners, but causing it to be ratified in parliament, and answered, with all the force of which he was master, the various objections made against it.  And further, to strengthen the interest of the Whigs, which he thought was essentially connected with the protestant religion, his lordship proposed the bill for the naturalization of the illustrious house of Hanover, and for the better security of the succession of the crown in the protestant line; which being pass’d into an act, her majesty made choice of him to carry the news to our late sovereign; and to invest his son with the ensigns of the most noble order of the Garter.  On his arrival at Hanover, he was received with extraordinary marks of distinction, and honour.  During his residence there, the prince-royal of Prussia was married to his present majesty’s sister; and soon aster that prince set out with his lordship for the confederate army.  Hallifax then went to the Hague, where he laid the foundation of a stricter alliance between Great-Britain, and the United Provinces:  On his return to England he was graciously received by the-queen, and continued in her favour till the change of the ministry, in the year 1710.