(543) “March 26, 27.  The House of commons balloted for their committee, being called over, and each opening his list at the table, and putting it into a vessel which stood there.  This was ended by five.  Then a committee began to examine the lists, and sat from that time till four the next afternoon:  for, though two lists were given out, many delivered in consisted partly of one, and partly of the other; and many were put in different order.  Sir Thomas Drury, a friend of Lord Orford’s, put down four of the opposite side in his list.  Lord Orford’s friends hoped it would bring moderate persons over to them, if they put some on their list who were not partial to him."-” March 29.  The decision between Sir H. Lyddel, Mr. J. Talbot. and Mr. W. Finch, was left to the Speaker, who chose the two former.”  Secker MS.-E.

(544) This is not correct.  It appears, by the Journals, that the motion passed in the negative by 204 against 184.  The debate is thus noticed by the Bishop of Oxford:-"March 31.  Sir Robert Cotschall, Lord Mayor, moved for the repeal of the Septennial Bill.  Mr. Pultney said, he thought annual parliaments would be best, but preferred septennial to triennial and voted against the motion.  In all, 204 against it, and 184 for it.”  Secker MS.-E.

243 Letter 61 To Sir Horace Mann.  London, April 8, 1742.

You have no notion how astonished I was, at reading your account of Sir Francis Dashwood!-that it should be possible for private and personal pique so to sour any man’s temper and honour, and so utterly to change their principles!  I own I am for your mentioning him in your next despatch:  they may at least intercept his letters, and prevent his dirty intelligence.  As to Lady Walpole,(545) her schemes are so wild and so ill-founded, that I don’t think it worth while to take notice of them.  I possibly may mention this new one of changing her name, to her husband, and of her coming-over design, but I am sure he will only laugh at it.

The ill-situation of the King, which you say is so much talked of at the Petraia,(546) Is not true; indeed he and the Prince are not at all more reconciled for being reconciled; but I think his resolution has borne him out.  All the public questions are easily carried, even with the concurrence of the Tories.  Mr. Pultney proposed to grant a large sum for assisting the Queen of Hungary, and got Sir John Barnard to move it.  They have given the King five hundred thousand pounds for that purpose.(547) The land-tax of four shillings in the pound is continued.  Lord Stair is gone to Holland, and orders are given to the regiments and guards to have their camp equipages ready.  As to the Spanish war and Vernon, there is no more talk of them; one would think they had both been taken by a privateer.