The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

MEMOIRS of the late Marquis of ROCKINGHAM.

The most noble Charles Watson Wentworth, Marquis of Rockingham, Earl of Milton, Viscount Higham of Higham Ferrers, Baron Rockingham of Rockingham, Baron Mahon, & of Worth and Harrowden in England; & Earl of Malton in Ireland, was born on the 13th of May, 1730. He took his seat in the English Parliament on the decease of his father Thomas, the first Marquis of Rockingham, on the 22d of May 1751, and on July 9 following, was constituted Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the North and West Ridings of the county of York, by the late King, to whom he was one of the Lords of the Bedchamber, in which post he was continued by his present Majesty, at whose coronation, Sept. 22, 1761, as Deputy to the Duke of Norfolk (Lord of the Manor of Worksop) he presented him with a right hand glove, before his receiving the sceptre with the cross from the Archbishop of Canterbury, and afterwards occasionally supported by his Majesty's right hand. His Lordship also, after the King was enthroned, and whilst he received the homage of the Peers, Spiritual and Temporal, held as deputy aforesaid the said sceptre with the cross, and which having re-delivered, pronounced the words of the homage for all the Marquises— He was elected Knight of the Garter, with Earl Temple, on Feb. 4, 1760, and installed the 6th May following: His Lordship, in 1763, resigned his offices of Lord of the Bedchamber. Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the aforesaid Ridings of Yorkshire, on account of the system of the Earl of Bute : but he was appointed First Lord of the Treasury: in the room of the Right Honorable George Grenville; on July 20, 1765, and was again appointed Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire, &c. and during this administration, the characteristic of which was the repeal of the Stamp Act, he displayed such sound principles, such an enlargement of mind, such clear and sagacious sense, and such unshaken fortitude, as to bind a most extensive and honorable party of men by an invaluable attachment to him from that time forward. Mr. Burke, describing the conduct and circumstances of this great measure, concludes thus : " The question of the repeal. was brought in by Ministry in the Committee of the House of Commons, at the very instant when it was known that more than one court negociation was carrying on with the heads of the opposition. Every thing upon every side was full of traps and mines. Earth below shook; heaven above menaced : all the elements of ministerial safety were dissolved. It was in the midst of this chaos of plots
and counterplots ; it was in the midst of this compleat warfare against public opposition, and private treachery, that the firmness of that noble person (the Marquis of Rockingham) was put to the proof. He never stirred from his ground ; no, not an inch. He remained fixed and determined in principle, in measure, and in conduct. He practised no managements. He secured no retreat. He sought no apology. The intrigues of that faction, which were then in opposition. growing violent: the Marquis resigned his place of first Lord of the treasury. on August 1. 1766 ; and during the whole of the Ministry of the different men who resumed the measures of the coercion. he acted a zealous and decisive part ; but. unhappily for this country, neither the influence of truth nor policy were able to move, or turn aside the impetuous torrent of that mad system, which bore down constitution, and all before it; and it was not terminated until it had well nigh involved the empire in irraparable ruin. The noble Marquis was; on the late important revolution. called again to the place of first Lord of the Treasury ; and, to the great and alarming misfortune of his country. they are thus suddenly deprived of his services. when their consequence and value were just beginning to be felt. His Lordship married on February 26, 1752. Mary. daughter and heiress of Thomas Bright, Esq: of Badsworth.in the county of York,and uncle to Lord Ravensworth, but has left no issue: