by Mr Walpole, met on Putney Heath. Of what then took place, the seconds published the following account, in the newspapers of the next day: We are authorized to state, that in consequence of what passed on Friday last, (which produced a challenge from Mr Tierney,) Mr Pitt accompanied by Mr Ryder, and Mr Tierney accompanied by Mr George Walpole, met at three o'clock yesterday afternoon on Putney Heath. After some ineffectual attempts on the part of the seconds to prevent further proceedings, the parties took their ground at the distance of twelve paces. A case of pistols was fired at the same moment without effect; a second case was also fired in the same manner, Mr Pitt firing his pistol in the air; the seconds then jointly interfered, and insisted that the matter should go no further, it being their decided opinion that sufficient satisfaction had been given, and that the business was ended with perfect honour to both parties."

When Addington became premier in 1803, Tierney accepted the treasurership of the navy, and was sworn into the privy-council; but on the resumption of office by Pitt, he again took his seat on the opposition-benches. After the death of Fox he was appointed president of the Indian board of control.

On the regency question Tierney opposed ministers; he also opposed Vansittart's plans of finance, while he sided with the East India company on most questions touching our possessions in the East. "When the sudden return of Buonaparte threatened again to throw the affairs of Europe into confusion, Mr Tierney forsook Mr Ponsonby, the recognised leader of the whig party, and sided with Mr Whitbread on the amendment moved by that gentleman in the address, in answer to the prince regent's message; and on two other occasions, previously to the actual commencement of hostilities, he renewed his efforts to maintain peace, arguing that a change in the executive was no ground for war; for that it was a question of internal arrangement with which France alone was concerned; that such a war would be an avowed attack of a nation against an individual; that oppressed as England was she could not carry on the contest for two years; and that it was too much to expect that the war would be a short one. Pending these discussions, he moved for a committee on the civil list, into the history of which he went at considerable length, and exposed the constant excess in the expenditure, the extravagance of our diplomatic missions, and the lavish cost of the Windsor establishment. The effect, however, of this motion, though in part granted, was much neutralized by the amendment of the chancellor of the exchequer, which excluded the power of calling for persons, papers, and records; and so hampered did Mr Tierney find himself in the committee, that soon after he had to apply to the house for permission to send for Mr Marsh, of the lord chamberlain's office, which, however, it was thought proper to refuse. The convention with the king of the Netherlands' was altogether disapproved of by Mr Tierney; and he especially objected to the enormous expense incurred in fortifying Belgium for the benefit of Holland. The 'Budget' enabled him to go into a detail, of more than ordinary minuteness, of the finance of the country he compared, for a series of years, the relative amount of the loans, with the sums raised by taxes; he instituted a similar comparison between the relation of the sinking fund with the debt; and lamented that the system of Mr Pitt should have been overturned by

6

those who claimed to follow up his principles. With reference to the war newly embarked in, he termed it rash; asserted that not even the million or eleven hundred thousand soldiers relied on by ministers, could put down a nation such as France; and pronounced it idle to prognosticate the expense of a contest the end of which no one could foresee. With the debates on the marriage of the duke of Cumberland, the grant in consequence of which he opposed, the business of the session closed. Peace being, in 1816, to all appearance permanently restored, a general reduction of the establishments connected with a state of warfare became the universal theme.-Mr Tierney concurring with the opposition party, that these reductions were not entered on with sufficient vigour and determination, the subject was taken up by them on every occasion, and formed the principal handle of annoyance to the government. On the various subjects of discussion Mr Tierney combated the ground with ministers, inch by inch; and the alternation of sarcasm, argument, and humour, so peculiarly his own, produced its effect even on the imperturbability of Lord Castlereagh. In the session

of 1817 Mr Tierney, who, after the death of Mr Ponsonby, was considered as the leader of his party, pursued the same general course, and opposed the address; on which occasion he depicted the financial state of the country in gloomy colours. The question of war salaries to the secretaries of the admiralty was taken up and treated by him with caustic pleasantry. On the several motions respecting parliamentary reform, he supported his early opinions in favour of that measure. He joined Mr Bennet in censuring the appointment of Mr Herries to a lucrative office, while holding his half-pay as commissary-in-chief. He replied to Mr Canning, when that gentleman's mission to Lisbon came into discussion in a distinct form; and he introduced a series of resolutions, expressive of his view of the state of the finances, which, however, had to give place to others moved by Mr C. Grant, conveying the sense of the treasury on that topic. The alarming state of the country in the winter of 1817-18 led to a series of measures on the part of government, and a secret committee was moved for, which elicited a declaration of Mr Tierney's sentiments on the question. The succeeding motions for inquiry into the employment of spies and informers, afforded further occasions for the expression of his opinion of the mode in which ministers had met the difficulties of the times. Consistently with his previous declaration, he was opposed to the 'indemnity bill,' shortly afterwards introduced and carried. The state of the circulating medium was brought before the house in a motion of his own by Mr Tierney, which motion was introduced by a speech of great research; but he failed of attaining the object proposed. On the proposition for additional allowances to the royal dukes on the occasion of their respective marriages, he argued that such grants were inconsistent with the admitted state of the finances." "1

Tierney opposed the measures instituted against Queen Caroline, but not with all the warmth that had been expected from him. When Canning became premier the mastership of the mint was conferred upon Tierney, which office he held until the breaking-up of Lord Goderich's administration.

Annual Obituary for 1831.

He died suddenly on the 25th of January, 1830. The writer of the 'Annual Obituary,' in his notice of this statesman, thus accurately describes his style and manner as a parliamentary speaker: "As a speaker Mr Tierney was exceedingly original. From the moment he opened his mouth till he sat down the attention of his hearers never flagged for one moment. In a style which never rose above the colloquial, the most cutting sarcasms, level to the most ordinary understanding, escaped from him, as if he were himself unaware of their terrible effect. His sneer was withering. Of all the speakers, contemporaries of Mr Tierney, no one was so much dreaded as he was. His irony was inimitable. From the simplicity of his language the reporter never misunderstood him; but from the rapidity of his colloquial turns, and the instant roar with which they were followed in the house, it was impossible to record all that fell from him; and the reports, therefore, though almost always characteristic of him, were far from complete. But his manner and intonation added greatly to the effect of what he said. It was the conversation of a shrewd, sagacious man of the world, who delivered his observations on the subject under discussion with an apparent candour, which contrasted singularly with the knowing tone and look of the speaker. His mode of taking an argument to pieces and reconstructing it in his own way, astonished his hearers, who recognised the apparent fidelity of the copy, and yet felt at a loss how he had himself failed to perceive, during the preceding speech, what seemed now so palpably absurd. Although, as we have observed, his manner was colloquial, the correctness of his language was remarkable; and his rapidity was as remarkable as his correctness. It was some time after perceiving that he never hesitated for a word, that it was acknowledged that no word but the right one ever came at his command; he was indeed 'a well of English undefiled.' His reasoning and his wit were equally unostentatious and equally perfect. It has been said that his knowledge was limited; but we believe he differed from his contemporaries not so much in knowledge, as in an indisposition to parade any knowledge in which he was not a perfect master. He was a man, who, in the discussion of the greatest affairs of the greatest nation, was always listened to with delight, except by those whose weakness or hollowness he exposed."

John, Lord Redesdale.

BORN A. D. 1748.-DIED A. D. 1830.

JOHN FREEMAN MITFORD, Baron Redesdale, was born in 1748. His family was an old Northumberland one. He was educated at Winchester school and at Oxford; and having entered of the Temple, was called to the bar. In 1782 he published A Treatise of Pleadings in Suits of Chancery; and he soon became a leading counsel before that court.

6

In 1788 he was returned member of parliament for Beeralston, which place he continued to represent in several parliaments. In 1793 he was made solicitor-general, and received the honour of knighthood. In the following year he conducted the celebrated state-trials. In 1799, when Sir John Scott was created Lord Eldon, Sir John Mitford was

appointed attorney-general; and on Addington becoming premier, he was elected speaker of the house of commons.

He occupied the chair, however, only for a short time. On the death of the earl of Clare, it was determined that he should receive the great seal of Ireland, with an English peerage; and on the 15th of February, 1802, he was created Baron Redesdale of Redesdale, in Northumberland.

Lord Redesdale occupied the Irish chancery bench until the coalition ministry placed George Ponsonby upon it. He took leave of the bar on this occasion, in the following speech :—

"I must now take my leave. When I came to this country, I thought that I should probably pass the remainder of my days here. With that view I formed an establishment, and I proudly hoped to have lived amongst you, and to have died amongst you; but that has not been permitted. To the gentlemen of the bar I have the greatest obligations. I came amongst them a stranger; I have experienced from them every kindness; and I must say, that I could not have left a bar with whom I could have lived in habits of more cordial intercourse. Perhaps I may (on some occasions I am aware that I must) have used expressions which have appeared harsh at the moment; but I trust they were only such as were suited to the occasion. My design was not to hurt the feelings of any; and if I have done so, I am truly sorry for it. I wish to depart in peace and good will with all. To the officers and practitioners of the court, I must say, that though with respect to a very few of the latter, I have had occasion to animadvert with some severity, their conduct in general has been highly satisfactory. As to the officers of the court, they have all, in their several stations, endeavoured to assist me to the utmost of their power; they have materially done so, and I owe them sincere thanks. It would have been my wish to have continued to sit until the gentleman who has been named to succeed me should have arrived. I believe it was his wish also, and I have every reason to think so; and from him I have experienced every degree of politeness and attention. I am sorry that other persons should have thought me unworthy to have been intrusted with the seal during the interval. What can occasion this, (which I cannot but consider as a personal insult,) I am unable to guess; but I have been informed that a peremptory order has come to the lord-lieutenant, not to suffer a moment to elapse in preventing the great seal from longer remaining in my hands. I know not whence this jealousy of me has arisen, or how my continuing to sit in the Court of Chancery (for I could make no other use of the seal but under the warrant of his excellency), could interfere with any views of his majesty's ministers. I am proudly conscious of having discharged the duties of my station with honesty and integrity to the utmost of my abilities. For the office I care not, except so far as it afforded me the opportunity of discharging conscientiously an important public duty. It was unsought for by me; I came here much against my will; I came from a high situation in England, where I was living amongst my old friends, and in the midst of my family. But I was told that I owed it to public duty and to private friendship to accept the office, and I yielded; I yielded to the solicitations of some of those who have concurred in my removal. This, I own, is what I did not expect, and what I was not prepared to bear. But I feel most of

all that so little consideration has been had for the public business and the interests of the suitors of this court. You must all know the avocations of those who have been named as Commissioners. The master of the rolls has already as much business as he can conveniently discharge; the lord-chief-justice and the lord-chief-baron have their several avocations, which must prevent their attendance in the court of chancery. I am extremely sorry that a great deal of business will in consequence be left undone, which ought to have been disposed of before the rising of the court; but so it has been thought fit. And now I have only to say, that in returning to the country from whence I came, I shall be most happy if it should ever be in my power to be of service to Ireland. Ireland will always have a claim upon me. Had I continued in the commons' house of parliament, I might have been able to do much service: in the other house that power is much lessened; but such as it is, this country may ever command it. To this country I have the highest sense of obligation: I do not know that in a single instance I have experienced any thing but kindness. I have experienced it from all ranks of people without exception. Under these circumstances I retire with a firm conviction, that you will do me the justice to say, that I have discharged my duty with honest and conscientious zeal, to the extent of my abilities; and that on this head I have nothing with which to reproach myself."

His lordship continued a supporter of ministry, but was never again called to his majesty's councils. He opposed the Parochial schools bill, as not being formed with sufficient reference to the established church; but in 1813 he defended the Stipendiary Curate's bill against the reverend bench, and maintained that "the church possessed sufficient riches, though there was a defect in the unequal distribution of them." He opposed a free trade in corn; and vindicated the policy of the Bank Restriction act of 1797. He was the principal promoter of the Insolvent Debtor's law, and vigorously supported the appointment of a vice-chancellor.

He died on the 16th of January, 1830.

William Huskisson.

BORN A. D. 1770.-DIED A. D. 1830.

THIS distinguished statesman was the eldest son of William Huskisson, Esq. of Oxley, near Wolverhampton. At the age of thirteen he accompanied his grand-uncle, Dr Gem, to Paris, where he spent several years, and for a short time studied medicine; but having been offered the situation of private secretary to Lord Gower, the British ambassador, he eagerly accepted an employment much more congenial to his habits of mind. Upon the ambassador's return in 1792, young Huskisson accompanied him; and, in 1795, was appointed chief-clerk in the war-office under Secretary Dundas. The next year he became undersecretary. On the breaking up of Pitt's administration in 1801, Huskisson resigned the under-secretaryship, and retired upon a pension of £1200, which Pitt had secured for him, in consideration of his valuable services.