Xinshun 1730

Chapter 1300 Death and Revenge ([-])

If, William Pitt, stood for the reasons he stood for, and opposed war, he would undoubtedly be considered a great man, from the point of view of progress.

At least, a progressive school with a beginning and an end, unity of knowledge and action, and self-consistent logic.

However, what he said and what he did was such a distortion.

Therefore, among Pete's enemies, Liu Yu didn't think highly of Pete, and felt that Pete's level was average.

It is purely an unintentional Showa staff officer, or the kind of opposition in later generations who oppose for the sake of opposition.

On the one hand, Pitt, as the opposition, strongly opposed the tax system, opposed the excise search, opposed the agricultural tax, and opposed the liquor tax.

On the other hand, after Peter came to power, he aggressively expanded the war. Historically, when France could not hold on, Peter wanted to declare Spain together, fight the war from Manila to Canada, and fight until France completely gave up the capture of Newfoundland. The right to fish...continue to expand the military, continue to fight wars, and continue to maintain a large fleet and military expenditure.

Where does the money come from?

When Pete stood up and said that the wind and the rain can enter, he was righteous.

Didn't he know that the search for bootleg alcohol caused by the liquor tax was to ease the debt of 4 million taels of silver owed by the state treasury? The sum of the countries and the investment of tens of thousands of troops in North America?

Pitt opposed a standing army.

But isn't the standing army expanded because of the all-out war he supports?
Pitt opposed the oppression of North America.

But isn't "maintaining the authority of the British Parliament" what he is pursuing on stage?Isn't the North American Parliament what the North American wants, which he absolutely opposes and thinks will damage the authority of the London Parliament he controls?Didn't he know that the North American Parliament and the British Parliament stand side by side, will the British Parliament lose its real authority?
Pitt opposed Walpole's tax policy and satirized Walpole's defeat in the Spanish war.

But in fact, "Is this still England, is this the country with a larger fleet than the rest? Why not go to all-out war?" Wasn't that exactly Pete's fanatical speech at the time of the Jenkins ear incident?Subsequent tax increases, landed nobles' dissatisfaction with the high land tax, and the East India Company's tail can't be lost. Because it wants to buy national debt, the parliament can only increase the monopoly period of the East India Company. Isn't this just the financial problem after he instigated the war?

Pitt opposed stationing troops in North America, believing that it would cause dissatisfaction in North America.

But the problem of the North American garrison, isn’t it because he increased the standing army during the Seven Years War, transported a large number of troops to North America, and the Indian uprising caused by the subsequent brutal massacre of the Puritans continued to increase the number of troops, which made it impossible for 1500 officers after the war. Is it caused by asking North America to provide military expenses?

Pete believes that the rebellion in North America was caused by the incompetence and mistakes of the cabinet, and has nothing to do with him.

But North America’s opposition to the garrison issue is not because he ate Canada, which led to the reason of “garrisoning to protect North America to prevent the invasion of France and Catholicism”. Have you been suppressed?
Pete shouted that he was the representative of the will of the common people, and portrayed himself as a great commoner.

But hadn't he turned around and accepted the peerages of Earl of Chatham and Viscount Burton Pinsent?
It seems magical, but from the perspective of class, many things are very clear.

What Pitt represented was nothing but the interests of British commercial capital.

This is true for opposing the Excise Tax, supporting the war against Spain, supporting the global colonial strategy, opposing the reduction of land taxes, and supporting the extension of the East India Company's monopoly.

Even if he said the hype.

Or maybe, when he was young, he really had the ideal of "making everyone a nobleman and protecting his castle from being violated by the royal power".

But, who hasn't been young?

In the final analysis, it is the evaluation of Lao Ma in the end:
[They considered themselves the privileged stewards of the revenues of the British Empire.As long as they regard the monopoly of power as their hereditary property, they can renounce other monopolies created for them. 】

[The attempt to maintain one's own hereditary oligarchy is the only characteristic of Whigism.The interests and principles which the Whig party also sometimes defended were not its own, but were imposed upon it by the development of the industrial and commercial classes, that is, of the bourgeoisie. 】

This is true of Grenville's rebound at this time; the same is true of Pete's fanatical support for the war before.

It's just that the war he fanatically supports now has unexpected results.

National debt holders, shipowners of the West India Chamber of Commerce, smugglers, merchants, monopoly merchants...their interests have all been damaged.

Dashun's participation in the war put the national debt at risk and lost trust.

The fulcrum of Senegal puts every shipment of slave traders at risk of being hijacked.

The Caribbean Dashun armed merchant ships and cruise ships attacked around Havana, causing heavy losses to the merchants in the West Indies.

The massive amount of goods split the smuggling groups in North America.The channel for incoming goods originally monopolized by smuggling groups was replaced by Dashun; and those who sold on the shore welcomed Dashun smuggling ships.

In the miracle year of the war, all businessmen believed that it would be better if the war continued.

War, all-out war, would lead to bigger colonies, bigger markets, wider trade.

At that time, the cry of war overwhelmed everything.

But now, all the people who supported Pete back then stood up against Pete.It’s not because of anything else, but because of Pete’s policy, I didn’t bring them more wealth, only bankruptcies, cut-offs, capital outflows, stock depreciation, and bank runs.

The huge national debt needs to be paid and repaid. With these realities in front of us, what answer can Pete give?
As Grenville said: the good reputation is yours, you who are patriotic, you who oppose tax increases, and you who oppose search and anti-smuggling.But the national debt issue, tax increase issues, and peace treaty negotiations, these are left to the successor.

You pat your ass and leave, who will pick up the mess?

It's not that there are people who are willing to come forward, but the problem is that whoever comes forward, Pete will be the opposition in the audience at that time, and it will be righteous again.

Peace talks, armistice, will spray cowards, traitors.

Raising taxes and repaying debts will spur the people and violate traditions.

The tax increase on North America will lead to the separation of Britain and the United States.

Abolishing the garrison in North America will spray the abuse of heroes who have contributed to the country.

The inspection of smuggling will be against tradition.

If smuggling is not investigated, corruption and incompetence will be sprayed.

Recognizing that North America has established its own parliament equal to London will be sprayed to strengthen the royal power and betray the parliament.

If you don't recognize North America's own parliament that is equal to London, you will be accused of being responsible for the separation of North America.

As a core member of the "Little Patriots", Grenville is all too familiar with this set.

After all, they earned their fame by spraying Walpole's policies in the first place.Moreover, Grenville was well aware of what Pitt meant when he said that "influence in the House of Commons comes from activities against the government".

Facing Pete, Grenville said something more practical after expressing his dissatisfaction.

"The fall of Gibraltar, those officers who were repatriated first, have John Mordaunt's suicide note in their hands."

"The contents of the letter are very unfavorable to you."

"The mood in the country is also very bad now."

"The Tories hate you for disrupting land tax cuts."

"The Whigs thought you had too much power in Parliament, that you had tended to centralize power, and that you were shaping a government that would obey the Pitts and the Temples."

"Our new king, you should know, he has been indoctrinated with the idea of ​​'Pitt had the blackest of hearts'. You have a black heart, and you are trying to make the Pitt family and the Temple family do legally in a legal and popular way. Cromwell's black heart."

"What is more heartbreaking is the domestic public opinion and sentiment."

"Some people think that your fanatical and aggressive ocean strategy has touched the bottom line of the Chinese Empire's security, so they sent troops to defend their bottom line of security."

"The other part, quite influenced by the behind-the-scenes diplomats of the Eastern Empire, believes that tariffs are the root of all problems."

"Now, the whole of Britain is in a precarious and dangerous situation."

"The threat of landing has not been lifted, and the Jacobites still have not given up their last hope to land in Scotland with the help of the Chinese and French."

"The national debt is also in jeopardy. People who buy a large number of national debt urgently need a credible repayment method from the government."

"The capital chain of the East India Company has been broken, and all their trade in the East has been cut off. The trading posts in Persia, India, and Turkey have all been occupied; the slave trade in West Africa cannot be carried out."

"In times like these, of course we need to fight to the end, but the people need to know how far we are going to fight."

"At least, the people need to know whether our new king will take Hannover so seriously. At least, if we abandon Hannover, people will believe that we can defend Britain's core interests."

"They were willing to fight, and every village in England, on every coast, would give their lives for the defense of the state religion."

"But they don't want to bleed for Hanover and pay taxes for thirteen states."

"They are willing to fight, but need to know where the dawn of peace is."

Peter was keenly aware of the meaning of Grenville's words, and asked, "What do you mean?"

Grenville didn't answer, just fell silent.

What he meant was actually very simple.

Since you have not resigned yet, and since you are still in charge of the military and government, then you need to come up with a clear plan.

Especially at this time when the new king is enthroned.

If you don't give up Hanover, and the King's bewitched Tory idea of ​​a monarchy, then you resign.

It is clear that we must continue to fight and fight to the last man.

But the purpose of fighting is to defend the state religion and England's freedom, not to defend the interests of smugglers, to defend the monopoly interests of the East India Company, or to spend money to fight the French in distant North America, let alone for Hanover fight to the end.

Fighting to the end means "there is a certain bottom line, and we will fight to the end for the core interests of this bottom line, instead of continuing to be caught in this endless world war for things other than this core interest."

This kind of words is most suitable for Pete.

Grenville hopes that he can inherit Pitt's mantle and political legacy, but strip Pitt of his bad legacy.

Because, in his view, Pete was politically dead.

Instead of leaving silently like this, it is better to complete some things that are usually difficult to complete before leaving.

Completely cut the relationship between the king and Germany, completely blocked the tendency to re-expand the king's power, and took the opportunity to destroy people around the king, such as the king's mother's friend and his teacher of monarchy, John Stewart.

It was a Tory, a Crownist, and a... Scot.

The most important thing now is not the invasion and war between France and China, because the navy has enough confidence to defend the strait, but to destroy the possibility of the Scots becoming prime minister.

If Pete proposes a "bottom" of "fighting to the end" at this time; and a "bottom" of "repaying the national debt".

In this way, the ball is kicked to the king's side.

Or, take it.

Or, refuse.

Accept, go to Hanover, or let go of a lot of royal power, continue the rule of the Whig oligarchs, and avoid the most dangerous restoration of the monarchy.

Rejection means that he can only rely on John Stewart to form a cabinet, and after rejecting Pete's proposal, he has to give his own solution.At that time, the whole of England will object, no one will take over this mess, and all problems will be borne by the King and John Stewart.

(End of this chapter)