. A short history of England and the British Empire. s time he held the impor-tant office of lord treasurer. Bolingbroke was a Lordyounger, more brilliant, and more energetic man; was an effective orator and an astute politician; but he wasrestless, unreliable, and treacherous. It was he who negotiatedthe treaty of Utrecht. Bolingbroke was Harleys chief lieu-tenant, but he was also his chief rival. Though in a minority in the commons, the Whigs still con-trolled the house of lords. To secure a majority of his partyin this body, Harley and his aids induced the packjng thequeen to
. A short history of England and the British Empire. s time he held the impor-tant office of lord treasurer. Bolingbroke was a Lordyounger, more brilliant, and more energetic man; was an effective orator and an astute politician; but he wasrestless, unreliable, and treacherous. It was he who negotiatedthe treaty of Utrecht. Bolingbroke was Harleys chief lieu-tenant, but he was also his chief rival. Though in a minority in the commons, the Whigs still con-trolled the house of lords. To secure a majority of his partyin this body, Harley and his aids induced the packjng thequeen to create twelve new peers. In December, house of lords1711, these new lords, one of whom was the insig- W1nificant Mr. Masham, took their seats, and Tory control was 1 Masterman, 157-158. 434 THE LONG DUEL WITH FRANCE complete in all the departments of the government. It isworth remembering that this precedent for packing the houseof lords was set by the Tories. In 1832 and again in 1911 theyhad occasion to regret it; for their opponents were able to. Henry St. John, Lord Bolingbroke force legislation through a hostile house of lords by threateningto do what Harley and Bolingbroke had taught them to do. It was quite generally known that the elector George suspectedthe Tories of Jacobite sympathies and that he was already inalliance with the Whigs. The death of Anne would then meanthe downfall of Harleys ministry. Harley was perplexed, forhe did not know whether the Catholic James would be accept-able to the nation. Bolingbroke was for immediate action and SUMMARY 435 forced the dismissal of his hesitating chief. For a few days hewas at the head of the government and probably in- jaCobitetended to restore the Stuarts; but the queen died be- schemes,fore his plan was completed, and four days later, the electress Sophiahaving departed life a few weeks earlier, the privy council pro-claimed her son, George I, king of Great Britain (August 5, 1714).406. Summary. The period from the re
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