George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 3, 15th edition.

[325] policy rested mainly for its support on great views,

Chap XXIII.}

which were in harmony with his age, fostering the commerce and diminishing the debt of England. Never palliating his conduct, and caring only for majorities,—trading for numbers, and not for talents or for appearances,—he followed honesty more than he professed to do it; and, if he never resisted his party from motives of moral right; if he had the weakness, at last, to yield the cardinal point of his policy, rather than leave the cabinet; he, at least, never parted from his friends to serve himself. The house of commons was his avenue to power; and his thoughts were chiefly engrossed by intrigues for majorities. Of the American colonies he knew little; but they profited by the character of a statesman who ever shunned measures that might lead to an insurrection,—who rejected every system of revenue that required the sabre and the bayonet to enforce it.

In his honorable policy, Walpole was favored by the natural moderation of Fleury, who, at the age of seventy-three, was called by Louis XV. to direct the affairs of France. The wise cardinal had a discriminating mind, and an equitable candor, which shunned intrigue and forbade distrust. The preservation of peace was his rule of administration; and he was the cnosen mediator between conflicting sovereigns. His clear perceptions anticipated impending revolutions; but he hushed the storm till his judgment sunk under the infirmities of fourscore. Happy period for the colonies! Let England judge as she will of the minister to whom she owes septennial parliaments, America blesses the memory of Walpole and of Fleury as of statesmen who preferred commerce to conquest, and desired no higher glory than that of guardians of