Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 23.djvu/122

Grenville matriculated on 6 Feb 1730), and was admitted a student of the Inner Temple in 1729. It appears that he was also admitted to Lincoln's Inn on 21 Feb. 1733. He was, however, called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1735, and was afterwards elected a bencher of that society in 1763. At the wish of his uncle, Lord Cobham, Grenville forsook the law for politics, and at the general election in May 1741 was returned to the House of Commons for the borough of Buckingham, a constituency which he represented until his death.

Grenville began his political career among the ‘Boy Patriots,’ who opposed Sir Robert Walpole's policy, and on 21 Jan. 1742 took part in the debate on Pulteney's motion for a secret committee on the conduct of the war (, Letters, i. 119). In December 1742 he spoke in the debate on Sir William Yonge's motion for a grant in payment of the Hanoverian troops and voted with Pitt against the motion (Parl. Hist. xii. 1051-3). In December 1744 he was appointed a lord of the admiralty in Pelham's administration. In the following year, though in office, he engaged with Pitt and his brother Richard (afterwards Lord Temple) in opposing the measures of the government until the former obtained preferment (Grenville Papers, i. 424) On 23 June 1747 Grenville became a lord of the treasury. On the death of Henry Pelham Grenville was appointed treasurer of the navy in the Duke of Newcastle's administration, and was sworn a member of the privy council on 21 June 1754. By untiring industry Grenville had already made a mark in the House of Commons. Pitt, writing to the Earl of Hardwicke in the previous April, says: ‘Mr. Grenville is universally able in the whole business of the house, and after Mr. Murray and Mr. Fox is certainly one of the very best parliament men in the house’ (, Correspondence, i. 106). When parliament met in November 1755 Grenville attacked the foreign policy of the government in a speech which, according to Horace Walpole, ‘was very fine, and much beyond himself ; and very pathetic’ (Letters, ii. 484). and on 20 Nov. was dismissed from his office. In November 1756, on the formation of the Duke of Devonshire's administration, Grenville returned to his former post of treasurer of the navy, in succession to Dodington, but on 9 April in the following year resigned it, in consequence of the dismissal of Pitt and Temple from the government. In June 1757, however, Grenville once again became treasurer of the navy, and on 24 Jan. 1758 reintroduced his Navy Bill, which had been thrown out in the previous year (Parl. Hist. xv. 839-70). This useful measure, which provided for the speedy and punctual payment of seamen's wages, after considerable opposition in the lords, became law during the session (31 Geo. II, c.x.) Soon after the accession of George III, Grenville, under Bute's influence, began to break away from Pitt, with whom he had hitherto acted in accord. In February 1761 he was admitted to the cabinet, while still holding the office of treasurer of the navy. Upon Pitt's resignation in October 1761, the seals of secretary of state were offered to Grenville, who refused them. At the king's desire, Grenville, however gave up the thoughts which he had entertained of succeeding Onslow as the speaker and consented to remain treasurer of the navy, and to take the lead in the House of Commons. On the meeting of the new parliament, in November 1761, Grenville proposed Sir John Cust as Onslow's successor in the chair (Parl. Hist. xv. 1100-2). When the Duke of Newcastle resigned, in May 1762, Grenville was appointed secretary of state for the northern department, in the place of Lord Bute who became first lord of the treasury. During the summer, while the negotiations for peace were going on, Grenville had considerable differences with Bute upon the terms of the treaty. Grenville strongly insisted upon the retention of Guadaloupe, or upon obtaining an equivalent for giving it up ; but while he was in bed, owing to a temporary illness, Bute took the opportunity of summoning a council, by which it was surrendered. Grenville was however, successful in compelling Bute to exact compensation from Spain for the cession of Havannah. Hitherto Grenville had had an easy task as leader of the house, since Pitt had abstained from any violent opposition but he by no means relished the prospect of having to take the leading part in the commons in the defence of the treaty. Bute, being anxious to secure a majority in the lower house, and doubting Grenville's ability in the coming crisis, called in Fox to his assistance, and Grenville, compelled to resign the leadership as well as the seals, accepted the post of first lord of the admiralty, in the place of Lord Halifax, who succeeded Grenville as secretary of state on 13 Oct. 1762. Parliament met in November 1762, but Grenville, thinking himself neglected, took little part in the debates. On one memorable occasion, however, in March 1763, he interposed in defense of Dashwood's proposition of an additional duty on cider, and reminded the house that the profusion with which the late war had been carried on necessitated the imposition of new taxes. ‘“He wished gentlemen would show him where to lay them.” Repeating this question in his querulous,