THE factious conduct of the high Tories in general, and par-
ticularly their recent attempt to extort the acquiescence of
the peers in the bill against occasional conformity, by means
of the tack, produced an essential change in the sentiments
and political system of Marlborough and Godolphin.

Notwithstanding repeated insults and mortifications, they
had hitherto adhered to the party with whom they had been
long identified; and even when compelled to break with the
more violent, they still preserved their connexion with the
moderate, and laboured to retain, in the offices of government,
a majority of those who professed congenial sentiments. But
they now felt from experience that nothing would conciliate
the spirit of faction; and they saw in the example of Buck-
ingham and his adherents the impossibility of continuing to
act on the same independent system. The unpopularity of
the violent Tories, who became notorious under the name of
tackers, gave an additional bias to their sentiments, and fur-
nished new motives for a change of domestic policy.

During the winter, Marlborough and Godolphin had
seriously deliberated on their future conduct towards the two
contending parties, and on the measures to be pursued in the
elections for the new parliament, which, according to the
triennial act, was to meet in the ensuing April. They con-
curred in a resolution to conciliate the confidence of the
moderate and liberal on both sides. Hence Marlborough
had introduced Harley and St. John into the ministry, tole-
rated Secretary Hedges, and though he contributed to the
exclusion of Rochester, Nottingham, Sir R Seymour, and
Jersey, yet he was unwilling to reduce the strength of his
own party by admitting the Whigs to a greater share of
power. But even his discerning mind was deceived in his
opinion on party politics; or rather he miscalculated. when
he supposed that the leaders of the Whigs would continue
to support the government while they. were held in a state
of proscription, and excluded from all offices of trust; and
he as little estimated their strength and resources. For

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