CHAPTER XIV. Richard Cromwell, Protector. - New Parliament summoned.-Vane elected from Kingston upon Hull, Bristol, and Whitchurch. Republican Party re-organized. Vane's Speech. Richard abdicates. Government - In passes into the hands of Republicans. -- Treachery of Monk. Charles the Second restored. prisoned. Sent to Scilly. Vane im THE death of the Protector brought on a new crisis in the affairs of the nation; one in which there were no precedents to follow, or principles to guide. Society seemed for a moment to be dissolved; and a pause occurred in the progress of things. It depended upon the events of a few days, what should be the fate of parties, and the future character of the government. One of three courses was to be taken, and no one could positively tell which it would be. The first question in every mind was naturally this, Will the royal family be restored? Will Charles be permitted to ascend the throne of his ancestors? Upon a slight observation of the condition of the country and the state of the public mind, it soon became quite evident that such questions must be answered in the negative. The conduct of public affairs by the Parliament and the Protector had been so successful and glorious, there was such a wonderful contrast between their administration, particularly in reference to the foreign relations of the country, and what had ever before been witnessed, that, in the course of years, the exiled family had been almost forgotten by the people, or remembered only to their disadvantage, and scarcely a wish was expressed, at the time, that they might be restored; and, besides, the actual government was left by the Protector in the hands of his friends, who were the enemies of the royal family, so that there seemed to be no opportunity or possibility of their restoration. Such being the case, the alternative that remained was, that either the country should pass into the form of a representative republic, or the government continue to be administered under the Protectorate of Richard Cromwell, whom Oliver, his father, had nominated to succeed him. It was so obvious that it would be necessary to adopt one of these courses, that the country readily divided itself into two parties who respectively pursued them. It is needless to mention which policy Sir Henry Vane espoused. He had always labored for a republic, and when so favorable an opening seemed to have been ordered by Providence, as the state of affairs then presented, he felt called to exert himself to the utmost to improve the opportunity, and establish the reign of liberty and law in his country. The persons connected with the administration, as it existed at the death of Oliver, were of course interested to keep things as they were; and, as it was necessary for some one to assume the reins of government until the public will could be ascertained and brought into exercise, Richard Cromwell, who appears to have been a well-meaning although a feeble man, entered upon the discharge of the Protectorship. The death of his father occurred on the 3d of September, 1658. A new Parliament was summoned to meet on the 27th of January, 1659. Upon this Parliament, it was understood, it would rest to effect a settlement of the form of government, and so far to determine the fortunes of the nation. It was the natural consequence of this impression, that the elections of its members became the occasion of the highest possible interest throughout the country. By the result of those elections, the struggle between the two great parties would be brought to a decision and a close. Those, whose desire it was to have the government continue under the Protectorate of Richard Cromwell, considered it an object of the greatest possible importance to prevent the election of Sir Henry Vane to the ensuing Parliament; and they resorted to the most extraordinary and extreme measures to keep him out. He offered himself at Kingston upon Hull, of which place he claimed, as of right, to be considered the lawful representative, having sat as such in the Long Parliament. His right was confirmed by the electors. He was re-chosen by a full majority of their votes; but the managers of the election, being creatures of Richard's party, in defiance of justice and public sentiment, gave the certificate of election to another. Sir Henry was determined not to be defeated by such means; he, therefore, proceeded to Bristol, entered the canvass, and received a majority of the votes. Here, also, the same bold and highhanded outrage was committed by the officers; and others whose names stood below his on the poll-books were declared to be elected. He still persevered and was finally returned from Whitchurch in Hampshire. On the opening of the Parliament it was proposed that their first proceeding should be to confirm the government of Richard, and to sanction the House of Peers which his father had created. The republican party opposed these propositions from the first, and, although they were in a minority, finally succeeded. Their measures were taken with the skill and spirit for which their leaders were so preeminently distinguished. The consultations of the party were generally held at Sir Henry Vane's house near Charing Cross, and he managed the debates, on their behalf, in the House of Commons. In opposing the further continuance of Cromwell's House of Peers, he reminded the Commons of their former protestations against the bishops holding seats in the upper House, during the royal government, the ground then taken having been that bishops, receiving their appointments from the Crown, would naturally be nothing better than the instruments of the King; and he proved that the argument was good also against the whole House of Lords as such, they all having been raised to the peerage by the late Protector, and being inclined therefore to sustain the government of his son, with implicit and servile obedience. While the republicans were advancing these doctrines in the lower House, the members of the other House, and the principal military leaders, were endeavoring to resist their measures, and defeat their designs. And, in order to prevent the results, which might be apprehended in case the discussion continued much longer, a petition |