Henry Addington was born in 1759. Henry's father, Dr. Anthony Addington,
had several important patients including the prime minister, Lord
Chatham and his son, William Pitt. After
being educated at Winchester School
and Oxford University he became a lawyer.
Addington's friendship with the Pitt family helped him obtain the
seat for Devizes in 1784. Later that year, William
Pitt, like his father before him, became prime minister of Britain.
Henry Addington was a loyal supporter of Pitt's Tory
administration. Although Addington was only thirty, in 1789 Pitt suggested
that he should become speaker of the House of Commons. Addington agreed
with the proposal and with the help of Pitt was elected as speaker.
The post received a salary of £6,000 a year and this enabled
Addington to purchase a large estate in Reading.
William Pitt's policy of Catholic Emancipation
so upset King George III that he asked
Addington to help him remove his prime minister. After discussing
the matter with Pitt, Addington agreed, and in 1801 he became Britain's
new prime minister. Several ministers such as George
Canning and Lord Castlereagh who
agreed with Pitt's policy on Catholics, refused to serve under Addington.
Henry Addington was an unpopular prime minister and in 1804 large
numbers of his own party turned against him and he decided to resign.
The following year Addington was granted the title of Lord Sidmouth
and agreed to serve as a minister in Pitt's government. However, he
only served under William Pitt for six months.
When Pitt refused to promote Viscount Sidmouth's friends he resigned
from the cabinet.
In 1812
Lord Liverpool became prime minister
and he offered Sidmouth the post of Home Secretary in his new government.
Viscount Sidmouth now had the responsibility of dealing with social
unrest in Britain. This included making machine-breaking an offence
punishable by death. On one day alone, fourteen Luddites
were executed in York. Social unrest continued and in 1817, Sidmouth
was responsible for the passing of what became known as the Gagging
Acts. This resulted in the arrest and imprisonment of radical
journalists such as Richard Carlile.
The unpopularity of Sidmouth increased in 1819 after he wrote a letter
supporting the action of the magistrates
and the Manchester & Salford Yeomanry
at what opponents called the Peterloo Massacre.
In November 1819, Sidmouth persuaded Parliament to pass a series of
repressive measures that became known as the Six
Acts. Sidmouth retired from office in 1821. He continued to support
the Tories in parliament and voted against
Catholic Emancipation in 1829 and the
Reform Act of 1832. Lord Sidmouth died on
15th February 1844.
(1)
Lord Sidmouth, wrote a letter to Mary Anne Addington about the Peterloo
Massacre on 18th August, 1819.
The proceedings were not of an ordinary character, but they will
I trust, prove a salutary lesson to modern reformers. Hunt and his
associates are in custody, and their flags etc. have been seized and
destroyed by the special constables and soldiery, all of whom have
behaved with the greatest spirit and temper, but forbearance became
impossible.
(2)
Lord Sidmouth, letter to Lord Liverpool
about the introduction of the proposed Six Acts (1st October, 1819).
It is with deep regret that the determination to assemble Parliament
has been so long delayed. The existing means of stopping the progress,
not merely insurrection but rebellion, have long since proved to be
utterly insufficient, but hitherto my colleagues have remained unconvinced
of the imperious and urgent necessity of advising the adoption of
the only measure, which would of itself, animate the loyal and awe
the disaffected, and by which alone effectual means can be provided
to meet and overcome a danger greater, as I am firmly and deliberately
convinced, than any to which the country has been exposed since the
accession of the present Royal Family to the throne.
I feel, and I have felt for some time past, for whilst the country
is suffering from the want, as I conceive, of those decisive and efficient
measures, which the crisis calls for, my reputation is suffering also;
though I trust there has been no want or vigour or promptitude in
the employment of the inefficient and inadequate means, which the
existing laws have placed in my hands.
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