William Pitt - 1799
Side 1: Above: WILLIAM PITT. Around: APPOINTED FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY AND CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER DEC: 1783 |
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Side 2: Within a wreath of oak: WITH / FORTITUDE / WISDOM / AND INTEGRITY / HE SERVES / A PROSPEROUS / NATION / AND / A VIRTUOUS / KING / 1799 |
British Historical Medals 470, Julius 722 |
Mm.53 - AE with silver rim |
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By J. G. Hancock |
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From British Historical Medals (Vol. I p. 76): " William Pitt (1759-1806) statesman, second son of William Pitt, first Earl of Chatham, and of Ester Grenville. He was taught by a private tutor, Edmund Wilson and at the age of fourteen went to Pembroke College, Cambridge. Pitt was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1780 and became MP for Appleby a year later. He joined Shelbourne's section of the Whig Party and was therefore opposed to Lord North. A gifted orator, he was made Prime Minister in his twenty-fifth year, the announcement being greeted with laughter in the House of Commons. Nevertheless, under his administration and by prudent use of loans and taxes England was able to withstand the tremendous burdens of the Napoleonic wars. Pitt's position was imperilled by the King's insanity in 1788, since he would have been dismissed in favour of Fox and his followers had George, Prince of Wales, become Regent. Pitt maintained that the Regent ought to be appointed by Parliament and was engaged in passing a bill limiting the powers of his office when the necessity was removed by George III's recovery. " |