PITT, WILLIAM (1759-1806). A celebrated English statesman, often referred to as the young er Pitt to distinguish hint from his father, Wil liam Pitt. first Earl of Chatham. Ile was born Slay 28. 1759, on his father's estate at Hayes. Iris mother was a sister of the well-known states 711:111 George Grenville (q.v.). Pitt, on account of his delicate health, was educated at first at home, lint when fourteen years of age lie was matrieu hated at Pembroke Hall, ('ambridge. lie gradn ated in 1776. receiving an M.A., tail then studied law•, and in 1781) was admitted to the ban•- in the same year lie was elected to Parliament, taking his seat on -Tatman- 23. 1781. Ile immediately joined the party that had followed hi is father, and hence was in opposition to the Government of Lord North. Ills maiden speceli made a very favorable impression; and when in 1782 Roeking ham formed a new Administration. Pitt. was of fered a well-paying subordinate position. but, though poor. he declined it. Ile had decided that he would accept nothing except a Cabinet office.
On Slay 7, 1782, Pitt made his first motion for a reform in the representation to Parliament. The motion was lost by a narrow margin, the vote lying 161 against 141. The reformers (lid not make so good a showing again until 1831. Three months after his accession to office, Rock ingham died, and Lord Shelburne became Prime Minister, while Pitt. though only twenty-three years of age, became Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Cabinet was met by a formidable coalition led by Charles James Fox (q.v.) and Lo•d North, and in 1783 Shelburne resigned. George Ill. offered Pitt the Premiership, but he declined, as he was not certain of the consistent support of the dominant factors iu Parliament. The result was a coalition Ministry under the Duke of Port land, in which Fox and North were the leaders. Pitt on Slay 7, 1783, again brought forward the question of Parliamentary reform, but, though his plan this time was a definite and well-ordered one, the motion was lost by 293 to 149.
After Parliament had been prorogued Pitt visited the Continent, and was well received. On December 19, 1783, the coalition Ministry was dismissed after the defeat of a bill in the House of Lords, which aimed to transfer the Govern ment. of India to Parliament. Thereupon Pitt assumed the Premiership in the face of a power ful opposition in the House of Commons. His position was a desperate one. The House of Commons resented the interference of the king, whose action was of doubtful constitutionality. Between December 17, 1783, and March 8. 1784, Pitt was defeated in 16 divisions. The only re course was either to resign or to order a new election; but Pitt postponed the election as long as possible. When at last lie saw that the cur rent of popular opinion had set in his favor, lie dissolved Parliament, and the election proved to be a triumph for his Administration, he himself being returned for the University of Cambridge, for which he sat for the rest of his life.
Pitt was twenty-five years old at this time and the most powerful subject that England hail had for generations. He ruled absolutely over the Cabinet, and was at once the favorite of the sovereign, of Parliament, and of the nation; and henceforth his life is identical to a great extent with the history of England. When Parliament met, Pitt's first work was the ordering of the finances, for there had been enormous deficits for many years. In this he was very successful.
In 1784 lie established a new constitution for the East India Company, the Board of Control being instituted. In 1785 lie introduced his third re form bill, providing for the purchase of seventy two 'rotten boroughs,' but the bill failed to pass, and the outbreak of the French Revolution soon after put an end for many years to serions at empts at Parliamentary reform. Pitt was the first British statesman to attempt to put into practice the principles enunciated in 1776 by Adam Smith. His bill, however, providing for free trade between England and Ireland failed in 1785. In the following year Pitt was suc cessful in negotiating a liberal treaty with France. In 1792 he supported Wil berforce's proposal for the abolition of the slave trade, hut he could not carry the House of Commons with hint. In the war between France on the one side and Austria and Prussia on the other he maintained strict neutrality so long as he was able, but the Paris massacres of September, 1792, and the execution of Louis XVI. in January. 1793, so outraged the feelings of the English people that peace could no longer be maintained. In February the French Con vention declared war against England. While the English were successful on the sea. Pitt op posed the French on land principally by means of heavy subsidies to his Continental allies, thus inaugurating the system which was followed throughout the Napoleonic wars. In his per sistent enmity toward Napoleon he was opposed throughout by his great rival. Fox. While the financial difficulties caused by the outbreak of the war with France were at their height Irish affair, also became very perplexing. Pitt de sired to relieve the Catholics of the disabilities under which they were laboring, but George 111. compelled him to withdraw all such schemes. In 1800-01 a Parliamentary union with Ireland was effected, but it by no means allayed diseontent. In order to relieve some of the financial dif ficulties of the nation. Pitt created a 'sinking fund,' which at considerable cost maintained the credit of the Government. Aleanwhile Napoleon had defeated Austria in Italy, while Russia be came neutral. so that England was left to strug gle with France alone. In 1801 Pitt resigned be cause the King refused to accept his Catholic emancipation measures. He loyally supported the new Ministry of Addington in its attempt to make a permanent peace, which resulted in the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. When Pitt was no longer able conscientiously to aid Addington he withdrew from active participation in affairs. His health was poor and his finances were in dis order. On May 16. 1803. war was declared by Eng land against France, and Pitt at once reappeared to aid his country. He criticised the weakness of the Government. and on May 10, 1804, again became Prime Minister. Pitt's vigorous meas resulted in the third great coalition against France, hut, though the victory of Trafalgar cheered him, the defeat of Austria and her ally, Russia. at Austerlitz on December 2, 1803, proved his death-blow. Shortly before lie died he uttered the prophetic words, so well known: "Roll up the map of Europe: it will not be wanted these ten years." Ile died January 23. 1806. and was buried on February 22d in West minster Abbey. Ili: work did much to bring about the ultimate downfall of Napoleon, and in many respects Pitt may be considered England's greatest Prime Minister.