Charles Townshend (27 August 1725 – 4 September 1767) was a British politician who held various titles in the Parliament of Great Britain. His establishment of the controversial Townshend Acts is considered one of the key causes of the American Revolution.
Townshend was born at Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England, as the second son of Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend, and Audrey Harrison. A sickly child, he later graduated from Leiden University and served in various political roles, including as a member of the Board of Trade, Lord of the Admiralty, Paymaster of the Forces, and Chancellor of the Exchequer. He played a significant role in the taxation and control of American colonies, proposing the Townshend Acts, which imposed taxes on various exports to America. These acts were met with resistance and eventually led to the American Revolution. Townshend died in September 1767. He was married to Caroline Campbell, who later became the Baroness Greenwich, and his brother, George Townshend, became the Lord-lieutenant of Ireland.
He was born at his family's seat of Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England, the second son of Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend, and Audrey (died 1788), daughter and heiress of Edward Harrison of Ball's Park, near Hertford. He was a sickly child, suffered from epilepsy, and had a strained relationship with his parents.[1] Townshend was a brash young man, whose "wonderful endowments [were] dashed with follies and indiscretions."[2] Charles graduated from the Dutch Leiden University on 27 October 1745; while there he had associated with a small group of other English youth, who later became well known in various circles, including Dowdeswell, Wilkes, and Alexander Carlyle. The latter would chronicle their exploits in his Autobiography.
Following his return in 1746, he represented Great Yarmouth in Parliament until 1756, when he found a seat for the admiralty borough of Saltash, subsequently transferring in 1761 to Harwich, another borough where the seat was in the government's gift. Public attention was first drawn to his abilities in 1753, when he delivered a lively attack against Lord Hardwicke's marriage bill, although this measure passed into law.[3]
Politics
From 1749 – April 1754, Townshend was a member of the Board of Trade. It was during this time that he first showed an interest in increasing British powers of taxation and control over the American colonies.[4] In 1754 and 1755, he served as Lord of the Admiralty, but at the close of 1755, his passionate attack against the policy of the ministry caused his resignation. In the administration which was formed in November 1756, and which was ruled by William Pitt the Elder, the lucrative office of treasurer of the chamber was given to Townshend, but he retired the following Spring and George Grenville took over. The higher post of First Lord of the Admiralty then fell to Townshend's lot and his refusal to accept the nomination led to his exclusion from the new administration.
In the dying days of Grenville's cabinet, to retain the administration of Lord Rockingham, Townshend accepted the position of Paymaster of The Forces, though he questioned the stability of the administration, calling it a "mere Lute-string administration" and stating that it was "pretty 'summer wear', but it will never stand the winter."[5]
Under the ministry of William Pitt the Elder, Townshend accepted the role of Chancellor of the Exchequer[3] in August 1766. A few weeks later his urgent appeals to the Prime Minister for increased power were favorably answered, and he was admitted to the inner circle of the cabinet. The new chancellor proposed the continuance of the land tax at four shillings in the pound, while he held out hopes that it might be reduced next year to three shillings, whereupon his predecessor, William Dowdeswell, by the aid of the landed gentlemen, carried a motion that the reduction should take effect at once. Townshend pledged to find revenue in America with which to meet the deficiency caused by the reduction. [3]
Early in 1767, shortly after The Stamp Act was repealed owing to colonial protests and boycotts of British goods, Townshend proposed that the Parliament could procure revenue from the Americans without causing them offense via "external" import taxes instead of internal taxes.[6] These were known as the Townshend Acts. [3] The Acts passed resolutions for taxing several exports to America, such as glass, paint, paper and tea.[7] The Townshend Acts established a Board of Commissioners in Boston to enforce them, which was seen as a threat to the American colonial tradition of self-government. He estimated these export taxes would produce a sum of £40,000 for the English treasury. He had the support of his cousin Thomas Townshend who was also a minister in the government. The Townshend Acts would be Townshend's last official act before his death.
Soon after that he died somewhat suddenly of a fever on September 4, 1767.
This was careless, gay, inconsiderate, volatile, seemingly foreign to every serious reflection or feeling. He had one of those happy tempers which nothing can ruffle, without a grain of pride, sternness or resentment in his nature. Ready to laugh with every body and at every thing, he poured out wit in torrents; and it was so much the worse for truth if ever truth stood in wit's way.[8]
^Christopher Ward. (1957). The War of the Revolution. Volume I. p. 9. The Macmillan Company
^Lady Louisa Stuart, Memoire of Frances, Lady Dougles, at page 37; Edinburgh and London, Scottish Academic Press, 1985
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Townshend, Charles". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Lady Louisa Stuart, Memoire of Frances, Lady Douglas (Edinburgh and London, Scottish Academic Press, 1985)
Thomas, Peter D. G. "Townshend, Charles (1725–1767)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/27619. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
charles, townshend, other, people, named, disambiguation, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, june, 2014, learn, w. For other people named Charles Townshend see Charles Townshend disambiguation This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations June 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Charles Townshend 27 August 1725 4 September 1767 was a British politician who held various titles in the Parliament of Great Britain His establishment of the controversial Townshend Acts is considered one of the key causes of the American Revolution The Right HonourableCharles TownshendMPPortrait by Joshua ReynoldsChancellor of the ExchequerIn office 2 August 1766 4 September 1767MonarchGeorge IIIPrime MinisterThe Earl of ChathamPreceded byWilliam DowdeswellSucceeded byLord NorthPresident of the Board of TradeIn office 1 March 1763 20 April 1763Preceded byThe Lord SandysSucceeded byThe Earl of ShelburnePersonal detailsBorn 1725 08 27 27 August 1725Raynham Hall Norfolk EnglandDied4 September 1767 1767 09 04 aged 42 Political partyWhigSpouseLady Caroline CampbellAlma materUniversity of Leiden University of OxfordTownshend was born at Raynham Hall in Norfolk England as the second son of Charles Townshend 3rd Viscount Townshend and Audrey Harrison A sickly child he later graduated from Leiden University and served in various political roles including as a member of the Board of Trade Lord of the Admiralty Paymaster of the Forces and Chancellor of the Exchequer He played a significant role in the taxation and control of American colonies proposing the Townshend Acts which imposed taxes on various exports to America These acts were met with resistance and eventually led to the American Revolution Townshend died in September 1767 He was married to Caroline Campbell who later became the Baroness Greenwich and his brother George Townshend became the Lord lieutenant of Ireland Contents 1 Early life 2 Politics 3 Private life 4 ReferencesEarly life EditHe was born at his family s seat of Raynham Hall in Norfolk England the second son of Charles Townshend 3rd Viscount Townshend and Audrey died 1788 daughter and heiress of Edward Harrison of Ball s Park near Hertford He was a sickly child suffered from epilepsy and had a strained relationship with his parents 1 Townshend was a brash young man whose wonderful endowments were dashed with follies and indiscretions 2 Charles graduated from the Dutch Leiden University on 27 October 1745 while there he had associated with a small group of other English youth who later became well known in various circles including Dowdeswell Wilkes and Alexander Carlyle The latter would chronicle their exploits in his Autobiography Following his return in 1746 he represented Great Yarmouth in Parliament until 1756 when he found a seat for the admiralty borough of Saltash subsequently transferring in 1761 to Harwich another borough where the seat was in the government s gift Public attention was first drawn to his abilities in 1753 when he delivered a lively attack against Lord Hardwicke s marriage bill although this measure passed into law 3 Politics EditFrom 1749 April 1754 Townshend was a member of the Board of Trade It was during this time that he first showed an interest in increasing British powers of taxation and control over the American colonies 4 In 1754 and 1755 he served as Lord of the Admiralty but at the close of 1755 his passionate attack against the policy of the ministry caused his resignation In the administration which was formed in November 1756 and which was ruled by William Pitt the Elder the lucrative office of treasurer of the chamber was given to Townshend but he retired the following Spring and George Grenville took over The higher post of First Lord of the Admiralty then fell to Townshend s lot and his refusal to accept the nomination led to his exclusion from the new administration In the dying days of Grenville s cabinet to retain the administration of Lord Rockingham Townshend accepted the position of Paymaster of The Forces though he questioned the stability of the administration calling it a mere Lute string administration and stating that it was pretty summer wear but it will never stand the winter 5 Under the ministry of William Pitt the Elder Townshend accepted the role of Chancellor of the Exchequer 3 in August 1766 A few weeks later his urgent appeals to the Prime Minister for increased power were favorably answered and he was admitted to the inner circle of the cabinet The new chancellor proposed the continuance of the land tax at four shillings in the pound while he held out hopes that it might be reduced next year to three shillings whereupon his predecessor William Dowdeswell by the aid of the landed gentlemen carried a motion that the reduction should take effect at once Townshend pledged to find revenue in America with which to meet the deficiency caused by the reduction 3 Early in 1767 shortly after The Stamp Act was repealed owing to colonial protests and boycotts of British goods Townshend proposed that the Parliament could procure revenue from the Americans without causing them offense via external import taxes instead of internal taxes 6 These were known as the Townshend Acts 3 The Acts passed resolutions for taxing several exports to America such as glass paint paper and tea 7 The Townshend Acts established a Board of Commissioners in Boston to enforce them which was seen as a threat to the American colonial tradition of self government He estimated these export taxes would produce a sum of 40 000 for the English treasury He had the support of his cousin Thomas Townshend who was also a minister in the government The Townshend Acts would be Townshend s last official act before his death Soon after that he died somewhat suddenly of a fever on September 4 1767 Private life EditIn August 1755 he had married Caroline Campbell d 1794 the eldest daughter of John Campbell 2nd Duke of Argyll and the widow of Francis Scott Earl of Dalkeith the eldest son of Francis Scott 2nd Duke of Buccleuch Townshend s wife was created August 1767 baroness Greenwich and his elder brother George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend was made Lord lieutenant of Ireland Townshend conceived a great and dangerous passion for his step daughter Frances Douglas Lady Douglas and her memorialist Lady Louisa Stuart wrote after his death of his character This was careless gay inconsiderate volatile seemingly foreign to every serious reflection or feeling He had one of those happy tempers which nothing can ruffle without a grain of pride sternness or resentment in his nature Ready to laugh with every body and at every thing he poured out wit in torrents and it was so much the worse for truth if ever truth stood in wit s way 8 The American towns of Townsend Massachusetts and Townshend Vermont were founded and named after Charles Townshend in 1732 and 1753 respectively citation needed Raynham Massachusetts was also named after him References Edit Lewis Bernstein Namier John Brooke The House of Commons 1754 1790 p 539 548 Boydell amp Brewer 1985 Bancroft III 1 p 245 a b c d Chisholm 1911 Charles Townshend British statesman Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved 21 March 2019 earl Philip Henry Stanhope 5th 1853 History of England from the Peace of Utrecht to the Peace of Aix la Chaoelle to the Peace of Versailles Bancroft III p 238 Christopher Ward 1957 The War of the Revolution Volume I p 9 The Macmillan Company Lady Louisa Stuart Memoire of Frances Lady Dougles at page 37 Edinburgh and London Scottish Academic Press 1985 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Townshend Charles Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 27 11th ed Cambridge University Press Lady Louisa Stuart Memoire of Frances Lady Douglas Edinburgh and London Scottish Academic Press 1985 William Edward Hartpole Lecky History of England 1892 Horace Walpole Memoirs of the Reign of George III edited by G F R Barker 1894 Reuben Percy and Sholto Percy 1823 The Percy Anecdotes 1823 online text Lee Sidney ed 1899 Townshend Charles 1725 1767 Dictionary of National Biography Vol 57 London Smith Elder amp Co Thomas Peter D G Townshend Charles 1725 1767 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 27619 Subscription or UK public library membership required Memoir 1866 by Percy FitzgeraldParliament of Great BritainPreceded byRoger TownshendEdward Walpole Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth1747 1756 With Edward Walpole Succeeded byCharles TownshendEdward WalpolePreceded byGeorge ClintonViscount Duncannon Member of Parliament for Saltash1756 1761 With George Clinton Succeeded byJohn ClevlandGeorge AdamsPreceded byThomas SewellWenman Coke Member of Parliament for Harwich1761 1767 With John Roberts Succeeded byThomas BradshawJohn RobertsPolitical officesPreceded byThe Earl of Hillsborough Treasurer of the Chamber1756 1761 Succeeded bySir Francis Dashwood BtPreceded byThe Lord Holland Paymaster of the Forces1765 1766 Succeeded byLord NorthandGeorge CookePreceded byWilliam Dowdeswell Chancellor of the Exchequer1766 1767 Succeeded byLord North Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Townshend amp oldid 1150903259, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
