Editing Robert Walpole (section)

==Premiership (1721–1742) <!-- linked from redirects [[Premiership of Robert Walpole]], [[Premiership of Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford]], [[Premiership of Sir Robert Walpole]], [[Prime ministership of Robert Walpole]], [[Prime ministership of Sir Robert Walpole]] -->==
{{Infobox administration
| image = File:Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford by Arthur Pond.jpg
| name = Premiership of Robert Walpole
| term_start = 3 April 1721
| term_end = 11 February 1742
| premier = <!-- Robert Walpole -->
| premier_link = [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister of Great Britain]]
| cabinet = [[Walpole ministry]]
| party = [[Whigs (British political party)|Whig]]
| election = <!-- N/A -->
| monarch = [[George I of Great Britain|George I]] and [[George II of Great Britain|George II]]
| seat = [[10 Downing Street]]
| predecessor = ''Office established''
| successor = [[Premiership of the Earl of Wilmington| Earl of Wilmington]]
}}

Soon after Walpole returned to the Cabinet, Britain was swept by a wave of over-enthusiastic speculation which led to the [[South Sea Bubble]].{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|p=187}} The Government had established a plan whereby the South Sea Company would assume the national debt of Great Britain in exchange for lucrative bonds. It was widely believed that the company would eventually reap an enormous profit through international trade in cloth, agricultural goods, and [[History of slavery|slaves]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://saskiaregina.wordpress.com/2015/02/02/the-birth-of-modern-politics-the-rise-of-rober-walpole/|title=The Birth Of Modern Politics: The Rise of Robert Walpole|date=2 February 2015|work=Plantagenet Lions|access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref> Many in the country, including Walpole himself (who sold at the top of the market and made 1,000 per cent profit), frenziedly invested in the company. By the latter part of 1720, however, the company had begun to collapse as the price of its shares plunged.{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|p=187}}<ref name="auto1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/South-Sea-Bubble/|title=The South Sea Bubble of 1720|author= Stewart, Terry|work=Historic UK|access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref>

In 1721 a committee investigated<ref name="auto1"/> the scandal, finding that there was corruption on the part of many in the Cabinet. Among those implicated were [[John Aislabie]]{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|p=187}} (the Chancellor of the Exchequer), [[James Craggs the Elder]] (the [[Postmaster General]]), [[James Craggs the Younger]] (the [[Secretary of State for the Southern Department|Southern Secretary]]), and even Lords Stanhope and Sunderland (the heads of the Ministry). Both Craggs the Elder and Craggs the Younger died in disgrace; the remainder were impeached for their corruption. Aislabie was found guilty and imprisoned, but the personal influence of Walpole saved both Stanhope and Sunderland. For his role in preventing these individuals and others from being punished, Walpole gained the nickname of "The Screen",<ref name=Coxe-1789>Letter from [[St John Brodrick (died 1728)|St John Brodrick]] to [[Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton|Lord Midleton]], 24 May 1721. Coxe (1798), ii. 216–217.</ref>{{efn|
"''After all the pains that have been taken to detect the villanys of the directors and their friends, I am afraid they will at last flip thro' their fingers, and that nothing further will be done as to confiscation, hanging, &c. There certainly is a majority in the house of commons, that are willing to do themselves and the kingdom justice; but they act so little in concert together [...] He [ [[Thomas Brodrick (1654–1730)|Thomas Brodrick]] ] is [...] the spring that gives motion to the whole body; and the only man that either can or will set matters in a true light, and expose and baffle the schemes of the'' skreen'', &c. The house were five hours in a committee [...] and were amuse'd and banter'd [...] by questions and amendments propos'd by the skreen, &c. so that they rose at last without coming to any resolution. [...] the kingdom is like to be very happy, when the skreen, and the gentleman [Sunderland] with the bloody nose, act in perfect concert together''."<ref name=Coxe-1789/>
}}
or "Screenmaster-General".<ref name=UK-hist-blog-2014-11-20>{{cite web |title=Sir Robert Walpole (Whig, 1721–1742) |series=History of government |date=20 November 2014 |website=Government of the United Kingdom |type=blog |url=https://history.blog.gov.uk/2014/11/20/sir-robert-walpole-whig-1721-1742/ |access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref>

The resignation of Sunderland and the death of Stanhope in 1721 left Walpole as the most important figure in the administration.<ref name=UK-hist-blog-2014-11-20/> On 3 April 1721 he was appointed First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons.<ref name=UK-hist-blog-2014-11-20/><ref>{{cite web |last=Marples |first=Alice |date=1 April 2021 |title=Sir Robert Walpole: Britain's first Prime Minister |url=https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/sir-robert-walpole-britains-first-prime-minister/ |access-date=2 April 2022 |website=The National Archives blog |lang=en-GB}}</ref> Walpole's ''de facto'' tenure as "prime minister" is often dated to his appointment as First Lord of the Treasury in 1721,{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|p=187}} though he himself rejected that title (it was originally a term of abuse), stating in 1741: "I unequivocally deny that I am sole and prime minister."<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Blick |first1=Andrew |last2=Jones |first2=George |date=1 January 2012 |title=The Institution of Prime Minister |website=[[gov.uk]] |url=https://history.blog.gov.uk/2012/01/01/the-institution-of-prime-minister |access-date=3 April 2021}}</ref> His brother-in-law Lord Townshend served as Secretary of State<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biography.com/people/charles-townshend-9509445|title=Charles Townshend |website=Biography|access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref> for the Northern Department and controlled the nation's foreign affairs. The two also had to contend with the Secretary of State for the Southern Department, [[John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville|Lord Carteret]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville |series=British statesman |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Carteret-2nd-Earl-Granville |access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref> Townshend and Walpole were thus restored to power and "annihilated the opposing faction".{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|p=187}}

===First term===
{{Further|Walpole–Townshend ministry}}
Under the guidance of Walpole, [[Parliament of Great Britain|Parliament]] attempted to deal with the financial crisis brought on by the [[South Sea Bubble]]. The estates of the directors of the [[South Sea Company]] were used to relieve the suffering of the victims, and the stock of the company was divided between the [[Bank of England]] and [[East India Company]].{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|p=187}} The crisis had gravely damaged the credibility of the King and of the Whig Party, but Walpole defended both with skilful oratory in the House of Commons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/walpole_robert.shtml|title=BBC – History – Historic Figures: Sir Robert Walpole (1676–1745)|access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref>

Walpole's first year as prime minister was also marked by the discovery of a [[Atterbury Plot|plot]] formed by [[Francis Atterbury]], the [[bishop of Rochester]].{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|p=188}} The exposure of the scheme crushed the hopes of the [[Jacobitism|Jacobites]] whose previous attempts at rebellion (most notably the risings of 1715 and 1719) had also failed. The Tory Party was equally unfortunate even though Lord Bolingbroke, a Tory leader who fled to France to avoid punishment for his Jacobite sympathies, was permitted to return to Britain in 1723.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-Saint-John-1st-Viscount-Bolingbroke|title=Henry Saint John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke {{!}} British politician|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref>
[[File:William Hogarth (1697-1764) - Speaker Arthur Onslow Calling upon Sir Robert Walpole to Speak in the House of Commons - 1441463 - National Trust.jpg|thumb|Speaker [[Arthur Onslow]] calling upon Sir Robert Walpole to Speak in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] by [[William Hogarth]]]]

During the remainder of George I's reign, Walpole's ascendancy continued; the political power of the monarch was gradually diminishing and that of his ministers gradually increasing.<ref name="BBC - History - George I">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/george_i_king.shtml|title=BBC – History – George I|access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref> In 1724 the primary political rival of Walpole and Townshend in the Cabinet, Lord Carteret, was dismissed from the post of Southern Secretary and once again appointed to the lesser office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In Ireland, Lord Carteret used his power to secretly aid in the controversy over [[William Wood (Mintmaster)|Wood's Halfpence]] and support ''[[Drapier's Letters]]'' behind the scenes and cause harm to Walpole's power.<ref>{{cite book |first=Oliver W. |last=Ferguson |title=Jonathan Swift and Ireland}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=March 2014}}<ref>{{cite book |first=Irvin |last=Ehrenpreis |title=Jonathan Swift |volume=III}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=March 2014}} Walpole was able to recover from these events by removing the patent. However, Irish sentiment was situated against the English control.<ref>{{cite book |first=William |last=Coxe |year=1978 |title=Memoirs of the Life and Administration of Sir Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford }}</ref>{{page needed|date=March 2014}}

Townshend, working with the king, helped keep Great Britain at peace, especially by negotiating a treaty with France and [[Prussia]] in 1725. Walpole was not consulted and stated that Townshend was "too precipitate" in his actions.{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|p=190}} Great Britain, free from Jacobite threats, from war, and from financial crises, grew prosperous, and Robert Walpole acquired the favour of George I.<ref name="BBC - History - George I"/> In 1725 he persuaded the king to revive the [[Order of the Bath|Knighthood of the Bath]] and was himself invested with the order,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/awards-and-accreditation/content/103542 |title=This month in history: Sir Robert Walpole becomes Britain's first prime minister |website=The Gazette }}</ref>{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|p=190}} and in 1726 was made a [[Order of the Garter|Knight of the Garter]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/awards-and-accreditation/content/100022|title=Hall of fame: Robert Walpole, Britain's first PM |website=thegazette.co.uk |access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref> earning him the nickname "Sir Bluestring".{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|p=190}} His eldest son was granted a barony.<ref>{{cite web |title=Robert Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford – Person – National Portrait Gallery |website=npg.org.uk |url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp125183/robert-walpole-2nd-earl-of-orford |access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref>

===Second term===
{{Further|Walpole ministry}}

Walpole's position was threatened in 1727 when George I died and was succeeded by [[George II of Great Britain|George II]]. For a few days it seemed that Walpole would be dismissed but, on the advice of [[Caroline of Ansbach|Queen Caroline]], the King agreed to keep him in office. Although the King disliked Townshend, he retained him as well. Over the next years Walpole continued to share power with Townshend but the two clashed over British foreign affairs, especially over policy regarding [[Austria]]. Gradually Walpole became the clearly dominant partner in government. His colleague retired on 15 May 1730 and this date is sometimes given as the beginning of Walpole's unofficial tenure as prime minister. Townshend's departure enabled Walpole to conclude the [[Treaty of Vienna (1731)|Treaty of Vienna]], creating the [[Anglo-Austrian alliance]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/memoirslifeanda00coxegoog|page=[https://archive.org/details/memoirslifeanda00coxegoog/page/n28 19]|quote=robert walpole treaty of vienna.|title=Memoirs of the Life and Administration of Sir Robert Walpole: Earl of Orford|last=Coxe|first=William|date=1816|publisher=Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Brown|language=en}}</ref>

====Opposition====
Walpole, a polarising figure, had many opponents, the most important of whom were in the [[Country Party (Britain)|Country Party]], such as Lord Bolingbroke (who had been his political enemy since the days of Queen Anne)<ref>{{cite book |first=Isaac |last=Kramnick |year=1992 |title=Bolingbroke and His Circle: The Politics of Nostalgia in the Age of Walpole}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=March 2014}} and [[William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath|William Pulteney]] (a capable Whig statesman who felt snubbed when Walpole failed to include him in the Cabinet).<ref>{{cite ODNB |first=Stuart |last=Handley |first2=M. J. |last2=Rowe |first3=W. H. |last3=McBryde |date=October 2007 |title=Pulteney, William, earl of Bath (1684–1764) |id=22889 |mode=cs2}}</ref> Bolingbroke and Pulteney ran a periodical called ''The Craftsman'' in which they incessantly denounced the Prime Minister's policies.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Simon |last=Varey |date=April 1993 |title=The Craftsman |journal=Prose Studies |volume= 16 |issue=1 |pages=58–77 |doi=10.1080/01440359308586487}}</ref> Walpole was also satirised and parodied extensively; he was often compared to the criminal [[Jonathan Wild]] as, for example, [[John Gay]] did in his farcical ''[[The Beggar's Opera|Beggar's Opera]]''. Walpole's other enemies included [[Jonathan Swift]],<ref>{{cite book |first=J.A. |last=Downie |year=1986 |title=Jonathan Swift: Political Writer}}</ref>{{page needed|date=March 2014}} [[Alexander Pope]], [[Henry Fielding]], and [[Samuel Johnson]].<ref>{{cite web |title=A petition to remove Sir Robert Walpole (part&nbsp;1) |website=samueljohnson.com |url=http://www.samueljohnson.com/debates/174107.html |access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref>

====Support====
[[Image:Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford with Henry Bilson-Legge, by Stephen Slaughter.jpg|left|thumb|Walpole with his secretary, [[Henry Bilson-Legge]], by [[Stephen Slaughter]]]]

Walpole secured the support of the people and of the House of Commons with a policy of avoiding war. He used his influence to prevent George II from entering the [[War of the Polish Succession]] in 1733, because it was a dispute between the Bourbons and the Habsburgs. He boasted, "There are 50,000 men slain in Europe this year, and not one Englishman."<ref>{{cite book|author=C. Grant Robertson|title=England under the Hanoverians|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jVG7Nls67aQC&pg=PA66|year=1921|page=66}}</ref> By avoiding wars, Walpole could lower taxes. He reduced the national debt with a sinking fund, and by negotiating lower interest rates. He reduced the land tax from four shillings in 1721, to 3s in 1728, 2s in 1731 and finally to only 1s in 1732. His long-term goal was to replace the land tax, which was paid by the local gentry, with excise and customs taxes, which were paid by merchants and ultimately by consumers. Walpole joked that the landed gentry resembled hogs, which squealed loudly whenever anyone laid hands on them. By contrast, he said, merchants were like sheep, and yielded their wool without complaint.<ref>{{cite book|author=A. W. Ward |title=The Cambridge Modern History: Volume VI: the Eighteenth Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fMgFAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA46|year=1909|page=46|publisher=University Press |isbn=9780521078146}}</ref> The joke backfired in 1733 when he was defeated in a major battle to impose [[Excise Bill|excise taxes]] on wine and tobacco. To reduce the threat of smuggling, the tax was to be collected not at ports but at warehouses. This new proposal, however, was extremely unpopular and aroused the opposition of the nation's merchants. Walpole agreed to withdraw the bill before Parliament voted on it, but he dismissed the politicians who had dared to oppose it in the first place. Thus, Walpole lost a considerable element of his Whig Party to the Opposition.<ref name=Langford-1998/>{{rp|style=ama|pp= 28–33}}

After the general elections of 1734, Walpole's supporters still formed a majority in the House of Commons although they were less numerous than before. He maintained both his parliamentary supremacy and his popularity in [[Norfolk]], his home county. In May&nbsp;1734, he presented a new silver [[Ceremonial mace|mace]] "weighing 168&nbsp;ounces, gilt, and finely exchased, to the city of Norwich – on the cup part of it are Sir Robert's arms, and the arms of the city; it was first carried before Mayor Philip Meadows&nbsp;Esq. on the 29th of May".<ref name=brithist-Norwich-37>{{cite report |chapter=The city of Norwich, chapter&nbsp;37: Of the city in the time of King George&nbsp;II |year=1806 |title=An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk |volume=3, the History of the City and County of Norwich, Part&nbsp;I |pages=443–454 |place=London |publisher=W. Miller |via=british-history.ac.uk |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol3/pp443-454#h3-0002 |access-date=3 March 2013}}</ref>{{efn|In 1734, a new silver mace, weighing 168 ounces, gilt and finely exchased, was presented to the city by the right honourable Sir&nbsp;Rob. Walpole; on the cup part of it are Sir&nbsp;Robert's arms, and the arms of the city; it was first carried before the Mayor on 29 May.<ref name=brithist-Norwich-37/>
}}<ref>{{cite web |author1=Taylor |author2=Taylor |author3=Fairfax |author4=Fairfax-Meadows |year=1840 |title=The Suffolk Bartholomeans: A Memoir of the Ministerial and Domestic History |series=Illustrative Outline of the Meadows Pedigree |publisher=W. Pickering |pages=4–6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LqkzAQAAIAAJ&q=Mayor+Norwich+philip+Meadows+Esq.&pg=PA2 |access-date=3 March 2013}}</ref> However, despite these great occasions, Walpole's broader popularity had begun to wane.{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|pp=195–196}}<!-- See "The growing weakness of Walpole's position now became apparen" --> In 1736 an increase in the tax on gin inspired riots in London. The even more serious [[Porteous riots]] broke out in Edinburgh after the King pardoned a captain of the guard (John Porteous) who had commanded his troops to shoot a group of protesters. Though these events diminished Walpole's popularity,{{sfnp|Leadam|1899|pp=195–196}} they failed to shake his majority in Parliament. Walpole's domination over the House of Commons was highlighted by the ease with which he secured the rejection of Sir John Barnard's plan to reduce the interest on the national debt. Walpole was also able to persuade Parliament to pass the [[Licensing Act 1737]] under which London theatres were regulated.<ref>{{harvtxt|Leadam|1899|pp=195–196}} 10 Geo. II, c. 28.</ref> The act revealed a disdain for Swift, Pope, Fielding, and other literary figures who had attacked his government in their works.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Crean |first=P.J. |year=1938 |title=The Stage Licensing Act of 1737 |journal=Modern Philology |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=239–255 |jstor=434130 |doi=10.1086/388315 |s2cid=159897178}}</ref>

While the "[[Country Party (Britain)|country party]]" attacked Walpole relentlessly, he subsidised writers and lesser-known journalists such as [[William Arnall]] and Bishop [[Benjamin Hoadly]] as well as two men he named to the role of [[poet laureate]], [[Laurence Eusden]] and [[Colley Cibber]]. They defended Walpole from the charge of evil political corruption by arguing that corruption is the universal human condition. Furthermore, they argued, political divisiveness was also universal and inevitable because of selfish passions that were integral to human nature. Arnall argued that government must be strong enough to control conflict, and in that regard, Walpole was quite successful. This style of "court" political rhetoric continued through the 18th&nbsp;century.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Thomas |last=Horne |date=October–December 1980 |title=Politics in a corrupt society: William Arnall's defense of Robert Walpole |journal=Journal of the History of Ideas |volume=41 |number=4 |pages=601–614 |jstor=2709276|doi=10.2307/2709276 }}</ref>

===Decline===
[[File:The Stature of a Great Man or the English Colossus cph.3b03411.jpg|thumb|upright|1740 political cartoon depicting Walpole as the [[Colossus of Rhodes]], alluding to his reluctance to engage Spain and France militarily]]
[[File:The Solicitor Committed, or the Dumb Screen (BM 1868,0808.3700).jpg|thumb|Satire on [[Nicholas Paxton]], solicitor to the Treasury, and his refusal to answer questions from the Committee of Secrecy enquiring into the conduct of Robert Walpole.]]
The year 1737 saw the death of Walpole's close friend [[Caroline of Ansbach|Queen Caroline]]. Though her death did not end his personal influence with George&nbsp;II, who had grown loyal to the Prime Minister during the preceding years, Walpole's domination of government continued to decline. His opponents acquired a vocal leader in the [[Frederick, Prince of Wales|Prince of Wales]] who was estranged from his father, the King. Several young politicians including [[William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham|William Pitt the Elder]] and [[George Grenville]] formed a faction known as the "[[Patriot Whigs|Patriot Boys]]" and joined the Prince of Wales in opposition.<ref>{{cite book |first=Keith |last=Laybourn |author-link=Keith Laybourn |year=2001 |title=British Political Leaders: A biographical dictionary |publisher=ABC-CLIO |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=IolLcc5htJoC&pg=PA319 319]–320}}</ref>

Walpole's failure to maintain a policy of avoiding military conflict eventually led to his fall from power.<ref>{{cite book |first=J.H. |last=Plumb |year=1960 |title=Sir Robert Walpole; the Making of a Statesman: The King's Minister |publisher=Cresset Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=brYNAQAAMAAJ}}</ref>{{page needed|date=March 2014}} Under the [[Treaty of Seville (1729)]], Great Britain agreed not to trade with the Spanish colonies in North America. Spain claimed the right to board and search British vessels to ensure compliance with this provision. Disputes, however, broke out over trade with the [[West Indies]].{{citation needed|date=August 2019}} Walpole attempted to prevent war but was opposed by the King, the House of Commons, and by a faction in his own Cabinet. In 1739 Walpole abandoned all efforts to stop the conflict and commenced the [[War of Jenkins' Ear]] (so called because [[Robert Jenkins (master mariner)|Robert Jenkins]], a Welsh mariner, claimed that a Spaniard inspecting his vessel had severed his ear).{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

Walpole's influence continued to dramatically decline even after the war began. In the [[1741 British general election|1741 general election]] his supporters secured an increase in votes in constituencies that were decided by mass electorates but failed to win in many [[rotten borough|pocket boroughs]] (constituencies subject to the informal but strong influence of patrons). In general, the government made gains in England and [[Wales]] but this was not enough to overturn the reverses of the [[1734 British general election|1734 election]] and further losses in [[Cornwall]] where many constituencies were obedient to the will of the Prince of Wales (who was also [[Duke of Cornwall]]). These constituencies returned members of parliament hostile to the Prime Minister. Similarly, the influence of the [[John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll|Duke of Argyll]] secured the election of members opposed to Walpole in some parts of Scotland. Walpole's new majority was difficult to determine because of the uncertain loyalties of many new members, but contemporaries and historians estimated it as low as fourteen to eighteen.<ref>{{cite book |last=Speck |first=W. A. |year=1977 |title=Stability and Strife: England, 1714–1760 |publisher=Harvard U. Press |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=mKVPUNbbeUEC&pg=PA235 235]–238}}</ref>

In the new Parliament, many Whigs thought the ageing Prime Minister incapable of leading the military campaign. Moreover, his majority was not as strong as it had formerly been, his detractors – such as William Pulteney, earl of Bath, and Lord Perceval – being approximately as numerous as his supporters. Behind these political enemies were opposition Whigs, Tories and Jacobites. Walpole was alleged to have presided over an immense increase in corruption and to have enriched himself enormously whilst in office. Parliamentary committees were formed to investigate these charges.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of Sir Robert Walpole |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/history/past-prime-ministers/robert-walpole |access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref> In 1742 when the House of Commons was prepared to determine the validity of a by-election in [[Chippenham (UK Parliament constituency)|Chippenham]], Walpole and others agreed to treat the issue as a [[motion of no confidence]]. As Walpole was defeated on the vote, he agreed to resign from the Government. The news of the naval disaster against Spain in the [[Battle of Cartagena de Indias]] also prompted the end of his political career. King George&nbsp;II wept on his resignation and begged to see him frequently.<ref name=Brtna-primes>{{cite web |title=British Prime Ministers: Sir Robert Walpole |website=britannia.com |url=http://www.britannia.com/gov/primes/prime1.html |access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref> As part of his resignation the King agreed to elevate him to the House of Lords as the [[Earl of Orford]], Viscount Walpole and [[Baron Walpole]] of Houghton in the County of Norfolk, this occurred on 6 February 1742. Five days later he formally relinquished the seals of office.<ref name=Langford-1998>{{cite book |first=Paul |last=Langford |year=1998 |title=A Polite and Commercial People: England, 1727–1783 |publisher=Oxford University Press}}</ref>{{rp|style=ama|p= [https://books.google.com/books?id=9-b81opKYREC&pg=PA56 56]}}

Although no longer First Lord of the Treasury, Walpole remained politically involved as an advisor. His former colleagues were still pleased to see him, perhaps in part because he retained the king's favour. After his resignation, his main political roles were to support the government by means of advice, to dole out some patronage and to speak on the ministry's behalf in the Lords.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Oates, Jonathan |year=2006 |title=Sir Robert Walpole after his Fall from Power, 1742–1745 |journal=History |volume=91 |issue=302 |pages=218–230|doi=10.1111/j.1468-229X.2006.00364.x }}</ref>