Samuel Martin (Secretary to the Treasury)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Martin was a British politician and administrator.
, where he was born, and eldest half-brother of Sir Henry Martin, 1st Baronet
(1733–1794), for many years naval commissioner at Portsmouth and Comptroller of the Navy
as well as father of Thomas Byam Martin
. Another half-brother was Josiah Martin
(1737–1786) governor of North Carolina from 1771. His full-sister Henrietta (Rilla) Fitzgerald was the mother of poet William Thomas Fitzgerald
and mother-in-law of equity lawyer John Fonblanque KC MP for Camelford 1802-1806. Martin's will seems to reveal the existence of the mother of his natural child or children.
(MP) for the Cornish borough of Camelford
from 1747 until 1768. He was a protege of an important British politician, Henry Bilson Legge
, who was three times Chancellor of the Exchequer
. When Legge was first made Chancellor, Martin served as his secretary from April 1754 until November 1755.
Martin, although he lacked major political talents and was mistrusted by Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, had a capacity for hard work and dealing with administration. This led to his being appointed Secretary to the Treasury
for the first time in November 1756, during Legge's second Chancellorship. This was a post which was more administrative than political in nature, although Martin was an MP and the appointment was a patronage one. In April 1757 he left office, with his political allies led by William Pitt the Elder.
When Legge was restored to the Chancellorship for the third time in July 1757, Martin was the only person who had gone out of office in April who was not given a new job in the Pitt-Newcastle Coalition. Having failed to obtain an office in the King's service, Martin was compensated by being appointed Treasurer to the Princess Dowager of Wales Augusta of Saxe-Gotha (mother of the future King George III of the United Kingdom
) in October 1757. He retained that office until 8 February 1772. In 1760 King George III succeeded to the throne. Martin was able in the following year to transfer his political loyalty from Legge (who was becoming less prominent in public life) to the King's favourite
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
.
In April 1758 Martin became Secretary to the Treasury
for the second time. He continued in that office until April 1763. After leaving the Treasury in 1763, Martin largely withdrew from public life. He declined to seek re-election to Parliament in 1768, unless the government paid all his election expenses. Although this proposal was not agreed, he returned again for Hastings
until 1774.
This pistol duel took place in Hyde Park on 16 November 1763. John Wilkes
was severely wounded in the stomach, ultimately fled to Paris and was pronounced an outlaw.
Family
He was the son of Samuel Martin, the leading plantation owner on the West Indies island of AntiguaAntigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
, where he was born, and eldest half-brother of Sir Henry Martin, 1st Baronet
Sir Henry Martin, 1st Baronet
Captain Henry Martin, 1st Baronet was a naval commander whose final appointment was Comptroller of the Navy 1790–1794.Martin was born at Shroton House, Dorset, 29 August 1733...
(1733–1794), for many years naval commissioner at Portsmouth and Comptroller of the Navy
Third Sea Lord
The Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy was formerly the Naval Lord and member of the Board of Admiralty responsible for procurement and matériel in the British Royal Navy...
as well as father of Thomas Byam Martin
Thomas Byam Martin
Admiral Sir Thomas Byam Martin, GCB was a highly influential British Royal Navy officer who served at sea during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and then as a naval administrator until his death in 1854...
. Another half-brother was Josiah Martin
Josiah Martin
Lieutenant-Colonel Josiah Martin was the last colonial governor of the Province of North Carolina .-Family and connections:...
(1737–1786) governor of North Carolina from 1771. His full-sister Henrietta (Rilla) Fitzgerald was the mother of poet William Thomas Fitzgerald
William Thomas Fitzgerald
William Thomas Fitzgerald was a British poet. He has been described as "one of the foremost loyalist versifiers of his day". He wrote patriotic poetry during the Napoleonic Wars, including Nelson's Triumph and Nelson's Tomb...
and mother-in-law of equity lawyer John Fonblanque KC MP for Camelford 1802-1806. Martin's will seems to reveal the existence of the mother of his natural child or children.
Parliament
Martin sat as Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for the Cornish borough of Camelford
Camelford (UK Parliament constituency)
Camelford was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1552 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
from 1747 until 1768. He was a protege of an important British politician, Henry Bilson Legge
Henry Bilson Legge
Henry Bilson-Legge PC was an English statesman. He notably served three times as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1750s and 1760s.-Background and education:...
, who was three times Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
. When Legge was first made Chancellor, Martin served as his secretary from April 1754 until November 1755.
Martin, although he lacked major political talents and was mistrusted by Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, had a capacity for hard work and dealing with administration. This led to his being appointed Secretary to the Treasury
Secretary to the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are several Secretaries to the Treasury, who are junior Treasury ministers nominally acting as secretaries to HM Treasury. The origins of the office are unclear, although it probably originated during Lord Burghley's tenure as Lord Treasurer in the 16th century. The...
for the first time in November 1756, during Legge's second Chancellorship. This was a post which was more administrative than political in nature, although Martin was an MP and the appointment was a patronage one. In April 1757 he left office, with his political allies led by William Pitt the Elder.
When Legge was restored to the Chancellorship for the third time in July 1757, Martin was the only person who had gone out of office in April who was not given a new job in the Pitt-Newcastle Coalition. Having failed to obtain an office in the King's service, Martin was compensated by being appointed Treasurer to the Princess Dowager of Wales Augusta of Saxe-Gotha (mother of the future King George III of the United Kingdom
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
) in October 1757. He retained that office until 8 February 1772. In 1760 King George III succeeded to the throne. Martin was able in the following year to transfer his political loyalty from Legge (who was becoming less prominent in public life) to the King's favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute KG, PC , styled Lord Mount Stuart before 1723, was a Scottish nobleman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain under George III, and was arguably the last important favourite in British politics...
.
In April 1758 Martin became Secretary to the Treasury
Secretary to the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are several Secretaries to the Treasury, who are junior Treasury ministers nominally acting as secretaries to HM Treasury. The origins of the office are unclear, although it probably originated during Lord Burghley's tenure as Lord Treasurer in the 16th century. The...
for the second time. He continued in that office until April 1763. After leaving the Treasury in 1763, Martin largely withdrew from public life. He declined to seek re-election to Parliament in 1768, unless the government paid all his election expenses. Although this proposal was not agreed, he returned again for Hastings
Hastings (UK Parliament constituency)
Hastings was a parliamentary constituency in Sussex. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1885 general election, when its representation was reduced to one member....
until 1774.
Duel with John Wilkes
The Times of Wednesday 26 November 1788 reported:"Last week died Samuel Martin Esq
a gentleman well known in the political world and particularly from his having fought a duel about five and twenty years ago with Mr Wilkes".
This pistol duel took place in Hyde Park on 16 November 1763. John Wilkes
John Wilkes
John Wilkes was an English radical, journalist and politician.He was first elected Member of Parliament in 1757. In the Middlesex election dispute, he fought for the right of voters—rather than the House of Commons—to determine their representatives...
was severely wounded in the stomach, ultimately fled to Paris and was pronounced an outlaw.