The Shadow of Great Britain-Chapter 574 - 293: Political Transaction

As a law enforcement officer, Arthur knew well the basics of interrogating criminals.

Hearst was defiant at first only because he felt he was backed by a group, and as a member of the group, he naturally expected protection.

Unfortunately, in many cases, this was merely an illusion.

If some evidence and questions could be presented to make him realize that he was actually separated from the group, there were very few who could still withstand the pressure of accountability under such circumstances.

Moreover, those types of people typically did not engage in actions like itemizing ’healthcare’ expenses in the public service bills.

After all, even someone like Mr. Bernie Harrison, who indulged in extravagant living, knew to spend his own money instead of tampering with the budget of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House where he served.

But Harrison’s restraint was not necessarily due to his intelligence; rather, it was because he simply did not rank high enough in London.

At least in Liverpool, the Port Director could be considered a significant figure.

In the Port Authority, Director Hearst had the final say, and throwing his weight around was basically a common flaw among department heads everywhere.

Facing Arthur’s questions, Hearst quickly sensed an ominous realization of ’I’m not targeting everyone present, I’m just targeting you.’

Confronted by Arthur, under the signs of the ’Lord Chancellor’s Office and Customs and Excise’, Hearst suddenly woke up; he realized that this was not the safe haven of the Liverpool Port Authority he considered it to be.

The feeling of insecurity further spurred his human instinct to seek benefits and avoid harms, and he easily understood a truth—personal best choices are not necessarily the best choices for the group, and vice versa.

Taking the blame for the Liverpool Association might earn him the support of the local gentry, but if the Customs and Excise were to remove him from his position as director over some irregularities in the bills, what good would that support do him?

Opportunism is an unchangeable human vice, and the rule of ’out of sight, out of mind’ is universally applicable worldwide.

Could he really expect these profit-seeking merchants to remember his favors?

After all, Viscount Godric, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, could survive a scandal involving the misappropriation of public funds to support a mistress because his father was a senior Tory—Lord Graham—his uncle was Earl Hardwicke, who had served as Governor of Ireland, his wife was the daughter of the Earl of Buckinghamshire, his brother-in-law was the Foreign Secretary, Viscount Castlereagh, who influenced the Vienna Congress, and Viscount Godric himself was one of the leaders of the Tory Canning faction.

So, even though Viscount Godric’s scandal caused a storm in London, Prime Minister Earl Liverpool did not take drastic action to replace him as Chancellor of the Exchequer but chose a cold treatment, merely demanding a public apology in the House and quickly concluding the matter.

After everyone forgot about the incident, Viscount Godric even briefly served as interim Prime Minister for half a year after the new Prime Minister, Sir Canning, passed away.

Although his tenure was disastrous, and his plan to form a coalition cabinet with the Whig Party was unsuccessful, even being scolded by King George IV as ’a damned sniveling, crying fool.’

The King, who disliked him, endured him for half a year before finally ordering the repeatedly failed Viscount Godric to submit his resignation in person, making way for the Duke of Wellington, a tough Tory leader, to form a cabinet.

After Duke Wellington took office, Viscount Godric briefly faded from public view for a while, but last year, after Wellington’s cabinet fell, this crybaby, more adept at dealing with ladies than the King, made a lightning comeback.

As Wellington’s cabinet was on shaky ground, Viscount Godric announced his severance from the Tory Party and led a group of Canning faction MPs to defect to the Whig Party.

The Canning faction collectively joined the Whig camp, and Earl Grey, pleasantly surprised, eagerly welcomed them. In order to demonstrate the importance of Viscount Godric, Earl Grey, upon taking office, immediately announced that this leader of the Canning faction would serve as the Minister of War and Colonies in the Whig cabinet.

Although this position was not as prestigious as the interim Prime Minister or Chancellor of the Exchequer, Viscount Godric at least managed to enjoy a second spring in his political career.

But Mr. Hearst, the Port Director, knew very well that he could not compare to the Canning faction’s crybaby lord in terms of background and connections. Just because others could live a second life did not mean he could replicate this successful path.

If he were really capable of that, he would not be serving in the Liverpool Port Authority but should instead be on London’s Public Works Committee.

For Hearst, being out meant truly being out; he found no opportunity to turn the tables.

This fact was as clear as the louse on Darwin’s head.

Hearst understood this, and so did Arthur.

Although the Port Director of Liverpool seemed very different from a prisoner in Newgate Prison, for Arthur, interrogating him was much easier than interrogating ordinary criminals.

Seeing Arthur hesitate to respond, Director Hearst, who was initially relaxed, soon became restless.

He took out a handkerchief, wiped his shiny head, and suggested in a low voice, "Mr. Hasting, irregularities in fund usage are commonplace. It’s like holes in cheese, some big, some small, but to have none at all is impossible. Moreover, this has been a tradition of the Port Authority. Before little William Pitt took over as Prime Minister, before he reformed the customs department, they used to mess up even more than this."