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| - Nicholas Vansittart, 1st Baron Bexley, PC (29 April 1766 – 8 February 1851) was an English politician, and the longest-serving Chancellor of the Exchequer in British history.
He was the fifth son of Henry Vansittart (d. 1770 or 1771), governor of Bengal, born in Bloomsbury in Middlesex and raised in Bray in Berkshire. Educated at Christ Church, Oxford, he took his degree in 1787, and was called to the bar at Lincolns Inn. He began his public career by writing pamphlets in defence of the administration of William Pitt, especially on its financial side, and in May 1796 became member of parliament for Hastings, retaining his seat until July 1802, when he was returned for Old Sarum.
In February 1801 he was sent on a diplomatic errand to Copenhagen, and shortly after his return was appointed joint Secretary to the Treasury, a position which he retained until the resignation of Addington's ministry in April 1804. Owing to the influence of his friend, the Duke of Cumberland, he became Chief Secretary for Ireland under Pitt in January 1805, resigning his office in the following September. With Addington, now Viscount Sidmouth, he joined the government of Fox and Grenville as Secretary to the Treasury in February 1806, leaving office with Sidmouth just before the fall of the ministry in March 1807.
During these and the next few years Vansittart's reputation as a financier was gradually rising. In 1809 he proposed and carried without opposition in the House of Commons thirty-eight resolutions on financial questions, and only his loyalty to Sidmouth prevented him from joining the cabinet of Spencer Perceval as Chancellor of the Exchequer in October 1809. He opposed an early resumption of cash payments in 1811, and became Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Earl of Liverpool succeeded Perceval in May 1812. Having forsaken Old Sarum, he had represented Helston from November 1806 to June 1812; and after being member for East Grinstead for a few weeks, was returned for Harwich in October 1812.
When Vansittart became Chancellor of the Exchequer the country was burdened with heavy taxation and an enormous debt. Nevertheless, the continuance of the Napoleonic Wars compelled him to increase the customs duties and other taxes, and in 1813 he introduced a complicated scheme for dealing with the sinking fund.
In 1816, after the conclusion of peace, a large decrease in taxation was generally desired, and there was a loud outcry when the Chancellor proposed only to reduce, not to abolish, the property or income tax. The abolition of this tax, however, was carried in parliament, and Vansittart was also obliged to remit the extra tax on malt, meeting a large deficiency principally by borrowing. He devoted considerable attention to effecting real or supposed economies with regard to the national debt. (en)
- Nicholas Vansittart, 1. Baron Bexley PC (* 29. April 1766 in London; † 8. Februar 1851 in Kent) war ein deutschstämmiger britischer Politiker und Staatsmann.
Nicholas Vansittart, Sohn einer aus Danzig stammenden und nach Großbritannien übergesiedelten Familie, erhielt seine Ausbildung am Christ Church College in Oxford, wurde 1791 Barrister, beschäftigte sich aber vornehmlich mit politischen und finanziellen Fragen und veröffentlichte mehrere Schriften darüber. Als entschiedenen Tory ließ ihn die Regierung 1796 für Hastings ins Parlament wählen und sandte ihn Anfang 1801 nach Kopenhagen, um den dänischen Hof von der nordischen Allianz abzuziehen, was ihm aber nicht gelang.
1804 wurde er Staatssekretär im Schatzamt, 1805 Chief Secretary for Ireland, ging dann wieder zurück ins Schatzamt und bewirkte als solcher 1810 die Suspension der Barzahlungen durch die Bank von England bis nach dem geschlossenen Frieden. Nach Spencer Percevals Tod wurde er 1812 zum Schatzkanzler in der Regierung von Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2. Earl of Liverpool, berufen. Er musste zunächst die Finanzierung der letzten Kriegsjahre sicherstellen, dann die Umstellung auf die Friedenswirtschaft verbunden mit Steuersenkungen, die das Parlament erzwungen hatte. Vansittart hatte dieses Amt mehr als zehn Jahre hindurch mit solchem Erfolg inne, dass er seinem Nachfolger einen Überschuss von 7 Millionen Pfund Sterling in den Staatsfinanzen hinterließ.
Am 1. März 1823 wurde er mit dem Titel Baron Bexley, of Bexley in der Grafschaft Kent, zum Peer erhoben und zum Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster ernannt. 1828 aus dem Staatsdienst mit einer Pension von 3000 Pfund Sterling ausgeschieden, widmete er fortan seine Tätigkeit hauptsächlich der Verwaltung mildtätiger und religiöser Institute.
Vansittart starb am 8. Februar 1851 auf seinem Landsitz Foots Cray in Kent. Sein Adelstitel erlosch, da er mit seiner Frau Isabella, einer Tochter von William Eden, 1. Baron Auckland, keine männlichen Nachkommen hatte. (de)
- Nicholas Vansittart, 1. baron av Bexley (født 29. april 1766, død 8. februar 1851) var en britisk politiker og den av Storbritannias finansministre som har innehatt denne posisjonen lengst. (no)
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