William, on principle, thought it desirable to divide the power and patronage of the Treasury among several Commissioners.

He was the first English King who never, from the beginning to the end of his reign, trusted the white staff in the hands of a single subject.

Danby was offered his choice between the Presidency of the Council and a Secretaryship of State.

He sullenly accepted the Presidency, and, while the Whigs murmured at seeing him placed so high, hardly attempted to conceal his anger at not having been placed higher.
[13] Halifax, the most illustrious man of that small party which boasted that it kept the balance even between Whigs and Tories, took charge of the Privy Seal, and continued to be Speaker of the House of Lords.

[14] He had been foremost in strictly legal opposition to the late Government, and had spoken and written with great ability against the dispensing power: but he had refused to know any thing about the design of invasion: he had laboured, even when the Dutch were in full march towards London, to effect a reconciliation; and he had never deserted James till James had deserted the throne.