tack, Mr. Fox obferved, that there was a material difference between a private member appealing to his constituents, or to the nation at large, whofe agent he was in parliament, and a fervant of the crown holding an office at the will of the King, attempting to appeal to them, in that capacity, against parliament. The former he should still contend was in the true fpirit of the conftitution; the latter, he fhould as explicitly condemn as fubverfive of the whole order of it. conduct against this perfonal at- derate and independent members; and the propriety of leaving the noble lord at the head of the treafury, in poffeffion of his office, till fuch a measure could be accomplifhed, was much infifted on. The noble lord himself was obferved to speak with confiderable emotion and embaraffment, to which the peculiarity of his fituration, and the violent perfonal attacks to which it expofed him, must, doubtlefs, have much contributed. He entered into a long and able defence of his own conduct, after which he folemnly declared to the Houfe," that he "neither was, nor would be any "obstacle to a coalition of par"ties, or to the formation of any "new administration, from which "he might be totally excluded." The debate lafted till paft two o'clock in the morning, when the Houfe divided on the order of the day, which had been moved by the fecretary at war, and which was carried by a majority of 10. The interval beMarch 15th. tween the eighth and the fifteenth was generally fuppofed to have been employed in various unfuccefsful attempts to divide the party in oppofition. On the latter day, a motion was made by Sir John Rous, and feconded by the younger Lord Geo. Cavendish, in which, after reciting the facts contained in the refolutions moved on the eighth, it was proposed to refolve, that, on confideration thereof, the House could have no farther confidence in the minifters who had the direction of the public affairs." In the debate, the neceffity of fome new arrangement in the ad. miniftration of public affairs was no longer denied; but the impolicy, and even the danger of throwing the country entirely into the hands of any party, was fill rongly contended. A coalition was loudly called for by many mo On the other fide, it was urged, that the bait of a coalition had been thrown out by the court merely for the purpofe of delay, and giving room for intrigue and cabal; and that, in order to fecure to the nation the advantages which it was now univerfally admitted would arife from a total change in the public councils, it was neceffary not to relax, for a moment, the vigorous purfuit of fuch measures as could not fail of being speedily crowned with fuccefs. On this occafion, the whole ftrength of both parties was muftered. Near four hundred and eighty members were faid to have been prefent in the Houte; and on the divifion, the question was negatived by a majority of only 9. After the divifion, notice was given, that a motion, to the fame effect, would be made on the Wednesday following. On 7 for the purpofe of giving the neceffary time for new arrangements that he meant to have moved for an adjournment. The noble lord then took his leave of the Houfe as minifter, by thanking them for the honourable fupport they had given him during fo long a courte of years, and in fo many trying fituations. He expreffed his grateful fenfe of their great partiality towards him on all, and their forbearance on many occafions. A fucceflor of greater abilities, of better judgment, and more qualified for his fituation, he faid, was caly to be found; a fucceffor more zealously attached to the interests of his country, more anxious to promote them, more loyal to his Sovereign, and more defirous of preferving the conftitution whole and entire, he might be allowed to fay, could not fo eafily be found. He concluded his speech, after declaring that he did not mean to fhrink from trial, that he fhould always be prepared to meet it, that he even demanded it from his adver faries, with moving the question, of adjournment. On that day, the March 20th. Houfe being again uncommonly crowded, the Earl of Surrey got up to make the promifed motion; but Lord North rifing at the fame time, for the purpose of communicating to the Houfe fome information, which, he faid, might make any farther proceeding in the intended bufinefs unneceffary, and would require an adjournment, great dif. order and confufion enfued, the members in oppofition calling out violently for Lord Surrey," and "No adjournment." As foon as the House was reduced to order, it was moved, "that the Earl of "Surrey be now heard;" when Lord North, having now obtained a right to fpeak to the queftion, obferved, that had he been fuffered to proceed before, he believed much unneceflary heat and ditorder would have been prevented. He meant no difrefpect to the noble earl; but as notice had been given that the object of the intended notion was the removal of his Majefty's minifters, he meant to have acquainted the Houle, that fuch a motion was become unneceffary. He could af fure the Houle, with authority, that the prefent adminiflration was no more, and that his Majelly had to adjourn to the Monday fol come to a full determination of lowing. changing his minifters; and it was After a little refitation on the part of oppofition, it was agreed to withdraw the first motion, and CHAP CHA P. VIII. New adminiftration formed under the Marquis of Rockingham. Public measures ftipulated for. Recefs of parliament during the Eafter holidays. Debate on the affairs of Ireland. Meffage from the King, and addrefs. Addrefs from the parliament of Ireland. Repeal of the act of the 6th of Geo. I. Addrefs of thanks from the Irish Houfe of Commons, and vote of feamen. Reward voted for Mr. Grattan. Farther proceedings in the English parliament. Revenueofficers and contractors bills pass both Houfes. Bill of reform in the civil lift expenditure. Bill for regulating the office of paymafter-general of the forces. Motion for refcinding the refolution relative to the Middlefex election carried. Motion by Mr. Wil liam Pitt, for a committee to enquire into the ftate of the reprefentation in parliament, rejected, upon a divifion. Refolutions refpecting Exchequer, and other offices. Death of the Marquis of Rockingham. Changes in the miniftry. Debate on the fubject in both Houfes. Short ftate of the proceedings on the reports of the India committee. King's Speech. D URING the adjournment of the House of Commons, the new administration was formed under the auspices of the Marquis of Rockingham, on whofe public principles and private honour and virtue the nation feemed to repofe, after the violent struggle by which it had been agitated, with the fecureft and moft implicit confidence. The cabinet, including himself, as first commiffioner of the treasury, was compofed of the Earl of Shelburne and Mr. Fox, who were appointed fecretaries of ftate; Lord Camden, prefident of the council; Duke of Grafton, privy-feal; Lord John Cavendish, chancellor of the exchequer; Admiral Keppel, who was alfo created a viscount, firft commiffioner of the admiralty; General Conway, commander in chief of the forces; Duke of Richmond, mafter-general of the ordnance; Lord Thurlow, who was continued in his office of lord high chancellor; VOL. XXV. and Mr. Dunning, created Baron Afhburton, and made chancello of the duchy of Lancafter. The public measures, for which the new minifter was faid to have ftipulated with the court before he would confent to enter into any negociation for office, were thefe: 1. Peace with the Americans, and the acknowledgment of their independence not to be a bar to the attainment of that object;-2. A substantial reform in the feveral branches of the civil lift expenditure, on the plan propofed by Mr. Burke ;-3. The diminution of the influence of the crown, under which article the bills for excluding contractors from feats in parliament, and difqualifying the revenue officers from voting in the election of members, were included. The new arrange- March 28. ment having been announced to the House, and the writs moved for fuch gentlemen [M] as as had vacated their feats by accepting offices, the Houfe adjourned, on account of the enfuing holidays, without proceeding to any other business. On the first day of April 8th. the meeting of parliament, after the recefs, as foon as the re-elected members were fworn in, the affairs of Ireland were unexpectedly brought before the Houfe by Mr. Eden, who, having been fecretary to the Earl of Carlisle, lord lieutenant of that country, was just arrived from thence with his refignation of the vice-royalty. This gentleman, after taking a view of the political hiftory of Ireland during the laft two years, acquainted the Houfe with the measures which, he faid, were then forming for rendering it totally independdent of the British legiflature; and concluded with moving for leave to bring in a bill to repeal io much of the act of Geo. I. as afferted a right in the King and parliament of Great Britain to make laws to bind the kingdom of Ireland. The precipitation with which a Sufinefs of fuch magnitude and importance was thus attempted to be forced on the Houfe without previous communication with any of his Majesty's minifters, or knowledge of their intentions, was . feverely cenfured, and the more efpecially, as it appeared that the right honourable gentleman had refufed to give any official information to government relative to the ftate of the country he had juft left. Mr. Eden, though loudly called on to withdraw his motion, perfifted in urging its neceffity, and, in vindication of his own conduct, ftated, that the reafon of his refufing to have any communication with his Majefty's prefent fervants, was the great want of attention to the Earl of Carlifle, which they had shown in the mode of appointing his fucceffor, and in his removal from the lord-lieutenantcy of the east riding of Yorkshire. This apology ferved rather to increase the dif pleafure of the Houfe; a motion of centure on his conduct was threatened, and it was with great difficulty he was at last brought to comply with the general with of the Houfe in withdrawing his motion. Mr Fox informed the House, in the courfe of this debate, that the minifters of the crown, during the fhort time they had been in of fice, had actually held three or four councils, folely on the affairs of Ireland, and that he hoped very foon, perhaps within the next four-and-twenty hours,to lay fome preparatory meafure before them. Accordingly, on the next day, he brought a meffage April 9th. from his Majefty to inform the Houfe, "that being "concerned to find difcontents "and jealoufies prevailing a"mongst his loyal fubjects in "Ireland, on matters of great "weight and importance, he ear"neftly recommended to the "Houfe to take the fame into "their moft ferious confideration, "in order to fuch a final adjust"ment as might give mutual fa"tisfaction to both kingdoms." A meffage to the fame effect was delivered to the lords the first day of their meeting, and addreffes were unanimoufly voted by both Houles. It It being the declared intention of administration to proceed in this arduous bufinefs in concert with the parliament of Ireland, a meffage, conceived in the fame terms with thofe prefented to the English Houfes, was fent by the Duke of Portland (who was appointed to fucceed Lord Carlisle) to the commons of that kingdom, immediately after his arrival, to take upon him the government. The addrefs to the King, in confequence of this meflage from the lord-lieutenant, was moved by Mr. Grattan, the great and eloquent leader of the popular party. This addrefs, after a full and explicit affertion of the independent rights of the kingdom of Ireland, proceeded to ftate the caufes of thofe jealoufies and difcontents which had arifen in that country; viz. the act of the fixth of George the Firft; the power of fuppreffing or altering bills in the privy council; and the perpetual mutiny bill. It concluded with expreffing their moft fanguine expectations from his Majefty's virtuous choice of a chief governor, and their great confidence in the wife, aufpicious, and conftitutional counfels which they had the fatisfaction to fee his Majefty had adopted. "that a firm and folid connection "fhould be forthwith established, "by the confent of both, and that "his Majefty fhould be requested to give the proper directions for "promoting the fame." Thefe motions paffed, after a fhort converfation, without any oppofition; and, on the 27th of the fame month, the Duke of Portland went in ftate to the Irish Houfe of Peers, and, in a fpeech to both Houfes of Parliament, acquainted them with the fteps that had been taken by the British legiflature, in compliance with their demands, and with his Majefty's gracious intentions to give his affent to acts for preventing the fuppreffion or alteration of bills in the privy council, and for limiting the duration of the mutiny act to the term of two years. In answer to this fpeech, a second address to the King was agreed on by both Houfes, expreffing their perfect fatisfaction in the measures propofed, and their affurances, that as foon as they fhould be carried into effect, no conftitutional queftion between the two countries would any longer exift. In return for this liberal procedure of the British government, in relinquishing its claims without any ftipulation or condition whatOn the ground of this addrefs, ever, the parliament of Ireland the repeal of the act complained immediately voted 100,000l. for of, was moved by the two fecre- the purpose of raifing 20,000 Irish taries of state, on the fame day feamen, for the fervice of his (May the 17th) in both Houfes of Majefty's navy. The fum of the British parliament. The other 50,000l. was alfo voted, "for two points lying between the "purchafing an estate, and erectparliament of Ireland and the King, "ing a manfion thereon, to be it was only refolved, in the Houfe "fettled on Henry Grattan, Efq. of Commons, "that it was effen" and the heirs of his body, as a "tially neceffary to the mutual "teftimony of their gratitude "happiness of the two countries," for the unequalled benefits con [M] 2 "ferred |