quantities of West Indian produce and European goods. These merchants stated the hardship of their case to Rodney and Vaughan; but the reply given them was, that "the island of Eustatius was Dutch, everything in it was Dutch, everything was under the protection of the Dutch flag, and as Dutch it should be treated." But this was only the law of the sword. Suits at law were subsequently instituted in the British courts, which decided otherwise; for large sums were recovered by the British merchants from the admiral. Notwithstanding, though Rodney erred against strict legal right, he had a powerful argument on his sidenamely, that he considered himself justified in confiscating the property of British subjects, who, for their own private gain, had sacrificed the interests of their country. This argument was founded in strict truth. Eustatius had long been the chief magazine whence the Americans had procured supplies; and in that commerce British merchants, more selfish than patriotic, had anticipated. But the largest portion of the property seized belonged to the Dutch West India Company, the Amsterdam merchants, and Americans, and these had no courts to which they could appeal for its restoration. Notwithstanding, as before seen, England did not reap the full advantages of these seizures, as some of the ships in which the treasures were stored, were captured by the French and Spanish fleets in the English Channel. The island itself also was surrendered to the French, towards the end of the year, by Colonel Cockburn, in a manner that reflects no great honour on his valour. COMMODORE JOHNSTONE ATTACKED BY DE SUFFREIN, ETC. During this year the British Cabinet aimed at dispossessing the Dutch of the Cape of Good Hope. Commodore Johnstone was appointed to this enterprise; and he sailed with five ships of the line, some frigates, and smaller vessels, having on board three regiments, under the command of General Meadows. At the solicitation of their ally, the court of Versailles despatched a superior force, under M. de Suffrein, to counteract this design. De Suffrein found Johnstone in the neutral part of Praya, in the island of St. Jago, and proceeded to attack him. He advanced as to certain victory; but though the British force was at first thrown into some confusion, de Suffrein was in the end defeated. Failing in his attempt, the French admiral sailed to the Cape, which he succeeded in reaching before his enemy, and where he landed some troops for the defence of Cape Town. In following de Suffrein, the British commodore met with five Dutch East Indiamen, richly laden, and he succeeded in capturing four of them, and in burning the other. Perceiving, however, that he could not compass the original object of his expedition, he returned to England. When he first set sail, Johnson was accompanied by some outward-bound East Indiamen, which, on his return, he intrusted to Captain Christie, with whom he left a squadron for their defence. Christie captured a French frigate, and convoyed the East Indiamen safely to their place of destination. In the meantime de Suffrein sailed to Pondicherry; but he could not prevent the triumph of British arms on the coast of Coromandel and the island of Sumatra. During the autumn, Negapatnam, Pedang, and other places belonging to the French and Dutch, were captured. FURTHER OPERATIONS IN THE WEST INDIES. It was while Admiral Rodney was employed at St. Eustatius, that de Grasse spread his sails for the Chesapeak. Rodney detached Hood and Drake, with seventeen sail of the line, to intercept his course off Fort Royal Bay, and a partial engagement took place, but de Grasse was nevertheless able to hold on his way. While he proceeded onwards for America, the Marquis de Bouille suddenly appeared off the island of St. Lucie, and landed some troops; but he was foiled in his designs, and he then turned his attention to the reduction of Tobago. This island, though bravely and ably defended by Governor Ferguson, was captured: and this conquest terminated all naval operations for the year in the West Indies Soon after, Rodney returned to England on account of his health, and Sir Samuel Hood was left in command of the fleet. SENTIMENTS OF FOREIGN POWERS The British cabinet were everywhere frustrated in After the their endeavours to gain friends and allies. failure of their negociations with Spain, they sought to purchase the friendship of the emperor Joseph II., by offering to him the navigation of the Scheldt, and other advantages, both commercial and political. Joseph, however, still retained all his ancient resentment against George III. and his ministers, and their overtures were unheeded. The offers of the British cabinet, indeed, appear to have been construed by him into a confession of weakness; for he even ordered his subjects to withdraw their money from the English funds, under the plea that a national bankruptcy was inevitable. Probably, the long and loud cry of the opposition, concerning the weakness and poverty of England, had reached his ears, which may have led him into the belief that such a consummation was at hand. It would have been well for Joseph's honour had he stopped here. Although England was surrounded by enemies, and not a friend held forth a helping hand, he sought to arm the Empress of Russia against her; asserting, that as Great Britain had commenced hostilities against the Dutch, on account of the Armed Neutrality, she was called on to assist them by treaty. Joseph failed in his attempt to put the sword into the hands of the empress, but he diminished her attachment to the English, and increased her desire to extend that confederacy. As for Joseph himself, he now openly declared his accession to the Armed Neutrality, and thereby testified a desire for the triumph of the Americans, so that ministers plainly saw that they had nothing to hope from his mediation. This he continued to offer, while binding himself to the most active enemies of Great Britain; but "all was false and hollow." MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. Parliament reassembled on the 27th of November. Two days before this, intelligence had arrived of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis-intelligence which had caused great consternation in the British cabinet. His majesty, however, had heard the news with calmness, dignity, and self-command; and his speech from the throne was in the same determined language as at the close of the last session, when the prospects of the nation were radiant with hope. After expressing his concern at the sad reverse, he declared that he could not consent to sacrifice, either to his own desire of peace, or to the temporary ease and relief of his subjects, those essential rights and permanent interests on which the strength and security of this country must ever principally depend. He retained, he said, a firm confidence in the protection of Divine Providence, and a perfect conviction of the justice of his cause; and he called for the concurrence and support of parliament, together with a vigorous, animated, and united exertion of the faculties and resources of the people. In the course of his speech he remarked, that the favourable appearance of our affairs in the East Indies, and of the safe arrival of our numerous commercial fleets, were matters for congratulation: evidently designing these as a kind of set-off for our reverses in the West, and as encouragements to persevere in the struggle. In the commons, an amendment to the address was moved by Mr. Fox, who declared, "that any one unacquainted with the British constitution, and not knowing that the speech was contrived by a cabinetcouncil, would pronounce it that of an arbitrary and unfeeling monarch, who, having involved the slaves, his subjects, in a ruinous and unnatural war, to glut his enmity or satiate his revenge, was determined to persevere, in spite of calamity or fate itself." In the burden of the speech, and the address, opposition had a fine theme for declamation. The mover of the address complained, in strong terms, that certain members were so lost to honour and duty, as to glory in the success of the enemy. Fox replied to this invective in the words which Lord Chatham had used at the commencement of the dispute: he "thanked God that America had resisted the claims of the mother country!" He then continued:-" All the calamities of the nation are ascribed to the wishes, the joy, and | the speeches of the opposition. O, miserable and unfortunate ministers! Blind and incapable men!whose measures are framed with so little foresight, and executed with so little firmness, that they crumble to pieces, and bring ruin on the country merely be cause a rash, weak, or wicked man in the house of commons makes a speech against them! Retrospective measures are deprecated; but ministers must bear to hear them from the representatives of an abused people. He even trusted that they would hear them at the tribunal of justice, and expiate them on the public scaffold! He would not say they were actually in the pay of France, for he could not prove the fact; but he would venture to say, that they had worked for the aggrandisement of the Grand Monarque more faithfully and successfully than any ministers of his own had ever done." Fox then reviewed the origin and conduct of the war, ascribing our loss to the undue influence of the crown, and connecting the calamities of the nation with the system of government, and to every one in power, and particularly to Lord Sandwich, as first lord of the admiralty He conclu dedby saying, that there was no hope of better things until the whole cabinet was changed; and by moving, as an amendment, a clause, binding the house to apply themselves with united hearts, to propose and adjust such counsels as might, in this crisis, excite the efforts, point the arms, and, by a total change of system, command the confidence of all his majesty's subjects. Mr. Thomas Pitt followed on the same side, reiterating the oft-repeated cry of secret influence, and expressing a hope that ministers would not be displaced till they had brought the nation to such a crisis as must draw down on their heads their just reward! Other members spoke in reproachful terms of the condition of the navy, and were answered by Lord Mulgrave, who proved that their accusations were unjust and unfounded. Lord North replied to Fox, and expressed great indignation at the insinuation, that ministers were in the pay of France. There was no man in the kingdom, he said, that would believe such a monstrous absurdity; and he vindicated their zeal in the service of their country, and ascribed any errors that had been committed to the head rather than to the heart. The American war, he continued, was prosecuted, not with the design of aggrandising the crown at the expense of the constitution, but of preserving, unbroken, that venerable fabric for which our forefathers had bled, and which all Europe envied. He then reminded the house, that the quarrel had been begun by parliament, and not by the king-not under the present ministry, but by that formed out of the ranks of the members of the existing opposition. A disaster had occurred in Virginia, but were we, he asked, on that account to lie down and die? For his own part, he thought, that it should rather animate us to increased exertions: by dejection and despair everything might be lost. As for himself, he declared, that he would not be deterred by menaces of impeachment from striving to preserve the rights and legislative authority of par liament. The war had been unfortunate, but not unjust: it was founded in right, and dictated by neces sity. He had always thought so, he added, and if the share he had taken in it should bring him to the scaffold, his opinions would remain unaltered. Burke replied to the premier in a speech of great power. North's speech, he said, was not only imprudent but audacious. "The war," he "continued, was not unfortunate, but disgraceful; for the former epithet could only apply to occurrences in which fortune alone was concerned, whereas the present war exhibited neither plan nor foresight. Victory and defeat, in this case, were each equally calamitous, for each instigated us to go on; but the king's speech was the greatest of all calamities, for it showed the determination of ministers to con summate our ruin." Burke spoke largely on the "rights" for which it was said that the war was begun, and for which it was continued. He asked, whether we ought to risk everything, and think of no consequences for the sake of a right? Whether ministers did not know that right without might was of little worth? and whether a claim, without the power of enforcing it, was not nugatory in the copyhold of rival states? He compared the reasonings of ministers to a man, who, full of his prerogative of dominion over a few beasts of the field, should assert his right to shear a wolf, because it had wool upon its back, without considering whether he had the power of using the shears, or whether the animal would submit to the operation of shearing. He remarked :-"Are we yet to be told of the rights for which we went to war? Oh, excellent rights! Oh, valuable rights! Valuable you should be, for we have paid dear at parting with you. Oh, valuable rights! that have cost Britain thirteen provinces, four islands, 100,000 men, and more than £70,000,000 of money! Oh, wonderful rights! that have lost to Great Britain her empire on the ocean, --her boasted, grand, and substantial superiority,which made the world bend before her! Oh, inestimable rights! that have taken from us our rank among nations-our importance abroad, and our happiness at home; that have taken from us our trade, our manufactures, and our commerce; that have reduced us from the most flourishing empire in the world, to be one of the most compact and unenviable powers on the globe! Oh, wonderful rights! that are likely to take from us all that yet remains!" This picture of the nation's misery, however, was greatly overwrought. England was not yet reduced to the abject state in which Burke would have had the house believe she was in. Her empire on the seas was not yet lost, nor was she shorn of her rank among the nations. Provinces, islands, men, money, and trade had been lost in the struggle, but she was still able to lift up her head among the nations of the earth. Opposition, in truth, in uttering this language, must have felt that it partook of the nature of Oriental hyperbole; and all men could see that it was adopted for party purposes. Fox's amendment was negatived by two hundred and eighteen against one hundred and twenty-nine. A similar amendment to that of Fox was moved in the house of lords by the Earl of Shelburne, who decried the whole conduct of the war, imputing its disasters to a want of system, combination, and intelligence; expressed his fears that we might find another Chesapeak at Plymouth, or in the Thames; declaimed against the war with Holland, as a perfidious measure; and asserted, in the language of Chatham, that if the present system were pursued, "his majesty's crown would soon be not worth his wearing." The Duke of Richmond, the Marquess of Rockingham, and Lord Camden likewise censured the conduct of ministers: the former ascribing all the faults of government to an interior cabinet. In support of this, Richmond quoted Chatham's declaration, "that when he entered the king's closet, he found the ground rotten, and himself 164 THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND. [CHAP. XII duped and deceived." The measures of government | 100,000 seamen should be granted for the ensuing year. seven. MOTION OF SIR JAMES LOWTHER FOR Mr. Hussey, a member of opposition, moved an amend ment, substituting 110,000, which brought on a stormy On bringing up the report of the address, the debate ministers were taunted with delay and neglect in fitting debate on the state of the navy, in the course of which was renewed, in the course of which William Pitt delivered a speech which was applauded by both sides of the additional supply offered, they must be suspected out ships. It was asserted, that if ministers refused the house. In his speech Pitt protested against the of some dark and sinister design; but they neverthehouse pledging itself by the address to continue the less did refuse the offer, and the amendment was re American war; asserted, that no two members on thejected by one hundred and forty-three against seventy. treasury-bench agreed in sentiment, or were in heart sincere friends; denied that the war was either just or necessary; spoke with horror of the fate which awaited the American royalists by the capitulation of Lord Cornwallis; and expressed a hope, that if ministers persevered in their present course, they might meet with a fate equally severe. Previous to the debate on the navy, when the Burke also animad- estimates were laid before the house, a motion was verted in glowing terms on the capitulation of Lord made, that no supplies should be granted until the miarmy Cornwallis, and the omission of any article which would nisters had given proof of repentance and amendment secure the American loyalists from the vengeance of in other words, that war with America should be their countrymen. He remarked:-"It is a horrid discontinued. This was negatived by an overwhelming spectacle which must meet the eyes of a prince of the majority; but nothing daunted by this defeat, on the blood, (Prince William Duke of Clarence,) who cannot 12th of December Sir James Lowther moved these two sail along the American coast without beholding the resolutions:-"To declare that the war carried on in faithful adherents of his father hanging in quarters on every headland." This was literally true; but the been ineffectual to the purposes for which it had been the colonies and plantations of North America had fact is, the headlands of America had been decorated undertaken; and that it was also the opinion of the with gibbets from the very commencement of the war, house, that all further attempts to reduce the Ameriand the surrender of Lord Cornwallis had nothing to do with the matter. As for the fall of Cornwallis, it country, by weakening her powers to resist her an cans to obedience by force must be injurious to this was not an ignoble one; for his handfull of men could cient and confederated enemies." The motion was sescarcely have been expected to hold out against the conded by Mr. Powys, in a long and able speech, in united arms of France and America. One member, which he declared that, as no idea of revenue remained, Mr. Courtenay, in reply, justly observed that his and that as there was no idea of alleviating the burdens chains were wreathed with laurels; that he was an ornament to his profession; and that he was entitled tlemen, long deceived, could be deceived no longer. of Great Britain by carrying on the war, the country gento the highest dignities that could be conferred upon Some of the supporters of government seem either to him by his sovereign. The report was adopted by one hundred and thirty-one against fifty-four. have been convinced of their error, or to have perceived that a change was coming, for more than twenty spoke or voted in favour of the motion. ever, opposed by Lords North and Germaine, and, on a It was, howdivision, was negatived by two hundred and twenty to from Lord North's speech, that the plan of operations one hundred and seventy-nine. War, therefore, was to be continued. At the same time it was evident, would, in the next campaign, be materially altered. It would not, he said, be wise or right to prosecute the war in America on a continental plan; that is, by be defended, and that the British trade must be prosending fresh armies through the colonies. North, tected against American privateers. The subject of however, argued that the posts held in America must the whole of the operations, and asserted, that the ministry were intent only upon one thing, and that was war was renewed on the 14th, when Mr. Pitt reviewed the destruction of the empire. He added:—“ God grant that their punishment be not so long delayed as to involve a great and innocent family, who, though they share not the guilt, will most likely participate in his speech likened the crown and parliament to dancers in a minuet, to a tune composed by the cabinet-the Sir George Saville followed, and in ended as it began. He also compared ministers to the crown led off one way, the parliament to the opposite Spartan, (it was an Athenian,) who, in an engagement corner; and they then joined hands, when the dance by sea, seized the stern with his right hand, which was with his left, which shared the same fate, whereupon he seized the galley with his teeth. instantly chopped off; and who then renewed the effort determined to proceed; but he warned them, that when the Spartan seized the vessel with his teeth, he lost two armies in attempts on America, yet they were The ministry had forfeited his head. This debate was intended to delay the supplies; but on a division, the majority was one hundred and sixty-six to eighty-four. Subsequently a debate occurred on the subject of the ex-president HAN. CENSURES ON RODNEY AND VAUGHAN. On the 4th of December Burke moved for a committee of the whole house, " to inquire into the confiscation of the effects, wares, and merchandise belong ing to his majesty's new subjects of St. Eustatius, and further to inquire into the sale and distribution of a great part of the said effects to the islands belonging to France, and to other parts of the dominions of his majesty's enemies." represented the attack on Eustatius as wanton; mainIn making this motion, Burke tained, that by means of the effects and stores which had been sold there, the enemy had been supplied with what they otherwise could not have obtained; and accused Rodney of promoting the success of the French by lingering at the island while their fleet was reinforced, so as to enable them to take Tobago. Rodney and Vaughan were both in the house, and the former replied to this attack. The residents, who called themselves Englishmen, he said, were chiefly Jews of the worst character, who had been in the habit of supply; ing the enemies of England with warlike stores, and therefore were unworthy of favour. As to the charge of neglect, he remarked, that he had taken every care to see the stores found at St. Eustatius safely conveyed to his majesty's store-houses at Antigua, and that he had, under every circumstance, made the best use of the inferior fleet at his disposal: this he proved by narrating how he was situated at the time. Vaughan, in his defence, declared that he had not been benefited to the amount of a single shilling by the capture of St. Eustatius; that he had treated the enemy with great lenity; and that he had acted to the best of his judgment for his country's welfare. The motion was negatived by one hundred and sixty-three against eighty-nine. DEBATE ON THE NAVY. the atonement." On the 5th of December Lord Lisburne moved, that Lauren's imprisonment in the Tower, and Mr. Burke gave notice of a motion on his behalf; but this was rendered unnecessary, as Laurens was soon after discharged in exchange for General Burgoyne. In the upper house an attempt was made by the Marquess of Rockingham to prevent the third reading of the Malt and Land-tax Bills before the recess, but it was unavailing. Such were the proceedings of parliament before the adjournment. CHAPTER XIII. Recent events on the Theatre of War-Fox's Motion for Inquiring into the Navy-Motions of Inquiry in the House of Lords-Debates on Lont George Germaine's Elevation to the Peerage- Renewed Attacks on Lord Sandwich: Resignation of Lord North-The New MinistryAffairs of Ireland-Bill for excluding Contractors, &c.--Resolutions the city of London, and in several counties, to his majesty, reprobating the whole conduct of the war, and praying the dismissal of all his advisers, both pub lic and private. Still, though the warlike tone of the people was lowered, the principle of the war was not generally unpopular, nor the public indignation against our many enemies abated. It was the improbability of success alone that called forth the petitions. FOX'S MOTIONS FOR INQUIRY INTO THE Encouraged by the recent reverses, during the recess the opponents of administration had been employed in forming and maturing a general plan of attack. The chief conduct of this was intrusted to Mr. Fox, who, on the re-assembling of parliament, moved for an inquiry into the causes of the constant ill-success of the naval respecting Wilkes expunged from the Journals- Disfranchisement of forces, and more especially during the preceding year. Cricklade, &c.--Debates on Parliamentary Reform-East India Affairs Change in the Ministry-Prorogation of Parliament-Victory of Rodney-Affairs of the War in America-State of the War in the West Indies, &c.- Maritime Events-Siege and Relief of Gibraltar Prospect of general Pacification-Meeting of Parliament Preliminaries of Peace-Re-assembling of Parliament--The Coalition Ministry-Re-establishment of Commercial Intercourse with America, &c.-Pitt's Plan for Reforming the Treasury, &c.-East India Affairs -Petition of the Quakers against the Slave Trade- -Settlement on the Prince of Wales -Parliament Prorogued- Execution of Treaties, &c. -Meeting of Parliament-Fox's India Bill-Dissolution of the Coalition Ministry: Pitt made Prime Minister-Efforts of the Opposition against the New Ministry. RECENT EVENTS ON THE THEATRE A. D. Τ OF WAR. IT having been ascertained that the French -government had sent out a naval arma1782. ment with large supplies for the East and West Indies, Admiral Kempenfelt was despatched for the purpose of intercepting them. The squadron with which Kempenfelt was intrusted was not sufficiently powerful for the object of his expedition; but having met the enemy's ships dispersed by a gale of wind off Ushant, he succeeded in capturing twenty transports laden with ordnance, stores, and troops, with which he returned to port. This success, however, was quickly followed by news of sad reverses, and increased dangers and difficulties. St. Eustatius was taken by the French; Gibraltar was hard pressed by the Spaniards; the British possessions in the West Indies were in imminent peril from the French arms; and finaly Minorca was lost. This latter event took place on the 5th of February, when General Murray, from want of sufficient force to withstand the besiegers, and from the sickness which prevailed among the few troops he had under his command, was obliged to capitulate. His real position may be gathered from a letter which he wrote a few days after. "Perhaps,' said he, "a more noble, or a more tragical scene was never exhibited, than that of the march of the garrison of St. Philip's through the Spanish and French armies. It consisted of no more than six hundred old decrepit soldiers, two hundred seamen, one hundred and twenty-five of the royal artillery, twenty Corsicans, and twenty-five Greeks, Turks, Moors, Jews, &c. The two armies were drawn up in two lines, the battalions fronting each other, forming a way for us to march through: they consisted of 14,000 men, and reached from the glacis to George Town, where our battalions laid down their arms, declaring they had surrendered them to God alone, having the consolation to know the victors could not plume themselves in taking an hospital. Such were the distressing features of our men, that many of the Spanish and French troops shed tears as they passed them." Crillon himself was touched with pity and admiration; and he atoned for his previous fault in endeavouring to bribe General Murray, by treating the vanquished with great humanity; causing them to be attended by his surgeons, and providing for their comfort. These reverses had a great effect upon the nation. Petitions were voted in This inquiry, it was stated, would resolve itself into two distinct parts: whether Lord Sandwich, the first lord of the admiralty, had the means of procuring a navy equal to the exigencies of the state; and whether he employed the force which he possessed with wisdom and ability? Lord Sandwhich was defended by Captain Luttrel and Lord Mulgrave; but Lord North declared that both himself and the object of the attack were anxious that the subject should undergo a complete investigation; and the motion passed without a division. An animated debate took place respecting the papers to be produced; and finally a suggestion of Mr. Pitt was adopted: namely, that the substance of letters and documents relating to the subject, and not the letters and documents themselves, should be laid before the house. The debate was then postponed till the 7th of February, when, after the reading of the papers which ministers consented to produce, Fox brought forward several distinct charges against the board of admiralty. These were:-That de Grasse was suffered to depart for the West Indies without any effort to intercept his fleet; that the loss of the convoy sent home with the booty captured at St. Eustatius might have been prevented, had a squadron been sent out for its protection; that a letter sent by the admiralty to the merchants of Bristol, had misled them with reference to the presence of the French fleet in the Channel, whereby the trade of their port was endangered; and that the fleets sent out with Admiral Kempenfelt and against the Dutch, were insufficient for the object of their expedition. Fox concluded by moving, that there had been gross mismanagement of naval affairs during the year 1781. This motion was supported by Lord Howe and Mr. Pitt; but Lord Sandwich was again defended by Lord Mulgrave; and on a division, it was lost by a majority of twenty-two: a majority, however, which showed that there was a change of opinion in the house. MOTIONS OF INQUIRY IN THE HOUSE In the house of Lords, after parliament had re-assembled, the Duke of Richmond moved for an inquiry into the execution of Colonel Hayne, at Charlestown; but his grace was outvoted by seventy-three against twenty-five. Subsequently, the Duke of Chandos moved for an inquiry into the cause which led to the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, and also for all copies of the correspondence between ministers and Sir Henry Clinton, during the preceding year. These propositions were agreed to, but no results arose therefrom. DEBATES ON LORD GEORGE GERMAINE'S ELEVATION TO THE PEERAGE. About this time, Lord George Germaine resigned office, and undeterred by his unpopularity, his majesty created him Viscount Sackville. On the report of this proceeding, the Marquess of Carmarthen brought the subject before the Lords, and moved a resolution, "that it was derogatory to the honour of that house; that any person labouring under the censure of a courtmartial, should be recommended to the crown to be raised to the dignity of a peerage." In moving this resolution, the marquess read the sentence of the courtmartial, which had been passed upon Lord George Germaine, together with the public orders issued upon it by George II. Several speeches were made, reflecting on the character of the embryo peer, and threatening him with impeachment; but the motion was objected to on the part of the ministers, as interfering with the prerogative of the crown; and the question of adjournment was carried by a large majority. On the 18th of February, Lord George, as Viscount Sackville, took his seat among the peers, when the Marquess of Carmarthen repeated his motion. The new-made peer defended himself with great spirit and dignity; and he was also defended by the lord chancellor and several other peers, so that, when the motion was put to the vote, it was lost by a majority of ninety-three against twenty-eight. Nine peers entered a protest on the journals, repeating the motion, sentence, and public orders, and declaring "that the elevation of Lord Sackville was a measure fatal to the interests and glory of the crown, as well as the dignity of parliament; an insult on the memory of the late sovereign, and every survivor of the illustrious house of Brunswick." The seals which Sackville had resigned were given to Mr. Welbore Ellis, whose appointment gave great umbrage to the members of opposition. RENEWED ATTACKS ON LORD SANDWICH: RESIGNATION OF LORD NORTH. without a division. The answer of his majesty, which was very vague, was reported to the house on Monday, and thanks were voted unanimously. But opposition had no idea of being satisfied with a half-triumph. As soon as they had paid this compliment to his majesty, General Conway moved :-"That the house would consider as enemies to his majesty and the country all those who should advise, or by any means attempt, the further prosecution of offensive war on the continent of North America;" a motion which was agreed to without a division. It was hoped that ministers would now resign, but Lord North still kept his seat on the treasury-bench, and the attorney-general, on the next day introduced his plan of a truce with America. His scheme was denounced as a farce by Fox, but it was nevertheless agreed to without a division. On this occasion Lord North told Fox in plain terms, that he would not quit office to gratify his impatience; and that he would not retire till tre king ordered him, or until the house clearly proved that he must retire. He retained office, he said, in order to prevent confusion, and the introduction of mischievous and unconstitutional principles. Opposition, however, were intent upon driving him from office, and would not be satisfied till they had achieved a full and final triumph. On the 8th of March, Lord John Cavendish, at the close of a series of resolutions, moved this direct vote of censure upon ministers :-"That the chief cause of all the national misfortunes is want of foresight and ability in the members of administration." A debate ensued which lasted till two o'clock in the morning, when the house divided on the order of the day, moved by ministers, and which was carried by a majority of eight, so that the motion of Lord John Cavendish was lost. Nothing daunted, however, opposition returned to the charge. On the 15th Sir John Rous moved :-"That the house could no longer repose confidence in ministers." This motion was also lost by a majority of nine; but Lord Surrey gave notice that he would make a motion to the same effect on the 20th, so that there was a prospect of the struggle being continued. But the work of the opposition was now done-their longwished-for and ardently-sought triumph achieved. On the 19th of March, Lord North sent a message to the Viscount Sackville had retired from the thickest of the battle, but Lord Sandwich was still exposed to the fire of the enemy. On the 20th of February, Fox renewed his attack upon him, by moving a resolution similar to that which he had already lost in committee. His censure was extended this time to the whole board of admiralty, and he was ably seconded by Mr. Pitt, who went through an accurate detail of naval events in the preceding year, and commented on each with re-king, intimating the necessity of his immediately remarkable acuteness and great force of reasoning. His speech appears to have had a great effect upon the house, for on a division the motion was lost by a majority on the part of ministers, of nineteen only. Encouraged by the decreasing majorities of administration, opposition continued their attacks. On the 27th of February, General Conway moved :-"That the further prosecution of offensive hostilities for the purpose of reducing the revolted colonies to obedience by force, would weaken the efforts of Great Britain against her European enemies; increase the mutual enmity so fatal both to Great Britain and America; and, by preventing a happy reconciliation with that country, frustrate the desire expressed by his majesty, of restoring the blessings of peace and tranquillity.' The storm in the house was so loud on this occasion, that Lord North could scarcely obtain a hearing. When he did, he objected to the motion as dangerous, on account of the information it would convey to our enemies, and as tending to retard the attainment of peace, which he said was now the wish on both sides of the house. He added, that if the house should show that they had wholly withdrawn their confidence from him, it would then be his duty to resign office. Mr. Wallace, the attorney-general, endeavoured to ward off the blow, by stating his intention to bring in a bill which would enable ministers to treat on the basis of a truce, for which reason he moved an adjournment of the debate. But opposition were now satisfied that they should obtain a victory, and were resolved to push the matter forward vigorously. The motion for adjournment was lost by a majority of nineteen; and the original question and an address to the king were then carried signing. His majesty replied, that he should be at St. |