3dly. That his Majefty's ac"knowledgment of the indepen"dence of America was in perfect compliance with the neceffity of the times, and in conformity with the fenfe of parliament." 4thly. That the conceffions granted to the adverfaries of "Great Britain were greater than they were entitled to, either "from the actual ftate of their refpective poffeffions, or from their "comparative ftrength." with the colonies in North America, any law, ftatute, matter, or thing to the contrary notwithstanding, gave him full power to recognize their independence; though fuch words had not been inferted in the act, for reafons fufficiently obvious. Other members, who agreed with them in opinion as far as it refpected the acknowledgment of independence, did not think the ftatute in queftion granted him any authority to cede to them any part of the province of Canada and Nova Scotia. With refpect to the powers of the prerogative, Mr. Wallace and Mr. Lee maintained that the King could not abdicate a part of his fovereignty, or declare any number of his fubjects free from obedience to the laws in being. The contrary was afferted by the attorney general; and each party pledged himfelf, if the matter fhould come regularly into difcuffion, to make good his opinion. A challenge to the fame effect had paffed in the Houfe of Peers between Lord Loughborough and the lord chancellor. At length it was propofed to alter the refolution into the following form; "That his Majefty, in The two firft refolutions were agreed to without any oppofition. On the third a fhort debate took place, occafioned by doubts having arifen in the minds of feveral members, refpecting the nature of the power vefted in the King, by which he had acknowledged the inde-" pendence of the United States. It was demanded, whether it was done by virtue of his royal prerogative," peace or truce, &c. has acted, &c. or by powers granted by ftatute; "when it paffed without adivifion." and, if the latter, by what ftatute? In answer to these questions, the gentlemen of the long robe were unanimously of opinion, that the ftatute paffed last year to enable the King to make a peace or truce acknowledging the independence ""of the United States of America, by virtue of the powers vefted in him by an act of the last feffion of "parliament, entitled, An act to "enable his Majefty to conlude a The fourth refolution occafioned a long and vehement debate, in which the fame ground was gone over as on the 17th, and on a divifion it was carried by a majority of 207 to 190. [434 СНАР. CHA P. VIII. Lord Shelburne's refignation, and chancellor of exchequer's declaration on what account be continued to hold his office-Minifterial interregnum→ mifchiefs refulting therefrom-conjectures on the causes. Address 10 bis Majefy for the fame reftrictions to be obferved, previous to the 5th of April, refpecting granting penfions, as are directed by an act of last feffion, fubfequent to that time.-Debate thereon.- Account of penfions granted. Animadverfions on them.-Mr. Coke's notice of his intention to move an addrefs on the unfettled ftate of the miniftry-its effects-unsuccessful. Makes his motion-received with approbation.-Minifters attempt to exculpate themfelves-anfwered.-Coalition abufed; and an addition, to its difadvantage, propofed to the addrefs.-This attack repelled, with great dexterity, by Mr. Fox.-Allufions having been made, in the debate, to fe cret advisers of the crown, a gentleman alluded to avows, and justifies, bis conduct.-Reply.—Address prefented.-Anfwer.-Mr. Pitt refigns-queftioned refpecting any new arrangement being made. His answer-not fa tisfactory-Earl of Surrey's motion on the occafion-objections to it-withdrawn. He proposes another, which is better approved; it is however poftponed.-Report to the difadvantage of the coalition party-difclaimed by Lord North.-Fresh invectives against the coalition.-Heads of juftifi cation infifted on by that party.-Negotiation again opened to form an adminiftration-fucceeds.-Lift of the new miniftry.—Its first objects.→Difficulties obftructing a commercial intercourfe with the States of America. Steps taken to remove them.-Loan of twelve millions brought forward -objected to -juftified. Mr. Pitt's motion for a reform of the parliamentary reprefentation-debate thereon-divifion-loft by a majority of 144.-Earl Shelburne condemns the loan.-Refolutions propofed for the conduct of future loans.-The loan juftified, and former miniftry blamed Propofed refolutions difcuffed, and rejected.-Duke of Richmona's motion, refpecting danger to be apprehended from putting the great feal in commiffion to the judges.-Heads of his fpeech, which embraces further objects. Motion objelled to-withdrawn.-Another propofed-debated-negatived.Animadverfions on the original motion-Message recommending a separate eftablishment for the Prince of Wales-50,cool. Jettled on him and 60,000 1. voted as a temporary aid.-Heads of the bill for regulating eer, tain offices in the exchequer.-Claufe offered to exempt Lord Thurlow from its operation-debated-agreed to rejected on the report by a majority of 8.-Clofe of the feffion.-Speech. Eaft India affairs left unfettled. - N confequence of the cenfure I paffed on the peace by the re folutions of the Houfe of Commons on the 21st of February, the Earl of Shelburne quitted his office of first commiffioner of the treafury, and the chancellor of the exchequer declared publicly in the Houfe, that he only held his place till a fucceffor fhould be appointed to fill it. A minifterial interregnum enfued, which lafted till the beginning of April; during which time the kingdom remained in a ftate of great diforder; without any refponfible government at home, the the finances neglected, the military establishments unreduced, and the negotiations with foreign powers, which the critical conjuncture of affairs rendered peculiarly important, entirely at a stand. Various caufes were affigned for the extraordinary delay in the appointment of a new administration. Thofe who wished to shift all blame from the court, alledged, that the chief obftacle arose from the mutual jealoufy, which still fubfifted between the newly-allied parties, and the difficulties they found in adjusting their feveral pretenfions. Others have fuppofed, that the interval was employed in private intrigues with the individuals of different parties, and in an attempt to form an adminiftration independent of the great leading connections. Others again did not hesitate to affert, that on the failure of this attempt the influence poffeffed by the lord high chancellor, whose dismission was a point infifted on by the coalition, was the principal caufe that retarded the new arrangement.Whether any, or which of thefe caufes, really operated, we cannot venture to pronounce we give them as topics of public converfation at the time, and as matters frequently alluded to in the debates in parliament. On the fixth of March, an addrefs was ordered to be prefented to his Majesty, to befeech his Majefty, that the fame reftrictions might be observed in refpect to any penfion he might be advised to grant antecedent to the fifth day of April following, as, by "an act of the last feffion, are thenceforth ftri&tly and abfoJutely prescribed."" In the converfation that took place on this motion, it was ftre nuously urged on one fide, that though, for reafons which were deemed fufficient at the time, the operation of the act had been postponed till the 5th April 1783, yet it was generally understood, that the fpirit of the act was binding on the King's minifters from the day on which it was brought into the houfe; and that the noble marquis, under whofe adminiftration it paffed, had declared this to have been his opinion. The chancellor of the exchequer was therefore called on to inform the Houfe whether there was any foundation for the rumour which prevailed, and on which the motion had been grounded, that a great variety of penfions had been lately granted to confiderable amount. very In answer to this queion, the minifter firft oblerved, that he could not fubfcribe to the doctrine he had just heard, that the fpirit of the act was binding on him before the time fixed by the exprefs letter of the law. The object of the act was to take away power, which the crown had otherwife an undoubted legal right to exercife; but by limiting its reftrictive operation to a future fixed period, the fpirit of the law rather tended to fanction the intermediate exercise of that power. He then entered into a detail and vindication of the different penfions that had been lately, or were then in the course of being granted. The firft, he faid, was a penfion of 3,000l. to the lord chancellor, to whom a grant in reverfion had also been given of a tellerfhip of the exchequer, in confequence of a former promife given him by the King. The propriety of making a permanent provifion for this great law officer had been at all times fo univer univerfally acknowledged, that he did not think it neceffary to trouble the Houfe with a particular juf sification of this penfion. The fecond was a penfion of 2,000l. a year to Lord Grantham. This, he faid, had been granted at the particular inftance of his Majefty, and was to ceafe whenever he was in poffeffion of any place of greater or equal emolument. That noble lord, at the end of an eight years embaffy, had refufed to receive the emoluments ufually continued to thofe offices; and when called to take on him the poft of a fecretary of ftate, his Majefty had been pleafed to promife him a penfion of 2,0col. when ever he should quit that fituation, The third was another penfion of 2,000l. to Sir Jofeph Yorke, granted him as a reward for thirty years fervices in foreign embaffy. Both thefe penfions, he faid, were ftrictly within the fpirit as well as letter of the act. The fourth was a penfion of 7001, and the fifth, another of gool. a year, granted to two clerks of the treafury,whom, for the fake of fome official arrangements, they had found it neceffary to fuperannuate. The fixth was a penfion of 2001. a year granted to a gentleman on his leaving the tax-office to undertake the office of one of the fecretaries to the treafury, as a compenfation, in cafe, by a change of miniftry, he should be thrown out of employment. The last was a penfion of 3501. a year promised by the laft administration to the fecretary of Sir Guy Carleton. Though no attempt was made to disturb the progrefs of these penfions, yet the manner in which fome of them were vindicated ap peared to give great offence to the Houfe. The frequent, ufe of his Majesty's name was feverely reprobated, as tending to taking away the refponfibility of minifters, and rendering it a very difficult and delicate tafk for members of that houfe to do their duty to the public. With respect to the provifion made for the lord chancellor, no one, it was faid, could reasonably object to it; but it was wished that it had not been made to reft on any promife made by his Majefty. The putting it on that ground barred all comment and difcuffion, fince whatever promises the royal Perfonage chofe to make ought to be held facred, and fulfilled at all hazards. But it was protefted againft, as an unfair argument for minifters to ufe in that Houfe, when a public act of government was under difcuffion, The penfion granted to Lord Grantham was alfo allowed to be unobjectionable in itfelf; but the time and manner of granting it were faid to be fuch as might juftly caufe a very ferious alarm. For what had the minifter told the Houfe, but that the King had induced the noble lord to accept the office of fecretary of state by a promife of a penfion of 2,ocol. a year? If fuch a practice obtained, it might lead to the most dangerous exercife of the influence of the crown. If the crown was enabled to bribe perfons by penfions to take on them refponfible offices, which they had no inclination to accept, it might always obtain an adminiftration without the smallest regard to the fenfe of parliament, or the confidence of the people.. On the 19th of March, Mr. Coke, member for the county of Norfolk, gave notice to the House, 3 ithat that if an adminiftration fhould not be formed on or before the Friday following, he would on that day move an addrefs to his Majefty on the fubject. This notice was fuppofed to have produced the defired effect; and it being generally understood the day following, that the King had commanded the Duke of Portland and Lord North to lay an arrangement for a new adminiftration before him, Mr. Coke, on the day fixed, declined making his intended motion. On Monday the 24th, the fame gentleman brought the fubject again before the House; and after premifing that the negotiation, which had lately been carrying on, was understood to have been broken off abruptly, without coming to any effective conclufion, he moved, That an humble addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, that his Majefty would be graciously pleaf"ed to take into his ferious confi"deration the very diftracted and unfettled ftate of the empire after a long and exhaufting war. And that his Majefty would therefore condefcend to a comIpliance with the wishes of the Houfe, by forming an adminiftration entitled to the confidence "of his people, and fuch as may have a tendency to put an end to the "unfortunate divisions and distrac"tions of the country." The difgraceful flate in which the government of the country had fo long been fuffered to remain, and the mischievous confequences that were daily arifing from it, feemed to have excited a general indignation in the Houfe; fo that the motion was received with an almost univerfal approbation. An attempt, indeed, was made to shift the blame on those who were the candidates for power, by infinuating that the delay had been occafioned by private differences amongst themselves in the diftribution of offices and emoluments. But this charge was immediately met; and the principal perfons of the party alluded to declared upon their honour, in their places, that though fome difficulties had occurred (as might naturally be expected in fettling an entirely new arrangement) yet that they were foon amicably fettled, and that no obftacle remained with them, when the negotiation was put an end to, which could have delayed the formation of a miniftry a single day. Much abufe was alfo thrown out against the coalition, and a member, whofe fpeeches feldom fail of exciting the laughter of the House, mentioned a defign he had of prepofing the following addition to the addrefs, "And that his Majesty "would be graciously pleased not "to nominate or appoint any per"fon or perfons to fill up the va "cant departments,* who by their mifmanagement of public affairs " and want of forefight and abili"ties, when they were in office, had "loft the confidence of the people." This attack was returned with great dexterity by Mr. Fox, who faid, that if the honourable baronet had carried his intended amendment, he should alfo have propofed to have added the following to it, " and also that he would be gra"ciously pleafed not to employ, "as minifters, any of those whom "that House had declared + to have "made a peace, in which the conceffions "to the enemies of Great Britain *Words taken from a motion made by Mr. Fox, in March 1782. Words taken from the refolution of cenfure on the peace, February 1783. 66 were |