eency fet fill and hear himself accufed. The learned Gent. Mr. M'Donald] had afferted what he could by means reconcile, that fome approved the coalition, many reprobated it, and all detefied it. However, though all detefted it, yet as the learned Gent. allows that fome approved it, he would beg leave to fay a word in its favour. It was formed on the fairest and most honourable terms, not, as had been infinuated, by giving up the principles of the parties connected (he had not given up his, nor did he require that thofe with whom he had coalefced fhould give up their‹), but with a view to put an end to thar difcord that had fo long torn and diftracted the country. The worthy Batt. [Sir C. F.} had faid he deferved to be expelled on account of the American war: the American war was no war of his At the time when it commenced a large majority of that Mr. Pitt was not ene of thofe, he Houfe approved it, and though the end faid, who thought the prefent motion a has been unfortunate, he hoped he was breach of the prerogative. The matter not to be made anferable for the itfue. of doubt with him was, Whether the The perfons who reprobared the coalition motion would have the effect which it forget it was impoffible for any two per D was feemingly intended to produce. It fons in that Houfe to agree together who went to request that his Majefty would had not materially differed on many form an Adminiftration that might have grand and important queftions. He had the confidence of the prople He wished been earncitly called upon by a particular in that cafe to know who were to be the friend [Mr. Jenkinton] to declare if judges of the particular men who had ever he had found any fecret influence the confidence of the people. At prefent Jurking behind the throne which had there did not appear any criterion by at any time fruftrated his intentions.which fuch an opinion could be formed, He was alfo called upon to declare whe. He withed the noble Ld [North] and his ther the Ld Chancellor had not given fe- new ally Fox} to declare upon their cret advice. He could not far that he honour, Whether, in their confciences, knew of any fuch advice being given. they believed that the Addrefs moved for, He had known him long, and believed if carried, would accelerate the bufinefs him worthy the polt he filled. And with p or reconcile the militating opinions of refpect to the delay in forming the ar party. Gentlemen talked of forgiving rangement, he could only fay that it did not proceed from him, nor from the noble Duke with whom he had coalefced; nor was it owing to any difagreement between them about the diftribution of what was ufually termed the loaves and fithes; about which he had heard more fince he came into the Houle than had patied during the whole time of the negociation.

acted from other motives, the learned Gent. knew it better than he did, and confequently was better qualified to feak upon the fubje&t. He approved the motion before the House. It was A now five weeks fince there was any fixed or oftenfible Adminiftration, and certainly the nation never stood in greater need of a permanent one. The year 1757 he well remembered; the Duke of Devonfire was then at the head of the Treafury, and Mr. Legge had just only withdrawn himfelf. The fupplics went on the ways and means were formed, and bufinefs did not ftand ftill. Almoft a fimilar inftance happened last year, when his Adminiftration received a mortal fab. The prefent Adminißration, if there were any, had received fufficient warning of their fate, and it was high time that another had been formed.

The learned Gent. [Mr. M.] had felt himfelf much hurt at the coalidou, becaufe he [Ld N.] had given up his principles and deferted his friends. He withed to hear what principles he had given up, and which of his friends he had deferted. He knew of neither. He had long been fupported in that House bv a refpectable majority of worthy Members, who acted with him from principle. If there were any who had

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nofries and altering their political opinions with as much eafe as they could change their gloves; of reprobating today what they were jaftified in applauding to-morrow; and of taking into their bofoms at night thofe whom they had Gdetefted, diftreffed, and difclaimed ever having had any connection with in the morning. This connection, he faid, was yet a ftranger to his heart. He therefore thought it necefiary to declare, that he could not bring himfelt to adopt the fame mode of reasoning as was held in juftification of the grand coalition. Having made this, declaration, he asked with an air of confidence, Whether the noble Ld North] and the Right Hon. Gent. would folemnly pledge their honour to this affertion, that the arrangement of Adminiftration had not been delayed above ten hours, or fome fuch fhort space

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of time, in confequence of difficulties that had arifen between the noble Lord and the noble Duke [Portland refpecting the difpofition of their arrangements? Two other worthy perfonages had declared, they were perfectly agreed; and yet a noble Lord had openly declared that he should oppose the Reform Bill; and the other as publicly affirmed that he fhould fupport it. Such is the state of agreement which this wonderful coalition is likely to exhibit for the peace and profperity of this divided countre.

La North, in reply, declared upon his honour, that the delay had not been on account of any quarrel between the 1). of Portland and himself. Each had declared their opinion freely, as they had a right to do, but it was unnatural to fuppofe they con'd quarrel about the diftribution of power before they had power to dift bute,

Mr. Fox rofe, and most folemnly declared, upon his honour, that from the time the coalition took place to the prefent period, the negociation had not been retarded more than 24 hours by any difference that had arifen between the D. of Portland and Ld North.-The difficulty, that firft prevented the arrangement from taking place, had never yet, to his knowledge, been removed; therefore till that obftacle was removed the negociation was totally at an end,

Ld John Cavendib attributed the delav to lome dark hidden influence, but who was the cause of it God only knew. He would not peak his fufpicions. Whoever he was, the crime he Was guity of was of the blacked dve, and fuch as materially injured this country.

Sir Joseph Lawley spoke again the coalition; but the Houle grew clamorous, and he could not be heard.

The E. of Surrey put an end to the debate. He was neither a fiind nor an enemy, he faid, to the coalition; but was confident that if fotac Adminiftration was not framed, the people would not only tile, to have a more equal reprefentation, but would affemble in all parts of the kingdom, and infi't on knowing where the blame lav that no Admini ftration could be fixed on to conduct the affairs of Government.

The question was then called for and carried for the addrefs, with only four or five diffenting voices.

March 25. No debate.

March 27. Ld Ludlow acquainted the Houfe, that his Majcity had beer, waited on with their addiets, and was plated to return for

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anfwer, That it was his carneft to desire do every thing in his power to comply with the wifhes expreffed by his faithful Commons.

The E of Surrey rofe, and after expreffing his full confidence in the gracious intentions of his Majefty, defired to be understood, that if thofe his Majefty's intentions fhould be defeated, he fhould on the Monday following move for an enquiry into the caufes that had fo long prevented an arrangement from taking place.

Ld North faid, his Majefy's meffage was fo full of grace and goodness, that he thought it ought to be received with the utmott fatisfaction and gratitude. With regard to the notice given by the noble Earl, he wished not to have heard a word about it. He thought it did not become the Houfe to exprefs the leal doubtof his Majesty's gracious declaration.

Mr. Pitt, coming into the House, moved the order of the day for proceeding on the Report of the Committee on the American Tade Lill. He acquainted the Houfe that the merchants of London had held a meeting, and had applied to Dhira for farther time to diget their ideas. and to make up their minds upon the matter. He therefore would move to put the farther confideration of the report off till Friday. Which was agreed to. March 28.

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The report of the American trade-bill came of courfe before the Houfe, but was again put off, at the inftance of Mr. Pitt; who defired to have full time for the merchants to fettle their refolutions.

Mr. Ord brought up the report from the committee of fupply for providing for the militia, which was agreed to; and the House refolved itself into committee on Mr. Williams's divorce bill.

Mr. Fox followed the Ld Chancellor in the upper houfe, in favour of Mis. Williams's children (lee p. 233). fle thought it unneceliary for Parlament to proceed to baftardize children, where the law, without Parliament, w 5 competent G to determine quef ions of legitimacy..

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M. Burke was of another opinion. He argued, that, where the illegitimacy of the children was as clearly proved as the adultery, Parliament ought to pra nounce upon both in jullice to the mucle. injured luband, who otherwife would be fubject to many iaconventences till thofe children thould come of age.-Would they oblige him to take home to is parectal arms, the baftards of his molt mortal enemy, to have them for one and twenty years under his eye, the mou

ments of his fhame, the pledges of his difgrace? Let the committee think of there things. As a legiflator, he faw no reafon why he fhould fcruple to pronounce children illegitimate who had been proved to be fuch.

Mr. Fox believed there was not another Member in the Houfe who thought as he [Mr. Burke] did upon the fubject, and therefore he would not take the pains to combat his opinion. He would only point out the effential difference between leaving the children in poffeffion of their prefent rights by appearing in the eve of the law the children of Mr. Williams; and declaring them baftards by Parliament without their cafe being regularly brought before it. In the former cafe, the proofs would lie on those who affert ed the illegitimacy. In the latter, the proof would be unjustly thrown upon the

children.

The Solicitor General and Mr. Manffield faid a few words; but upon telling the numbers, there were not Members enough to make a Houfe, fo the decifion was of course adjourned.

March 31.

Mr. Piggot and Mr. Drummond, two of the commiffioners for fettling the public accounts, prefented a ninth report, which was ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. Ord acquainted the Houfe, that the committee of ways and means had come to a refolution that the pay of the militia, for the year 1783, fhould be defraved out of the land-tax.

About four o'clock, on Mr. Pitt's coming into the Houle,

Ld Surrey rofe, and wifhed to know from the Right Hon. Gent. if an Adminiftration had been yet formed, or if there was a probability of its being nearly completed? If there was, the neceffity of the motion he had in view to make would be fuperfeded; if not, he fhould proceed.

Mr. W. Pitt role, and excufed himself from giving any official information to the Houfe on that fubject, as his Majefty had that day been graciously pleased to accept his refignation. However, if the noble Lord and the Houfe would accept the information of a private member, he would pledge himself to the Houfe, that his Majesty was anxiously employed to effectuate the purpose that was fo much the wifh of his people.

The Earl of Surrey, from this information, found himself more particularly called upon to proceed with his motion; ↑ when, instead of an administration being formed fince the Addrefs prefented to his

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Majefty, thofe perfons who were tranfacting the common routine of office-duty were daily feceding, and leaving Government without oftenfible, refponfible, or active fervants. He ftated, that foreign A Courts would be cautious of holding intercourfe with us: that Government was engaged to pay a million and a half into the Bank on the 5th of April, and it was now the gift of March, without a mis nifter, and without a perfon in any of the official departments of ftate to negociate the loan, or to take charge of the public B money His lordship juft touched on the fituation of the army and navy, on the diftrelies of the Eaft India Company, on the critical fufpenfion of public credit; and, above all, of the danger of interfere ing, unconfiitutionally, with the rights of the prerogative, which nothing but abfolute neceflity could warrant; and which, fhould that neceffity prevail, ought to be fo inrolled in the Journals of the Houfe.-Having thus depicted, in lively colours, the diftrefled fituation in which the nation ftood, his lordship faid, he had a refolution to propofe, which he wifhed to qualify in fuch a manner as not Pro fland as a precedent on any future occafion, or be brought to countenance any future interference of that Houfe with the prerogative of the Crown, His only with was, to co operate with his Majefty in every matter that fhould point to the good and profperity of the nation. He then read the following propofition:E "That, a confiderable time having now 'elapfed without an administration re "fponfible for the conduct of public af fairs, the interpofition of this House, on "the prefent alarming crifis, is become neceffary."-Should this propofition be adopted, his lordship faid, he meant it as the basis of another proceeding, to which he had paid fome attention, but which he had not yet been able to complete. There appeared to him two ways of bringing the matter to iffue; one, by moving a Com mittee to enquire into the caufes of the delay; the other, by moving an Addrefs, G but in ftronger words than the former, to be prefented by the Speaker in person. The first he had his doubts about, on ace count of the delicacy of the matter to be difcuffed; the other he thought more ad vifeable, as the Houfe might, in the most refpectful terms, affure his Majesty of Htheir cordial co-operation and fupport in a measure fo neceffary for the fafety of his crown, and the fecurity of his people. However, he would move, he faid, the propofion he had read, and take the fenfe of the House upon it.

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Mr. Jervoife Clerke Jervoife feconded the motion.

Mr. W. Pitt gave every credit to the good intentions of the noble mover; but did not admit the neceflity for fuch a refolution, after his Majefty's moft gracious answer on Wednesday. There had elapfed but four days fince the last Addrefs was prefented. The royal anfwer was all that Parliament could expect, and a reasonable time ought to be allowed for its operation. He lamented the fitu ation of the country without a minifter; and faw the dangers that threatened the kingdom, if an administration was not fpeedily formed; but the meafufe propofed to effect that defirable end did by no means meet his idea. The preroga tives of the Crown were as facred as the

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prefent diftrefsful fituation. His lordfhip infifted that all that the noble Earl had stated in illustration of the neceflity for fome farther fiep to be taken by that Houfe, was unqucitionably true. difficulties and diftrefles of the country increafed every hour; and the fonger it remained without an adminiftration, the nearer it would approach to ruin. His lordship was of opinion, that an Address would be a much more eligible mode of proceeding than the refolution.

Lord North was of the fame opinion. He could not reconcile the word interpofition to his idea of what was proper for that Houfe to lay before the King.He believed, a moft dutiful Addrefs would meet the noble Lord's intentions who made the motion, much better than privileges of the people. There was an C indecency in wording the motion, and the fpirit of it, he thought, aimed at the very diffolution of the royal authority. If that authority was to be wrefted out of the hands of the fovereign, there would be an end to the political exiftence of thisp country."

fuch a refolution. The noble Lord, in explaining his meaning, had laid the ftrefs of his proceeding on the prefling neceflity of the times; and that what he intended was rather to affure his Majefty of the cordial co-operation and fupport of the Houfe, than with any defign to force the prerogative, or to intimate a [Here Mr. Martin, obferving strangers doubt of the fincerity of the royal probelow the bar, whom he knew to be mife. The whole matter then was, members of the other Houfe, called to Whether it would be proper to apply order; and, as he had done upon a for- again to the throne; and whether the mer occafion (fee p. 555), appealed to mode fhould be by refolution, antecedent the Speaker. The Speaker called upon E to an addrefs? His lordfhip's opinion the ferjeant at arms, and, while the fer- was, that the refolution became unnecefjeant was pleading his excufe, the ftran- fary, as the addrefs might include every gers difappeared.] thing. But it would pleafe him fill better, he faid, if the noble Lord would withdraw both, as he was inclined to think his Majefly's gracions difpofition would fuperfede the necellity of either. One ftrong objection to the refolution forcibly ftruck him, and that was, it was not ftrictly true that for fix weeks there had been no refponfible minifters. There had been minifters who, till they refign

Mr. Pitt proceeded. The affurance given by his Majefty, he faid, was a pledge of a very delicate nature; which, if the noble Lord's motion was to be carried, would lofe much of its intrinfic value, and would convey an opinion of the royal word which, he was fure, no member of that Houfe could entertain. If a fecond application should be neceffary, it ought to be adopted with propri-Ged, were refponfible. ety, and with all that refpect due to his Majefty which, he hoped, that Houfe would never forget. He faid, he fhould trouble the Houfe no longer till he fhould hear what was farther to be urged in fupport of the motion.

Lord J. Cavendifb thought, with the laft fpeaker, that too much delicacy could not be ufed in every application which refpected the dignity of the fovereign. Political neceflity at the fame time demanded, in ftrong terms, that fomething fhould be done, and therefore he fhould be happy to coincide in any proper mode to relieve the country in its GENT. MAG. Auguft, 1783.

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Mr. Pitt, confidering himself alluded to, declared that, fo long as he held any employment in the ftate, he looked upon himself as refponfible to Parliament. By refigning the place of Chancellor of the Exchequer, he withed not conceal any one act of his while in it. He was confcious to himfelf he had acted uprightly, and therefore had nothing to dread.

The Earl of Surrey declared, that by what he propofed he had no intention to promote the views, or fupport the interefts, of any party whatever. And as to the refolution in queftion, he was wilting to withdraw it, as it was merely a lead

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ing principle to the following addrefs. His lordship then moved

6th inftant.

Sir W. Dolben allowed the affairs of the nation were in a very distracted state; "That an humble Addrefs be prefent- but he looked upon the Conftitution to ed to his Majesty, to exprefs the dutiful be founded in the infeparable union of and grateful fenfe which this House en- the roval prerogative with the legislative tertains of the gracious intentions ex- authority; and therefore should not with preffed in his Majefty's meffage of the to fee any interpofition of the one that A might destroy the other. He adverted to "To affure his Majefty, that it was what the noble Lord in the blue ribbon with a perfect reliance on his paternal had faid in the former debate, that the goodnefs, and an entire deference to his arrangements had not been impeded by royal wifdom, that this Houfe again sub- any difference of opinion with regard to mits to his Majefty's confideration the thofe arrangements; yet he had heard urgency as well as importance of affairs B that the great lines of Government had which require the immediate appointmentbeen interfected by the defire of unconof fuch an adminiftration as his Majefty, trouled patronage, by the ambition of in compliance with the wifhes of his appointing to all the inferior departments faithful Commons, has given them rea- -by the ftruggle to take from the Crown fon to expect. the difpofition of the domeftic fervants of his Majefty-the Lds of the Bed-chamber, CGrooms of the Stole, &c. thereby making his Majefty a mere cypher. If fuch were the motives that fwayed the contending powers, he thought the feverest cenfure of the Houfe too light a punishment for fuch atrocious offenders-but perhaps it might be measures that might retard the completion; for he was fure, where opinions were fo diametrically oppofite, there must be great conceffions on one fide or the other, or no agreement could ever take place. He called upon Ld North, to declare, whether thefe were the caufes of the delay.

To affure his Majefty, that all delays, in a matter of fuch moment, have an inevitable tendency to weaken the authority of his government, to which this Houfe is not more bound by duty, than led by inclination, to give an effectual and conftitutional fupport.

"To reprefent to his Majefty, that the confidence of foreign powers may beD weakened by a failure of the ordinary means of a conftant communication with them: that the final execution of treaties, the important and decifive arrangements of a commercial and political nature, in confequence of a late revolution; that a provifion for the heavy expences and the E important fervices voted; that the orderly reduction of the forces, and expences of a new establishment; the fettlement of the national credit, feriously affected by the critical ftate of the Eaft India Company; with other important concerns; do, feverally, and much more collectively, require an efficient and responsible adminiftration, formed upon principles of ftrength and ftability, fuited to the state of his Majefty's affairs, both at, home and abroad; and this House most humbly repeats its fupplications to his Majefty, that he will take fuch measures towards attaining this object, as may be agreeable to his own gracious difpofition, and fuch as will quiet the anxieties and apprehenfions of his fubjects."

Ed North most folemnly protefted, that those with whom he had the honour to coincide were above fuch low confiderations, fuch political meannefs. With regard to what the hon. Bart. had now thrown out, he had heard a great deal of idle report, equally vague and ill-foundFed, but he had never before heard that any man had been fo daring as to prefume to dictate fo bafe a meafure as that fuggefted by the hon. Baronet. To make it a matter of bargain with the Crown who fhould fill the fubordinate offices of State, could never have been a subject of difpute in the manner flated; it would have marked the parties with fuch indelible difgrace, that, he would answer for the noble Duke and the right. hon. Gent. alluded to, as well as for himself, they would have held in abhorrence. With regard to the other fort of arrangement hintSir Henry Fletcher adverted to the fitu-Hed at by the hon. Bart. the meafures neation of the Eaft India Company, as a reafon for fupporting that part of the addrefs which mentioned their diftreffes, and cited the opinion of Parliament on a former occafion (fee p. 553), to confirm it.

Mr. Jervoife Clerke Jervoise feconded the addrefs.

cellary to be adopted to meet the particu lar exigences of the times; it was impoffible for them to have differed on that fubject, because they were all equallyuninformed of the facts on which each exigency refted. His Lordship stated the