that, if unsuccessful then, a new motion to the same effect would be made on the Wednesday following, the 20th of the month. Lord Surrey was the orator intended. But for some time past it had been manifest and to none more clearly than to Lord North - that although the downfall of the Ministry might be a little delayed, or a little quickened, it could not, at that juncture, be averted. With honest zeal he had been striving to reconcile the King's mind to this unavoidable necessity. On the 10th, at last, His Majesty agreed that the Chancellor should see Lord Rockingham, and learn from him on what terms he might be willing to construct another Ministry. Lord Rockingham's demands were found to be, that a Ministry should be formed on the basis of peace and economy, and that three Bills, namely, Sir Philip Clerke's on Contractors, Mr. Burke's on Economical Reform, and Mr. Crewe's on Revenue Officers should be made Government measures. To the basis Thurlow offered no objection, but he would by no means consent to the three Bills. At last, in a final conference with Rockingham, the Chancellor broke off in much wrath, declaring (and with many an oath, no doubt) that he would have no further communication with a man who thought the exclusion of a contractor from Parliament, and the disfranchisement of an exciseman, of more importance than the salvation of the country at this crisis. "Lord Rockingham," added he, "is bringing "things to a pass where either his head or the King's 66 must go, in order to settle which of them is to govern "the country!

Scarcely less ardent were, at one time, the feelings of the Sovereign himself. He contemplated, with the utmost aversion, his return to the oligarchy of the great Whig Houses. He had even some design of taking his departure for Hanover if the terms required of him should be altogether irreconcileable with his sense of right. Such a design had once before arisen in his mind in the midst of the Gordon riots. We now find a mysterious hint of it in his letters to Lord North; and

* See the extracts from Mr. Adam's MSS., published by Lord John Russell in his Memorials of Fox, vol. i. p. 294.

1782.

LORD NORTH RESIGNS.

141

it is certain, writes Horace Walpole, that for a fortnight together the Royal yacht was expediting and preparing for his voyage. What further steps His Majesty may have had in view, whether his secession was to be permanent or temporary,—whether he meant to leave the Queen as Regent or to take her and the Princes with him, can at present only be surmised. *

It appears, however, that by degrees, the King became more reconciled to the present, or more hopeful of the future. Lord North being with him on the afternoon of the 20th, His Majesty acknowledged that, considering the temper of the Commons, he thought the administration at an end. "Then, Sir," said Lord North, "had I "not better state the fact at once?" 66 Well, you may "do so," replied the King. Eager to make use of this permission, Lord North hastened down to the House of Commons in Court dress. He rose to speak at the same moment with Lord Surrey, and neither would give way. Loud were the shouts and cries in that thronged House; the one party calling for Lord Surrey, and the other for Lord North. At length, to restore some order, Fox moved "That the Earl of Surrey do first speak." But immediately Lord North, with presence of mind mixed with pleasantry, started up again. "I rise," he said, "to speak to that motion;" and, as his reason for opposing it, stated that he had resigned, and that the Ministry was no more. Next, in some farewell sentences, he proceeded, with excellent taste and temper, to thank the House for their kindness and indulgence, and he would add, forbearance, during so many years. And finally, to leave time for his successors, he proposed and carried an adjournment of some days.

There was on this occasion another slight but characteristic incident which more than one eye-witness has recorded. It was a cold wintry evening, with a fall of snow. The other Members, in expectation of a long

*Notes by Horace Walpole, March 18. 1782. According to Henry Richard Lord Holland, who transcribed this passage for the Fox Memorials: "King George the Fourth told me a story of his "father's plan of retiring to Hanover, and described with more "humour than filial reverence his arrangement of the details, and "especially of the liveries and dresses."

debate, had dismissed their carriages. Lord North, on the contrary, had kept his waiting. He put into it one or two of his friends, whom he invited to go home with him; and then, turning to the crowd chiefly composed of his bitter enemies, as they stood shivering and clustering near the door, he said to them with a placid smile "You see, gentlemen, the advantage of being in the "secret. Good night."-"No man,' says Mr. Adam of his speech and whole conduct that evening, "showed more calmness, cheerfulness, and serenity. The temper of his whole family was the same. I dined "with them that day, and was witness to it."

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Thus ended Lord North's administration of twelve years. It is certainly strange, on contemplating these twelve years, to find so many harsh and rigorous measures proceed from the most gentle and good-humoured of Prime Ministers. Happy had but greater firmness in maintaining his own opinions been joined to so much ability in defending opinions even when not his own!

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Even as to the disasters and miscarriages, however, which could not be denied in this administration, the friends of Lord North contended that, in truth, he was not answerable for them. The points in his favour were argued with great spirit only a few days before his fall, by Mr. George Onslow, in the House of Commons. Why, said Mr. Onslow, have we in this war against America such ill success? Mainly, he continued, from the support and countenance given in that House to American rebellion. The army of Washington had been called by Opposition our army;" the cause of the Americans had been called "the cause of Liberty;" and one gentleman (this was Burke), while lavishing his praises on Dr. Franklin and Mr. Laurens, had declared that he would prefer a prison in company with them to freedom in company with those who were supporting the cause of England. But this vindication, though spirited, nay, though true, is faulty, because, though true, it is not the whole truth, because it overlooks what no statesman should, the certainty that when free principles are at stake dissensions will always arise in a free country.

On viewing the two principal parties then in conflict, Lord North's and Lord Rockingham's,-we can scarcely

1782.

LORD ROCKINGHAM, PRIME MINISTER.

143

call either generous and large-minded on every point, and so far as regards both men and measures. Lord North's party had some narrow views of national policy, but it freely welcomed to its high places high ability, however unconnected. Lord Rockingham's, on the contrary, was more liberal in its political opinions, but as to men of genius, if low-born, it would receive them only as its servants and retainers; it almost avowedly regarded power as an heir-loom in certain houses.*

Lord Rockingham's personal deficiencies must also at such a crisis be lamented. His high character, distinguished by honour and integrity, was not free from the alloy of vehement party-spirit, and was not supported by even the semblance of ability. How far the best judges deemed him fitted for official labour may be seen from this one fact, that Lord Chatham, if called upon to form an administration in 1778, had designed to propose to him the post of Chamberlain.† Lord Rockingham's own description of himself is scarcely more encouraging. Thus in 1766, did he write to a friend :-"The continual "hurry from the late occasion occupies my mind so much "that I can hardly remember anything." This was in his first administration, when his mind was at its best; but in his second, though but fifty-two years of age, his health and strength were even at the outset much impaired.

It was not, however, to Lord Rockingham that the King in the first instance applied. On the day after Lord North's public resignation, His Majesty sent for Lord Shelburne and offered him the lead of the new Ministry. Lord Shelburne, who was bound by his engagements to Wentworth House, honourably refused the

* It is remarkable how far in the old Whig party such exclusiveness had become an article of faith. Thus writes Thomas Moore, as the result of some private lectures which he had heard: "A few "Whig families are our only security for the Constitution. The "Duke of Devonshire, &c." (Diary, May 30. 1819, vol. ii. p. 316. ed. 1853.)

† Notes by Mr. Eden, in March, 1778, as published in the Memorials of Fox, vol. i. p. 183.

Letter to Charles Yorke, Jan. 11. 1766, printed in the Memoirs by Lord Albemarle, vol. i. p. 267.

tempting prize. Thereupon, after one more as ineffectual offer to Lord Gower, the Premiership reverted to Lord Rockingham, although to spare the King's feelings the earlier communications still passed through Lord Shelburne's hands. But this course, though it might be useful as regards the Royal sensibilities, had, on the other hand, the ill effect of arousing or confirming Rockingham's jealousy towards his coadjutor. Thus, when Shelburne had obtained from the King a peerage for Mr. Dunning, Rockingham felt it incumbent upon him as a counterpoise to insist upon the same favour for Sir Fletcher Norton. In this manner did Dunning become Lord Ashburton, and Norton, Lord Grantley. Within a week the new Cabinet was formed. Rockingham became First Lord of the Treasury, with Lord John Cavendish as Chancellor of the Exchequer; Admiral Keppel, now raised to the rank of Viscount, First Lord of the Admiralty; the Duke of Richmond, Master General of the Ordnance; and Mr. Fox, Secretary of State. These five-all of most unexceptionable pedigrees were strictly of the Rockingham section; but the five next members of the Cabinet had been followers of Chatham. These were Lord Shelburne as the other Secretary of State, the third or American Secretaryship being now abolished; Lord Camden, President of the Council; the Duke of Grafton, Privy Seal; General Conway, Commander in Chief; and Lord Ashburton, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Thus then the Cabinet consisted of five Rockinghams and five Shelburnes, while, as if to hold the balance between these equal numbers, there was a high Tory Chancellor, Lord Thurlow, retaining the Great Seal!

A general and a just surprise was caused by this last arrangement. No doubt it gratified the King, but such was not probably Rockingham's chief motive in making it, since his Majesty's pleasure was by no means much consulted in the other offices. So far indeed was the contrary notorious, that Lord North made it the subject of one of his good-humoured jests. "I was abused," he said, "for lying Gazettes, but there are more lies in this 6 one than in all mine. Yesterday His Majesty was "PLEASED to appoint the Marquis of Rockingham, Mr.

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