their remonstrances with indifference. He brought in his India Bill: it was thrown out after the second reading. Again, he was goaded to declare his intentions concerning a dissolution; but to the indignation of his opponents, he maintained silence. At length, on the 26th January, he declared that, in the present situation of affairs, he should not advise a dissolution. At the same time, he said that the appointment and removal of ministers did not rest with the House of Commons, and that as his resignation would be injurious to the public service, he still intended to retain office. The House passed a resolution affirming that they relied upon the king's assurances, that the consideration of the affairs of the East India Company should not be interrupted by a prorogation or dissolution. Attempts to Meanwhile, several influential members were endeavoring to put an end to this unsettled state of affairs, by unite parties. effecting an union of the ministerial and opposition parties. With this view, on the 2d February, General Grosvenor moved a resolution: "That the present arduous and critical situation of public affairs requires the exertion of a firm, efficient, extended, united administration, entitled to the confidence of the people, and such as may have a tendency to put an end to the unfortunate divisions and distractions of this country." This being carried, was immediately followed by another, proposed by Mr. Coke of Norfolk: "That the continuance of the present ministers in their offices, is an obstacle to the formation of such an administration as may enjoy the confidence of this House." This, too, was agreed to, on a division.2 As these resolutions had no more effect than any previous votes, in shaking the firmness of the minister, they were ordered, on the following day, to be laid before his Majesty. The House of Lords now came to the aid of the king and his minister. On the 4th February, the Earl of Effingham moved two resolutions. The first, having reference to the 2 By 223 against 204. 1 Parl. Hist., xxiv. 451. vote of the House of Commons on the 24th December as to the king. the acceptance of bills from India, affirmed, "That The House of an attempt in any one branch of the legislature Lords support to suspend the execution of law by separately assuming to itself the direction of a discretionary power, which, by an act of Parliament, is vested in any body of men, to be exercised as they shall judge expedient, is unconstitutional." The second was that "The undoubted authority of appointing to the great offices of executive government is solely vested in his Majesty; and that this House has every reason to place the firmest reliance on his Majesty's wisdom, in the exercise of this prerogative." The first was carried by a majority of forty-seven; the second was agreed to without a division. They were followed by an address to the king, assuring him of their Lordships' support in the exercise of his undoubted prerogative, and of their reliance upon his wisdom in the choice of his ministers. To this address he returned an answer, "that he had no object in the choice of ministers, but to call into his service men the most deserving of the confidence of his Parliament, and of the public in general." 1 - To these proceedings the Commons replied by inspecting the Lords' Journal for their obnoxious resolutions, Retort of the -by searching for precedents of the usage of Commons. Parliament, and, finally, by declaring that the House had not assumed to suspend the execution of law; - and that they had a right to declare their opinion respecting the exercise of every discretionary power, and particularly with. reference to public money. They justified their previous votes, and asserted their determination to maintain their own privileges, while they avoided any encroachment on the rights of either of the other branches of the legislature. In the mean time, no answer had been returned to the resolutions which the Commons had laid before the king. When this was noticed, Mr. Pitt was silent; and at length, 2 1 Parl. Hist., xxiv. 525. See also Lord Auckland's Corr., i. 74. Postpone supplies. Further ad king. on the 10th February, on the report of the ordnance estimates, Mr. Fox said that the House could not vote ment of the supplies, until they knew what answer they were to receive. Mr. Pitt engaged that the House should be informed what line of conduct his Majesty intended to pursue; and the report, instead of being agreed to, was recommitted. On the 18th, Mr. Pitt acquainted the House "that his Majesty had not yet, in compliance with the resolutions of the House, thought proper to dismiss his present ministers; and that his Majesty's ministers had not resigned." 1 This announcement was regarded as a defiance of the House of Commons, and again the supplies were postponed: though the leaders of the Opposition disclaimed all intention of refusing them. On the 20th, andresses to the other resolution and an address were voted,2 expressing reliance upon the royal wisdom to remove "any obstacle to the formation of such an administration as the House has declared to be requisite." The address was presented by the whole House. The king replied, that he was anxious for a firm and united administration; but that no charge had been suggested against his present ministers; that numbers of his subjects had expressed satisfaction at the late changes in his councils; and that the Commons could not expect the executive offices to be vacated, until such a plan of union as they had pointed out, could be carried into effect. This answer was appointed to be considered on the 1st March, to which day the House adjourned, without entering upon any other business; and thus again the supplies were postponed. On the motion of Mr. Fox, the House then presented a further address to the king, submitting "that the continuance of an administration which does not possess the confidence of the representatives of the people, 1 Feb. 9th; Parl. Hist., xxiv. 595. 2 While in the lobby, on the division on the resolution, Mr. Fox proposed to his supporters to move an address immediately afterwards, which was agreed to at five o'clock in the morning. 8 Parl. Hist., xxiv. 677. must be injurious to the public service," and praying for its removal. Mr. Fox maintained it to be without precedent for a ministry to hold office, in defiance of the House of Commons. Mr. Pitt retorted that the history of this country afforded no example of a ministry being called upon to retire untried, and without a cause. The king, in his reply, took up the same ground, and affirming that no charge, complaint, or specific objection had yet been made against any of his ministers, again declined to dismiss them. And thus stood the king and his ministers on one side, and the House of Commons on the other, arrayed in hostile attitude, — each party standing firmly on its constitutional rights: the one active and offensive, the other patiently waiting to strike a decisive blow. The Mutiny Bill was now postponed for some days, as its passing was expected to be the signal for an immediate dissolution; and one more effort was made to drive the ministers from office. On the 8th March, "a representation " to the king was moved by Mr. Fox,' to testify the surprise and affliction of the House on receiving his Majesty's answer to their last address, reiterating all their previous statements, comparing the conduct and principles of his advisers with those which characterized the unfortunate reigns of the Stuarts,justifying the withholding of their confidence from ministers without preferring any charge, as it was their removal and not their punishment which was sought, and taking credit to themselves for their forbearance, in not withholding the supplies. This was the last struggle of the Opposition. When their encoun- Final triters with the ministry began, their majority was umph of the nearly two to one. This great disproportion soon diminished, though it was still, for a time, considerable. On ministers. 1 On this occasion strangers were excluded, at the instance of Sir James Lowther, who had failed in gaining admission to the gallery for a friend. The debate is not therefore fully reported. 2 Parl. Hist., xxiv. 736. the 12th January their majority was fifty-four; on the 20th February it was reduced to twenty. On the 1st March it fell to twelve on the 5th it was only nine; and now, on this last occasion, it dwindled to one. The parliamentary contest was at an end. The king and his ministers had triumphed, and were about to appeal from Parliament to the people. The Mutiny Bill was passed, large supplies were voted rapidly, but not appropriated: on the 24th March, Parliament was prorogued, and on the following day dissolved. While this contest was being carried on in Parliament, the Reflections on contending parties were not idle out of doors. The this struggle. king, who rushed into it with so much boldness, had not been prepared for the alarming demonstrations of Parliament. If the minister of his choice had now been driven from power, he would have been prostrate before the Coalition. This danger was at first imminent; and the king awaited it with dismay. Defeat in such a contest would have been humiliating and disgraceful. Believing that he could be "no longer of utility to this country, nor could with honor continue in this island," he repeated his threats of retiring to Hanover, rather than submit to what he deemed the destruction of his kingly power. From such extremities, however, he was relieved by the declining numbers of his opponents, and the increasing influence and popularity of his own cause. The Coalition, though powerful in Parliament, by means of a combination of parties, had never been popular in the country. While in power they had been exposed to continual obloquy, which was redoubled after their dismissal. The new ministers and the court party, taking advantage of this feeling, represented Mr. Fox's India Bill as an audacious attempt to interfere with the prerogatives of the Crown, and its authors as enemies of the king and constitution. The loyalty of the people was aroused, and they soon ranged themselves on the side of the 1 Tomline's Life of Pitt, i. 271, 341, 396. |
