ed under the fanction of prerogative, nor to put those who advised them under PERIL of PUNISHMENT."

Such was the candor of the noble lord, and fuch his indulgence to thofe guilty of the crime of refcuing the nation from the ruin which impended over it, as the inevitable refult of that fatal fyftem patronized and fupported by the noble lord and his colleagues, till the patience and credulity of an abused and exasperated people were at length exhausted. He who, by his own wretched mifconduct, had created the neceffity for making the facrifices in queftion, ought furely in decency to have been the last man in the nation who fhould have fuggefted the profligate idea of putting those who advised them under PERIL of PU

NISHMENT.

Mr. Fox now rofe, and declared " his perfect concurrence with the fentiments expreffed by the noble lord; and in still more bitter terms reprobated the peace as the mot difaftrous and humiliating that had ever difgraced any country. He had been accufed, he said, of having formed an union with the noble lord, whofe principles he had opposed for several years of his life; but the grounds of their oppofition were removed, and he did not conceive it to be honourable to keep up animofities for ever. He was happy at all times to have a proper opportunity to bury his refentments, and it was the wifh of his heart that his friendships should never die. The American war was the fource of his difagreement with the noble lord; and that cause of enmity being now no more, it was wife and fit to put an end to the ill-will, the animofity, the feuds, and the rancor which it engendered. It was a fatisfaction to him to apply the appellation of FRIEND to the noble lord; he had found him honourable as an adveríary, and he had no doubt of his openness and sincerity as a friend."

By a very great and respectable part of the houfe, this declaration, which opened a perfectly new scene of things, was most indignantly received. Mr. Powys faid, "This

was

was the age of ftrange confederacies. The world had feen great and arbitrary defpots ftand forth the protectors of an infant republic-France and Spain had combined to eftablish the rifing liberties of America. The houfe now furveyed the counterpart of this picture-a MONSTROUS COALITION had taken place between a noble lord and an illuftrious commoner--the lofty affertor of the prerogative had joined in alliance with the worfhippers of the majesty of the people." On the divifion the effect of this monflrous coalition was immediately vifible, there appearing for the amendment 224 against 208 voices.

On the 21st of February lord John Cavendish moved a feries of refolutions, importing-" 1. That in confideration of the public faith, his majesty's faithful commons will affift him in rendering the peace permanent. 2. That in concurrence with his majefty, they will endeavour to improve the bleffings of peace to the advantage of the nation. 3. That his majefty, in acknowledging the independency of America, has acted in conformity to the sense of parliament, and to the powers vefted in him by the act of the laft feffion. 4. That the conceffions made to the adverfaries of Great Britain by the provifional treaty, and the preliminary articles, are greater than they were entitled to either from the actual fituation of their respective poffeffions, or from their comparative strength.

A vehement debate arofe on the laft of thefe refolutions; the merits of the peace were anew difcuffed; and the coalition, now openly avowed and gloried in, again underwent the fevereft crimination, and the most poignant ridicule. Lord North, elated with the profpect not merely of perfect impunity, but of a re-admiffion to the power and emoluments of office, ventured to exprefs, in high language, his amazement at the reflections which had been thrown out against him. He did not, he faid, repent of his conduct while a minifter; confcious of his own innocence, he bade defiance to cenfure or punishment. Proud

as

as he was of the coalition to which he had been invited, it fhould be understood that he was not difpofed to make any facrifice of his public principles. He dreaded no accufation, and he dared his enemies, whatever might be their abilities, their influence, and their character, to be decifive, and to proceed against him"-expreflions furely thefe, confidering the calamities brought upon the nation by the grofs and flagrant misconduct of this minifter, in the higheft degree indecent and infolent. The queftion being put, was carried against the ministry by a majority of 207 voices to 190.

From this time it was obvious that fome change in administration must inevitably take place, but the court hoped that a partial change might fuffice. Various conferences. were held on the subject of a new arrangement; but the COALITION, knowing their own ftrength, were determined not to deviate in any point from their preconcerted plan. More than a month paffed in a kind of ministerial interregnum. At length Mr. Coke, member for Norfolk, moved an addrefs to the king, "that he would be gracioufly pleased to take into confideration the distracted and unsettled state of the empire, and condescend to a compliance with the wishes of this houfe, by forming an administration entitled to the confidence of his people." This was unanimously carried, and presented to the king by fuch members of the houfe as were privy counfellors. His majefty replied, "that it was his earneft defire to do every thing in his power to comply with the wifhes of his faithful commons." This anfwer not giving fatisfaction, lord Surry moved in a few days another addrefs, framed in very strong and pointed terms-" affuring his majefty that all delays in a matter of this moment have an inevitable tendency to weaken the authority of his government; and moft humbly entreating his majefty that he will take fuch measures towards this object as may quiet the anxiety and apprehenfion of his faithful fubjects.", But Mr. Pitt de. claring

claring that he had refigned his office of chancellor of the exchequer, and that any resolution or addrefs relative to a new arrangement of administration was unneceffary, lord Surry confented to withdraw his motion: and the minif ters, who, reluctant to quit the luxury of power, had lingered in office to the laft moment, now gave place to their determined and victorious antagonists.

The duke of Portland was placed at the head of the treasury; and lord John Cavendish was re-appointed chancellor of the exchequer; lord NORTH and Mr. Fox were nominated JOINT SECRETARIES of STATE, the first for the home, the latter for the foreign department; lord Keppel, who had recently refigned on account of his dif approbation of the peace, was again placed at the head of the admiralty; lord Stormont was created prefident of the council; and lord Carlifle was advanced to the poft of lord privy feal. The great feal was put into commiffion-the chief juftice Loughborough, fo diftinguished for political verfatility," who could change and change and yet Go ON," being declared firft lord commiffioner; the earl Northington was appointed to the government of Ireland; and Mr. Burke reinftated in his former poft of paymaster of the forces. Of the feven cabinet minifters, the majority, who alfo occupied the most important pofts of adminiftration, were of the old whig or Rockingham party;-Lord Stormont, lord North, and lord Carlile, contenting themfelves rather with a participation of honors and emoluments than of power.

Notwithstanding the admiffion of thefe tory lords therefore into the miniftry, it could not but be acknowledged, as to all the grand purposes of government, a WHIG administration-more efpecially when the ability, the vigor, and the decifion of its efficient leader were juftly and impartially estimated. But, moft unfortunately, no impartial eftimate of the merits of this novel and heterogeneous arrangement could be hoped. The PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

was

was loft, and univerfal experience confirms the obfervation of a celebrated writer, " that the public confidence once loft, is NEVER completely regained." The coalition was the theme of univerfal and paffionate execration. All thofe bitter and opprobrious expreflions of contumely and reproach against the late minifter lord North, with which the fpeeches of Mr. Fox and Mr. Burke had been for fo many years filled, were now recalled to the general recollection, and excited a degree of anger, indignation, and amazement, which had not been equalled fince the memorable and infamous defection of Mr. Pulteney. When lord Chatham, in one of his last speeches in parliament, "wifhed that the VENGEANCE of the NATION might fall HEAVY upon the MINISTERS;" when Mr. Fox declared, "that he would purfue even to the SCAFFOLD the authors of the PUBLIC RUIN;" and when Mr. Burke affirmed, "that he had articles of IMPEACHMENT actually framed against lord North, whom he ftigmatized as a STATE CRIMINAL" great allowance ought doubtlefs to be made for that warmth and ardor of patriotic zeal, which might prompt them to exceed the too precife limits of a strict and fober difcretion. The late minifters, it must be acknowledged, had done nothing for which they could justly incur legal punishment. But a parliamentary vote of cenfure and condemnation of those measures and principles which had brought the nation to the brink of perdition, was eagerly wifhed for by the independent and intelligent part of the public; and fome fatisfactory affurance anxioufly expected, for the removal of men fo unqualified for the task of government, from his majesty's perfon and councils FOR EVER ;-fending them into ignominious retirement, with the CURSES of their COUNTRY upon their

HEADS.

Lord Chatham, on receiving not long before his deceafe, repeated and high-ftrained profeffions of amity and regard from lord Bute, apparently intended to cover fome

infidious