An event which took place the very day on which parliament was dissolved, seemed to bode ill to that union and good harmony which had been so strongly in his Majesty's speech, and to verify the !ears of those who had predicted the growth of Tory principles in the new monarch, from his education under the earl of Bute. The popular and patriotic minister Legge, a man of whom Sir Robert Walpole was accus tomed to say, emphatically, that he never knew a man who had less "rubbish about him," was dismissed from the chancellorship of the exchequer, and Sir Francis Dashwood, a well known Tory, was put in his place. At the same time, the compliant Lord Holdernesse, who had intimated to Lord Bute at the accession, that he was ready at a moment's notice to throw up his office, in a pretended quarrel with the Whigs, now kept his promise, and retired in "seeming anger," but with a pension of 30001. per annum. Lord Bute was appointed secretary of state, and Charles Jenkinson, afterwards Lord Liverpool, was made his confidential secretary.
His majesty's union with the Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, together with their coronation, was joyfully celebrated throughout the kingdom. In spite of the late changes in the ministry, war was ably supported. Though the gallant Frederick was hardly pressed, Prince Ferdinand, with the allies, signalized the summer campaign of 1761, by defeating the French at Kirch Derken, with the loss of 5000 men. The island of Bellcisle surrendered to General Hodgson and Commodore Keppel, after its capital had beeen taken by storm. Dominica was reduced in the West Indies, and Pondicherry in the East. Yet the nation was not so dazzled by the splendour of victory, as to be blind to the expences of the war. A negotiation preferred by France was now continued, and promised a fortunate issue, when it was suddenly interrupted by an event, which brought a new enemy to act against us. Spain, deeply meditating the family compact, betrayed her designs, by what was considered as an impertinent in terference between the belligerent powers. This neces sarily roused Mr Pitt, who, seeing at once the whole of the project, proposed to declare war against that king dom. But finding himself unsupported, he somewhat haughtily (perhaps, however, justly) declared, that he would take no part in councils which he was not per mitted to govern. His resignation immediately fol lowed. His majesty accepted it with expressions of regret, and, as a just reward well due to his services, settled on him a pension of 30001. a year. He was suc ceeded by the Earl of Egremont. Mr Pitt's vigilance as a minister was soon evinced by the open avowal of that family compact, which his antagonists had derided him for suspecting. England was necessarily drawn
into a war with Spain ; and Portugal, as the ally of England, was invaded, and nearly given up to conquest. But the influence of Mr Pitt's plans outlived his con tinuance in office. Martinique surrendered to our arms, and Spain in a very few months lost Havannah, Manilla, and all the Philippine Islands. The inhabitants, of Manilla saved their property, by promising a ransom which was never paid. In the mean time, the bravery of the British troops, and the conduct of the Count La Lippe Buckeburgh, who commanded them, changed the fortune of the war in Portugal, and repelled the Spanish invader. In Germany, Prince Ferdinand, ably seconded by the Marquis of Grandby, gave a signal defeat to the French at Grabenstein, and the enemy was driven out of South Cassel.
The career of victory was stopt by a still more de sirable event. A negotiation for peace was again set on foot. The duke of Bedford was sent over to Paris, and the duke de Nivernois came to London. A defini tive treaty was signed at Paris on the 10th of February 1763. The French gave up all Canada, that part of Louisiana cast of the Mississippi, Cape Breton, Senegal, the islands of Grenada, Dominica, St Vincent's, and Tobago. Spain ceded Minorca, East and West Florida, and all her possessions east or south east of the Missis sippi, renouncing her pretensions to the Newfoundland fishery, and confirming to Britain the right of cutting logwood in the Bay of Honduras. France renounced in the East Indies all acquisitions made on the Coro mandel coast, since the year 1749. Portugal was reinstated in all her dominions : the French were to withdraw from the Hanoverian, Hessian, and Prussian territories. In return for these cessions, Britain gave up to France, Belleisle, Goree, Gaudaloupe, Martinique, St Lucia and Pondicherry, and Chandernagore, in the East Indies ; recognised her right to fish on the banks of Newfoundland, and ceded the small islets of St Pierre and Miquelon. To Spain we restored Havannah, the Manillas, and our other conquests. A violent outcry was occasioned by the terms of the peace. Chatham himself raised his voice with indignation against it ; but we ought not to be dazzled by the authority of patriotic names. The terms were at least fair, honourable, and advantageous. In a single year's continuance of the war, the country might have spent ten times the value of any acquisition which she gave up, by moderating her views.