When the terms with France, Spain, and America, were submitted to parliament, they underwent the se verest animadversions. It was now that a coalesced opposition sprung up, which, while it astonished the nation by its novelty, for a time overwhelmed all resist ance. Mr Fox, in his indignation at the conduct of the Shelburne party, did not hesitate to unite his strength with his old and avowed antagonist, lord North. Mr Fox defended the union, by declaring, that the question of American independence being now at rest, he had no desire to perpetuate his enmities with a statesman, whose views were directed, like his own, to displace from power a ministry composed of men who had been unfaithful to their principles ; and his object, he avow ed, was, by the joint force of their friends, to ensure a great and popular administration. The nation at large viewed this coalition with disapprobation. Our business is only to record its :fleets. Such was the strength of the united opponents, that in two instances they out voted the ministry. A motion for addressing his ma jesty for a new choice of servants was victoriously car ried; and on the 2d of April the cabinet council was thus formed anew. The duke of Portland was appointed first lord of the treasury ; lord North and Mr Fox, prin cipal secretaries ; lord John Cavendish, chancellor of the exchequer; lord Keppel, first lord of the admiralty ; lord Stormont, president of the council ; and the earl of Carlisle, keeper of the privy seal. If the coalition which had formed the present ministry was unpopular, the career of their most formidable opponent, Mr Pitt, was at this time calculated to excite the highest expec tations in the public of an enlightened and patriotic statesman. He stood forward as the most active cham pion of reform. In a former session he had made a ge neral motion for an enquiry into the state of representa tion. lie now brought forward a specific plan for add ing an hundred members to the county representation, and abolishing a similar number of the obnoxious bo roughs. His plan, though supported by Mr Fox, was negatived by a large majority.
For some time the total derangement of the finances of the India Company, and their utter incompetency to govern the vast territories of which they had obtained possession, by very questionable means, had become too evident to admit of contradiction. The evil was notorious; the only difficulty was to devise an adequate remedy. On the 18th of November, Mr Fox introduced a bill, by which he proposed to take from the directors and proprietors the entire administration of their terri tory and commercial affairs, and to vest the management of them in the hands of seven commissioners irremove able by the crown, except in consequence of an address from either house of parliament. The act was to conti nue in force for four years, and was accompanied by a second bill, containing regulations for the future govern ment of India. The greatest commotion was, however, excited by the disclosure of this plan ; while it was on one side of the house extolled as a master-piece of ge nius, virtue, and ability, it was on the other reprobated as a violation of chartered rights, and an ambitious de sign of ministers to make themselves immoveable and despotic, by assuming the power and patronage of In dia. The India Company, the city of London,and other
chartered bodies, petitioned or entered into resolutions against the bin. It passed the Commons, however, though in the Lords it was rejected by a majority of 95 to 76. This rejection is to be traced to a proceeding deservedly reprobated. On the Ilth of December, earl Temple demanded a conference with the king, in conse quence of which a card was handed about, intimating that his majesty allowed earl Temple to say, that who ever voted for the India bill, was not only not his friend, but would be considered as his enemy ; and if these words were not strong enough, earl Temple might use whatever words he might deem stronger or more to the purpose. A change of ministry was immediately re solved upon ; and on the 18th of December, a message from his majesty arrived to the two secretaries of state, demanding the seals of office. In a few days, Mr Pitt was appointed first lord of the treasury and chancellor of the exchequer ; the marquis of Carmarthen, and Mr Thomas Townsend, (created lord Sydney,) secretaries of state ; lord Thurlow, lord chancellor; earl Gower, president of the council ; the duke of Rutland, lord privy seal ; lord Howe, first lord of the admiralty ; the duke of Richmond, master of the ordnance ; and Mr Henry D tmdas, treasurer of the navy.
The majority of the House of Commons, however, still adhered to the dismissed ministers : they addressed the crown, to pray that the alarming reports which had gone forth, of an intended prorogation, or dissolution, might not be realized ; to which they received an expli cit answer from his majesty, that after their adjourn ment they should not be disturbed, by being either pro rogued or dissolved. When the house assembled, after the Christmas recess, the majorities of the opposition still continued, and exhibited, at once, the novel spec tacle of a minister holding his place in contempt of the voice of the commons, and of an opposition binding up the hands of the executive, by withholding their assent to payments being issued from the bank, or the exche quer, for public service. It was even moved in the house, and declared, that the continuance of the present ministry would be injurious to his majesty, and to the people ; but the minister still kept his place. The king, by a message to the duke of Portland, delivered indi rectly through the medium of Mr Pitt, expressed his desire that an interview might take place, between his grace and the young premier, for arranging a new plan of administration, on fair and equal terms. The duke required that he might be permitted to construe this message as a virtual resignation on the part of Mr Pitt. This interpretation was refused ; the supplies were post poned, and ministers continued to be outvoted by their opponents. The peers, however, were roused, by this obstinacy of the lower house, to pass two resolutions, ex pressing their disapprobation of the conduct of the com mons, and their determination to support the crown in the choice of its ministers.