ROCKINGHAM'S CABINET 769 reminded the King that the Throne could not prudently resist the deliberate resolutions of the Commons. The example of his royal predecessors proved that his honour was not involved. Rockingham and Shelburne alone could form a new administration, and they would not act with any of the present ministry, except Thurlow.1 Still North was forbidden to resign. Only on the eve of the 20th, to save him from the vote on Fox's motion, did the King accept his resignation. Shelburne was sent for, and requested to form an administration "on a broad bottom". He declined, and, in accordance with a promise he had made to Grafton, suggested Rockingham. Rockingham and his terms the King, after a vain appeal to Lord Gower, was at last obliged to accept. But George would only negotiate with him through Shelburne, and insisted upon retaining Thurlow as Lord Chancellor. Rockingham's Cabinet consisted of five of his own party, including himself, and five of Shelburne's, besides one High Tory, Thurlow. Lord John Cavendish became Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Keppel, First Lord of the Admiralty, Richmond, Master-General of the Ordnance, Camden, Lord President of the Council, Grafton, Privy Seal, Dunning, raised to the Peerage as Lord Ashburton, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Conway, Commander-in-Chief. Fox was appointed First Secretary of Foreign. Affairs, and Shelburne Secretary of State for Home, Irish, and Colonial Affairs, the office of Third Secretary for the Colonies being now abolished. Barré, Thomas Townshend, Sheridan, Burke, and the Duke of Portland (Lord Lieutenant of Ireland) took office without seats in the Cabinet. No place was found for William Pitt, who refused to take an inferior office. "At last", wrote the King to Lord North," the fatal day has come",2 and he drafted a letter of abdication in favour of the Prince of Wales, stating that the change of sentiment in the House of Commons had "totally incapacitated him from either conducting the War with effect or from obtaining any peace but on conditions which would prove destructive to the commerce as well as the essential rights of the British Nation".3 George III may have been narrow-minded and obstinate, but he was faithful to the ideas of kingship and the interests of the Empire as he conceived them. In addition to the difficult problems presented by the military and naval situation, the new Government was confronted with the necessity of pacifying Ireland. For the quarrel with America had brought into prominence the religious and economic oppression under which Ireland laboured. When North had passed his conciliatory proposals to the Americans, he had been pressed to extend similar CHBE I 1 North to George III, 18 March 1782. 2 27 March 1782, Corr. of Geo. III (ed. Fortescue), 1, 154. 3 Facsimile in ibid. 1, 161 A. 49 of the naval and military situation, however, was becoming irresistible. The country began to perceive the necessity of peace. The City petitioned the King to put an end "to this unnatural and unfortunate war". The West India merchants besought him to save them from utter ruin. In the House of Commons Government majorities dwindled before the logic of events, and the eloquence of Fox and Burke and Dunning and Barré was reinforced now by that of the younger Pitt and Sheridan. But the King turned a deaf ear to North's suggestions of peace.1 He would never consent, he declared, to the "irredeemable destruction" of the British Empire. But in February a motion condemning the management of the Navy was defeated only by nineteen votes. The confusion at the Admiralty was indeed notorious, although Lord Sandwich had latterly done something to improve its efficiency. On the 27th Opposition carried an address against further prosecution of the American War. It was coldly received by the King. On 4 March, therefore, General Conway returned to the attack, moving an Address declaring all who should advise continuance of the war to be enemies of their country. Next day the Attorneygeneral introduced a bill for enabling the Government to treat with the colonies. Fox poured upon it the vials of his wrath, and, spurning the idea of a coalition, proclaimed that he would be the most infamous of men if ever he should make terms with any one of such ministers. A vote of censure was nearly carried on the 8th. On the 15th, Sir John Rous, a Tory, moved a vote of No Confidence. The Government was saved by nine votes. Fox gave notice of a similar motion on the 20th. But on that day, before the debate could begin, North announced his resignation. Only with the utmost difficulty had he induced George III to accept the inevitable. It was now even whispered that Jamaica was ready to follow the example of the Leeward Islands and surrender to the French. On 10 March the King had at last agreed that the Chancellor should approach Rockingham. Thurlow reported his terms. The royal veto was not to be imposed upon American independence; the new Government's policy would be peace and economy, and its measures must include bills for prohibiting contractors from sitting in Parliament, Burke's Establishment bill, and the Custom House bill disfranchising revenue officers. The King refused these terms. He would only contemplate an administration "on a wider bottom". Determined not to throw himself "into the hands of Opposition", he spoke of abdication as "the only way left" for his honour and conscience.5 The royal yacht was prepared for his departure to Hanover. But North recognised that the demand for a change could no longer be resisted. 1 North to George III, 21 Jan. 1782. 2 George III to Lord Stormont, 22 Dec. 1781; George III to North, 21 Jan. 1782. 3 Memorandum by Lord Sandwich, Corr. of George III (ed. Fortescue). Rockingham, Memoirs, II, 451. George III to North, 17 March 1782; Walpole, Journals, ш, 421. He ROCKINGHAM'S CABINET 769 reminded the King that the Throne could not prudently resist the deliberate resolutions of the Commons. The example of his royal predecessors proved that his honour was not involved. Rockingham and Shelburne alone could form a new administration, and they would not act with any of the present ministry, except Thurlow.1 Still North was forbidden to resign. Only on the eve of the 20th, to save him from the vote on Fox's motion, did the King accept his resignation. Shelburne was sent for, and requested to form an administration "on a broad bottom". He declined, and, in accordance with a promise he had made to Grafton, suggested Rockingham. Rockingham and his terms the King, after a vain appeal to Lord Gower, was at last obliged to accept. But George would only negotiate with him through Shelburne, and insisted upon retaining Thurlow as Lord Chancellor. Rockingham's Cabinet consisted of five of his own party, including himself, and five of Shelburne's, besides one High Tory, Thurlow. Lord John Cavendish became Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Keppel, First Lord of the Admiralty, Richmond, Master-General of the Ordnance, Camden, Lord President of the Council, Grafton, Privy Seal, Dunning, raised to the Peerage as Lord Ashburton, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Conway, Commander-in-Chief. Fox was appointed First Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and Shelburne Secretary of State for Home, Irish, and Colonial Affairs, the office of Third Secretary for the Colonies being now abolished. Barré, Thomas Townshend, Sheridan, Burke, and the Duke of Portland (Lord Lieutenant of Ireland) took office without seats in the Cabinet. No place was found for William Pitt, who refused to take an inferior office. "At last", wrote the King to Lord North, "the fatal day has come",2 and he drafted a letter of abdication in favour of the Prince of Wales, stating that the change of sentiment in the House of Commons had "totally incapacitated him from either conducting the War with effect or from obtaining any peace but on conditions which would prove destructive to the commerce as well as the essential rights of the British Nation". George III may have been narrow-minded and obstinate, but he was faithful to the ideas of kingship and the interests of the Empire as he conceived them. In addition to the difficult problems presented by the military and naval situation, the new Government was confronted with the necessity of pacifying Ireland. For the quarrel with America had brought into prominence the religious and economic oppression under which Ireland laboured. When North had passed his conciliatory proposals to the Americans, he had been pressed to extend similar CHBE I 1 North to George III, 18 March 1782. 2 27 March 1782, Corr. of Geo. III (ed. Fortescue), I, 154. 3 Facsimile in ibid. 1, 161 A. 49 of the naval and military situation, however, was becoming irresistible. The country began to perceive the necessity of peace. The City petitioned the King to put an end "to this unnatural and unfortunate war". The West India merchants besought him to save them from utter ruin. In the House of Commons Government majorities dwindled before the logic of events, and the eloquence of Fox and Burke and Dunning and Barré was reinforced now by that of the younger Pitt and Sheridan. But the King turned a deaf ear to North's suggestions of peace.1 He would never consent, he declared, to the "irredeemable destruction" of the British Empire.2 But in February a motion condemning the management of the Navy was defeated only by nineteen votes. The confusion at the Admiralty was indeed notorious, although Lord Sandwich had latterly done something to improve its efficiency. On the 27th Opposition carried an address against further prosecution of the American War. It was coldly received by the King. On 4 March, therefore, General Conway returned to the attack, moving an Address declaring all who should advise continuance of the war to be enemies of their country. Next day the Attorneygeneral introduced a bill for enabling the Government to treat with the colonies. Fox poured upon it the vials of his wrath, and, spurning the idea of a coalition, proclaimed that he would be the most infamous of men if ever he should make terms with any one of such ministers. A vote of censure was nearly carried on the 8th. On the 15th, Sir John Rous, a Tory, moved a vote of No Confidence. The Government was saved by nine votes. Fox gave notice of a similar motion on the 20th. But on that day, before the debate could begin, North announced his resignation. Only with the utmost difficulty had he induced George III to accept the inevitable. It was now even whispered that Jamaica was ready to follow the example of the Leeward Islands and surrender to the French. On 10 March the King had at last agreed that the Chancellor should approach Rockingham. Thurlow reported his terms. The royal veto was not to be imposed upon American independence; the new Government's policy would be peace and economy, and its measures must include bills for prohibiting contractors from sitting in Parliament, Burke's Establishment bill, and the Custom House bill disfranchising revenue officers.4 The King refused these terms. He would only contemplate an administration "on a wider bottom". Determined not to throw himself "into the hands of Opposition", he spoke of abdication as "the only way left" for his honour and conscience.5 The royal yacht was prepared for his departure to Hanover. But North recognised that the demand for a change could no longer be resisted. He 1 North to George III, 21 Jan. 1782. 2 George III to Lord Stormont, 22 Dec. 1781; George III to North, 21 Jan. 1782. 3 Memorandum by Lord Sandwich, Corr. of George III (ed. Fortescue). Rockingham, Memoirs, II, 451. 5 George III to North, 17 March 1782; Walpole, Journals, 11, 421. 1 ROCKINGHAM'S CABINET 769 reminded the King that the Throne could not prudently resist the deliberate resolutions of the Commons. The example of his royal predecessors proved that his honour was not involved. Rockingham and Shelburne alone could form a new administration, and they would not act with any of the present ministry, except Thurlow.1 Still North was forbidden to resign. Only on the eve of the 20th, to save him from the vote on Fox's motion, did the King accept his resignation. Shelburne was sent for, and requested to form an administration 'on a broad bottom". He declined, and, in accordance with a promise he had made to Grafton, suggested Rockingham. Rockingham and his terms the King, after a vain appeal to Lord Gower, was at last obliged to accept. But George would only negotiate with him through Shelburne, and insisted upon retaining Thurlow as Lord Chancellor. Rockingham's Cabinet consisted of five of his own party, including himself, and five of Shelburne's, besides one High Tory, Thurlow. Lord John Cavendish became Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lord Keppel, First Lord of the Admiralty, Richmond, Master-General of the Ordnance, Camden, Lord President of the Council, Grafton, Privy Seal, Dunning, raised to the Peerage as Lord Ashburton, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Conway, Commander-in-Chief. Fox was appointed First Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and Shelburne Secretary of State for Home, Irish, and Colonial Affairs, the office of Third Secretary for the Colonies being now abolished. Barré, Thomas Townshend, Sheridan, Burke, and the Duke of Portland (Lord Lieutenant of Ireland) took office without seats in the Cabinet. No place was found for William Pitt, who refused to take an inferior office. "At last", wrote the King to Lord North, "the fatal day has come",2 and he drafted a letter of abdication in favour of the Prince of Wales, stating that the change of sentiment in the House of Commons had "totally incapacitated him from either conducting the War with effect or from obtaining any peace but on conditions which would prove destructive to the commerce as well as the essential rights of the British Nation". George III may have been narrow-minded and obstinate, but he was faithful to the ideas of kingship and the interests of the Empire as he conceived them. In addition to the difficult problems presented by the military and naval situation, the new Government was confronted with the necessity of pacifying Ireland. For the quarrel with America had brought into prominence the religious and economic oppression under which Ireland laboured. When North had passed his conciliatory proposals to the Americans, he had been pressed to extend similar CHBE I 1 North to George III, 18 March 1782. 2 27 March 1782, Corr. of Geo. III (ed. Fortescue), 1, 154. 3 Facsimile in ibid. 1, 161 A. 49 |