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miffed his Minifters, nor had thofe Minifters refigned." This opinion he gave officially to the Houfe, as one in his Majefty's confidence, and the House were to understand it as the Royal opinion.

February 20.] A motion was made by Mr. Powys, and seconded by Sir Horace Mann,

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"That this Houfe, impreffed with the moft dutiful fenfe of his Majefty's paternal regard for the welfare of his people, relies on his Majefty's royal wifdom to take fuch measures by removing the ob"ftacle to the formation of fuch an Adminiftration as this House has "declared neceffary, and may tend to give effect to the wishes of his "faithful Commons, which have been moft humbly reprefented to his Majefty, and which his Majefty has been gracioufly pleafed to affure this Houfe, that he will take into his confideration." The Houfe divided,

Ayes
Noes

Majority against the Ministry

197

177

20

During the divifion, feveral Members in the lobby defired Mr. Fox to bring forward directly (as Miniftry had dared him to it) the fame refolution in form of an Addrefs to the Throne.

Mr. Fox promifed he would; and on the Speaker refuming his feat, he, after a fhort preface, moved the fame refolution in form of an Addrefs.

Mr. Fox then moved, "That the Address be presented by the whole "Houfe.

Mr. Marsham feconded it, and on the queftion being put, it was earried without a divifion.

Mr. Fox then moved, "That fuch of the Members as were of his "Majefty's Privy Council do wait on his Majefty to know when he "would receive the Addrefs," which was alfo carried.

The foregoing Refolutions were then drawn up in form of an Addrefs, and the fame was, on the 27th February, prefented by the whole Houfe. To which his Majefty returned the following Answer:

"Gentlemen,

"I am deeply fenfible how highly it concerns the honour of my "Crown, and the welfare of my people, which is the object always "nearest my heart, that the public affairs fhould be conducted by a firm, efficient, united, and extended adminiftration, entitled to the confidence of my people, and fuch as may have a tendency to " put

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put an end to the unhappy divifions and diftractions in this country. Very recent endeavours have already been employed, on my part, to unite in the public fervice, on a fair and equal footing, "thofe whofe joint efforts appear to me moft capable of producing "that happy effect: thefe endeavours have not had the fuccefs I "wifhed. I fhall be always defirous of taking every step moft con"ducive to fuch an object; but I cannot fee that it would, in any 66 degree, be advanced, by the difmiffion of thofe at prefent in my

" fervice.

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"I obferve, at the fame time, that there is no charge, or complaint, fuggefted against my prefent Minifters, nor is any one or "more of them fpecifically objected to; and numbers of my fubjects "have expreffed to me, in the warmest manner, their fatisfaction in "the late changes I have made in my councils. Under these cir"cumstances, I truft, my faithful Commons will not wifh that the "effential offices of executive government fhould be vacated, until I fee a profpect that fuch a plan of union as I have called for, and they have pointed out, may be carried into effect."

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The Houfe having returned, and being refumed,

which was

Lord Beauchamp moved, "that the confideration of the King's An"fwer fhould be poftponed until Monday March 1," feconded by Mr. Minchen,-put and carried nem. con.

He then moved," that the Houfe do adjourn to the fame day;" on the question there appeared,

Ayes
Noes

Majority

175

168

-7

March 1.] This day there was another meeting of the Country Gentlemen at the St. Alban's Tavern, when the Hon. Charles Marsham and Mr. Powys ftated to the company the circumstances of the negotiation, which they had conducted for fome days paft, and which had unhappily concluded with as little fuccefs as the former endeavours of that body. They faid, that when the Duke of Portland delivered his final anfwer, that he could not meet Mr. Pitt, until he had fhewn a difpofition to comply with the wishes of the Houfe of Commons, either by an actual or virtual refignation; and that Mr. Pitt had peremptorily declared, that he would do neither the one nor the other as a preliminary to negotiation. It was thought that an expedient might be found to clear the ground, and bring them to an interview,

without

without any conceffion of principle, but only by a conceffion of mode. With this view it was, that a meffage was fent from his Majefty to the Duke of Portland, intimating "his Majefty's earnest defire, that “his Grace should have a perfonal conference with Mr. Pitt, for the purpose of forming a new Adminiftration on a wide bafis, and on fair "and EQUAL terms.". -This meffage was confidered by the Duke of Portland as a removal of the previous obftacle, fince, though it was not a declaration on the part of Mr. Pitt, it was tantamount to a virtual refignation. The Preliminaries of the conference were next to be confidered; and here an objection presented itself, which called for the explanation of a term in the meffage.His Grace could have no objection to the word fair-it was a general term, and he and Mr. Pitt might in framing the arrangement mutually, difcufs what they confidered to be fair; but the other term in the meffage, the word equal, was a more specific and limited term; it might be conftrued variously, and his Grace thought it neceffary, as a preliminary to negotiation, that Mr. Pitt fhould explain precisely what he meant by the word equal. In answer to this, Mr. Pitt faid, in a meflage, that there was no occafion, in his mind, of entering into any explanation of the term, as it could be best explained in a perfonal conference. The Duke of Portland replied to the negotiators, that it was impoffible for him to agree to any perfonal conference on a preliminary meffage, the terms of which the author refused to explain. Mr. Pitt perfevered in his refolution not to explain the word, and here the negotiation broke off. On this ftatement of the cafe Mr. Marsham and Mr. Powys delivered their fentiments, and a Refolution was prepared and adopted by the Meeting to the following effect:

"That it was the fenfe of that body, that parties in the prefent "circumftances of the country, when an union on a broad and com

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prehenfive bafis was declared on all hands to be neceffary, fhould "not fuffer verbal objections, and matters of ceremony and explana❝tion, to prevent them from meeting it; that it would not be either "dishonourable or improper in them to concede fuch points; and that "that Meeting should declare its approbation of those who manifefted "the greatest readiness in making fuch conceffion."-This refolution was communicated to both parties before the meeting of the House of Commons.

Upon

Upon the meeting, Mr. Fox, after moving, that his Majesty's answer to the addrefs from the House fhould be read, the fame being read by the Clerk, moved,

"That an humble Addrefs be prefented to his Majefty, most "humbly to reprefent to his Majefty the fatisfaction his faithful "Commons derive from the late moft gracious affurances we have "received, that his Majefty concurs with us in opinion, that it con"cerns the honour of his Crown, and the welfare of his people, that "the public affairs fhould be conducted by a firm, efficient, extend“ed, united administration, entitled to the confidence of his people, "and fuch as may have a tendency to put an end to the unhappy di"vifions and diftractions of this country.

"To acknowledge his Majefty's paternal goodness, in his late most "gracious endeavours to give effect to the object of our late dutiful "representation ro his Majefty.

"To lament that the failure of these his Majesty's most gracious "endeavours should be confidered as a final bar to the accomplishment "of fo falutary and defirable a purpofe; and to exprefs our concern ❝ and disappointment, that his Majefty has not been advised to take 66 any further step towards uniting in the public fervice, those whose "joint efforts have recently appeared to his Majefty most capable of producing fo happy an effect.

That this Houfe, with all humility, claims it as their right, "and, on every proper occafion, feels it to be their bounden duty to "advise his Majefty in the exercise of his undoubted prerogative in "the choice of Ministers, and to exprefs to his Majefty, when the "perfons whom he may please to call into the public fervice have not "the confidence of this Houfe, without being bounden to fignify fpe"cific reafons for their opinion.

"And to exprefs to his Majefty their humble hope, that on a re"confideration of their late Addrefs, fuch a plan of union as his Majefty hath called for, and we have pointed out, may, by the re"moval of the present Ministers, yet be carried into effect."

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Mr. Fox made an apology for moving the Addrefs as it might be fuppofed, by those who knew him not, that he had perfonal motives in fo doing; but when the Houfe confidered what his fituation in office must be in coming in again, he fuppofed no man would envy him that fituation.

Lord

Lord Surrey feconded the motion.

On a divifion, there appeared for the Addrefs,

Ayes
Noes

201

189

Majority

I 2

Mr. Fox then moved, "That fuch of the Members as were of the Privy Council fhould wait on his Majefty, to know when he would "be pleased to receive the Addrefs." Afterwards he moved, "That it "fhould be prefented by the whole Houfe," which was agreed to."

March 4.] On this day, the House met merely for the purpofe of doing the private bufinefs, previous to their attending his Majefty. At three o'clock, the House was adjourned for an hour, during which time the Speaker, accompanied by feveral Members, went to St. James's to prefent the following Address:

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TO THE KING.

"WE your Majefty's faithful Commons, approach your Throne "most humbly to reprefent to your Majefty the fatisfaction your "faithful Commons derive from the late moft gracious affurances we have received, that your Majefty concurs with us in opinion, "that it concerns the honour of your Crown, and the welfare of your people, that the public affairs fhould be conducted by a firm, "efficient, extended, united Administration, entitled to the confidence "" of your people, and such as may have a tendency to put an end to "the unhappy divifions and distractions of this country.

"We acknowledge your Majefty's paternal goodness, in your late "moft gracious endeavours to give effect to the object of our late dutiful reprefentation to your Majefty,

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"We lament that the failure of this your Majefty's moft gracious "endeavours hould be confidered as a final bar to the accomplish"ment of fo falutary and defirable a purpofe; and to exprefs our concern and disappointment, that your Majefty has not been ad"vised to take any farther step towards uniting in the public fervice "those whofe joint efforts have recently appeared to your Majesty "moft capable of producing fo happy an effect.

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"Your faithful Commons, with all humility, claim it as their right, and, on every proper occafion, feel it to be their bounden duty

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