The Chan off, for it was impoffible that his Grace could meet Mr. Pitt on terms which he refufed to explain. The refolution of the St. Alban's meeting was not directed against either party it was fairly impartial in its purport, and cenfured the one fide for not explaining, as well as the other for not conceding. The Chancellor of the Exchequer explained his conduct in recellor of the gard to this negociation with great clearness. He had always Exchequer. declared, he faid, that he would never confent either to one Mr. Fox. The Hon. actual or virtual refignation for the purpose of negociating. The meffage which his Majefty fent to the Duke of Portland was in every respect clear and unequivocal. When defired to explain what was meant by equal, he had faid that it would be best explained in a personal conference. His reason for this answer, and for not agreeing to take this word out of the meffage, and to let the term fair ftand by itself, was, that by fo doing it was an implication that they came to an interview to negociate a new Administration, admitting the Duke of Portland's pofition, that inequality was the bafis of fairness. Mr. Fox faid, the objection of the Duke carried no fuch inference. Subftitute the word equitable in the room of equal, or explain what you mean by your own term, and the difficulty is removed. The Honourable Charles Marsham said, he trusted that genCh. Mar- tlemen would yet put an end to their grammatical objections and verbal delicacies, and that an approach for a settlement might yet be made. fham. Mr. Hopkins. Mr. Hopkins faid, that in this hope, and to prevent farther inflammation, he would move the previous question. Mr. Powys. Mr. Powys thought that unless there was any farther negociation pending between the two right honourable gentlemen, the motion for the address should be put, since the cha racter of the Houfe was involved in it. The Chan The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, that no other negocellor of the ciation was pending; and as the queftion for the address was Exchequer. moved, he thought it better that the sense of the House should be taken upon it. The previous queftion was withdrawn. The House then divided on the queftion for the address; Ayes, 201; Noes, 189. Majority, 12. The addrefs was then prepared, and ordered to be presented by the whole House. March 2. The Houfe in a Committee went through the Receipt-tax bill, on the clauses of which there was fome conversation. March March 3. A debate took place on the queftion started by Lord Maitland, whether the Conftable of the Tower was a civil officer, and whether it vacated the feat of Lord George Lenox. A number of circumstances belonging to the office were mentioned; and it was determined that it was a military appoint ment. March 4. The House went up to St. James's with the Addrefs. On their return the Speaker read the King's most gracious Answer as follows: "Gentlemen, "I have already expreffed to you how fenfible I am of the advantages to be derived from fuch an Administration as was pointed out in your unanimous refolution. And I affured you that I was defirous of taking every step moft condufive to fuch an object: 1 remain in the fame fentiments; but I continue equally convinced that it is an object not likely to be obtained by the difmiffion of my present Minifters. "I must repeat, that no charge or complaint, or any fpecific objection, is yet made against any of them: if there were any fuch ground for their removal at prefent, it ought to be equally a reafon for not admitting them as part of that extended and united Administration which you state to be requifite. "I did not confider the failure of my recent endeavours as a final bar to the accomplishment of the purpose which I had in view, if it could have been obtained on those purposes of fairness and equality, without which it can neither be honourable to those who are concerned, nor lay the foundation of such a strong and stable government as may be of lafting advantage to the country-but I know of no farther fteps which I can take, that are likely to remove the difficulties which obftruct that defirable end. "I have never called in question the right of my faithful Commons, to offer me their advice upon every proper occafion, touching the exercise of any branch of my Prerogative. "I fhall be ready at all times to exercise it, and give it the moft attentive confideration-they will ever find me difpofed to fhew my regard to the true principles of the Constitution, and to take fuch measures, as may best conduce to the profperity of my kingdom." Mr. Mr. Fox. Mr. Welbore Ellis. Mr. Fox. The Chan Mr. Fox rofe the moment the Speaker had finished his recital of the King's Anfwer, and moved that the confideration of His Majefty's answer to the Addrefs of the House of Commons be adjourned till Monday next. This was unanimoufly affented to. The order of the day was then called for from the Treasury Bench, for going into a Committee on the report of the account of the finances of the Eaft-India Company, presented by the Court of Directors; and Mr. Eden, who had caused the order to be made a few days ago, moved that it be read. Upon this, Mr. Welbore Ellis rofe; he faid the Houfe feemed to him. to have laid it down as a rule of practice, not to go into any public bufinefs whatever until queftions that immediately concerned the privilege and dignity of the Houfe were first difpofed of. Upon this principle he moved that the order of the day be adjourned to Monday. Mr. Fox feconded the motion, faying, that he did it not with any view to delay public bufinefs, or to withhold any fupply; and he intended that his conduct fhould prove the fincerity of his profeffions. But furely when a matter of fuch moment as the King's anfwer was to be difcuffed, and to be followed up with fome meafure that ought to be final, he thought that twice twenty-four hours could not be thought too long a time for deliberation. The Chancellor of the Exchequer faid, the right honourable cellor of the gentleman wifhed not to be thought defirous to ftop fupplies; Exchequer. But when he proceeded to delay, from day to day, it was very Mr. Fox. natural for people to think that he meant to refuse. He did not think, that, after the manner in which the pitiful trick of adjournment laft week had been treated, another would have been made this day to delay the public bufinefs, by another adjournment. The mutiny bill ftood for to-morrow; he hoped that when gentlemen confidered how very foon the mutiny act was to expire, they would not think it expedient to put off the confideration of that bill any longer. If gentlemen fhould think proper to adjourn to Monday, the Houfe was furely too thin to difcufs that queftion; all therefore that they ought in reafon to expect, was, that the House fhould now adjourn till to-morrow; and then in full House it might be determined, whether all bufinefs fhould be poftponed to Monday. Mr. Fox faid that it was now only the 4th of March, and themutiny act would expire on the 25th; there was nothing therefore that was very preffing on that head; for if it should be be fent to a Committee on Tuesday the 9th of March, it could the delay of public business, he thought the charge came with The Chancellor of the Exchequer expreffed with a nod his approbation of the propofal. Adjourned till to-morrow. March 5. Mr. Alderman Sawbridge asked the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, if he intended to bring on his plan of reform in the reprefentation of the people this feffion. The Chancellor of the Exchequer anfwered in the negative. Mr. Alderman Sawbridge gave notive, that he should himself move the propofition. Mr. Alder man Saw. bridge. The Secretary at War moved the order of the day, for The Sec. at going into a Committee on the Mutiny bill. War. Mr. Fox upon this immediately rofe: he faid, that as Mr. Fox. the Houfe had made to itself a rule to make every other business give way to the confideration of His Majesty's Anfwers, when they were clofely connected with the privileges of the Commons, it would not be decent either towards His Majefty or the House, to proceed on this day, to to fend the Mutiny bill to a Committee: and indeed when he confidered the nature of the bill, he found it to be one of the almoft innumerable acts which were done every feffions on a principle of confidence; and therefore until the Houfe fhould have taken fome ftep to fill up and confummate the measures which had lately been adopted, he did not think proper that so very important a bill as was that for punishing mutiny and desertion, should be debated. Of all the acts by which confidence in a Minifter could be expreffed, perhaps the paffing of a Mutiny bill was the moft ftriking: it was entrusting to the direction of a Minifter a ftanding army, of which this Cónftitution is fo justly jealous. How then could a Minifter, in whom the Houfe had already declared it could place no confidence, expect that at the moment, and without any previous deliberation, the Houfe would beftow upon him the very ftrongest mark of confidence? He begged, however, not to be understood to infinuate in the moft diftant degree, that a Mutiny bill ought not to pafs: he was fure there was not a man in the Houfe who had the most remote idea of oppofing it; a Mutiny bill was unquestionably neceffary; and the Houfe could not avoid paffing it; for a ftanding army, however contrary to the genius of this Conftitution, was now become an excrefcence that could not now be removed; but though a Mutiny bill muft of neceffity pafs, it by no means followed that it must be in point of duration equal to all thofe mutiny acts that had preceded it; a bill for a month or fix weeks would keep the army together, without calling upon the House to furrender a right fo very neceffary at this moment for the prefervation of its privileges. The delay from this to Monday or Tuesday, could be attended with no dangerous confequences. This was the 5th of March, and the prefent Mutiny act would not expire before the 24th or 25th, and confequently there would be full time for fending it to the Lords, and for them to pass it before the expiration of the prefent act. And here he obferved, that it was to be hoped the Lords would not attempt to make any alteration in a bill, which was to all intents and purposes a money bill. And he begged leave to conclude with an obfervation, that as the House had last year passed two or three short Mutiny bills, fo one of them was moved as late as the 14th of March, though it was to replace an act that was to expire on the 25th, and no one expreffed then an apprehenfion, that |