MERITED COMMENDATION. 305 not extensive, is accurate; but its chief praise is founded in the spirit with which it is conducted. We see the zeal of the Christian embellished with the politeness of the gentleman, and the poignancy of criticism softened by the affection of friendship." This was a true description of the work of Mr. Hill; but the subject is one to which no reader will desire more than this brief allusion. X CHAPTER XII. DECEMBER, 1782. MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. LAST PRIVATE INTER SPEECH FROM THE VIEW BETWEEN MR. PITT AND MR. FOX. TRY. OBSERVATIONS OF MR. HILL. EXCELLENT LETTER TO A CLERGYMAN. HILL. AN SENTIMENTS WITH WHICH MR. RICHARD HILL SUCCEEDED TO HIS TITLE AND PROPERTY. THE SHORT RECESS, 1782. THE prorogation of Parliament continued only from the 11th of July to the 5th of December, 1782. During the short recess, Mr. Pitt had for the first time entered upon his official cares as a minister of this great empire, and young as he was, he had sagacity enough to foresee that a battery would be opened at the commencement of the session on his party, before which it would not, without reinforcements, have strength enough to stand. But he did not choose to augment his forces by seeking an accommodation with "the drowsy lord in the blue ribbon," 1 who, had he always slept, would have escaped 'Lord North, so called by Mr. Hill. MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. KING'S SPEECH. 307 the sting of some of Mr. Pitt's most brilliant early denunciations. Both Lord Shelburne and his young but able colleague, desired the assistance of Mr. Fox ; and the latter actually called on him with the offer of office. This overture Mr. Fox rejected, unless Lord Shelburne was removed from the helm of affairs; "for," said he, "I am determined not to belong to any administration of which Lord Shelburne is the head." "If that," replied his highminded visitor, "is your determination, it is useless for me to enter into any discussion-for I am not come to betray Lord Shelburne.” He then left the room, never more to have a private interview with his illustrious rival, but to become his stern opposer. But in this, as in all the transactions of his opening day of power, Mr. Pitt gave evidence of the "virtue, integrity, and honor" ascribed to him by Mr. Burke, which formed a brighter wreath around his brow, than all the brilliancy of his eloquence, or the splendour of his genius. Parliament opened with a speech from the throne full of topics of vital interest to Great Britain,—namely, pacific negotiations with America, France, and all the belligerent powers of Europe by whom we had been menaced. The address was, on this occasion, carried unanimously, both in the Lords and Commons; but on the report being brought into the latter house, Mr. Burke indulged his humour to the full, and by his violent abuse of the speech and sarcastic observations, kept the benches in convulsions of laughter. The House, which had been carried away by the irresistible powers of the ill-timed wit of this extraordinary man, was quickly brought into a more serious mood by the memorable rebukes of Mr. Pitt, who spoke in a manner more suited to the solemn and weighty topics then engaging atten 308 SINGULAR DISCREPANCY. tion, and whose speech was hailed with such general applause, that the report was received without any division. But the ministry were soon placed in a very singular situation, by contradictory statements relative to the independence of the American colonies. Lord Shelburne asserted that the recognition of that independence was contingent upon peace with France, whereas upon a question being put by Mr. Fox in consequence of this affirmation, Mr. Pitt and two of his colleagues replied in the lower House, that it was intended to be unconditional. Upon this declaration, Lord Shelburne became the subject of many severe remarks in several debates, and was accused of intending to deceive both his colleagues and the public. Mr. Burke called the ministry a serpent with two heads; and in every possible way did Mr. Fox and his party endeavour to bring the character of Lord Shelburne into suspicion and contempt. But the house having negatived1 Mr. Fox's motion for the production of the provisional articles, agreed upon between the English and American commissioners, there was no other important debate before Christmas. Never did the interior of the House of Commons present a spectacle of deeper interest, than when the young, but gigantic powers of Mr. Pitt were almost nightly developed in his contests with the united forces of Burke, Fox, and Sheridan, whose combined eloquence, experience, and wit, falling harmless on the shield of his mighty genius, were hurled back upon them with dart after dart still keener of his own. I do not find that Mr. Hill took any prominent part in these debates at the close of the year 1782; but in the beginning of the new year, he was early in the field. The motion was rejected by 219 to 46. QUESTION OF THE TREATIES. 309 Preliminary articles of peace with France and Spain were signed at Paris on the 20th of January, copies of which, as well as of the provisional articles with America, were produced before both Houses. Time, however, was wisely given to reflect on the terms of these treaties before they were made subjects of debate, and during the interval, Mr. Pitt passed his economical measures with the approval of a unanimous House of Commons, and great credit to himself. But as the hour approached for the stirring question of the treaties, which it was evident must end either in confirming or uprooting the Ministry, every eye was fixed in anxious expectation upon two leading individuals, Lord North and Mr. Fox, who had a common interest in the overthrow of the Government, and who were never likely to find again such an opportunity for effecting it. Accordingly, by the intervention of common friends, they were easily brought to agree that they would unite in deprecating the terms of peace. The adroitness with which they commenced their attack is well known, as well as their caution in not coming to a direct censure of the treaties till they had felt their way. At length, on the 20th of February, they thought it was time to strike a grand blow in the shape of a string of five resolutions moved by Lord John Cavendish. This Nobleman took great pains to assure the House, that neither he nor his friends had the remotest design of shaking those treaties which had been made by the King's prerogative. However, in the fourth resolution, which gave rise to a very animated debate, he moved that the concessions made to the adversaries of Great Britain were greater than they were entitled to." One of the most forcible opponents to this censure was Mr. Powys, afterwards Lord Lilford, who had at that time great weight in the House of |