310

SYMPTOMS OF THE COALITION.

Commons. From what Mr. Fox said in the course of his reply to Mr. Powys, the coalition between Lord North and himself became sufficiently apparent, so that Mr. Pitt observed upon it, "If the baneful alliance is not already formed, if this ill-omened marriage is not already solemnized, I know a just and lawful impediment, and in the name of public safety I here forbid the banns." The reply of Lord North was more temperate than might have been expected, considering that he had been the object of the vehement thunder of Mr. Pitt; but he claimed a favourable judgment from the House, upon the ground of his listening to all that had been said without dismay. Yet he confessed the misfortunes and ill-consequences of his ministry, which had in former debates made him the butt of Mr. Fox. Nevertheless, he was ready to forget all former animosities, that in the present emergency he might combine for his country's good with the man who had for many years "vilified and abused" him.

The last speaker on this occasion was Mr. Hill. When he rose, there was a loud call for him, and he obtained a very attentive hearing to the end. He apologized for introducing himself at so very late an hour, and promised to be brief out of compassion to the House, and especially to the Speaker, "for whether," said he, "I or others are the borers, you, Mr. Speaker, are the boree general of this august and honourable assembly." Having by this humorous remark, enlivened a little the exhausted listeners to the long speeches of that important night, he proceeded to observe with much shrewdness, that there were two classes of men who censured the peace. From one of these he said he would borrow an argument in its favour, taken from their own mouths, "Peace at all events, peace upon any terms,

was to be preferred to this destructive, this unnatural war." Yet now a peace was obtained, and as good a one as, considering the circumstances of the times, could have been expected, they who had voted one ministry out for protracting the war, were trying to throw out another for making peace! But, as to the second set of men who censured the peace, "let me," he observed, "ask these gentlemen, who brought the nation into so dishonourable a situation as to make such a peace necessary? If they are sincere in their answers, the blame they cast on the peace will light on themselves!" He next declared his opinion to be favourable to the peace, and that nothing else could save the empire from ruin ; therefore he called on every independent son of peace to say by his vote, pax bello potior. But as to the coalition he had heard of that night, he reprobated it in the most ironical terms, and declared that the coming together of Lord North and Mr. Fox would, like the meeting of an acid and an alkali, cause only a violent fermentation, which would destroy them both. It put him in mind of the union between Herod and Pontius Pilate-however, lest he should launch out, he would say no more, but sit down in silent wonder. As soon as he ended, the division took place, and the numbers were, ayes 207, noes 190, making a majority of 17 against Ministers. For some time, Lord North hesitated about voting for the fourth resolution; but finding that his desire to form a coalition would be unavailing if he did not, he yielded, though he had not as yet had any personal communication with Mr. Fox, so long his bitter and unsparing foe, but now about to become his convenient colleague. The person who had most influence over Lord North on this famous occasion was Mr. Eden, afterwards Lord Auckland, who was called "the father of the coalition."

312

DIFFICULTIES.

CONDUCT OF MR. PITT.

After this defeat, the Ministers declared that they should give up their offices as soon as their successors were appointed. But the King was most reluctant to sanction the strange confederacy, between two men whom Mr. Hill so appropriately called "the acid and the alkali." For twelve years his Majesty had regarded the Noble Lord with confidence and favour, but had held Mr. Fox in great dis-esteem; and now, if they were made joint ministers, it was clear that his decided superiority of talent would leave Lord North little or no influence. The characters of both had also suffered in the eyes of the country, from their readiness to form a junction so unnatural and inconsistent, whereby all public principle had been violated, and all confidence in them destroyed. In this strange state of things, Mr. Pitt was invited by the King to become First Lord of the Treasury. The House adjourned on the motion of Mr. Dundas for three days, to give him time to consider his Royal Master's proposal; but Mr. Pitt, feeling that he could not carry on the government in the face of the new coalition, declined the honourable offer, lest he should involve his Majesty in difficulties without being able to benefit the nation. Such was this young statesman's high sense of honour, that he could resist the most dazzling prospects of a personal kind for the sake of the public weal. He gave a striking proof of this noble disposition in proceeding at once, unmoved by his late important decision, to his bill for the Reform of the Customs.

Great difficulties, as might be expected, impeded the formation of the new government. The King would fain have had Lord North accept the office of Prime Minister, but having already entered into an agreement with Mr. Fox to give the lead to the Duke of Portland,

MR. COKE AND MR. HILL.

313

he declined the offer. Although his Majesty at length acquiesced in their engagements, and commissioned them to form an administration, embarrassments multiplied on all sides, and the want of a government was loudly complained of in Parliament. At length, on the 18th of March, Mr. Coke,' then Member for Norfolk, gave notice that if the Ministry was not formed in three days from that time, he should move an address to the King on the subject. On the 21st he announced that he should not make his motion, because he had heard that arrangements were nearly completed. On the 24th, in consequence of fresh impediments, he moved the address to his Majesty, which was seconded by Lord Surrey. Bishop Tomline, in his Life of Mr. Pitt, says, "When notice was first given of this motion, a Member, who disapproved the coalition, signified his intention of adding a clause as an amendment, requesting his Majesty not to appoint any person a minister, who, "by his mismanagement of public affairs, and by want of foresight and ability, when in office, had lost the confidence of the people"-words taken from a motion of Mr. Fox against Lord North when head of the Treasury. This" Member" was Mr. Richard Hill.2 When he rose to propose the amendment, the Speaker told him it was not regular, as no motion was before the House, but the calls of " read, read," were so vehement, that he was permitted to go on. He did not, however, press his amendment on the day of the debate on Mr. Coke's motion, as the wording of it sufficiently embodied his views; but he embraced the opportunity to eulogize in the highest terms the abilities and integrity of

2

1 Now Earl of Leicester.

It may perhaps hereafter appear why Bishop Tomline did not choose to mention his name.

314

MR. HILL'S REMARKS ON THE COALITION.

Mr. Pitt, and to express his sorrow that he was not likely to form part of the government, and his hope that the public would be "rescued from a most disgraceful and unnatural coalition." He had learned, he said, a mournful lesson since he had sat in that House, that no man seemed to be fit to be a leader in opposition, who "would not sacrifice the service of his country in order to get rid of a minister who stood in his own way." After this severe remark on certain politicians of his time, he concluded by declaring how sincerely he desired to see ability combined with honesty, the distinguishing characteristic of the new arrangement. The motion was agreed to, and a gracious answer returned by the King. Nevertheless, by reason of perpetual impediments, the second of April arrived before the announcement of the coalition ministry took place. There was not in the whole body of members, an individual more averse to this singular union than Mr. Hill, who never lost an opportunity of ridiculing it. On one occasion he exclaimed, "O, what a wonderful power is there in that great national crucible called the Treasury, to melt down and dissolve animosities and heterogeneous qualities, and to make them coalesce! But the present happy coalition has produced wonders indeed! Notwithstanding all their former discordant opinions, they have cordially joined hand in hand to condemn a peace which had saved the kingdom, and to get rid of a Ministry guilty of no national crime, but that of standing in their way. Of Mr. Pitt he said at the same time, "There is more disinterested public virtue in him, than in any other man in office." When the question of reform in the Pay Office was under discussion, he expressed his astonishment at the spectacle of two persons, "who lately durst not trust themselves together in