carried on the 20th February, his majesty's answer was reported on the 27th, the substance of which was, that no charge having been brought against his ministers, but, on the contrary, numbers of his subjects having expressed to him the utmost satisfaction on the change of his councils, he could not see that any salutary effect would be produced by their dismission. A second address and a second answer followed; after which a long representation to the king was voted, though by a majority of one solitary vote, the numbers being one hundred and nintyone to one hundred and ninety. On the 10th March, the mutiny bill was passed without a division; on the 24th of the same month parliament was prorogued, and on the next day dissolved 3.

3 Parliamentary History of England. Dodsley's Annual Register. Dr. Aikin's Annals of the Reign of George III. Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke.

CHAP. X.

Reflections on the Dissolution of Parliament....Mr. Fox's Election for Westminster....Meeting of the new Parliament.... The King's Speech....Debates on moving the customary Address....State of the Country at this period....Mr. Pitt's first Measures of Finance....His Propositions respecting the East India Company's Affairs....Mr. Fox's Objections to them.... His amended East India Bill....Discussions on the Bill.... Parliamentary Proceedings.... Affairs of Great Britain and Ireland....Mr. Fox's Return for Westminster....Nabob of Arcot's Debts....Mr. Burke's celebrated Speech on the Occasion.... Mr. Pitt is pressed on the Subject of Parliamentary Reform, ...He introduces a new Bill on that Subject, which is lost.... Affairs of Ireland....Parliament meet after the Recess.... Proposed Fortification of Portsmouth and Plymouth ridiculed by Mr. Sheridan....Origination of the Sinking Fund.... Wine Duties transferred from the Customs to the Excise....Proceedings respecting the Impeachment of Warren Hastings.... Mr. Burke undertakes the Office of Accuser....Parliamentary Proceedings consequent thereon....Mr. Fox's Motion on the Rohilla War....The Impeachment decided on....Attempt to assassinate the King.

1784.

A DISSOLUTION of parliament, at an earlier period than is fixed by the law and constitution of the country, is entitled to be regarded in the light of an appeal from the sovereign to his subjects, respecting the conduct of their representatives. It is, in effect, asking them, "Did your late representatives speak your minds in the great council of the nation, or did they not? If they did, you will reelect them; if not, you will choose others." And, certainly, if we take up the subject in this point of view, we must regard the country as expressing a strong mark of disapprobation of the late coalition, and of the measures of their administration. In fact, so far as popular opinion can be considered as a test of either merit or demerit, it was, in this instance, decidedly

favourable to Mr. Pitt, and inimical to his opponents. But it was the misfortune of Mr. Fox to have his general conduct very often erroneously estimated by a partial view of matters, by considering merely the defects without comprehending the excellencies of his plans, measures, and character; but at no time was he less popular than after his India bill, and the contest which he had maintained with his sovereign. So entire was the route of the coalition party, that nearly the whole number of members, who lost their seats on this occasion, amounting to about one hundred and sixty, were the friends of either Mr. Fox or lord North. Still, however, the former retained great favour in some parts of the kingdom; and in Westminster, in particular, his election was the most noted of any that had occurred for the new parliament. The candidates were lord Hood, Mr. Fox, and sir Cecil Wray. On the 11th day of the poll, Fox was three hundred and eighteen votes behind Wray; but the aspect of affairs now became greatly changed in his favour. The duchess of Devonshire espoused his cause with an influence that was irresistible. Animated by personal friendship, and prompted by an ardent zeal for what she conceived to be a public benefit, this elevated female commenced a personal canvass in favour of the losing candidate, and with such effect, that, after a contest of forty days, Mr. Fox had a majority of two hundred and thirty-five votes over his opponent, sir Cecil Wray.

The 16th of May was the day fixed for the meeting of the new parliament, in which Mr. Pitt, then not twenty-five years of age, may be said to have commenced his career as first minister of the crown and leader of the house of commons. Mr. Cornwall was chosen speaker, and on the 19th his majesty opened the session by a speech from the throne. The objects particularly recommended to the atten

tion of his faithful commons were, the alarming progress of frauds in the revenue, the framing of such commercial regulations as were immediately necessary, and the providing for the good government of our East Indian possessions. Upon this subject a hope was expressed, that parliament would not lose sight of the effect which the measures they adopted might have upon our own constitution, and our dearest interests at home. He professed to have no wish but to consult the prosperity of his people, by a constant attention to every object of national concern, by a uniform adherence to the true principles of our free constitution, and by supporting and maintaining in their just balance the rights and privileges of every branch of the legislature.

An address conformable to the speech having been moved, a debate arose on the expressions of gratitude to the king for having dissolved the late parliament; and an amendment was proposed, to leave out such parts of the address as referred to that subject, which was negatived by a large majority. As his majesty's speech implied a censure of the former parliament, and particularly of Mr. Fox's East India bill, Mr. Burke undertook the defence of opposition and the censure of their adversaries; and on the 14th June made a motion for an address to the king, representing and vindicating the proceedings of the last parliament, and criminating the present ministers. Though the name of Mr. Fox is indissolubly connected with that bill, it is to Mr. Burke that the first daring outline of the plan, as well as the chief part of the materials for filling it up, are to be attributed; whilst to sir Arthur Piggot's able hand was entrusted the legal task of drawing the bill. The intense interest which Burke took in the affairs of India had led him to lay in such stores of information on the subject, as naturally gave him the lead in all deliberations connected with it. His labours for the

select committee, the ninth report of which is pregnant with his mighty mind, may be considered as the source and foundation of this bill; while of the underplot, which had in view the strengthening of the whig interest, we find the germ in his “Thoughts on the present Discontents," where in pointing out the advantage to England of being ruled by a confederacy, he says, "In one of the most fortunate periods of our history, this country was governed by a connexion; I mean the great connexion of whigs in the reign of queen Anne." Burke was certainly at this time the actuating spirit of the party, as he must have been of any party to which he attached himself. Keeping, as he did, the double engines of his genius and industry incessantly in play over the minds of his more indolent colleagues, with an intentness of purpose that nothing could divert, and an impetuosity of temper which nothing could resist, it is no way wonderful that he should have gained such an entire mastery over their wills, or that the party who obeyed him so long have retained an impression of his rash spirit imprinted upon their measures. The yielding temper of Mr. Fox, together with his unbounded admiration of Burke, led him easily, in the first instance, to acquiesce in the views of his friend: and then the ardour of his own nature, and the self-kindling power of his eloquence, threw an earnestness and fire into his public declaration of those views, which made even himself forget that they were adopted from another, and impressed on his hearers the conviction that they were all, and from the first his own. But as Burke was the main-spring in this political piece of machinery, it devolved on him by right and justice to undertake its defence. On the present occasion, he dwelt particularly on the rectitude and expediency of the late East India bill, and on the dreadful consequences likely to ensue from the dis