An unfuccessful effort was now made to effect an accommodation between the Whigs in and out of office; and an interview took place between Lord Rockingham and Lord Chatham. In the course of the conference, Lord Chatham declaring " that for this purpose a TRANSPOSITION of OFFICES would be neceffary," and this expreffion being supposed to imply the removal of Lord Rockingham from the Treafury, the negotiation was diffolved in its very commencement. A difference arifing foon after this, between the Minifters and the Chancellor, refpecting the plan or project of a Constitution for the province of Canada, which the Chancellor, naturally morofe and furly, and who had never been cordially their friend, condemned in terms of indignation and intemper, ance, the Cabinet of Carlton House were again encouraged to renew their efforts for the forming of a new Administration; and, for this purpose, it was determined to offer Mr. Pitt a carte blanche. Mr. Pitt being introduced to the King at Richmond (July 12, 1766), was told by his Majefty, that he had no terms to propofe. He put himfelf entirely into his hands." Mr. Pitt, now in the fulness of exultation, fent immediately for Lord Temple, then at Stowe, and acquainted his Lordfhip, that being empowered by his Majesty to form an Administration, he was defirous to fee his Lordfhip at the head of the Treasury, he himself pur

pofing to take the poft of Privy Seal; at the fame. time producing a lift of names deftined to occupy the other great departments of Government. Lord Temple faid," he did not conceive, from the tenor of the conference with which he alfo had been honored by the King, that Mr. Pitt was to be abfolute mafter: if he had been previously fo informed, he fhould not have given himself or Mr. Pitt the trouble of this visit, being determined to come in upon an equality with Mr. Pitt; and in cafe he were to occupy the most refponfible place under Government, he should infift upon the introduction of fome of his friends into the Cabinet, and he thought Mr. Pitt must be fenfible he could not come in with honor unless he was allowed his fhare of the nomination. It was his idea to conciliate and unite all parties, which was the ground on which Mr. Pitt's former glorious Administration had been erected: but if Mr. Pitt infifted upon a fuperior dictation, he defired the conference might be broken off, for that he would not fubmit to the propofed condition." Mr. Pitt, firm to his purpose, and dreading with reason, notwithstanding his perfonal regard and affection for Lord Temple, the predominance of the Grenville intereft in the new Cabinet, refused to recede in any point from the arrangement he had formed; and Lord Temple finally withdrew, full of refentment.

At

At the latter end of July 1766, the Duke of Grafton, who had some months before refigned the feals, "not from any objection, as his Grace declared in Parliament, to the perfons or measures of the late Minifters, but because they did not poffefs that efficiency which was neceffary to their fuccefs," was now appointed to the high office of Firft Lord Commiffioner of the Treafury; the Right Honorable Charles Townshend, a man of rifing parliamentary reputation and brilliant talents, but capricious, infincere, intriguing, and wholly deftitute of difcretion or folidity, being made Chancellor of the Exchequer, The Earl of Shelburne, in the room of the Duke of Richmond, was nominated Secretary of State for the Southern Department, General Conway being continued in poffeffion of the Northern. Sir Charles Saunders was placed at the head of the Admiralty, in the room of Lord Egmont; Lord Chief Juftice Pratt, who had been recently created Lord Camden, was declared Chancellor of Great Britain; the Earl of Northington fucceeded the Earl of Winchelfea as Prefident of the Council; and Mr. Pitt, being advanced to the peerage by the title of Earl of Chatham, chofe for himself the office of Lord Privy Seal, vacated by the Duke of Newcastle. The Earl of Bristol was nominated to the government of Ireland, of which he never took poffeffion; the administration of affairs in that kingdom re

maining

maining with the Lords Juftices, till at a fubfequent period it was configned to Lord Townshend. Lord Rockingham retired from office with an high character for pure and difinterested patriotifim, and without fecuring place, penfion, or reverfion to himself or any of his adherents. The numerous addreffes of approbation prefented to this Nobleman from the different cities and towns throughout the kingdom, on his unmerited difmiffion, fufficiently proved the high and just sense entertained of his eminent fervices. The Merchants of London trading to the Weft Indies and North America expreffed their fentiments in a manner peculiarly respectful and flattering: "We beg leave," fay they, "when, your Lordship being no longer in a public station, we are exempt from even the fufpicion of flattery, to exprefs our sense of the effential benefits received during your Lordship's administration; a period fhort indeed, but truly memorable for the nobleft exertions of a Patriot Ministry in favor of the civil and commercial interefts of these kingdoms; happily difpelling the threatening clouds which hung over us, and opening a fyftem of commerce liberal and useful beyond all former example."

On Lord Rockingham's retiring to his manfion in the North, he was met near the city of York by a cavalcade of 200 gentlemen. Addreffes, during his refidence there, were prefented to him

by

by the towns of Leeds, Halifax, Hull, Wakefield, and York, expreffive of the highest refpect, gratitude, and esteem. Such was at this period the happy afcendancy of Whig principles in the nation, and fuch the contrariety between the Court and Country systems of politics. It is furely fuperfluous to fay, that the new minifterial arrangement very ill accorded with the idea of that firm, efficient, and extended Administration which was calculated to restore the empire, weakened and diftracted by the late political contentions and animofities, to its former enviable ftate of fame and felicity. Mr. Pitt, by imperiously insisting on the fole nomination of the Cabinet Minifters, too plainly appeared ambitious to fecure to himself a monopoly of power; vainly and unreasonably prefuming, that those who owed to his recommendation their advancement, would in all things fubmit themselves to his guidance and direction. The principal fource of the popular difcontent * however

arofe

* The diffenfions prevailing amongst the Patriotic Leaders of the Oppofition, or WHIG Party, at this period, at once gratified the malignity and facilitated the manoeuvres of the PANDEMONIUM of Carlton-Houfe. The Newcastle or Rockingham connection, acceding with improvident eagerness to the overtures of the Court, after the positive rejection of the Lords Chatham and Temple, quickly found their Administration refted on a bafis much too weak to be permanent. Lord Chatham, subsequently invested with full powers, inftigated by ambition and

refentment,