power and disable him for the rest of
his life. His influence in the commons was diminished by recent
legislation, and there the bill was carried by two to one. Before the
second reading in the lords he gave Temple a card authorising him to
say that, whoever voted for the bill "would be considered by him as an
enemy". This soon became known, and, on December 17, the commons voted
by 153 to 80 that it was now necessary to declare that to report the
king's opinion on any question pending in parliament with a view to
influence votes is a high crime and misdemeanour. Nevertheless the
king's unconstitutional move was successful; the lords rejected the
bill. The next night George ordered the secretaries of state to send
back their seals, for he would not receive them personally, and the
coalition ministry was dismissed. Pitt at once accepted the offices of
first lord of the treasury and chancellor of the exchequer.

[Sidenote: _PITT FORMS A MINISTRY._]

He was then in his twenty-fifth year. Extraordinary difficulties faced
him: the opposition of a large majority of the commons, led by Fox, a
master of debate, and strong in men of ability and experience, and the
discredit attaching to the king's unconstitutional action to which he
owed his position. He found it difficult to form a ministry, for few
were willing to join him in a struggle in which victory seemed hopeless.
Shelburne, his former leader, he would not invite, for he could not
endure his habitually enigmatic conduct. Temple, an instigator and the
agent of the king's action, became secretary of state, but immediately
resigned owing apparently to a personal offence. The new cabinet
consisted only of Lords Sydney (Thomas Townshend) and Carmarthen,
secretaries for the home and foreign departments; Gower, president of
the council; Rutland, privy seal; Thurlow, chancellor; and Howe, first
lord of the admiralty; besides Pitt who alone among them sat in the
commons. Richmond again became master of the ordnance and a little later
re-entered the cabinet. Dundas was treasurer of the navy. Pitt's
acceptance of office was regarded by the opposition as a "boyish freak";
his ministry was "a mince-pie administration which would end with the
Christmas holidays".[176]

Pitt had a majority of the commons against him; but in those days the
cabinet was not so wholly dependent on the commons as it became after
1832.[177] Supported by the king and the lords, Pitt determined to do
battle