s and the mutiny act were postponed. Through it
all Pitt exhibited wonderful courage, sagacity, and self-control. A body
of independent members proposed a compromise, and the king reluctantly
assented. Fox declared himself willing to work with Pitt, but,
determined to assert the authority of the house, insisted that the
ministers should resign before arrangements were discussed. To this Pitt
haughtily refused to assent. George upheld him: during the late
administration he would not create any peers; on Pitt's recommendation
he created four, and almost daily sent his young minister encouraging
little notes. The lords too were on his side; they condemned as
unconstitutional a resolution of the commons suspending certain
statutory powers of the treasury, which was adopted in order to
embarrass the ministry, and sent an address to the king assuring him of
their support in the just exercise of the prerogative.

Pitt won general admiration by granting the valuable sinecure office of
clerk of the pells to Barre in exchange for the pension secured to him
by the whigs. His private means were only L300 a year, and, as such
matters were then regarded, he might have taken the office himself
without scandal; but uncertain as his position seemed to be, he
preferred saving the country L3,200 a year to putting it into his own
pocket. Feeling outside the house ran strongly in his favour; addresses
were sent up thanking the king for dismissing the late ministry, and
Pitt was presented with the freedom of the city of London. As on his
return from the city on February 27 his carriage was being drawn by
workmen in triumph up St. James's street, it was attacked opposite
Brooks's, the meeting-place of Fox's party; he was assaulted and escaped
with difficulty into White's club. Members of Brooks's were believed to
be concerned in the outrage, which increased Pitt's growing popularity.
The opposition began to waver. On March 1 a fresh address to the king
for the removal of the ministers was carried by only twelve votes.
George again refused his assent. Fox shrank from attempting the extreme
measure of refusing supplies; it would, indeed, have been useless, for
his suggestion that the house should pass a mutiny bill for a brief
period met with no encouragement. He made one more effort; on the 8th he
moved a representation to the king, drawn up by Burke, which was carried
only by one vote. The struggle was over; the next day the usual mutiny
bill