of only nine.

The Earl of Surrey gave notice that on the morning of the 20th inst. he
would move, in substance, Lord John Cavendish's resolution directly
condemnatory of the Ministry. On that morning Lord North and the Earl of
Surrey rose at the same moment, and neither would give way to the other.
The general cry was "Lord Surrey, and no adjournment." As soon as the
House could be reduced to order, it was moved "That the Earl of Surrey
be now heard," when Lord North, having obtained the right to speak,
said, "I rise to speak to the motion before the House." He observed that
had he been suffered to proceed before, he believed much unnecessary
heat and disorder would have been prevented. He meant no disrespect to
the noble earl; but as notice had been given that the object of the
intended motion was the removal of his Majesty's Ministers, he meant to
have acquainted the House that such a motion had become unnecessary. He
could assure the House with authority that _the present Administration
was no more_, and that his Majesty had come to a full determination of
changing his Ministers; and that it was for the purpose of giving
necessary time for new arrangements that he meant to have moved an
adjournment.

The noble lord then took leave of the House as a Minister of the Crown,
and with many kind and courteous words thanked them for the honourable
support they had given him during so long a course of years.[56]

By such blows following each other in the Commons, in rapid succession
and with accelerated force, was driven from power an Administration
which had inflicted greater evils upon the Crown, the constitution, the
people of England and of the colonies, than any Administration since the
Revolution of 1688.[57]

[Footnote 49: It appears, however, that in the first consultation, which
"took place at Weathersfield, between Generals Washington, Knox, and Du
Portail on the part of the Americans, and Count de Rochambeau and the
Chevalier Chastellux on the part of the French, it was agreed to lay
siege to New York in concert with the French fleet, which was to arrive
on the coast in the month of August. Washington addressed letters to the
executive officers of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New
Jersey, requiring them to fill up their battalions, and to have their
quotas of six thousand two hundred militia in readiness within a week
after the time they might be called for. But all these States not adding
fi