rtion of the Addingtonians. Two of them, Hiley Addington and Bond,
spoke bitterly against Melville during the debates of June, which led
Gillray to represent them as jackasses about to kick a wounded lion. So
annoyed was Pitt as to refuse them promotions which they expected,
whereupon Sidmouth and Buckinghamshire tendered their resignations. The
old friends parted sorrowfully after a final interview at Pitt's house
on Putney Heath (7th July). Camden now became President of the Council,
and Castlereagh Minister at War, Harrowby re-entering the Cabinet as
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
As the prospect of further taxation was calculated to depress Pitt's
supporters and inspirit the Opposition, he proceeded to Weymouth in the
middle of September to lay before the King an important proposal. The
formation of a truly national Administration being more than ever
essential, he besought George to admit certain members of the parties of
Fox and Grenville, especially in order to facilitate the passing of the
next Budget. The Monarch, however, was obdurate, asserting that Pitt had
done well in the past session and would probably fare better still in
the next. On 22nd September he repeated these statements to Rose, whom
he called to him on the esplanade, and was quite unconvinced by his
arguments that in the present state of parties the Budget could scarcely
be passed, and that, if Pitt chanced to be laid up with a fit of gout
for two or three weeks, there would be an end of the Administration. The
King would not hear of any change, and proved more intractable on this
topic than in the year before, during his stay at Cuffnells.[728] In
fact, in Rose's manuscript is a statement, prudently omitted from the
published Diaries, that George, on returning to his residence at
Weymouth, declared his resolve rather to risk a civil war than to admit
Fox into his councils.[729] Thus ended Pitt's last effort to form a
national Administration fitted to cope with the gigantic power of
Napoleon.
It is difficult to realize the multiplicity of the cares which pressed
upon Pitt. Rose feared that he would soon succumb to the burden; for,
apart from the defence of a weak Government against a strong Opposition,
Pitt transacted very much of the business of the War Office and Foreign
Office, besides assisting the Admiralty and the Commander-in-Chief. No
one in Europe, with the exception of Napoleon, worked so hard; and Pitt,
besides being ten yea
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