at at a time when the pecuniary concerns of the
country were, from the long and expensive war which still raged, in a
state of great embarrassment. Fox and his associates were accused of
heat and precipitancy, and of having committed the whole Whig cause by
their sudden resignation, whence, on the 9th of July, Fox thought proper
to defend his conduct in the house of commons; maintaining, that he and
his colleagues could not act with honour and benefit to the country,
either under or in conjunction with Lord Shelburne. In his speech, he
arraigned the conduct of the new first-minister, and General Conway rose
in his defence. While he lamented the retirement of Fox, Conway said,
that in a cabinet of eleven ministers, there must be some shades of
difference; but he denied that these were sufficient to justify the
resignation of Fox and the other friends of the deceased marquess. Mr.
Pitt was more severe in his remarks upon Fox than General Conway. He
accused him of being more at variance with men than their measures, and
of having resigned in pique and from disappointed ambition, rather than
on any public ground. This language might have been just to a certain
extent, but there were doubtless other reasons more cogent than pique
and animosity for the retirement of Fox, as he was at this time in a
desperate state of poverty. Be this as it may, the severity of Pitt was
the commencement of a long conflict between him and Fox.

{GEORGE III. 1782--1784}

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.

Parliament was prorogued on the 11th of July. News had been recently
received of a victory gained by Rodney, which restored the naval
supremacy of England in the western world; of the relief of Gibraltar,
and of the poverty and embarrassment of France and Spain, as well as
the absolute pauperism of the American congress. Although, therefore,
overtures had been made for peace with the Americans, on the basis of
independence, yet, in his speech, the king did not show himself disposed
to go thus far if it could be avoided. He remarked:--"Nothing can
be more repugnant to my feelings than the long continuance of so
complicated a war; but should the want of a corresponding disposition on
the part of the enemy disappoint the hopes of terminating that calamity,
I shall still rely on the spirit, affection, and unanimity of my
parliament and people to support the honour of my crown and the
interests of the nation. The most triumphant career of victory w