ciples of the bill.

Before his majesty made any reply to the resolutions presented to him,
the St. Albans-tavern association prevailed upon Pitt to agree that
a message should be sent in the king's name to the Duke of Portland,
expressing a desire that his grace should hold a conference with Mr.
Pitt for the purpose of forming an administration, "on a wide basis,
and on fair and equal terms." This message was sent, but the Duke of
Portland still required Pitt to resign before he negociated; and this
attempt to form a coalition of parties proved, like the former, to be
of no avail. Open war, therefore, continued between the two parties, and
its violence increased when, on the 18th of February, after the order of
the day had been read for taking the supplies into consideration,
Pitt intimated, that his majesty had not thought proper to dismiss his
ministers, in compliance with the resolution of that house, and that
they had not resigned. Fox, in reply, expressed his astonishment at this
declaration, and declared that such language had not been heard in
the house since the revolution; and that the commons had never before
received such a reply from a prince of the House of Hanover. Enraged
thereby, Fox moved, that the report of the committee of supply should
not be received till the 20th, which motion was carried by a majority
of twelve only. The friends of Pitt saw in this small majority a ray
of hope that he would ultimately triumph, and the opposition seemed to
think so likewise, for some eagerly desired a compromise. Pitt, however,
declared, that he would enter into no compromise or stipulation for
passing the vote of supplies, and therefore he still stood upon his own
grounds. On the 20th Mr. Powys moved a resolution, humbly requesting
his majesty "to take such measures as might tend to give effect to the
wishes of his faithful commons." This mild resolution did not please
Fox and his party, and an amendment was moved to insert the following
words--"by removing any obstacle to the formation of such an
administration as this house has declared to be requisite in the present
critical situation of affairs." As this amendment aimed at the dismissal
of ministers, a long and stormy debate ensued, in the course of which
Pitt delivered one of the most eloquent speeches ever uttered within
the walls of the house of commons. But no eloquence could break down the
obstinacy of the house; for the motion, with the amendment, was ca