to carry
on the administration, and would render all the business of government
unprofitable and uncertain; while, on the other hand, the Tories knew
that by their success they should secure the favour of the king more
firmly than ever, if he should be able to resume his functions. The
contest was a curious one, because parties had completely changed
opinions: the Whigs, those staunch advocates for the rights of the
parliament and the people, now clamoured for prerogative and the
hereditary rights of princes; and the Tories, those old sticklers
for prerogative and hereditary rights, now as loudly clamoured for the
rights of the parliament and the people. Pitt was endeavouring to show
that the assertion of the inherent rights of the Prince of Wales, was
one of those exploded ideas of indefeasible right which had fallen into
contempt, and Fox had to persuade the house that the primary axioms of
government and the abstract rights of the people were things unworthy
their notice. The propositions moved by Pitt were warmly supported by
the master of the rolls, the lord advocate of Scotland, the attorney
and solicitor general, and the solicitor general to the queen. They were
opposed by Lord North and Fox, the latter of whom combated the arguments
of his opponents with an earnestness worthy of a better cause: fighting
like a man whose very existence depended on the issue of the debate. Fox
himself seems to have felt that his cause was not a good one, for after
replying to the arguments adduced in favour of the propositions, by Pitt
and his supporters, and vindicating himself from the notion of being
influenced in his opinion by the favour of the prince, he made a
personal attack on the minister, accusing him with sacrificing the
principles of the constitution to his lust of power. Pitt replied to
this attack, and enforced his former arguments; after which a motion
made by Lord North for the speaker to leave the chair, was negatived by
a majority of two hundred and sixty-eight against two hundred and four,
and then the resolutions passed without a division. They were reported
on the 19th, when another stormy debate took place, and in the end
two amendments--one moved by Mr. Powys and one by Mr. Dempster--were
negatived without a division, and the two first resolutions were
received. Dempster moved an amendment on the third resolution, but as
the house was exhausted, the consideration of it was deferred till the
22nd of December