19, then to the vanishing point of 1, and finally
to a minority of 16. Every incident connected with the war, the taxes,
parliamentary reform, and all other questions upon which it was possible
to raise a discussion, were seized upon by the opposition to harass the
Ministry. The total surrender of York Town by Lord Cornwallis, with the
whole army under his command, to Washington, and of the British vessels
in the harbour to the French Admiral de Grasse in the October of 1781,
awakened universal indignation; and, when Parliament met in November, it
became evident that, however resolved the King or the Government might
be to persevere in their policy, the doom of the Administration was near
at hand. Amendments to the Address, pointing ominously to a change of
counsels, were moved in both houses by Lord Shelburne and Mr. Fox; but
nothing further was done till after the Christmas recess, with the
exception of an announcement that Ministers had resolved not to send a
fresh army to replace that surrendered by Lord Cornwallis.

About this time, very early in the session, a motion was contemplated on
the subject, the object of which, as may be gathered from the following
notes of the Marquis of Rockingham, was to relieve Lord Cornwallis from
the disgrace that impended over him, and to throw the real
responsibility upon Ministers. The Marquis of Rockingham, desirous of
proceeding upon more certain information than had at that time been
received, appears to have advised a little delay, and to have been of
opinion that if any motion were to be brought forward at that moment it
ought to have taken the shape of a motion for inquiry. It is evident
that the Marquis of Rockingham was already collecting his friends about
him. The name of Lord Rockingham's correspondent does not appear, but,
from a subsequent allusion, it may be presumed that these notes were
addressed to the Duke of Chandos.

THE MARQUIS OF ROCKINGHAM TO THE DUKE OF CHANDOS.

My Lord,

Your Grace does me much honour in the communication of the
thoughts you entertain of bringing forward some matters of
business in the House of Lords.

I shall be very happy to concur in opinion with your Grace, but
I must say that I cannot at present think that there is anything
come to our knowledge in regard to the actual conduct of Lord
Cornwallis, as commander of a British army in America, which
calls for the honour of a vote of thanks fr