leges endangered by the East India Bills, expressing the
gratitude of the country to His Majesty for the vigour and resolution
with which he had acted. The Coalition, nevertheless, still wielded a
powerful majority in the Commons, with which they continued to harass
the Cabinet, in spite of those demonstrations of public opinion which
plainly warned them that, long as they might succeed in protracting the
struggle, it could end only in disaster and defeat. The King and the
Cabinet were, in short, brought into open hostility with the Commons by
the persevering resistance of that unnatural and unprincipled
combination which, stung by recent failure and disgrace, now manifested
greater virulence than ever. Two days after the reassembling of
Parliament, in January, Mr. Pitt introduced his India Bill. It was
immediately rejected by the Commons. This was his first defeat. Every
subsequent movement of the Government was frustrated in the same way.
All the resources of parliamentary tactics were resorted to for the
purpose of dislodging the Minister. Resolutions were passed declaring
that the late changes were not calculated to conciliate the House, and
that the continuance in office of the new Ministers was injurious to the
interests of both King and people; and, finding that these resolutions
failed of the desired effect, more violent measures were adopted. The
Mutiny Bill was postponed, and the appropriation of the supplies was
suspended.

In this desperate state of affairs, it appeared to be absolutely
impossible to carry on the business of the country; and, driven to the
last extremity, negotiations were opened with the Duke of Portland, in
the hope of appeasing the Opposition, and strengthening the hands of
Government. But the Duke of Portland made demands which were
incompatible with the dignity of the Minister, and which only tended to
increase the difficulty of the situation. It is believed that he went so
far as to stipulate for Mr. Pitt's resignation. Mr. Pitt, however,
refused to resign, and the negotiation was broken off. Throughout the
whole of this contest, Mr. Pitt maintained an attitude of firmness, and
displayed an amount of ability which greatly increased his popularity.
The Opposition, powerful as it was, finally gave way under his undaunted
spirit, their numbers daily diminishing as the inutility of perseverance
became more and more evident, until at length he reduced the majority
against him to one on a vo