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The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria cover

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria

Chapter 348: DISSOLUTION OF THE COALITION MINISTRY—PITT MADE PRIME MINISTER.
By Edward Farr
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About This Book

The volume traces British political, parliamentary, and military developments from the accession of George III through the early nineteenth century, chronicling changes of ministry and cabinet, debates over colonial taxation and the American conflict, parliamentary controversies involving figures such as Wilkes and Warren Hastings, questions of Catholic relief and slave-trade abolition, and responses to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, including major naval and continental campaigns, the union with Ireland, and domestic legislation on finance, civil liberties, and parliamentary reform.

DISSOLUTION OF THE COALITION MINISTRY—PITT MADE PRIME MINISTER.

The above resolutions were designed as props to support the government, but they were swept away by his majesty. On the 18th he was employed in making dispositions for the formation of a new cabinet, and at twelve o’clock that night a messenger delivered orders to Fox and Lord North, that they should deliver up the seals of their offices without delay. The seals were sent, and, on the following day, Earl Temple was directed to send letters of dismission to all the other members of the cabinet. At the same time Pitt was appointed first lord of the treasury and chancellor of the exchequer; the Marquess of Carmarthen and Mr. Thomas Townshend (created Lord Sydney) were nominated secretaries of state; Lord Thurlow was reinstated as lord-chancellor; Earl Gower became president of the council; the Duke of Rutland was constituted lord privy-seal; Lord Howe was placed at the head of the admiralty; the Duke of Richmond was made master-general of the ordnance; and Lord Temple was again appointed to the government of Ireland. Mr. W. Grenville and Lord Mulgrave became joint paymasters of the forces; Mr. Dundas, treasurer of the navy; Mr. George Rose and Mr. Steele, secretaries of the treasury; Mr. Lloyd, attorney-general; and Mr. R. P. Arden, solicitor-general. In the first instance Lord Temple had been made one of the secretaries of state, but he resigned this post under pretence of meeting the charge of tampering with the royal confidence, which was laid against him by the recent cabinet, more freely. It was predicted, that the new ministry would not exist one month; and looking at the formidable array of opponents which sat on the opposition benches on the evening of their acceptance of office, this prediction seemed certain of fulfilment. Pitt himself was conscious of his weakness, and doubtful of the result; but his administration, though commenced under such unfavourable circumstances, proved in the end one of the most memorable in the British annals.