acting, as it were, in him. 
-Lowther. 
CHA RA 
following year, however, he was 
returned for the borough of Apple- 
by, by the interest of sir James 
On taking his seat in 
the house of commons, he enlisted 
himself on the side of the party 
which had constantly opposed the 
minister, lord North, and the Ame- 
rican war, and which regarded him 
with a degree of veneration; reco- 
gnising in his person the genius of 
his illustrious father, revived and 
His first 
speech was in favour of col. Barre’s 
motion for substituting a set of 
other gentlemen, than what the 
‘minister (lord North) had ap- 
_ pointed, as commissioners for au- 
 diting the public accompts, at the 
head of whom was John Elwes, 
-esq.; and one of the first acts, in 
which he took the lead in that 
house, was extremely well calcu- 
- 
lated to increase his popularity ; 
this was his motion for a committee, 
to consult upon the most effectual 
means to accomplish a more equal 
representation of the people in par- 
Jiament. 
On the death of the marquis of 
Rockingham, the old whig party 
fell into a state of disunion, nearly 
bordering upon dissolution. A new 
arrangement took place soon after, 
-and lord Shelburne became the first 
lord of the treasury, assisted by 
_ Mr. Pitt, who astonished the coun- 
3 try, and, indeed, all Europe, by the 
phenomenon of a chancellor of 
‘the exchequer at the age of tuenty- 
three! 
This administration, however, of 
which he was one of the most dis- 
tinguished members, was short-lived. 
On its dissolution, and the coalition 
ministry being formed, Mr. Mans- 
CIT EAR -S. 875 
field vacated his seat for Cambridge 
by accepting the office of solicitor. 
general, and ‘his return for the 
university was unsuccessfully op- 
posed by Mr. Pitt, who was treated 
with contempt by many of the 
heads and members of the college. 
One of them almost threw the door 
in his face, and wondered at the 
impudence of the young man, 
thus to come down and disturb the 
peace of the university! From such 
a scene he retired in a few days in 
disgust ; and afterwards went 
abroad for some time, visiting 
France, Italy, and several of the 
German courts. 
A few months, however, changed 
the scene; the British dominions in 
India having long been in an alarm- 
ing situation, it was generally ad- 
mitted that an immediate remedy 
was indispensably necessary to pre- 
serve them. On this occasion, Mr. 
Fox, thensecretary of state, formed, 
digested, and brought forward his 
famous India bill, which he carricd 
through its several stages in the 
lower house with a high hand; but 
it being rejected by the lords, the 
coalition ministry was thrown out, 
and lord North with his new allies 
were accordingly dismissed, and 
that too in a very unusual manner ; 
and Mr. Pitt, the new premier, 
who ‘had in the interim re-appeared 
on the great theatre of politics, 
was assisted by lord Thurlow, as 
keeper of the great seals—arrange- 
ments, which, at that time, were, 
however, only considered as tem- 
porary. ’ , 
He now astonished the commer- 
cia] and political world, by his own 
India bill! He had, however, the 
mortification to find the majority of 
the 
