ENGL 
taint of fufpicion, oppofed the bill in queftion, under the 
too fcrupulous apprehenlion of its eftabliffiing an arbi¬ 
trary precedent. The oppofition to this bill in the lioufe 
of lords was truly formidable. The Rockingham and 
Grenville parties united in the reprobation of it. The 
divilions in the different (Pages were uncommonly clofe ; 
and the minifter,, who defended the meafure with great 
ability, was able on two fucceflivfe trials to command a 
majority of three voices only ; more than 120 peers being 
prefent. At length it palled on a divilion of 59 to 44 
voices. The ideas of lord Chatham, who dill maintained 
an intimate and confidential intercourfe with the duke of 
Grafton, went to an abfolute and unqualified denial of 
the legal and cor.ftitutional right of the company to the 
territorial revenue, and the political jurifdiftion annexed 
to it, as utterly incompatible with their commercial ca¬ 
pacity, and totally foreign to the nature of the privileges 
verted in them by charter. 
This interefting fertion did not terminate till July 2, 
1767, when the want of cordiality amongrt the minifters 
became apparent. S6on after the prorogation, the king 
wrote with his own hand to the earl of Chatham, ac¬ 
quainting him with his intention to make certain altera¬ 
tions in the admiriiftration, and defiring his lordlhip’s 
artiftance and advice. But lord Chatham fignified to his 
majefty, that fuch was his date of health as to render 
him incapable of affording the leaft aid in fettling any 
future arrangement j but acknowledging the neceflityof 
ftrengthening the hands of government, by a coalition 
either with the Rockingham or Grenville party. A 
change of minirtry being now confidently expected, the 
duke of Newcaftle exerted his utmoft efforts to unite the 
houfes of Ruffei and Wentworth, confcious that a firm 
and cordial coalefcence could alone render their oppofi¬ 
tion formidable, or their adminiftration permanent. This, 
however, was extremely difficult to effect, frorrrthe dif¬ 
ference of opinion that fubfifted relative to the affairs of 
America. At length various mutual (acrifices being made 
to facilitate the formation of a new adminiftration on a 
comprehenfive bafts, at a meeting held July 20, lord Rock¬ 
ingham was, by univerfal confent, fixed upon as the ntoft 
proper perfon to preftde at the board of treafury. The 
marquis then propofed general Conway fur fecretary of 
ftate and minifter of the houfe of commons, to which the 
duke of Bedford pofitively objecting, the conference was 
dilfolved ; and at a fubfequent meeting, the marquis per- 
fifting in this nomination, all ideas of an union vaniflied, 
it being fully underftood that the two parties would not 
recede in any degree from their oppofite fyftems refpeCt- 
ing America ; and the minifters actually in office deter¬ 
mined to maintain their ground in defiance of all oppofi¬ 
tion. But on the fudden death of Mr. Charles Town- 
fend, chancellor of the exchequer, in September, 1767, 
lie was fucceeded in that office by the celebrated lord 
North, eldeft fon of the earl of Guildford. His abilities, 
though by no means of the firft clafs, were far removed 
from contempt; hi-s knowledge of buiinefs was extenfive, 
his integrity unimpeached ; and, though indolent and un- 
enterpriTmg by conftitution, he was occafionally capable 
of refolute and perfevering exertion. It muft, however, 
be remarked, that a certain indiftinCtnefs and confufion of 
ideas unfortunately pervaded his general fyftem of think¬ 
ing ; and, though he feemed habitually to aim at the 
thing which was right, and often made a confiderable ap¬ 
proach towards it, he almoft invariably flopped ffiort of 
the true and genuine ftandard of political propriety. 
With the reputation of meaning well, therefore, he ac¬ 
quired the imputation of indecifion and inftability ; and 
the general-tenor of his adminiftration muft certainly be 
allowed to exhibit very few indications of energy, wil- 
dom, or force of penetration. But the character of this 
nobleman will be belt appreciated by pofterity, in con¬ 
templating that faithful portraiture of his actions and 
conduct, which it is the province of hiftory to delineate. 
Mr. Thomas Townfitend fucceeded lord North as pay. 
A N D. 739 
mailer of the forces ; Mr. Jcnkinfon Mr. Townfitend as 
a lord of the treafury. Lord Chatham, though he held 
the privy Teal, and had retired, oppreffed with illnefs and 
difcontent, to his feat in Somerfetfiiire, was no longer con. 
fulted, from caufes which require no additional explana¬ 
tion, either as to the arrangements actually made, or with 
refpeCt to thofe which were ftil 1 in view. 
The earl of Northington, who had occupied, amid the 
fuccellive changes of five different adminiftrations, the 
high offices of lord keeper, lord chancellor, and lord pre- 
fident, now broken in health, and weary of politics, at 
this juncture declaring his refojution to refign ; new ad¬ 
vances were made to the Bedford party, who, convinced 
that an accommodation with lord Rockingham was im¬ 
practicable, determined at length to clofe with thefe off 
fers. About the end of the year, earl Gower was nomi¬ 
nated prefident of the council, in the room of the earl of 
Northington ; lord Weymouth, fecretary of ftate, in the 
room of general Conway, promoted in the military line ; 
and lord'Hillfborough was appointed to the new office of 
fecretary of ftate for the colonies, the creation of which 
place was fuppofed with reafon to indicate fome new and 
extraordinary meafures. The earl of Chatham, at pre¬ 
fent only the ffiadow of a mighty name, and fequeftered 
in the groves of Burton Pynfent, ceafed to be mentioned 
by the public. After the lapfe of fome months, per¬ 
ceiving, or believing that he perceived,, a malignant in¬ 
fluence gaining ground, calculated to oppofe and coun. 
teract the effential interefts of the people,, he determined 
upon a refignation ; and in October, 1768, not being able, 
or not deigning himfelf to appear at court,, he fent the. 
privy feal to the king, by the hands of lord Camden; it 
was immediately delivered to the earl of Briftol. Nearly 
at the fame time, the earl of Shelburne, zealoufly at¬ 
tached to the earl of Chatham, refigned the feals of the 
fouthern department to the earl of Weymouth, who was 
fucceeded by the earl of Rochford, late ambalfador at 
Paris. 
Parliament was convened early in 1768; but nothing 
peculiarly interefting or important occurred in the courfe 
of the feffion, with the Angle exception of a bill intro¬ 
duced and patronifed by the oppofition, under the deno¬ 
mination of the nullum tempus bill, for quieting the poffeff 
fions of the fubjeCt, and fecuring them from all obfolete 
and vexatious claims of the crown, againft which it was 
held to be a maxim of law that no prefeription could he 
pleaded. This bill originated in an incident of an extra¬ 
ordinary nature. The Portland family had, in confequence 
of a grant from king William, polfelfed for feventy years 
the honour of Penrith and its appurtenances, lituated in 
the county of Cumberland. The foreft of Inglewood, and 
the manor and caftle of Carlifle, being confidered as parts 
of this grant, were qiyetly enjoyed by the family for fe- 
veral defcents, under the fame tenure, though not parti¬ 
cularly fpecified. Sir James Lowther, being apprized of 
this ontiffion, made an application to the crown for a leafe 
of the pretnifes in queftion ; and the furveyor-general of 
the crown lands, though no lawyer, nor aCting on the 
opinion of any lawyer, took upon him to decide, that 
thefe eftates were (till vefted in the crown. Orders were 
therefore iffued for a new grant to fir James Lowther, in 
which the foccage of Carlifle was rated at fifty pounds 
per annum, and the foreft of Inglewood at fourteen fhiff 
lings and fourpence ; though in reality of immenfe value, 
and commanding an extenfive election influence. When 
the board of treafury met, after a long adjournment, the 
duke of Portland prefented to the lords a memorial, in 
which he prayed to be heard by their lordihips in defence 
of his title. He was informed that no ftep would be 
adopted to his prejudice, till an impartial inveftigation 
had taken place. But whilft the duke’s agents and fali- 
citovs were employed in a laborious fearch into ancient 
and mouldered monuments, furveys, and court-rolls, his 
grace was informed, that the grant was actually com¬ 
pleted j and, notwithftanding the caveat entered in the 
court 
