ATTEMPTS TO FORM A NEW MINISTRY- -EVENTS IN AMERICA- SESSION OF PARLIAMENT MR. FOX ATTACKS THE ADMIRALTY HIS SEVERE REMARKS ON THE MINISTRY -WAR IN AMERICA RISING SPIRIT OF OPPOSITION TO LORD NORTH -PETITIONS FOR REFORM-MR. BURKE'S SPEECH ON ECONOMICAL REFORM· THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHARLES JAMES FOX. CHAPTER I. FROM THE BIRTH OF CHARLES JAMES FOX, 1749, TO HIS ENTRANCE SIR STEPHEN Fox, the father of the first Lord Holland, and the grandfather of Charles James Fox, held several subordinate offices in the reigns of Charles II. and William III. He was of humble origin, owed his introduction at Court to Lord Percy, his promotion to Lord Clarendon, his favour with Charles II. to his punctuality in business, and his rise in the world under different sovereigns to his diligence and integrity. He married a second time at the advanced age of seventy-seven; and by his second marriage had two sons, who were made peers by the titles of Ilchester and Holland. He was by principle a Tory, and by affection a Jacobite. Henry Fox, the first Lord Holland, was a man of great parts, loose morals, more fond of money than of power, warm in his domestic attachments, jovial in his manners, an able debater, a corrupt politician. Devoted to the party of Sir Robert Walpole, he was, by the favour of the Duke of Newcastle, made Secretary of State, with the lead of the House of Commons. But he was not entrusted with the patronage, and he thought himself unequal to the double task of managing the House of Commons and conducting public affairs in a difficult time. He therefore withdrew to the less conspicuous but lucrative office of Paymaster of the Forces, which in time of war yielded thirty, forty, and even fifty thousand pounds in one year to its fortunate possessor. He married, against the will of her father, Lady Caroline Lennox, the daughter of the Duke of Richmond. The Duke's repugnance to this connexion has been attributed to family pride, but other reasons may have. weighed with him. For Henry Fox had not only been embarrassed in his circumstances, but by his notorious want of principle, as well as of fortune, must have alarmed the parents of a young lady who was among the noblest and fairest of the land. After following Mr. Pitt for some years as Paymaster, Mr. Fox was fixed upon by Lord Bute as the ablest leader he could find to defend the peace of Paris. In order to do this he deserted the Duke of Cumberland, with whom he was then connected, and again became Secretary of State. He has been accused of an extent of corruption and intimidation with a view to obtain a majority for the peace unequalled in the history of the House of Commons. But this is probably an exaggeration. He stipulated for a with the rank of earl as the reward of his success; peerage a barony was given him, but the earldom was withheld. When Lord Bute, being reproached by Mr. Fox with this breach of faith, said, "It was only a pious fraud," Lord Holland quickly replied, "I perceive the fraud, my Lord, but not the piety." Lord Holland was forced by the Grenville ministry to resign the pay office; the rest of his life was passed in some favcur with the Court, but in no |