had been entrapped into the marriage by an ambitious widow several years older than himself and the mother of three children. He thought that by receiving her at Court and so countenancing a mésalliance he would "be affronting all the sovereigns of Europe." Nevertheless a reconciliation ultimately took place; George relented, and many years afterwards we find him regarding his brother and his wife, as well as their two children, Prince William and Princess Sophia, with much generosity and even affection.

George was not vindictive: his displeasure and his dislikes were vehement while they lasted, but they could never, in a warm nature such as his, be inveterate.

CHAPTER XI

NORTH BECOMES PRIME MINISTER

THOUGH One of the very ablest politicians of his time, Shelburne, afterwards Prime Minister and the first Lord Lansdowne, was a difficult and perverse colleague. So objectionable had he made himself to the Cabinet, that his resignation in October 1768 was received with approval. On the heels of this Chatham wrote to Grafton, that his weak and broken state of health continued to make him so entirely useless to the King's service that he begged George would permit him to resign.

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May I be allowed, at the same time," he added, "to offer to his Majesty my deepest sense of his Majesty's long, most humane, and most gracious indulgence towards me, and to express my ardent prayers for his Majesty." George felt the time most unpropitious for Chatham's nominal retirement. Chatham was ill, but the public did not know how ill, and his name was still potent. As you entered," he wrote to Chatham, "upon the employment in August 1766 at my own requisition, I think I have a right to insist on your remaining in my service; for I with pleasure look forward to the time of your recovery, when I may have your assistance in resisting the torrent of factions this country so much labours

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under." But Chatham was obdurate. He felt, he said, all chances of recovery would be entirely precluded by his holding any longer the Privy Seal. At present he was totally disabled. Under these circumstances the Privy Seal was given to Lord Bristol.

For the next fifteen years American affairs were to engage the attention of the King and his Ministers. Hillsborough, the Colonial Secretary, despatched two regiments, which reached Boston in January 1769, where for a time their presence had a salutary effect in maintaining order. The customs officers resumed their duties, and business followed its usual channels. But although both in Massachusetts and New York the flame of treason was stifled, yet the Committees of Correspondence, which had been established, continued to fan the smouldering embers.

In the animated discussions which took place in Parliament at the beginning of 1769, Governor Pownall, who had filled offices in America, and posed as an authority on American affairs, undertook to defend the proceedings of the Colonists. He admitted that a Convention of States would have been treasonable, but that a Convention of Committees was permissible, and indeed highly commendable. Great were the resources of the Americans and the facilities with which they could obtain all supplies without applying to Britain. "Do nothing," said Pownall, "which may bring into discussion questions of right, which must become mere articles of faith. Go into no innovations in practice, and suffer no encroachments on govern

POWNALL'S ADVICE

ment. Extend not the power which you have of imposing taxes to the laying internal taxes on the Colonies. Continue to exercise the power, which you have already exercised, of controlling their subsidies, imposts and duties, but do so with prudence and moderation, and directed by the spirit of commercial wisdom. This spirit and mode of government will cement again that union which is shattered, if not quite broken; restore that spirit of obedience which the loss of authority on the one hand, and of affection on the other, hath interrupted; and re-establish the authority as well as force of civil government, which has almost lost its force by losing its authority. Exert the spirit of policy that you may not ruin the Colonies and yourselves by exertions of force."1

This was all very well theoretically, but civil authority had to be maintained. The civil authority in the Colonies was wholly unequal to the task of bringing offenders to punishment, and some effectual plan must be resorted to. Juries would not convict, no verdict against a rioter could be secured. Bedford suggested applying to Massachusetts an old statute of Henry VIII.'s reign, by which offenders outside the kingdom were liable to be brought to England for trial. But the shilly-shallying of the Government became revealed. They did not really propose to revive the statute; no intention was entertained to put the Act into execution. The proposal had merely been made to frighten the Americans, merely to show them what Government 1 Parliamentary History, xvi. 506-7.

could do on an emergency. Such empty threats very naturally angered the insurgents. To George, this sort of behaviour was obnoxious and incomprehensible; threats and vaporing he despised. Was this the "candour and temper" which he had recommended? As Grenville said during a debate, "There was no medium; we must either resolve strictly to execute the Revenue Laws in America, or with a good grace abandon our right and repeal the Declaratory and Revenue Laws." The Colonists denied all right of taxation and all authority of Parliament. Both right and authority King George and the people of Britain were resolved to maintain.

Yet the Ministry went on bringing in Bills further to conciliate the recalcitrant Americans. Were the King's transatlantic subjects still dissatisfied? All the new duties, except that on tea, would be abolished. Grafton and Conway would have surrendered even tea, but knowing George's objection to the whole principle of repeal, North, Weymouth, and others thought to propitiate their sovereign by maintaining the tea duty as a proof of Britain's right to tax the Colonies.1 As Governor Bernard was not persona grata to Massachusetts, he was recalled, and Hutchinson, a native American, appointed in his place. As Boston had resented troops being quartered upon them, one of the

1 In its amount, namely, threepence a pound, the tea duty was not a grievance, for the duty of one shilling paid in England was returned on re-exportation, so that the Americans could buy their tea ninepence per pound cheaper than in England. Hunt, Political History of England, p. 90.