kingdoms. Finally, he praised the moderation of the volunteers (ib. ii. 64). He supported Pitt's motion for parliamentary reform on the ground that it gave power to those who had a stake in the country (ib. p. 67). In his special department he desired to counterbalance the power of France by alliances with Russia and Prussia, and in order to satisfy Russia made offers to Holland on the basis of the ‘armed neutrality’ (Malmesbury, Diaries, i. 497–517; Memorials, iii. 300; Life, i. 299). The discord between the two secretaries increased (Grafton MSS., quoted Lecky, History, iv. 224), and came to a crisis about the negotiations for peace. Fox desired that the independence of America should be acknowledged unconditionally, and not as part of the joint treaty with America and France. Shelburne preferred to receive the acknowledgment for the joint treaty, and use it as a set-off to claims for territory. The treaty with France belonged to Fox's department, negotiations with the American colonies to Shelburne's. A merchant named Oswald was employed, first informally by Shelburne, and then by the cabinet, to negotiate with Franklin at Paris. Oswald was unfit for his work, and encouraged Franklin to expect large concessions, embodied in a paper which Shelburne concealed from Fox. On 23 May the cabinet came round to Fox's ideas, and authorised Grenville, Fox's envoy to Vergennes, ‘to propose the independency of America in the first instance’ (Memorials, i. 357). Fox contended that, as America was thus recognised as independent, negotiations belonged for the future to him as foreign minister, while Shelburne claimed them as secretary for the colonies (ib. p. 439). The king agreed with Shelburne, for he desired that Oswald might be a ‘check’ on Fox (Life of Shelburne, iii. 184). Fox was outvoted in the cabinet, and Oswald was sent back to Paris. When Oswald returned, Grenville, who had been negotiating with Franklin, found that Franklin became reserved; he complained to Fox and told him of the private paper, for Oswald informed him of it. Fox was indignant at Shelburne's duplicity, and demanded Oswald's recall. The majority of the cabinet, however, decided to grant him full powers. On 30 June Fox desired that the independence of America should be unconditionally acknowledged, which would have put the whole negotiations into his hands. Shelburne declared that the instructions of 23 May only indicated a recognition that might be withdrawn in case other negotiations failed; he was supported by the majority of the cabinet, and Fox announced his intention of resigning (ib. p. 218; Memorials, i. 434–9; Franklin, Works, ix. 335; Lewis, Administrations, pp. 31–50; Lecky, History, iv. 223–35, where this intricate subject is admirably elucidated).
Fox's resignation was delayed, for Rockingham was on his deathbed, and died the next day. Fox advised the king to send for one of the Rockingham party, and wished for the appointment of the Duke of Portland. The king preferred Shelburne, and Fox, Lord John Cavendish, ‘with Burke, Sheridan, and some others not in the cabinet, resigned.’ Fox's resignation broke up the Rockingham party. He has been much blamed for it (Memorials, i. 472); but the king knew that it would be impossible for him to work with Shelburne (Life of Shelburne, iii. 220), Burke advised him not to try it (Memorials, i. 457), and Elliot thought resignation necessary to his credit (Life of Sir G. Elliot, i. 80). He defended his resignation on the grounds that he felt general want of confidence, that Rockingham's ‘system’ had been abandoned, and that, while he maintained that the acknowledgment of American independence should be unconditional, Shelburne wished to make it the price of peace (Speeches, ii. 73, 97). Considering the differences between him and Shelburne on this subject, and, indeed, on other matters, and the fact that if he had remained in office he would always have been in a minority in the cabinet, his resignation appears justified. His loss of office was made the subject of three famous caricatures, one by James Sayer entitled ‘Paradise Lost,’ the other two by J. Gillray, who represents him in one as in the envious mood of Milton's Satan, and in the other, ‘Guy Vaux and Judas Iscariot,’ as wrangling with Shelburne (Wright). His party could now count on ninety votes, and he held the balance between the supporters of the minority and the party of North. A design was at once formed to bring about a coalition between Fox and North (Auckland Correspondence, i. 9, 28). Political sympathy dictated a union between the Foxites and the ministerial party; personal dislike prevented it. In February an attempt was made to induce Fox to come to terms with the Shelburne whigs. He refused to enter any administration of which Shelburne was the head. On the 17th his coalition with North became patent, and on the 21st the two combined parties defeated the ministry on a motion concerning the peace. The coalition with North forcibly illustrates Fox's levity and indiscretion; he defended it on the plea that quarrels should be short, friendships abiding; but his differences with North were not personal, they were matters of political
