from the men who continued to reprobate the principles which he had enunciated in his book on the Revolution. The next day the Morning Chronicle, the recognized organ of the Whigs, published what Burke called the "definitive sentence," in the following terms:—"The great and firm body of the Whigs of England, true to their principles, have decided on the dispute between Mr. Fox and Mr. Burke; and the former is declared to have maintained the pure doctrines by which they are bound together, and upon which they have invariably acted. The consequence is that Mr. Burke retires from Parliament."[1] It was, however, one thing for the formal leaders of the Whigs to take this position, and another to carry with them the bulk of their followers. On all questions but one, which affected constitutional changes or any advancement of popular liberties, the Ministry from this time forward were strengthened by Whig votes. The one subject on which Fox was able to accomplish a work of permanent value was in the case of an amendment, or rather a clearer definition, of the law relating to the power of juries in libel cases. The measure, which asserts the right of a jury to decide both as to facts and law in such trials, was introduced by Fox on the 20th of May, 1791, and carried through the Commons, but was lost in the Lords. Brought forward again in the next year it became law, having been supported by Pitt. With this exception, Fox and his immediate colleagues found themselves deserted on all the questions to which they were most devoted. Many, indeed, of the old leaders accompanied or followed Burke in his secession. The consequences to the power of what remained of the party showed themselves with greater rapidity as the fierce drama of the French Revolution was unfolded. At the opening of the session of 1792, on the 31st of January, the address in the Commons, in reply to the speech from the throne, was carried by 209 to 85. During that year, occurred in Paris the attack on the Tuileries, the massacre of the guards, and the imprisonment and trial of the King; and when the next session met in
- ↑ Quoted in "Pictorial History of England" edition, 1857, vol. v. p. 813.
