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WILLIAM, EARL OF SHELBURNE
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Irish affairs by Shelburne in the House of Lords—The Irish Parliament demands free trade—Commercial proposals carried—Demand for administrative reforms in England—Speeches of Shelburne and Fox—County associations and meetings—The Yorkshire and Buckinghamshire Petitions—Duels between Lord Shelburne and Mr. Fullarton, and between Charles Fox and Adam—Demand for Parliamentary Reform—Petition and debates in both Houses—Dunning's motion on the increase of the influence of the Crown—The Armed Neutrality—Attacks on Shelburne in connection with the Lord George Gordon Riots—Dunning on the question—Interference of the military—Negotiations between North and Rockingham—Dr. Price and the Sinking Fund—His pamphlet on America—Differences between the leaders of the Opposition—Conversation between Barré and Richmond on the necessity of cordial union . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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Shelburne and Grafton retire into the country—Rupture with Holland—The rights of neutrals—The Constitution of the States of Holland—The Armed Neutrality—Speech of Shelburne on the 1st of June 1780—He recognizes the impossibility of restoring the former connection with the revolted Colonies by force of arms—Interviews in London between Grafton and Shelburne—Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown on the 25th of November 1781—Shelburne's speech on the ruinous condition of the country at home and abroad—Lord North tries to reconstitute his Ministry—Lord George Germaine—Debates in the House of Lords—Speech of Shelburne on the constitutional rights and position of the House of Lords—His hope that some tie may still be maintained between the American Colonies and the Mother Country—Lord North is hard pressed in Parliament, and resigns—Offers by the King to Lord Rockingham—The King on Lord Rockingham's terms—The King proposes to Lord Shelburne to take the Administration—He declines—The King refuses to negotiate personally with Lord Rockingham—He employs Shelburne as intermediary—Shelburne says Rockingham must be Prime Minister—Lord Rockingham forms a united Ministry—Shelburne becomes Secretary of State—He consents to the recognition of American Independence—Disastrous condition of affairs—Ireland demands absolute Parliamentary Independence—The Duke of Portland Viceroy—His hopes that Grattan may not prove irreconcilable—These hopes disappointed—Repeal of Poynings' Acts and of the 6th of George I.—Correspondence between Shelburne and Portland—The Irish policy of the Rockingham Administration—Correspondence of the King with Lord Shelburne in regard to the Civil List and the Royal Household—The Contractor's Bill—Pitt's motion on Parliamentary Reform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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Condition of foreign affairs at the accession of the Rockingham Ministry Opposite views of Shelburne and Fox Russia and the Armed Neutrality Shelburne desires an understanding with France Vrrgennes and De Castries The war party in France Possibility of separating the American and French negotiations Divergent views of the European belligerents and the |
