Shelburne had already protested in his speech on the Civil List. So exasperated was the Archbishop at the attack, that he rose in his place, and declared that he refused to be insulted by even the proudest Lord in that House; whereupon Shelburne again rose, and congratulated the King on having at least removed from the tuition of his son a man who would not allow "the word liberty to be pronounced without a qualification," a taunt which was followed by a scene of great confusion.[1]
The motion of Chatham was easily defeated, and the Ministry grew more and more elated, when, notwithstanding the assistance which the American army in the field gained from the assistance of Lafayette, Steuben, Kosciusko, and other distinguished foreign volunteers, the battles of Brandywine and Germantown were won, and Philadelphia was captured. It was now hoped in ministerial circles that a final blow would be struck at the rebellion by the success of the expedition which was being led from Canada by Burgoyne.[2] Burgoyne was to co-operate with Clinton and Howe, but owing to the extraordinary negligence with which the instructions were sent out to the various commanders, and to the natural difficulties which stood in the way of the expedition, this great military operation ended in one of the most memorable disasters which has ever befallen the British arms.[3] The fatal news had not arrived when Parliament again met on the 18th of November 1777. The tone of the Royal Speech was still all exultation, and an amendment moved to the address by Chatham was rejected by a large majority. Lord
- ↑ Parliamentary History, xix. 344-350. Dr. Markham had just been appointed Archbishop of York in succession to Archbishop Drummond. He held the see till 1807.
- ↑ "The arrangements for this campaign have been made in England: even the disposition for posting the small corps that is to remain in the Province. It appears to be the attempt of a man who wishes to be thought a great military genius capable of commanding an army at 3000 miles distance; but his attempt here has succeeded so ill, that it exposes him to the ridicule of the subalterns of the army."—Sir Guy Carleton, from St. John's, to Lord Shelburne, January 13th, 1777. "Ticonderoga, the only acquisition made by the British arms on this side the continent, is on the point of being abandoned. Thus ends the campaign of '77, and with it I hope Lord George's pretensions to military power and greatness."—The same to the same, November 6th, 1777.
- ↑ See The Character of Lord George Germaine, by Lord Shelburne, i. 236-251, and the Reports of the Historical MSS. Commission, "Various Collections," vi. 277: "Memorandum by William Knox, Under Secretary in the Colonial Office." See also Historical Review, April 1910, xxv. 315.
