union of clashing factions."[1] To do so it was first necessary to crush Townshend, who on the 6th of March added to his other offences by opposing the motion, brought forward by Beckford at the suggestion of Chatham and with the sanction of the Ministry, for printing the Indian papers. His place was offered to Lord North, but before a reply could be received a Cabinet Council on American affairs had been held. It was there decided with considerable unanimity to suspend the legislative functions of the Assembly of New York till the Mutiny Act was complied with. The question of the American extraordinaries next came on for discussion, upon which Townshend, as Shelburne wrote to Chatham, "mentioned the necessity of voting a particular sum; which he said he neither could nor would move, unless the Cabinet previously took the whole state of America into consideration, and enabled him to declare to the House the opinion of administration as to the forts, the Indian trade, the disposition of the troops, in short the whole arrangements, considered with a view to a general reduction of expense, and a duty which he undertook should be laid to defray what remained: that he had promised this to the House, and upon the authority of what passed in the Cabinet; and if he could not make it good, he should be obliged to consider the best means, by what he should say or by his conduct, to make it appear that it was not his fault, and against his opinion. I acquainted your Lordship of this the last time I had the honour of waiting on you from Lord Barrington, the difficulty greatly arising from several conjectural estimates being laid by him before the House. I was surprised at Mr. Townshend's conduct, which really continues excessive on every occasion, till I afterwards understood in conversation that he declared he knew of Lord North's refusal, and from himself. The Duke of Grafton told me, and I suppose may tell your Lordship, that he sent to Lord North to ask him. It appears to me quite impossible that Mr. Townshend can mean to go on in
- ↑ Chatham to the King, March 7th, 1767.
