THREE:The Ministry of Addington was felt to be utterly inadequate to the difficulties of the times. The country felt that Pitt or Fox must soon be called to the helm. Addington had shown a desire to strengthen his administration by bringing into it George Tierney, whom he had appointed Treasurer of the Navy and a Privy Councillor. Pitt, who had an intense dislike to Tierney��with whom he had, in 1798, fought a duel��showed increasing determination, from the introduction of Tierney to the Cabinet, to oppose the Ministry of Addington with all his vigour. An opportunity was given him on the 27th of February. The Hon. Sir Charles Yorke, the Secretary-at-War, had introduced a Bill for consolidating all the existing laws respecting the volunteers. In the debate on the second reading of this Bill on this day, a question was incidentally introduced by Sir Robert Lawley as to the exact state of the king's health, which, he said, concerned the safety of the country as much as the affairs of the volunteers. Fox followed up this idea, and demanded more perfect information on this subject from Ministers. He declared that the House had no information on this important subject, and he asked whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer really had any. He supported the motion for an adjournment which Sir Robert Lawley had made, in order that the House might be put in possession of the truth. Fox made it felt that he was looking forward to the fact of a regency. Addington, on this, declared that there was no necessity for any serious measures, that he was persuaded that the king's indisposition would be of short duration. Pitt made some strong observations on the conduct[495] of Ministers in keeping Parliament in the dark on this head, though he opposed the adjournment.The storm grew every day more violent, and on the 11th of February, 1741, Sandys, who had acquired the name of "the Motion Maker," announced that he intended to make a motion for a direct condemnation of the Minister, and for his removal from office. On the following Friday Sandys made his threatened motion of condemnation. The surprise of the debate occurred when Shippen��"the thorough Shippen," as he was called��said that he would not join in the ruin of the assailed Minister. He declared that he never followed any dictates of self-interest, and cared little who was in or out, unless he could see a prospect of different measures; but that he regarded this movement only as the attempt to turn out one Administration in order to bring another in. He would therefore have no concern in it, and with that he withdrew, followed by thirty-four of his party. All Prince Frederick's servants and party also, except Lyttelton, Pitt, and Granville, left the House; so that, though there were more than five hundred members present at the commencement of the debate, when the question came to be put there were not above four hundred.

FORE:Deserted by the Prussians, the French retired with precipitation to Prague, where they were followed by the Austrian army under Prince Charles of Lorraine and Prince Lobkowitz. Soon after the Grand Duke of Tuscany took the principal command, and the French offered to capitulate on condition that they might march away with their arms and baggage. This was refused; but Marshal Belleisle stole out of Prague in December, and, giving Lobkowitz the slip, made for the mountains with fourteen thousand men and thirty pieces of artillery. Belleisle[82] displayed unwearied activity in protecting his men and baggage from the harassing pursuit of Lobkowitz. Notwithstanding this his men perished in great numbers from famine and the severity of the season. They had been reduced to eat horseflesh before leaving Prague, and now they fell exhausted in the deep snows, and were mercilessly butchered by the Austrian irregulars and peasantry. On the 29th of December he reached Eger, and from that point marched into Alsace without further molestation; but he then found that of the thirty-five thousand troops which he took into Germany, only eight thousand remained. Though this retreat was celebrated as one of the most remarkable in history, the Marshal, on reaching Versailles, was received with great coldness.The attempt of the Whigs in the Lords to unearth the vituperative dean, though it had failed, stimulated the Tories in the Commons to retaliation. Richard Steele, author of "The Tatler," an eloquent and able writer, had not sought to screen himself from the responsibility of the honest truths in "The Crisis," as Swift had screened himself from the consequences of his untruths, and a whole host of Tories assailed him in the Commons, of which he was a member. Amongst these were Thomas Harley, the brother of Oxford, Foley, the auditor, a relative of Oxford's, and Sir William Wyndham, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. They flattered themselves with an easy triumph over him, for Steele, though popular as a writer, was new to the House of Commons, and had broken down in his first essay at speaking there; but he now astonished them by the vigour, wit, and sarcasm of his defence. He was ably supported, too, by Robert Walpole, who had obtained a seat in this new Parliament. Nothing, however, could shield Steele, as Swift's being anonymous had shielded him. Steele was pronounced by the votes of a majority of two hundred and forty-five to one hundred and fifty-two to be guilty of a scandalous libel, and was expelled the House. During the debate Addison had sat by the side of Steele, and, though he was no orator to champion him in person, had suggested continual telling arguments. FORE: Gage attempts to seize American Arms��Skirmish at Lexington��Blockade of Boston��The Second Congress at Philadelphia��Washington chosen Commander-in-Chief��Fall of Ticonderoga and Crown Point��Washington at Boston��Battle of Bunker's Hill��The Olive Branch Petition��Condition of the American Army��Expedition against Canada��Capture of Montreal��Arnold's Expedition��His Junction with Montgomery��Failure of the Attack on Quebec��The Employment of German Mercenaries��Washington seizes Dorchester Heights��Evacuation of Boston��Howe retires to Halifax��The War in Canada��Thomas's Retreat��Sullivan evacuates Canada��The War in the South��Attack on Charleston��Paine's Pamphlet, "Common Sense"��New York and Virginia decide for Independence��Debate in Congress��Report of the Committee��Arbitrary Proceedings��The Declaration��Overtures to France��Arrival of Lord Howe��Position of Washington��Howe's Overtures��Battle of Brooklyn��Washington's Retreat��His Desperate Position��Howe receives a Deputation from Congress��Washington retires Step by Step��Cornwallis's Pursuit��Close of the Campaign��The Articles of Confederation published by Congress��Fresh Overtures to France��Parliament votes large Sums of Money��John the Painter��Chatham demands a Cessation of Hostilities��Washington's Change of Tactics��Surprise of Trenton��Washington outman?uvres Cornwallis��He recovers New Jersey��Difficulties of Congress��Howe advances against Washington��Alteration of Howe's Plans��Battle of the Brandywine��Howe crosses the Schuylkill��Cornwallis enters Philadelphia��Battle of Germantown��Washington at Valley Forge��Burgoyne's Plan of Campaign��His Advance��St. Clair's Defeat��Burgoyne on the Hudson��The Beginning of his Misfortunes��Battle of Bemus's Heights��Burgoyne's Message to Clinton��He is Surrounded��He attempts to cut his Way through��The Surrender of Saratoga��Clinton's Failure to relieve Burgoyne��Close of the Campaign.