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 defeated on a resolution censuring the proceedings of the House of Commons in the matter of the Middlesex election [see ]. The minority recorded their protest in the journal of the house, and replied by a similar protest to a vote deprecating interference by either house in matters of which the other had exclusive cognisance. Rockingham also supported Chatham's motion for an account of the expenditure on the civil list (14 March), joined in the protest against the rejection of his bill to reverse the adjudications of the House of Commons in the matter of the Middlesex election (1 May), but declined to follow him in his attempt to force an immediate dissolution (14 May). He followed Richmond's lead in censuring the directions issued by Hillsborough for the dissolution of the assembly of Massachusetts Bay and the suspension of the revenue laws in Virginia (18 May). He also supported Richmond's motion for papers relative to the Falkland Islands question (22 Nov.), and joined (10 Dec.) in the protest against the forcible clearance of the house by which debate on the state of the national defences was stifled. Rockingham paid a tribute to civic virtue by visiting Lord-mayor Brass Crosby [q. v.] and Alderman Oliver in the Tower (30 March 1771). He resented the extension of the prerogative effected by the Royal Marriage Act of 1772, and perpetuated the grounds of his opposition in an able protest (3 March). In 1773 he supported (2 April) the measure relieving protestant dissenters and schoolmasters from the partial subscription to the Thirty-nine articles of religion required by the Toleration Act, joined (10 June) in the protest against the rejection of Richmond's motion for a message to the House of Commons praying disclosure of the evidence on which the India bill was founded, and in the subsequent protest (19 June) against the measure itself. He opposed the measures of 1774–5 enabling a change of venue for trials of persons prosecuted in Massachusetts Bay for acts done in execution of the law, and laying the external and internal trade of the colonies under interdict; supported (20 Jan. 1775) Chatham's motion for the recall of the troops from Boston; and, after moving to the address on 31 Oct. 1776 an amendment deprecating the continuance of the struggle, recorded his protest against its rejection, and virtually seceded from the house. The office of vice-admiral of Yorkshire was thereupon restored to him (18 Dec.)

Emerging from his cave on the conclusion of the Franco-American alliance, Rockingham censured North's conciliatory bills [see, second ] as inadequate, and declared for the immediate recognition of the independence of the colonies (9, 17 March 1778). The subsequent denunciation of war à outrance against the colonies by the peace commissioners drew from him an indignant remonstrance (7 Dec.) In the interval he had lent his support to Sir George Savile's measure for the partial enfranchisement of Roman catholics (25 May).

Rockingham was assiduous in attendance on Keppel during his court-martial at Portsmouth, and, on the admiral's acquittal, moved in the House of Lords a vote of thanks for his eminent services (16 Feb. 1779). He also in the course of 1779 moved an address (11 May) on the distressed state of Ireland, led the attack on Lord Sandwich's administration of the navy (25 June), and on the criminal negligence which sent Kempenfeldt to sea with an inadequate force founded a motion for the withholding of further supplies (19 Dec.). He also supported (1, 7 Dec.) Shelburne's censure upon the government's neglect of Irish affairs, and Richmond's motion for reform of the civil list establishment. Discountenancing the agitation of the following year for short parliaments and a wide suffrage, he received but rejected North's overtures for a coalition (8 July). In 1781 he censured the rupture with Holland as both unjust and impolitic (25 Jan.), and exposed the corrupt and improvident manner in which the loan was raised (21 March). On the eve of the fall of North's administration Rockingham received through Thurlow [see, first ] overtures which, after some delay, resulted in the formation of a coalition (27 March 1782). Rockingham received the treasury, Lord John Cavendish the exchequer, Shelburne was made home and colonial secretary, Charles James Fox [q. v.] foreign secretary, Camden president of the council. Thurlow retained the great seal, and Grafton received the privy seal. Richmond became master-general of the ordnance, Keppel first lord of the admiralty, Conway commander-in-chief. Portland went to Dublin as viceroy. The administration was dissolved by Rockingham's death (1 July 1782), but not before legislative independence had been conceded to Ireland, and the power of the crown considerably curtailed by the reduction of the household, the disfranchisement of revenue officers, and the exclusion of government contractors from the House of Commons [see, first , and ].

Rockingham was buried (20 July) in the choir of York Minster. By his wife Mary