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42 manifested to give him support. During the interregnum, when Fox was battling with the court, no meeting was held. After the formation of the Coalition Ministry, which was on the 2nd of April, a meeting took place on the 30th. Sir Cecil Wray, afterwards Fox's opponent in Westminster, was in the chair, but no notice was formally taken of the late ministerial crisis or its result. It was resolved that "this committee will continue to exert themselves to obtain a more equal representation of the people and a shorter duration of Parliament," and "that no minister will deserve the confidence and support of the people who will not sincerely promote a more equal Parliamentary representation." It was a curious commentary on this vote that in the following week, on the 7th of May, Pitt moved three resolutions on Parliamentary reform, and his motion was rejected by 293 to 149. This was in the House in which Fox was virtually the leader. He himself voted and spoke strongly for the motion, but his colleague North not only voted but spoke against the resolutions. In estimating the forces which were engaged in the vehement Parliamentary struggle between Pitt and the Coalition majority this fact must be borne in mind, that Pitt still acted as the advocate of the increase of popular privileges, and Fox had allied himself with the man and the party who were its most persistent and bitter opponents.

The struggle soon came. On the nth of November the Indian bills were introduced. They were carried in the Commons; but the King was determined they should not pass, and, by a most unblushing violation of constitutional usage, his private opinion was employed to influence votes in the House of Lords, and the Ministry were defeated on the 15th of December by 87 to 79. On this occasion no time was allowed for consultations. On the 18th the King called upon the ministers to resign, and on the 19th Pitt became Premier. From that day until the 25th of March in the following year, a period of more than three months, there was one long passionate Parliamentary war. Pitt's position, holding office with a majority in the House of Commons constantly opposed