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Rh 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.

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 and  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. 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, ended in one of the most memorable disasters which has ever befallen the British arms. 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