the suggestion, and drew up a brief note,
which he intrusted to Lord Temple himself, and which stated that "his
Majesty allowed Earl Temple to say that whoever voted for the India Bill
was not only not his friend, but would be considered by him as his
enemy. And, if these words were not strong enough, Earl Temple might
whatever words he might deem stronger and more to the purpose."[86]

Lord Temple lost no time in availing himself of the permission thus
granted him; and, as it was by no means his object to keep the
transaction secret, his conduct was made the subject of severe comment
by the Prime-minister himself the next time that the bill was mentioned
in the Upper House. The Duke of Portland, indeed, professed to have
learned it only from common report, and to hope that the report was
unfounded, since, were it true, "he should be wanting in the duty he
owed to the public as a minister if he did not take the opportunity of
proposing a measure upon it to their lordships that would prove that
they felt the same jealousy, the same detestation, the same desire to
mark and stigmatize every attempt to violate the constitution as he
did." Lord Temple, in reply, abstained from introducing any mention of
the King's opinions or wishes, but avowed plainly that he had used his
privilege as a peer to solicit an interview with his Majesty, and that
at that interview "he had given his advice. What that advice had been he
would not then say; it was lodged in the breast of his Majesty, nor
would he declare the purport of it without the royal consent, or till he
saw a proper occasion. But, though he would not declare affirmatively
what his advice to his sovereign was, he would tell their lordships
negatively what it was not. It was not friendly to the principle and
objects of the bill."[87] The debate lasted till near midnight. Of the
speakers, a great majority declared against the bill; and, on the
division, it was rejected by a majority of nineteen.[88] This took place
on the 15th of December. On the 18th, as the ministers had not
resigned--not regarding a single defeat in the Upper House as a
necessary cause for such a step--the King sent messengers to them to
demand their resignation, and the next day it was publicly announced in
the House of Commons that Pitt had accepted the office of
Prime-minister.

But Fox, who had anticipated the dismissal of himself and his
colleagues, was by no means inclined to acquiesce in it, or to yi