nor of Magna Charta. This, coupled with his former declarations as
to the conduct and the measures of his colleagues, had the effect of
obtaining his dismissal from office. The privy seal, which his grace had
held, was given to the Earl of Dartmouth, and, to the surprise of all
men, Lord George Sackville, who had been subjected by the sentence of a
court-martial to much obloquy, and had recently taken a decided part
in all the coercive measures, was made secretary for the American
department. At the same time the Earl of Rochford retired, and was
succeeded as secretary for the southern department by Lord Weymouth. But
what created most astonishment was, that the young and profligate Lord
Lyttleton, who had distinguished himself by the severity of his attacks
upon the administration at the opening of this session, and who had been
connected with Chatham and Temple, was called to the privy-council, and
appointed to the sinecure office of chief-justice in eyre beyond
Trent. Thus "bought," he agreed to defend the very measures he had so
energetically attacked.

THE MILITIA BILL.

In conformity with a passage in the speech from the throne, Lord North,
on the 30th of October, brought in a bill for enabling the king to
assemble the militia in cases of actual rebellion. On the second
reading, this bill was warmly opposed, on the supposition that it gave
the monarch such prodigious additional power, as to render him totally
independent of the people. It was said to be, in fact, "empowering the
crown to draw the militia out whenever it thought fit, as a pretence
could never be wanted for the purpose, while there was a black Caribb
remaining in St. Vincent's, a runaway negro in the mountains of Jamaica,
or a Hindoo rajah left on the coast of Coromandel." In the end, however,
the second reading of the Militia Bill was carried by the large majority
of two hundred and fifty-nine against fifty. On the third reading
several amendments were moved, but were all rejected, and it was finally
carried with a rider, proposed by Sir George Saville, limiting the
duration of the bill to seven years. In the month of December a bill was
brought into the house of commons by Lord Mountstuart for establishing a
militia in Scotland; but the house was so thin at the time, that it
was scarcely discussed. The bill was reproduced in the course of the
session, and was eagerly patronized by the Scotch members; but it met
with a strong opposition from