CHAPTER VIII.

REIGN OF GEORGE III. (_continued_).

The American Colonies and their Trade--Growing Irritation in America--The Stamp Act--The American Protest--The Stamp Act passed--Its Reception in America--The King's Illness--The Regency Bill--The Princess Dowager omitted--Her Name inserted in the Commons--Negotiations for a Change of Ministry--The old Ministry returns--Fresh Negotiations with Pitt--The first Rockingham Ministry--Riots in America--The Stamped Paper destroyed--Pitt's Speech--The Stamp Act repealed--Weakness of the Government--Pitt and Temple disagree--Pitt forms a Ministry--And becomes Lord Chatham--His Comprehensive Policy--The Embargo on Wheat--Illness of Chatham--Townshend's Financial Schemes--Corruption of Parliament--Wilkes elected for Middlesex--Arrest of Wilkes--Dangerous Riots--Dissolution of the Boston Assembly--Seizure of the _Liberty_ Sloop--Debates in Parliament--Continued Persecution of Wilkes--His Letter to Lord Weymouth--Again expelled the House--His Re-election--The Letters of Junius--Luttrell declared elected for Middlesex--Incapacity of the Ministry--Partial Concessions to the Americans--Bernard leaves Boston--He is made a Baronet--"The Horned Cattle Session"--Lord Chatham attacks the Ministry--Resignations of Granby and Camden--Yorke's Suicide--Dissolution of the Ministry 183