ABSTRACT
On Thursday March 12th, 1783, Lord Chancellor Thurlow, commissioned by the King to negotiate for the formation of an Administration on a “broad basis”, had an interview with Lord Rockingham. That politician claimed to be “able to answer for the different component parts of the Opposition” and undertook to consult them on the Lord Chancellor’s approach. Two days later Rockingham arrived with the results. y March 18th Charles Jenkinson, desiring to save the King from the worst, was trying to arrange a conference to be attended by Thurlow, Gower, Grafton, Shelburne, Rockingham and Lord John Cavendish, a conference to be charged with recommending an “arrangement” to the King. Though before the adjournment of Parliament in July 1782, at least one much-canvassed speech had been made suggesting North’s return to power, Shelburne could hardly have foreseen an eventuality as the Fox-North coalition.
