The office accepted in April was resigned in September, when the coalition with ‘the BEDFORD party’ was made. Lord SHELBURNE’S loss was felt in the House of Lords. But it was in the Commons that the Ministry were now feeblest. ‘I don’t see how they can meet Parliament,’ said CHESTERFIELD. ‘In the Commons they have not a man with ability and words enough to call a coach.’ In February, 1765, SHELBURNE married Lady Sophia CARTERET, one of the daughters of the Earl of GRANVILLE. The marriage was a very happy one. Not long after it, he began to form his library. [Sidenote: FORMATION OF LORD SHELBURNE’S LIBRARY.] Political manuscripts, state papers of every kind, and all such documents as tend to throw light on the arcana of history, were, more especially, the objects which he sought. And the quest, as will be seen presently, was very successful. For during his early researches he had but few competitors. [Sidenote: THE SECRETARYSHIP OF STATE.] On the organization of the Duke of GRAFTON’S Ministry in 1766 (July 30) Lord SHELBURNE was made Secretary of State for the Southern Department, to which at that time the Colonial business was attached. [Sidenote: 1766–1768.] His colleague, in the Northern, was CONWAY, who now led the House of Commons. As Secretary, Lord SHELBURNE’S most conspicuous and influential act was his approval of that rejection of certain members of the Council of Massachusetts by Governor BERNARD, which had so important a bearing on colonial events to come. SHELBURNE, however, was one of a class of statesmen of whom, very happily, this country has had many. He was able to render more efficient service in opposition than in office. Of the Board of Trade he had had the headship but a few months. As Secretary of State, under the GRAFTON Administration, he served little more than two years. His opponents were wont to call him an ‘impracticable’ man. But if he shared some of CHATHAM’S weaknesses, he also shared much of his greatness. And on the capital question of the American dispute, they were at one. They both thought that the Colonies had been atrociously misgoverned. They were willing to make large concessions to regain the loyalty of the Colonists. They were utterly averse to admit of a severance. [Sidenote: LORD SHELBURNE IN OPPOSITION.] Under circumstances familiar to all readers, and by the personal urgency of the King, Lord SHELBURNE was dismissed from his first Secretaryship in October, 1768. His dismissal led to CHATHAM’S resignation. SHELBURNE became a prominent and powerful leader of the Opposition, an object of special dislike to a large force of political adversaries, and of warm attachment to a small number of political friends. His personal friends were, at all times, many.