George Townshend’s Circular Letter--Admiral Byng publishes a Defence--The public mind prejudiced against him--Loss of Oswego--Affair of the Hanoverian Soldier at Maidstone--The King admits Lord Bute into the Prince’s Establishment--Fox discontented with Newcastle--Offers to resign--Applies to the Author--His audience with the King--Pitt’s demands--Prince of Wales’s new Household--Pitt visits Lady Yarmouth--State of Parties--Duke of Newcastle determines to resign--Pitt declines acting with Fox--Negotiations for the formation of a new Ministry--The designs of Fox to obstruct the formation of a new Ministry defeated--Changes--Pitt becomes Prime Minister--Meeting of Parliament. Affairs at home wore the same troubled aspect. As addresses and petitions were in vogue, and the approaching session likely to be warm, George Townshend took the opportunity of writing a circular letter to great boroughs and corporations, instructing them to instruct their representatives to stickle for another Militia Bill. Besides its being drawn in a wretched style, the impropriety of a private man assuming to himself such dictatorial authority, and the indecency of a man who had the last year so severely censured Mr. Fox’s circular letter, were notorious. Townshend’s epistle met the contempt it deserved. Mr. Byng having notice to prepare for his trial, had demanded his witnesses; and now added a list of thirty more, but they were refused. Among those he summoned was Captain Young, who had been one of his loudest censurers. If the step was injudicious, at least it did not indicate any consciousness of guilt. Yet the people and the Ministry continued to treat him as a criminal; and the former reporting that he had endeavoured to escape, the latter increased the strictness of his confinement. He complained to the Secretary of the Admiralty of the rigorous treatment he received from Admiral Townshend, the Governor of Greenwich. A creature of office was not likely to feel more tenderness than his superiors; Cleland returned the most insulting answers. Mr. Byng at last thought it time to make representations as well as to adhere to his innocence. He published his case. Of the engagement I shall not say a word, till I come to give an account of his trial. Of the arts used to blacken him, the pamphlet gave the strongest evidence, and had very great effect in opening the eyes of mankind.