General Conway[76] was sent to command in Germany under Lord Granby. The Bedford faction opposed it, in favour of General Waldegrave,[77] who had served there during the whole war, upon the supposition that Lord Granby would come to England, and that Waldegrave might succeed him, Mostyn[78] not being equal to the charge. Conway obtained to be sent, but without a certain promise of replacing Lord Granby,[79] though the King said Conway was a man of abilities, character, sense, and prudence, such as was greatly wanted there. France at this time made earnest overtures for peace. CHAPTER IV. Thanks of the House of Commons to Mr. Onslow, their Speaker.-- His Character.--Sir John Philipps.--Mr. Legge.--Mr. More, of Shrewsbury.--Mr. Onslow’s retirement.--His last address to the House.--Lord Bath’s Pamphlet.--Solicitations by France for Peace.--Mr. Pitt disinclined to negotiate.--Expedition against Belleisle.--Mr. Pitt’s obstinacy.--Lord Bute’s Faction.--Mr. Pitt and the Duke of Bedford.--Negotiation for Peace.--Monsieur de Bussy.--Mr. Stanley.--Death of Archibald Duke of Argyle, and of Hoadley, Bishop of Winchester.--Character of those Personages.--Their Successors. The last day of the session, March 18th, was fixed for returning the thanks of the House of Commons to Mr. Onslow, their Speaker, who had filled the chair with unblemished integrity during the whole long reign of George the Second, and who had the prudence to quit the scene before his years and growing infirmities made him a burthen to himself and the public.[80] No man had ever supported with more firmness the privileges of the House, nor sustained the dignity of his office with more authority. His knowledge of the Constitution equalled his attachment to it. To the Crown he behaved with all the decorum of respect, without sacrificing his freedom of speech. Against encroachments of the House of Peers he was an inflexible champion. His disinterested virtue supported him through all his pretensions; and though to conciliate popular favour he affected an impartiality that by turns led him to the borders of insincerity and contradiction--and though he was so minutely attached to forms, that it often made him troublesome in affairs of higher moment, it will be difficult to find a subject whom gravity will so well become, whose knowledge will be so useful and so accurate, and whose fidelity to his trust will prove so unshaken.