The  stnbboru  king  was  amazed  and  struck  dnmb
for  a  few  minutes ;  then,  recovering  his  equa-
nimity, he  wrote,  iu  view  of  a  proposition  in  the
Parliament  to  give  up  the  contest  and  allow
the  independence  of  the  colonies,  "  No  difficul-
ties can  get  me  to  consent  to  the  getting  of
peace  at  the.  expense  of  a  separation  from  Amer-
ica." The  city  of  London  petitioned  the  king
to  "  put  an  end  to  the  tinnatnral  and  unfortu-
nate war;"  and  iu  Patlianient  a  great  change
in  sentiment  was  immediately  visible.  Late  in
February,  General  Conway  moved  an  address  to
the  king  in  favor  of  peace.    A  warm  debate  en-


sued. Lord  -North  defended  the  royal  policy,
because  it  maintained  British  rights  and  was
justi  '!  Good  Godl"  exclaimed  Burke, "  are  we
yet  to  be  told  of  the  rights  for  which  we  went
to  war f  O  excellent  rightsl  O  valuable  rights !
Valuable  you  should  be,  for  we  have  paid  dear
in  parting  with  you.  O  valuable  rights!  that
have  cost  Britain  thii-teen  provinces,  four  isl-
ands, one  hundred  thousand  men,  and  moi-e
than  £70,000,000  ($350,000,000)  of  money."  At
the  beginning  of  March  Conway's  proposition
was  adopted.  Lord  North,  who,  under  the  in-
spiration of  the  king,  had  misled  the  nation  for
twelve  years,  was  relieved  from  office,  and  he
and  his  fellow -ministers  were  succeeded  by
friends  of  peace.  The  king  stormed,  but  was
compelled  to  yield.  Parliament  resolved  to
end  the  war,  and  the  king  acquiesced  with  re-
luctance. Early  in  -May  (1782)  Sir  Guy  Carle-
ton  aiTived  in  New  York,  bearing  propositions
to  Congress  for  reconciliation,  and  Bichard  Os-
wald, a  London  merchant,  was  sent  to  Paris  as
a  diplomatic  agent  to  confer  with  Franklin  on
the  subject  of  a  treaty  of  peace.
