Even if Lord North had wished to make peace, and had persuaded Parliament accordingly, all his work would have been useless; a superior power could and would have appealed from a wise and pacific Parliament to a sullen and warlike nation.
Bagehot emphasizes the limitations of Parliament's power in the face of a determined monarch and public sentiment.
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They say, We reject your Bill for this once or these twice, or even these thrice: but if you keep on sending it up, at last we won't reject it.
And again, in political matters, how quickly a leading statesman can change the tone of the community!
No doubt this momentary gain is bought at a ruinous after-cost.
The moderate people of every party must combine to support the Government which, on the whole, suits every party best.
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