John Morley: “It is impossible to imagine a question on which in a free government it was more essential to carry public opinion with…”

Is it natural effervescence, or is it deadly fermentation?

What I endeavoured to show was that King George III., without changing his opinion of the justice of his war against the colonies, was obliged to give it up on account of a change of public opinion, and was not open to blame for so doing.

But we have no right to cast on him any responsibility beyond what is strictly military.

He was a soldier of infinite personal courage and daring; of striking military energy, initiative, and resource; a high, pure, and single character, dwelling much in the region of the unseen.