Henry Seymour Conway (1719-1795) fought in the 1740s in France and at the battle of Culloden during the 1745 rebellion. Although he confessed himself a 'miserable politician', he sat in the Commons from 1741, and accepted government office under the Marquess of Rockingham as Secretary of State in 1765. As the most senior member of the government in the Commons, he had to try to find a means of repealing the Stamp Act which American colonists had found so objectionable while satisfying MPs' insistence on asserting parliamentary sovereignty. Under Rockingham's successor, Chatham, he retained office, but ceased to be the Leader of the government in the Commons. Becoming increasingly concerned about the government's aggressive policy on America, he resigned in 1767.

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