1810.

November ensuing, it being understood that in CHAP consequence of such declaration the English should LXXXIII. revoke their orders in council, or that the United States should cause their rights to be respected. The president Madison thought proper to accept the promised revocation, as if there had been no impossible condition annexed to it, and on the 2d of November, issued a proclamation declaring that all restrictions imposed by previous acts, should be discontinued in relation to France and her dependencies. A circular notice was at the same time issued to the different ports, ordering that if Great Britain did not in like manner revoke or modify her edicts violating the neutral commerce of the United States, by the 2d of February, from that day the interdict should be enforced against her. Thus at the close of the year the prospect of reconciliation between the two powers was as remote

as ever.

LXXXIV.

CHAP. LXXXIV.

Death of the Princess Amelia. - Illness of the King. - The prince of Wales appointed regent.-Affairs of Ireland.Budget. - Relief of commercial distresses.- Enquiry into the state of the currency. - Bill for preventing the depreciation of bank-notes.- Regulations respecting the army.The duke of York restored to office. Failure of lord Sidmouth's bill for altering the Toleration Act. - Hostile policy of the United States. Insurrection at Martinique. - Conquest of Java. - Measures of Bonaparte against English commerce. He menaces Russia. -His son nominated king of Rome. Change in the policy of the northern powers. Peninsular campaign. Massena retreats from Portugal, pursued by lord Wellington. - Almeida taken.Battle of Albuera. - Expedition from Cadiz. - Battle of Barrosa. - Fall of Tarragona, and horrible massacre perpetrated by the French.- Surrender of Blake's army at Valencia.-Lord Wellington's measures for the relief of Galicia.- General Hill surprises the French at Arroyo Molinos. Drives them from Merida. - Gallant defence of Tarifa.-Affairs of the Spanish colonies. - Earthquake Siege of Montevideo.

at Caracas.

CHAP. AT the time fixed for the meeting of parliament, the public mind was agitated by apprehensions of a recurrence of that calamity which, in 1788, occasioned a suspension of the royal functions. The the princess king, absorbed in grief for the painful and pro

1810.

Death of

Amelia.

tracted illness of his youngest daughter, the princess Amelia, sought, by daily visits to her chamber, some relief for his paternal solicitude. On one of these occasions when he was led to the side of her couch, she silently placed a ring on his finger, enclosing a lock of her hair, and inscribed with her name, and with the words "Remember me!" This mute and affecting

affecting farewell went to the heart, but it disturbed CHA P. the seat of memory; and when the sufferings of LXXXIV. the princess terminated on the 2d of November, 1810. a more awful woe was superadded to the sorrow of Illness of the royal family and the nation.

PARLIAMENT had been formally prorogued until the 1st of November; but no intimation had been given that it should then meet for the dispatch of business. By an order of council the chancellor had been directed and authorised to issue a com. mission, under the great seal, for a further prorogation until the 29th; but as the king was not in a state to sign the commission, both houses met at the time appointed, without having been summoned for the dispatch of business; and having no precedent to guide them, were left to shape a course of proceeding for themselves. As the reports of the physicians afforded hopes of his majesty's speedy recovery, successive adjournments took place, until it became necessary to appoint a regency. On the 20th of December three resolutions, framed on the precedents of 1788-9, were proposed by Mr. Perceval, as preparatory to the introduction of a bill for supplying the defect in the personal exercise of the royal authority. By this bill, to which the royal assent was notified by commission, on the 5th of February, the prince of Wales was appointed regent, and empowered to exercise in the name of his majesty the royal authority belonging to the He was to be deemed a person holding an office in trust, and was to conform to the statutes relating to persons in that capacity. He was for a specified time restrained from granting peerages, or summoning heirs-apparent, or appointing to titles in abeyance; likewise from granting offices in reversion, or for a longer time than during pleasure, excepting those allowed by law to be granted for life, or during good behaviour, as well as pensions to the chancellor, judges, &c. These restrictions

crown.

VOL. VI.

X

were

the king.

1811.

CHAP. were to terminate on the 1st of February, 1812, LXXXIV. provided parliament should have been sitting six 1811. weeks, and should be then assembled. The care

The prince of Wales

appointed regent.

Affairs of
Ireland.

of his majesty's person and the direction of his household were vested in the queen, who was to be assisted by a council of which the members appointed were, the archbishops of Canterbury and York, the duke of Montrose, the earl of Winchelsea, the earl of Aylesford, lord Eldon, lord Ellenborough, and sir William Grant. If his majesty should be restored to health the queen and her council were to notify that event by an instrument transmitted to the privy council, who were to assemble and make entry of it; after which the king by his sign manual might require them to assemble, and at his pleasure direct proclamation to issue, when the powers of the act were to cease. The prince of Wales was installed as regent on the 6th of February, and on the 12th, the session of parliament was regularly opened by commission. His royal highness, whose filial duty and affection caused him to avoid any act which might in the smallest degree have the effect of interfering with the progress of his Royal Father's recovery, forbore to remove from their stations those whom he found in them as his majesty's official servants, and of course no change was made in administration.

THE attention of parliament was speedily called to a measure adopted by the government in Ireland concerning the catholics, who had proposed to establish a committee in Dublin, composed of delegates from each county, for the management of their affairs. This convocation being deemed unlawful, Mr. Wellesley Pole, secretary to the lord lieutenant, wrote a circular letter to the sheriffs and chief magistrates of the counties, requiring them to arrest all persons concerned in the election of such delegates. In both houses this letter excited considerable discussion; and on the 3d of March,

March, Mr. Wellesley Pole having returned from CHAP. Ireland, entered into an explanation of the whole LXXXIV. affair. He stated that the catholic committee of 1811. 1809 had confined their deliberations to the business of petitioning; whereas the delegates of 1810 were empowered to manage not only the petition but the catholic affairs; and that a committee of grievances, which met weekly, imitated all the forms of the house of commons. He added that, the lord lieutenant having taken the opinion of the great lawofficers, the attorney-general had drawn up the circular letter which was issued; and that the Irish government could not wait for instructions from home, because, in that case, this self-constituted parliament would have held one meeting, which might have produced a dangerous effect.

THE catholic petitions, presented during this Catholic session by Mr. Grattan and lord Donoughmore, petitions. were rejected. Not discouraged by this defeat, the Irish catholics persevered in the proceedings which had demanded the interference of the government. On the 9th of July a meeting was held at Dublin for the appointment of delegates to the general committee of catholics, when five persons were apprehended for a breach of the convention act, one of whom, Dr. Sheridan, was tried and acquitted. A new committee of delegates met on the 19th of October, at a theatre, and having placed lord Fingal in the chair, dispatched their business before the magistrates arrived to disperse them. On the 26th the aggregate meeting was held, when it was resolved to present an humble address to the prince regent as soon as the restrictions on his authority should cease.

THE supplies voted for the year amounted to Budget. 56,021,8691. of which the proportion for Ireland was 6,569,000%. Twelve millions of exchequer bills were funded, which, with a loan of seven millions and a half, created a charge of 7,500,000%.