After the customary thanks to the House of Commons for their liberal supplies, and regrets for the additional burthens imposed on the people, his Royal Highness mentions the great concern with which he has observed the spirit of insubordination and outrage which has appeared in some parts of the country, and applauds the dili gence employed by parliament in investigating its causes, and the wise measures taken for its suppression. He concludes with recommending to them individually the exertion of their powers for the preservation of the public peace, and for promoting a spirit of obedience to the laws, and attachment to the Constitution. CHAPTER CHAPTER XIV. Domestic Occurrences-Negociations for a Change in the Administration-Disturbances in the Country-Affairs of Irish CatholicsDissolution of Parliament and General Election. ONE of, the subjects British which he was induced to resign, which considerable. The motives by public during the first half of the present year was, the expected changes in the administration, concerning which, at different periods, curiosity was kept on the stretch by negociations, either openly carried on, or suspected to be secretly transacting, among the several parties regarded as candidates for the great offices of state. The Prince Regent had indeed left the reins of government in the hands of his father's ministers for a longer time than had been generally predicted; but it was thought that the commencement of the new era of his unrestricted regency could not fail to be marked by the accession to power of some, at least, of those to whom he had formerly given his confidence; and although the actual ministers had conducted the government with as little interruption from opposition as most of their predecessors, their tenure was commonly considered as temporary and insecure. Early in the year, the cabinet sustained a loss, in the Marquis of Wellesley's resignation of the post of secretary of state for foreign affairs, which, on account of the influence and abilities of that nobleman, could not be regarded as inVOL. LIV. as they afterwards appeared in a statement made public by his friends, were such as augured more unfavourably than even the act itself for the duration of the ministry. His objections, it was there said, arose in a great degree from the narrow and imperfect scale on which the efforts in the Peninsula were conducted. He had repeatedly with reluctance yielded his opinions to his colleagues on many other important points; and he was convinced by experience that the cabinet possessed neither ability and knowledge to devise a good plan, nor temper and discernment to adopt what he thought necessary. To Mr. Perceval's judgment or attainments he could not pay any deference without injury to the public service. Entertaining these sentiments, the marquis had, on the 16th of January, requested permission to withdraw from the cabinet, and this desire was notified to the Prince Regent and Mr. Perceval at the same time, with the expression of his lordship's wish that the precise time of his resignation might be accommodated to the pleasure of his Royal Highness, and the convenience of Mr. Perceval, as soon as the restrictions [K] should should expire. Mr. Perceval is then accused of using all his endeavours to procure the removal of Lord Wellesley before that period, and proposing various persons to the Regent to supersede him in his office. The Regent, however, continued to press his lordship to retain his post; but when, at the expiration of the restrictions, it appeared to be the intention of his Royal Highness to continue Mr. Perceval at the head of the government, Lord Wellesley again tendered the seals to the Regent with increased earnestness. Being commanded to state his opinion on the formation of a cabinet, he declared that in his judgment it ought to be formed on an intermediary principle between instant concession and eternal exclusion with respect to the Roman Catholics, and on an understanding that the war should be carried on with adequate vigour. He added, that he should be ready to serve with Mr. Perceval on such a basis; but would never again serve under him in any circumstances. The sequel of this proposal was, that in two days afterwards Lord Wellesley received, through the Chancellor, the Prince Regent's acceptance of his resignation, and accordingly delivered up the seals on Feb. 19. While this trial of strength between Mr. Perceval and Lord Wellesley, with their respective friends, was depending, a remarkable letter, afterwards made public, was written by the Prince Regent to his brother, the Duke of York, dated Feb. 13, in which, after speaking of the motives of duty to their common father which had induced him hitherto to wave his privilege of making a change in the executive government, and noticing the present crisis of affairs, in which he had no objects to attain, but such as were common to the whole empire, he said, "I cannot conclude without expressing the gratification I should feel, if some of those persons with whom the early habits of my public life were formed, would strengthen my hands, and constitute a part of my government. With such support, and aided by a vigorous and united administration, formed on the most liberal basis, I shall look with additional confidence to a prosperous issue of the most arduous contest in which Great Britain was ever engaged. You are authorised to communicate these sentiments to Lord Grey, who, I have no doubt, will make them known to Lord Grenville." A negotiation with these lords ensued, the failure of which, with its causes, are stated in our report of the debate on Lord Boringdon's motion in the House of Lords, March 19, for an address to the Prince Regent on the forming of an efficient administration. From that result it appeared that the differences on political opinion between the Grenville party (as it is commonly called) and the existing ministry, were such as precluded any coalition between their leading members. Lord Castlereagh, on Feb. 28, received the seals of office as the successor to Marquis Wellesley in the foreign secretaryship; and from that time the ministry went on unchanged, and without any symptom of want of stability, till the assassination of Mr. Perceval, in the beginning of May. Of that atrocity, which will ever rank among among the most memorable and tragical incidents of the year, a full relation will be found in the Chronicle and the Parliamentary Debates. One conclusion universally drawn from it was, that a very considerable, if not radical, change in the administration was now become inevitable; and the ministers themselves seemed to regard their places as only held pro tempore till their successors were agreed upon. The Earl of Liverpool, on whom the post of leader now devolved, attempted to acquire an accession of strength by the association of the Marquis Wellesley and Mr. Canning. Upon the failure of this attempt, Mr. Stuart Wortley made that motion with respect to a strong and efficient administration, the discussion of which will be found in the debates. Its result proving that the ministers were no longer supported by a majority of the House of Commons, the Prince Regent directed negociations to be opened for effecting the purpose of the address presented to him by that house, The Marquis Wellesley was the first person to whom this important and delicate commission was intrusted; but after a short interval, he tendered to his Royal Highness his resignation of the authority vested in him. For the curious and interesting account given by himself to the House of Lords, of the obstacles which rendered his negociation fruitless, we refer to the debates. The same powers were next transferred by the Regent to Lord Moira, who treated with Lords Grey and Grenville upon a basis that seemed to remove all difficulties to a final adjustment. The fail ure of this treaty in consequence of a difference respecting the household appointments, with the very extraordinary conduct of Lord Moira on the occasion, is recorded in our account of the debates. As it there appears, to his lordship is solely owing the continuance of a ministry, whose removal, he once said, as the only circumstance which could give the Roman Ca❤ tholics of Ireland a prospect of obtaining a redress of their grievances, "ought to be rapturously hailed by the whole country." or The Earl of Liverpool, on June 8, stated to the House of Lords that the Prince Regent had on that day appointed him first commissioner of the treasury, and authorised him to complete the arrangements for the ministry; and thus a termination was put to all expectations of a change of men measures, at least to any considerable extent. The majority in parliament, actuated either by the habitual concurrence with established power, or by the conviction that the past contests had been merely for place and emolument, immediately restored their support to the ministers, and no further cry was heard for "a strong and efficient administration." The principal accessions made to the ministerial list were, Lord Sidmouth, as secretary of state for the home department; Earl of Harrowby, lord president of the council; and Mr. Vansittart, chancellor of the exche given in parliament of these disturbances, as being of a political nature, rather than the result of temporary distress and want of employment, the term must be understood, not as pointing to any particular meditated change in the constitution, but to a vague spirit of misrule and insubordination, possibly fostered by inflammatory writings inculcating levelling notions. It is, however, to be observed, that the existence or dispersion of such writings among the rioters is no part of the information contained in the reports to parliament. shire, had gradually spread over the extensive and populous tracts of the Lancashire and Cheshire cotton manufacture, and the clothing parts of the West Riding of Yorkshire. As very copious notices of these outrages are given in our Chronicle, in addition to those which appear in the debates of parliament on the bills introduced for their suppression, and the minute report from the secret committee of the House of Lords on the subject, we shall only briefly advert to them as a part of the domestic history of the year. The numbers and daring spirit of these rioters, the system of organization and deliberate plan under which they acted, and the weapons with which many of them were provided, rendered them truly formidable to the master-manufacturers and peaceable inhabitants of the disturbed districts, and excited serious apprehensions in the minds of many for the general safety of the kingdom. Indeed, if there was no exaggeration in the informations which gave rise to the reports made by the committees of parliament, designs were entertained among the leaders, of deep and dangerous import; and their undoubted seizure of fire-arms, and administrations of oaths of secrecy and confederacy, confirm in part the suspicions suggested. It was, however, ascertained that all these leaders were persons of the lowest ranks in society, who, though they had a considerable influence over their immediate followers, were utterly unable to frame or conduct any thing like a widely- The uncommonly high price of extended insurrection against the provisions, occasioned by many government. If, therefore, there concurrent causes, and by no was any justness in the character means relieved by the product of 1:4 曲 It was found necessary, as these outrages increased, to station a large military force in the disturbed counties, which on various occasions was called upon to act; but such interference seems always to have been kept within moderate bounds, and not to have exceeded the necessity of the occasion. The terrors of the law were also, after a due term of forbearance, called in to assist in repressing and punishing the violations of the public peace; and several of the most guilty paid the forfeit of their lives at the assizes of the counties which were the scene of these disorders. By these means, together with the remedies adopted for the distresses of the labouring poor, and the prospect of increased employment, tranquillity was in great measure restored before the close of the year, in most quarters; yet occasional outrages still occur, and it has not yet been thought safe to withdraw the strong hand of coercion. the |