y^ V/ t^j.<. /Jl<^'//Ci'l ^y^'r^Y/ "dl. 
 
IFE '^i^^^'-'^/^'^ 
 
 L 
 
 AND 
 
 ADMINISTRATION 
 
 OF THE EIGHT HON. 
 
 SPENCER PERCEVAL; 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 A COPIOUS NARRATIVE 
 
 of every Event of Importance, Foreign and Domestic, from 
 his Entrance into Public Life, to the Present Time ; 
 
 A 
 
 DETAIL OF HIS ASSASSINATION, 
 
 ^c. ^c-. Sfc. 
 
 •WITH 
 
 1 HE PROBABLE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SUDDEN OVERTHROW 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REMJIJ\^ OF HIS .ilJMLXISTBdTIOA^. 
 
 Sfc. Sfc. 
 
 AXD 
 
 A DEVELOPMENT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 
 
 BY < 
 
 CHARLES VERULAM WILLIAMS, ESQ. 
 
 ■vwvwvwvw I ; f) 7 
 
 PHILADELPHIA, "^y^ .^^^ 
 
 PRlNTEiD FOR JOHN CONRAD>--'l^*155L^-^ 
 
 Sold by W. W. Wo^idward, David Hogan, Anthony Finley, 
 B. & T. Kite, Moses Thomas, and C. Conrad; Inskeep & 
 Bradford, New-York; E.J. Coale, Baltimore; and Williawi 
 F. Gray, Fredericksburg-, Vir. 
 
 T. & G. Palmer, printers. 
 
 1813. 
 
 n. 
 
t^ 
 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Though in this account of Mr. Perce- 
 val's administration of public affairs it has 
 been the chief object of the compiler to 
 suppress all party feelings, in order tliat 
 events should justify or condemn their 
 authors, yet as consequences have ocarred 
 since Mr. Perceval's decease, naturally re 
 suiting from the system he pursued, the 
 reader will probably trace the acts of a 
 succession of years, all uniformly tending 
 to produce an era, which, with respect to 
 the country at large, is without any pre- 
 cedent. 
 
IV INTKODUCTION. 
 
 Notwithstanding the general sympathy 
 first expressed at Mr. Perceval's untimely 
 fate, it seems the fall of the Man rather than 
 that of the Minister has been most de- 
 plored ; tills is evident from the subsequent 
 refusal of so many eminent characters to act 
 with his friends, though solicited by the first 
 ruithority in the kingdom. — Thus, since his 
 demise, most of his measures have already 
 l>cen openly or tacitly condemned. 
 
 M'lie immense drains upon the country 
 at large (and Mr. Perceval's budget for this 
 year was to have added Two Millions to 
 she taxes) for the support of the war in 
 >ipain, amounting to Twenty Millions a 
 vcar, with a diminished prospect of suc- 
 cess; while the Orders hi Council shut us 
 out of almost every port in Europe and 
 America, have alienated the hearts of nine- 
 tenths of the people from public measures, if 
 not from public men : — heucCj brooding in sc. 
 
INTRODUCTION. V 
 
 I ret, over ealamities apparently irremediable, 
 the spirits of revenge, rapine, and assassina- 
 tion, have stalked abroad in open day-light; 
 and, instead of being dreaded and detested 
 as heretofore, seem to be viewed by the 
 people with levity and indifference, if not 
 with secret satisfaction: as if the shocking 
 devastations they have produced, were only 
 a just retaliation upon those, whom it is sup- 
 posed are daily heaping distress upon public 
 bodies equally with private individuals. 
 
 On this ground, it has been observed, that 
 ** every crime has its slmde; and that even 
 assassination, the greatest of all crimes, so 
 universally condemned, has its distinctions^ 
 which lessen, in the general estimation of 
 mankind, the enormity of its guilt!" Further, 
 with respect to Mr. Bellingham, whose 
 part has been so fatally conspicuous in the 
 life of Mr. Perceval, it has been observed, 
 
VI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 that, if he had been one of those political 
 assassins recommended by some of the venal 
 prints; or, if, on the other hand, "he had 
 been engaged by France or America to ex- 
 terminate the man, whom they consider (no 
 matter how erroneously) as the great obsta- 
 cle to peace, there would then have been no 
 difference of opinion respecting the atrocity 
 of a doctrine so diabolical by its practical 
 effects on the first minister of the country." 
 And yet the unfortunate man who could de- 
 liberately devote himself to certain death, 
 and his children to the chance of infamy and 
 want, rather than suffer the love of life to 
 soften his resentment, though an acute suf- 
 ferer, was perhaps not many degrees more so 
 than hundreds of his survivors, who, like 
 him, have experienced the sad reverses of a 
 declining commerce. 
 
 The thoughts on the sudden overthrow of 
 
INTRODUCTION. Vli 
 
 Mr. Perceval's administration, are derived 
 from facts alone, and require no support 
 from any party in or out of power. 
 
 In the development of the Delicate In- 
 vestigation, much new light is thrown upon 
 that transaction, and the public are now put 
 upon their guard against any of the impo- 
 sitions that have appeared in print, pre- 
 tending to detail particulars which never ex- 
 isted but in the imagination of the writers. 
 
 The most important of the correspondence 
 between Marquis Wellesley, the Earl of 
 Liverpool, Mr. Canning, and others, we 
 have included in this Work. This strange 
 negociation has assumed a different shape 
 almost every day. The parties, it has been 
 observed, ** have been twisted and divided 
 and united again in all possible forms ; but 
 up to the 28th of May (nearly three weeks 
 since the death of Mr. Perceval), no concor- 
 dant body had been made up of them !" 
 
VUl INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The last reports on the subject were, tliat 
 Marquis Wellesley had retired and given 
 up the task of farming a Ministry to Earl 
 Moira. It is certain, that the state into which 
 the Country has been thrown by the sudden 
 assassination of the prime minister, is sin- 
 gularly awful and alarming; it is still hoped, 
 that by the more auspicious interference 
 of Divine Providence, the calamities which 
 seem to be threatened by the disunion of 
 the parties, may yet be averted, and har- 
 mony once more restored to our divided 
 councils. 
 
MEMOIRS 
 
 or THE 
 
 LiFiE AJ\rD ADMIJVISTRdTIOJ^r 
 
 OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 SPENCER PERCEVAL. 
 
 Mr. PERCEVAL, the late Chancellor of 
 the Exchequer, was descended from a very 
 ancient family ; and it has been mentioned as 
 a remarkable ciixumstance concerning them, 
 *' that their ancestors, for more than a cen- 
 tur}-, had been engaged, in some shape or 
 another, in public affairs, but chiefly in col- 
 lecting the revenues of the sister kingdom." 
 The first of them who went to Ireland was 
 John, Lord Lovel: this was at the request 
 of Richard IL 
 
 But as the minds of men, in general, love 
 to dwell upon the memory of departed 
 worth, or fallen greatness; and as it may 
 be particularly gratifying to the numerous 
 
:^ LIFE AND ADMINISTRAl i..^ ^^, 
 
 admirers of the late Premier, to trace i.. 
 long line of his ancestry, be it recollected, 
 that the Perceval family originally sprung 
 from Robert, a younger son of Eudes, So- 
 vereign Duke of Brittany. Having been 
 transplanted into Normandy, they were 
 possessed of the Castle of Yvery at the Con- 
 quest, and invested with the office of here- 
 ditary butler of the duchy. Two of the 
 family, Robert and Roger de Yvery, ac- 
 companied William I. to England : from 
 the former of these, the late Earl of Eg- 
 mont was supposed to have been descended. 
 The latter of them, with one Richard 
 D'Oily, another invader, afterwards mu- 
 tually divided between them several of the 
 English estates, obtained either by marriage 
 or by the sword. 
 
 Ascelin Gouel, called also Gouel de Per- 
 cheval and Gouel de Yvery, was surnamed 
 Lupus, whence the English title of Lovel 
 was taken; he engaged in the petty wars of 
 Normandy, in consequence of a quarrel 
 with the Earl of Breteuil, who wished to 
 punish his younger brother William, for 
 ravishing a woman at Pacey, a town belong- 
 ing to him. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. O 
 
 Robert, his eldest son, in IIP', took arms 
 against King Henry I. with other malcon- 
 tents, and was deprived of his lordship of 
 Yvery in consequence of his rebellion, after 
 which he remained a loyal subject. 
 
 His next brother, William Gouel de Per- 
 cheval, sur named also Lu pell us, or the Lit- 
 tle Wolf, who inherited the lordship of 
 Yvery, engaged in arms against the king; 
 but his party being beaten at the battle of 
 Thurold, he was taken prisoner by a pea- 
 sant, whom he bribed wdth his arms to let 
 him escape. Having been shaved, he reached 
 the banks of the Seine, where, being desti- 
 tute of money, he was obliged to give his 
 shoes to the boatman, in consequence of 
 which he returned home barefooted. — It was 
 he who afterwards completed the castle of 
 Kary, in Somersetshire, and, with other 
 barons, armed it against King Stephen. 
 
 To him succeeded Henry Lupellus, and 
 his brother William, whose nick-name was 
 softened into Lovel. The son of the latter, 
 John, second Lord Lovel, was summoned 
 to Bristol, in the 41st of Henry HI. to at- 
 tend the king into Wales; and John, third 
 
4 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 Lord Lovel of Tichmarsh, was summoned 
 to Parliament in the 28th of Edward II. 
 
 John, Lord Lovel, seventh of that name, 
 was a Knight of the Garter; and was first 
 with the barons against the king, and after- 
 wards with the king, against the barons! He 
 was the first of the family employed by 
 Richard 11. who, as mentioned before, sent 
 him twice to Ireland. 
 
 Francis, Lord Lovel and Holland, also 
 perceiving that his father had lost consider- 
 ably by his attachment to the house of Lqa- 
 <;aster, courted the favour of the house pf 
 York, and in the 22d of Edward IV. was 
 created a Viscount, appointed Lord Chjjm>% 
 berlain of the Household, Constable of the 
 Castle of Wallingford, and Chief Butler ojf 
 England. He aftervvar4s fled from, tl^^ bat- 
 tle of Bos worth, and v/ent to Ireland in th^ 
 service of Lambert Simnel, the counterfeit 
 ^uke of York, for which he was attainted 
 ip the reign of Henry VII. 
 
 The male branch of the family, however, 
 \yas still continued by William, Lord Lovel 
 of Morley, till his son Henry, being killed 
 at Dixmudc, it became extinct : on this 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 5 
 
 Alice, his sister, succeeded to the Baronies, 
 &c., which, together with the hereditary 
 office of Lord Marshal of Ireland, she con- 
 veyed to her husband. Sir William Parker, 
 Knight, Lord Morley in her right. Their 
 lineal descendant and sole male heir was 
 Sir Philip Parker a Morley Long, Barunet ; 
 A\hose sister, Catherine Parker, became the 
 \>^ife of John, first Earl of Egmont, and 
 mother to the late Earl. 
 
 Richard Perceval, Lord of Sydenham, 
 born in 1551, was a man of extraordinary 
 parts, which, in the early portion of his life, 
 were equalled at least by his indiscretion ; 
 but having become accidentally acquainted 
 ^vith Lord Burleigli, he employed him in 
 several important transactions ; and it w^as 
 he who dccyphered a dispatch from the court 
 of Spain, giving the first regular intimation 
 of the Armada. Her Majesty, Queen Eli- 
 zabeth, on this account, nominated Richard 
 Perceval Secretary to the Court of Wards 
 in England; and he was sent to Ireland 
 twice, with the view of extending its powers 
 there. In 1616 he was nominated Registrar 
 of that Court. His son. Sir Philip, suc- 
 cee(Jed him, and obtained a reversionary 
 B 2 
 
6 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 grant of his office, with his father's estates, 
 estimated, at ;f4000 per annum, besides 
 ^60,000 in stock, &c. 
 
 This, knight sided with Charles I. and 
 lost nearly the whole of his fortune during 
 the troubles ; but when no longer able to op- 
 pose the Parliament with success, he yielded 
 to the stream of power and opinion : for in 
 1641-2 he was appointed Commissary-Ge- 
 neral of the Irish army, with a salary of 
 ^3 7*. 6d. per day. In 1642, being Pro- 
 vidore-General of the Horse, he began: to 
 be considered at Oxford as a "round- head;" 
 and in 1644, accepting the offers made him 
 by Pym and Holies, he became a member 
 of the Hump or Long Parliament ; and, dy- 
 ing in 1647, was buried by the order, and at 
 the expence of that body. 
 
 Sir John Perceval, his eldest son, having 
 acquired the esteem of Henry Cromwell, 
 this obtained for him a restoration of his 
 estates ; and as he had profited by all former 
 changes, with one single exception, so on 
 the Revolution he was created a baronet. 
 
 In 1662 he was restored to the place of 
 Registrar of the Court of Wards, and suc- 
 cessively to other places of honour and emo- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 7 
 
 lument. Sir John Perceval, his son, cj: 
 tained a variety of hicrative offices in Ire- 
 Ijuid. — Sir Edward, his grandson, is said Xp 
 have sustained a loss to the amount of 
 ;^40,000 during the disorders there, subse- 
 quent to the Revolution of 1688. Sir John 
 Egmont, his brother, who became the first 
 Earl of Egmont, went to Ireland with the 
 Duke of Ormond, in 1704; and in 1732 
 was appointed President imder the Cliarter 
 for peopling the Province of Georgia. 
 
 Dying of a paralytic affection in 1748, he 
 was succeeded by his eldest son John, se- 
 cond and late Ecirl of Egmont, and father 
 of the late Right Honourable Spencer Per- 
 ceval. His lordship died in 1770; and had 
 by his first wife five sons and two daughters, 
 and by his second three sons and six daugh- 
 ters. 
 
 The Right Honourable Spencer Perceval 
 was born at his father's house in Audley- 
 street, Nov. 1, 1762. — He was named after 
 his uncle Spencer, his father having mar- 
 ried Catherine Compton, sister to the eighth 
 and late Earl of Northampton. The father 
 of the late Premier died also of a paralytic 
 stroke, when his son was only eight years of 
 
8 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 «3e; but having a house at Charlton, near 
 Greenwich, young Mr. Perceval was brought 
 up there. At a proper age he was removed 
 to Harrow School, and from thence to Tri- 
 nity College, where one of his progenitors 
 had been educated, with Henry, son of 
 Oliver Cromwell. Mr. Perceval was then a 
 contemporary with tlie Hon. L. Saville, af- 
 terwards Earl of Scarborough ; the Hon. 
 L. Dundas ; and Messrs. Garnett, Rippon, 
 Lefevre, Owen, Thornton, Sec. 
 
 Mr. Perceval having obtained the degree 
 of M. A. this shortened the road to the bar, 
 as he was soon entered a Bencher of Lin- 
 coln's- inn. He began his professional ca- 
 reer by accompanying the Judges on the 
 Midland Circuit, on which he was opposed 
 to Mr. Serjeant Vaughan, and first distin- 
 guished himself on the trial of George Tho- 
 mas, of Brackley, in Northamptonshire, for 
 forgery, against whom he was retained as 
 counsel ; Mr. Law, now Lord EUenborough, 
 was on the other side. 
 
 But though Mr. Perceval continued to 
 practise in the Courts of King's Bench and 
 Chancery, it was upon a very limited scale ; 
 he was, notwithstanding, considered as a 
 
THE RIGHT HON. 3. PERCEVAL, 9 
 
 person in the way of promotion — as it was 
 not long before he was appointed Counsel 
 to the Admiralty; and, at the age of thirty - 
 seven, obtained a silk gown. His own 
 University also paid him a high compliment, 
 by nominating him as one of its two coun- 
 sel. 
 
 From this period (1799) his professional 
 preferments were rapid; for in 1801 he suc- 
 ceeded Sir W. Grant, then Master of the 
 Rolls; and in the following year became 
 Attorney-General, in the place of Sir Ed- 
 ward Law, now Lord Ellenborough, and 
 Chief Justice-^and here he remained sta- 
 tionar}^' until he was necessarily removed, in 
 consequence of the Talent Ministi^y being 
 admitted into power under Mr, Fox an4 
 Lord Grenville, in 1806. This, of course, 
 for a while, threw Mr. Perceval into the 
 ranks of the opposition. 
 
 It has just been observed, that Mr. Per- 
 ceval, very early in life, was looked upon as 
 a rising character. This opinion might 
 have originated in his zeal, as well as in his 
 ability; for, while a young man at the bar, 
 he is said to have spoken of all those who 
 differed with him w^ith a certain degree of 
 
10 Life and administration of 
 
 asperity, and at times to have treated the 
 assertors of popular rights as Jacobins. — 
 More practice, and a mature age, certainly 
 dulcified his expressions, though his princi- 
 ples ever remained the same. 
 
 As the practice of Mr. Perceval Wcis never 
 very extensive, neither in Chancery, nor in 
 Westminster- Hall, it is not surprising he 
 should determine altogether on a parlia- 
 mentary hfe. With Mr. Pitt, though so ar- 
 dent an admirer of his eloquence, as to place 
 himself in the gallery whenever he spoke, 
 he had but little acquaintance. At Cam- 
 bridge, Mr. Pitt had been a Johnian; but 
 he was Mr. Perceval's senior by three years, 
 and retired from the University before Mr. 
 Perceval's name was entered : however, he 
 recommended himself most effectually to the 
 notice of that celebrated orator, by means 
 of a political pamphlet, in which the son 
 kept up the family pretensions to literature; 
 and exhibited that taste for composition, 
 which had induced Horace Walpole to in- 
 sert the name of the Earl of Egmont in his 
 " Catalogue of Noble Authors." The ob. 
 ject of Mr. Perceval's pamphlet, which had 
 the good fortune thus to please Mr. Pitt, 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 11 
 
 was to prove, that an impeachment did not 
 abate by a dissolution of Parliament — a doc- 
 trine highly constitutional. 
 
 A fortunate event, in consequence of fa- 
 mily connections, gave Mr. Perceval an op- 
 portunity of gratifying his most sanguine 
 wishes, in furnishing him with an op- 
 portunity of displaying his prowess and pa- 
 triotism in St. Stephen's Chapel : for, on 
 account of the death of his uncle by the 
 mother's side, in April, 1797, a vacancy for 
 the representation of the borough of North- 
 ampton took place, as his first cousin, Lord 
 Compton, by succeeding to the Earldom, 
 of course vacated his seat. He and Mr. 
 Perceval had both been Trinity men, ^nd 
 nearly of the same standing. 
 
 As the influence of the Comptons had 
 long been very considerable, particularly 
 since their residence at Castle Ashby, Mr. 
 Perceval, who had been nominated Deputy 
 Recorder, was accordingly, by the exertion 
 of the same influence, returned one of the 
 Members, and continued to be a representa- 
 tive for Northampton till the day of his death. 
 
 Some persons, when speaking of this gen- 
 :eman since his death, had said, that he 
 
12 iJl¥t A>fD ADMIJriSTRAtlON 01 P 
 
 had given up a lucrative practice, and thai 
 he rehictantly relinquished that profession 
 for the service of his country. Mr. Whit- 
 bread, when the question was before the 
 Mouse, as to the manner of rewarding Mr. 
 Perceval's services, remarked, " that his ca^ 
 reer was his own choice. He was bred to 
 the Bar; he afterwards obtained a seat in 
 Parliament; he then quitted the Bar froitl 
 choice- — not being called on m the first in- 
 stance to abandon his profession. The fact 
 was, that several eminent offices in the law 
 had been offered to Mr. Perceval, which he 
 declined, choosing rather to continue in poli- 
 tical life." 
 
 Like many aspiring men, Mr. Perceval 
 did not commence his parliamentary career 
 with a set speech, but contented himself the 
 first time he spoke with saying a few words 
 in support of Mr. Pitt, who, on June 2, 1797, 
 had brought in a bill, in consequence of the 
 commotions at the Nore, " for the bettet 
 prevention and punishment of traiterous at- 
 tempts to excite sedition and mutiny in his 
 Majesty's service." On this occasion Mr. 
 Perceval suggested a mode for avoiding de- 
 tey, and for conciliadng all parties, by de- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 13 
 
 nominating the offence felony, but within the 
 benefit of clergy ; he also proposed that there 
 should be a discretionary power, either of 
 transportation or imprisonment, both of which 
 amendments were adopted. 
 
 On die 4th of January, 1807, having uni- 
 formly supported the minister, he also sup- 
 ported in a long and able speech " the as- 
 sessed tax bill," but principally by replying 
 to Mr. Hobhouse, wlio had spoken against it. 
 
 He began, after a short preface, by replying 
 to what had been advanced by Mr. Hobhouse in 
 opposition to it, and contended, " that he, not 
 Mr. H. was ' pleading the cause of property,' b) 
 supporting the measure, which was to protect it;. 
 It had been contended," he added, " by an ho- 
 nourable baronet (Sir Francis Burdett), that the 
 , application of the money would enable ministers 
 to carry on a war against liberty ; but if the pre- 
 sent war was a war against liberty, it was that 
 species of liberty against which, he trusted, we 
 should ever bear arms — it was against the impor- 
 tation of French liberty into England. The pe- 
 riod too, at which this observation was made, was 
 precisely that, when preparations were making for 
 the invasion of this country by an army, bringing 
 with it in its train all the ruin of French reform 
 and French principles ; yet this was the time chosen 
 for declamation ag-ainsi perseverance in the war, 
 c 
 
14 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 which we are also told by the same authority, was 
 continued from an apprehension that such a form 
 of government would arrive in France, as by the 
 contrast should render Englishmen dissatisfied with 
 that under which they lived. 
 
 " When he saw those gentlemen, who had now 
 reassumed their seats (the opposition), absent them- 
 selves from the House, he had at first supposed 
 they did so, lest they should disturb the unanimity 
 of that assembly. When he conceived their mo- 
 tives to be such, he felt astonished at seeing them 
 return to give a dissenting vote on the present occa- 
 sion. 
 
 " In respect to the measure now under consi- 
 deration, it was the urgency of the times which 
 constituted its leading feature. It was not in our 
 power to choose a peace — the enemy would give 
 none. It did not remain with us to sheath the 
 sword, but with them ; for until we had evinced 
 ourselves disposed to shew all the meanness of 
 concession to the propositions first brought for- 
 ward, the Directory was not prepared to state its 
 ulterior terms of degradation, unless our govern- 
 ment had been base enough during the negocia- 
 tion at Lisle, to have conceded those terms of 
 peace which a victorious army would have thought 
 itself entitled to have dictated in the centre of the 
 metropolis, it is not likely that one could have been 
 obtained. 
 •* But it had been urged, that the present war 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 15 
 
 was unnecessary, unless as far as it was essential 
 to the continuance in office of the present admi- 
 nistration. If this was the case, we were to sup- 
 pose that it was possible that a negociator was to 
 be found on the other side of the House. We had 
 learned from the speeches of the Directory, that 
 we were to pay the price of our own subjugation ; 
 we had also heard, that they (the opposition) would 
 introduce reform, or else they should be liable to 
 the objection of having deserted their friends. 
 Supposing, then, that a change of administraiion 
 were to take place, and that the right honourable 
 gentleman opposite (Mr. Fox) were to come into 
 power, on what terms would he be willing to form 
 a part of administration? He had already de- 
 clared, he would not come in without a total funda- 
 mental and radical reform in Parliament ; and he 
 begged the House to attend to those most chosen, 
 dangerous, and alarming words. 
 
 ** If the right honourable gentleman were our 
 negociator, it was probable, indeed, that peace 
 might be obtained, since one of the wishes of the 
 French, that of seeing him in power, would be 
 thus gratified. He begged gentlemen would at- 
 tend to the words of the enemy, when professing 
 friendship for this country, and they would see no- 
 thing in them favourable to a peace, on practicable 
 terms, but that all they implied vvas, that they had a 
 party in this country. 
 
 ^* If ihe House agreed with him in their opinion 
 
16 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OV 
 
 of the necessity of continuing the war, the only 
 question, as relating to the present measure, then 
 was, whether it would be considered as prudent to 
 raise a large proportion of the supplies for the ser^ 
 vice of the year, within the year ? As he had heard 
 no argument against this, he must suppose that 
 the house had coincided with him in opinion. It 
 had been admitted b}- the honourable gentleman 
 (Mr. Fox) that this would have been a good mea- 
 sure if it had been adopted at the beginning of the 
 war ; and he supposed, that this admission pro- 
 ceeded from an idea, either that the increase of the 
 funding system was injurious to posterity, or that 
 the interest of it was too great for the country to 
 bear ; in either case it seemed to him evident, that 
 an addition of two hundred millions of debt ren- 
 dered it necessary to have recourse to some other 
 plan J and that the only question to be considered 
 was, whether any other manner of raising money 
 promised to be attended with better success than 
 that now proposed ? 
 
 " It had been said, that the people now began 
 to question whether, if the enemy came, they could 
 do worse. Did the people ask this, and was any 
 one unprepared with an answer ? If he was, I 
 will furnish him with one — the enemy would not 
 assuredly act better towards us than they have 
 done towards their own subjects. Let men of a 
 certain rank recollect how they treated those in 
 their station ; let the shopkeeper, now srjd to be 
 
THE RIGHT HON, S. PERCEVAL. 17 
 
 afraid of the direct operation of the present tax, 
 think what must have been the eifect of a forced 
 loan ; let every man recollect, that rising in re- 
 gular proportion until they reached the sum of 
 9000 livres, when they took one half, each income 
 was reduced to the standard of about 180/. few 
 being left a larger sum than that for their avowed 
 expences ; yet the present measure of assessments 
 has been said to be worse than any that had ever 
 been adopted by Robespierre ; na)^, it has been put 
 in competition with the total confiscation of pro- 
 perty." He concluded with an apology for occu- 
 pying so much of the time of the House, " on a 
 subject respecting which there ought to be no diffe- 
 rence, as no reasonable person could, he thought, 
 hesitate in agreeing, that Parliament did right in 
 calling for large and liberal supplies, proportioned 
 to the ability of every man to contribute." 
 
 This speech was heard with great atten- 
 tion, and followed by Mr. Sheridan, who 
 replied to several parts of it, and, at the 
 same time, observed, " that this was a speech 
 of gi^eat ingenuity and considerable vehe 
 mence." 
 
 Various matters of importance were 
 
 brought forward this session in the two 
 
 Houses of Parliament, viz. the question of 
 
 the abolition of the slave trade, in which Mr- 
 
 c 2 
 
18 LIFE AND ADMIIjriSTRATION OF 
 
 Perceval was peculiarly interested ; the poor 
 laws ; the Hampshire petition ; the expul- 
 sion of a member; Lord Henry Petty 's fi- 
 nance bill; Mr. Windham's military bill. 
 The Hampshire petition, in particular, pro- 
 duced, on the 18th of February, a very long 
 debate, brought on by Mr. A. Smith, who 
 observed, that the influence of government 
 in Hampshire was greater than in any other 
 part of the kingdom, and that it had been 
 used to oust a gentleman who had served 
 the country for fourteen years with diligence 
 and fidelity. — The degree of ministerial in- 
 fluence in the case of elections, of which this 
 petition complained, and which had been 
 put in practice under the administration of 
 the Talents, as they were called, roused Mr. 
 Perceval, who said — 
 
 " He was not surprised these servants of the 
 Crown should abandon all the professions they had 
 made before they ascended the seat of power. He 
 had indeed indulged a faint hope that they would 
 have met the question with a manly fortitude ; yet 
 instead of courting examination, they eluded re- 
 search, and plainly proved that they were afraid of 
 enquiry. Whatever might be the result of the de- 
 bate, the country, he was convinced, would not be 
 satisfied without a full discovery of the whole plot 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. ,19 
 
 against their liberties. As to the Secretary of the 
 Treasury, he considered him merely as an agent 
 in the business. As to his being a freeholder, if 
 this were allowed to be an excuse, ministers 
 would easily find freeholders of every county in the 
 kingdom to subscribe their official letters. But, 
 was such a practice to be defended ? Was this the 
 conduct to be vindicated by your pretended re- 
 formers ? By reformers who wanted only power 
 to put their fine plans into execution; and when 
 in power resorted to every method they had pre- 
 viously complained of. When they were out of 
 power, the House heard repeated complaints of 
 the influence of administration, but no instance 
 was adduced ; now it is broadly exposed, but no 
 redress is to be obtained; but the mask would 
 soon be thrown off, and the deformity of their 
 conduct would be exposed." 
 
 However, on the question being put, Mr. 
 Perceval, not being then in office, was m the 
 minority, only 57 being for it and 184 against 
 it. 
 
 Lord Howick's Catholic Question was 
 brought forward on the 5th of March, 1807. 
 
 " This Mr. Perceval considered as one of the 
 most important and dangerous measures that had 
 ever been submitted to the judgment of the legis- 
 lature. Not the measure merely, but the system 
 on which it was founded, excited in him the most 
 
20 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 formidable objections. Where are we to stop, if 
 this is granted? The Protestant interest ought to 
 be maintained in Ireland. From the arguments 
 used to-day, the Reformation might seem to be 
 only a convenient political measure. The incon- 
 gruity in the law might be great in theory^ but 
 was it so in practice? The presbyterian in Scot- 
 land is sacrificed just as much as the catholic of 
 Ireland, yet when had either suffered the penalties 
 of the act? He denied that a catholic having ob- 
 tained a commission in Ireland, was liable to pe- 
 nalties in England : the Union sanctioned the act, 
 and if after all inconvenience did actually occur, 
 the annual indemnity bill completely covered the 
 case. We must look also to the inconvenience to 
 the service. One soldier would go to a methodist 
 chapel, another to a presbyterian meeting, a third 
 to a Roman catholic church : and the inconve- 
 nience would be greater still in the navy. If this 
 evil is suffered to increase, that would ultimately 
 be obtained from the weakness of parliament, 
 which its wisdom would be desirous to with- 
 hold." 
 
 There can scarcely be the least doubt, but 
 that, joined to Mr. Perce vaPs abilities, his 
 zeal against catholic emancipation was the 
 cause of his being put at the head of the 
 new administration, which soon followed the 
 speech we have just recorded, and was evi- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 21 
 
 dently brought on by the conduct of Lord 
 Howick and his colleagues in office, towiurds 
 his Majesty. His Lordship, it is generally 
 asserted, obtained a reluctant consent from 
 the Sovereign to introduce a bill into the 
 House, similar to that passed in Ireland in 
 1793, respecting the catholics. In the in- 
 terval between this consent, and the second 
 reading of the bill, which ceitainly was not 
 exactly the same as that in 1793, the royal 
 mind was much agitated^ and certain per- 
 sons were frequently seen at Court, who 
 were not friendly to the then existing ad- 
 ministration. To widen a breach already 
 made, was not difficult; the royal excep- 
 tions to the bill were insurmountable. The 
 ministers, who had raised this alarm, would 
 willingly have withdra^\Tl the obnoxious 
 bill ; but this was not sufficient. They were 
 required to pledge themselves that they 
 would not hereafter agitate the question; 
 but as to this they would not consent, they 
 were dismissed, and in a great measure ren- 
 dered ridiculous to their opponents and the 
 country at large. 
 
 Here we may behold Mr. Perceval at the 
 pinnacle of power, and trampling, as it 
 
S3 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 were, upon the necks of his enemies. No 
 small portion of bickering took place in both 
 houses ; but in each of them the ex-ministers 
 were completely defeated. In these dis- 
 putes the public took very little share, a few 
 addresses and petitions excepted, being 
 brought forward upon the old question of 
 No Popery ! 
 
 On one side it was contended the King 
 could do no wrong ; and on the other, the 
 ex-ministers insinuated that the King had 
 done wrong, in demanding a pledge from 
 them which their honour and their oaths as 
 privy counsellors forbade them to give. 
 
 At this interval too Mr. Perceval's elevation 
 was increased in proportion as the late mini- 
 sters were depressed, for at this inauspicious 
 moment all their former sins and political mis- 
 deeds were brought into remembrance. They 
 were reminded that one of their first acts on 
 coming into place, was to pay Mr. Pitt's 
 dd)ts; that they then passed an act allowing 
 Lord Grenville to hold the Auditorship of the 
 Exchequer together with the place of First 
 Lord of the Treasury; they admitted the 
 Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench to 
 have a seat in the Cabinet; and they made 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAI.. 23 
 
 Mr. Pittas income tax tenfold more oppres- 
 sive than lie ever intended it. Their lan- 
 guage on the Hampshire election, and their 
 conduct in another at Westminster, belied 
 all tlieir former sentiments and opinions of 
 ministerial influence ; but above all, they 
 eulogized Mr. Pitt in a most extravagant 
 manner, just as some of Mr. Perceval's oppo- 
 nents have paneg}Tized him ; in fine, Mr. 
 Perceval could not possibly have had a 
 stronger recommendation upon his outset in 
 public hfe than the inconsistency of his pre^ 
 decessors. 
 
 Mr. Perceval seems at all times to have 
 paid a particular attention to matters of 
 finance, and to have exercised his abilities 
 almost on every subject connected with the 
 revenue, particularly in December, 1798, 
 when he defended Mr. Pitt's new scheme 
 for collecting the assessed taxes. 
 
 In 1800 he evinced his regard for religion 
 and good morals, by expressing his full con- 
 viction that something ought to be done by 
 the legislature to amend and alter the law as 
 it stood against adultery. A few days after, 
 he spoke at great length on the '* Monastic 
 
24 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 Institution bill," during which he very judi- 
 ciously remarked, 
 
 " That it was the spirit of the catholic persua- 
 sion to make as many converts as possible ; indeed 
 it was the principle of every religion to a given 
 extent, but emphatically so of this, and therefore 
 while we were talking of kindness to the catholics, 
 and while we expected gratitude from them for 
 such kindness, we ought not to be surprised if that 
 gratitude consisted in their endeavouring to con- 
 vert the whole nation; nor should we be angry 
 with them for such an attempt, as they believed 
 they could not obtain for us a greater blessing 
 than to make catholics of us allj but it was our 
 business to be on our guard against such a spirit, 
 since it was utterly inconsistent with that of our 
 constitution. 
 
 " Notwithstanding he would not say a wor4 
 against toleration, as there was not a man in Eng- 
 land who had more esteem for it than himself. 
 This, however, did not compel him to lay aside all 
 precaution against the possible effects of the over- 
 growth of popery in this country. He should not 
 wish to see a hair of a man's head hurt on account 
 of his religious opinions; but that did not compel 
 him to think catholics were the best subjects in this 
 country." 
 
 In 1803 Mr. Perceval interested himself^ 
 very highly to his credit, on the discussion of 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PKnCEVAL. 25 
 
 the clergy non-residence bill; he liked not 
 the lax manner in the wording of some of 
 the clauses, and reprobated the principle of 
 depriving the parishioners in every part of 
 England of the advantages of a resident 
 clergyman. He also declared that he con- 
 sidered " pluralities as a great grievance," 
 and thought the discretion of granting ex- 
 ceptions should be vested in the bishops. 
 
 Mr. Perceval became Solicitor General in 
 1799, an early period for an office of such 
 importance, and in 1802 he was appointed 
 Attorney General, which office he held dur- 
 ing a period of three years and ten months. 
 
 When Attorney General, it need scarcely 
 be said, that lie was a strenuous advocate for 
 the union of Ireland. During Mr, Adding- 
 ton's administration, he warmly defended the 
 bill for correcting abuses in the Navy, when 
 some warm altercation took place between 
 him and Lord Temple, on account of the 
 latter's entering into a new career of oppo- 
 sition. 
 
 At length, after the demise of Mr. Pitt in 
 1806, Mr. Perceval had the mortification to 
 see Mr. Fox and Lord Grenville come into 
 power; but as their measures were very far 
 
 D 
 
26 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 from meeting with his cordial approbation, 
 the circumstance of their continuing in office 
 only a year, a week, and a day, was of course 
 rather matter of exultation to him than re- 
 gret. 
 
 In iVpril, 1807, it was thought highly ex- 
 pedient by the sovereign to dismiss this re- 
 doubtable administration, and Lord Sid- 
 mouth, as President of the Council, now gave 
 place to Earl Camden ; Lord Erskine, as 
 Chancellor, to Lord Eldon; Lord Holland, 
 as Privy Seal, to the Earl of Westmorland ; 
 Lord Grenville, as First Lord of the Trea- 
 sury, to the Duke of Portland ; Earl Moira, 
 as Master General of the Ordnance, to the 
 Earl of Chatham ; Viscount Howick, as Se- 
 cretary for Foreign Affairs, to the Right 
 Hon. George Canning; and Lord Henry 
 Petty, as Chancellor and Under Treasurer 
 of the Exchequer, to the Hon. Spencer Per- 
 ceval, with other inferior removals. So high 
 were our hopes now raised respecting fo- 
 reign affairs, that in consequence of this 
 change of administration, the late King of 
 Sweden, and some of our allies, were given 
 to understand, that more vigorous measures 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. ^ERCEVAL. 27 
 
 would be adopted than those acted upon by 
 their predecessors. 
 
 In fact, every eye was fixed upon the 
 coasts of the Baltic. There it was generally 
 supposed on this side of the water, the desti- 
 nies of Europe were to be decided. " The 
 genius and resources of the north, it was said, 
 were brought into conflict with those of the 
 south.'' I'he mighty contest lay between 
 Alexander, Emperor of Russia, and the 
 Kings of Prussia and Sweden, on the one 
 part, and the Emperor of France and the 
 King of Italy on the other. Scarcely ever 
 had there been so eventful a crisis. It was 
 thought that the young Gustavus, with the 
 aid both of a subsidy and troops from Eng- 
 land, might march an army through the 
 Lower Saxony from Dantzic and Colberg as 
 far as Hamburg, which, aided by insur- 
 gents in Hesse, Hanover, and the Prussian 
 dominions, might pass the Elbe, and esta- 
 blish a war in the centre of Germany for the 
 annoyance of the French. 
 
 In the meanwhile all the principal places 
 in Prussia Proper being secured, the French 
 Emperor was pursuing the conflict with tlic 
 Russians in Eastern and Polish Prussia. 
 
'SS JLi^» AJff0 ADMINISTRATION <3F 
 
 Though placed at so great a distance from 
 France, such was his vigilance in providing 
 for his troops, that, as at the present period, 
 on the great roads between the Rhine an^ 
 the Vistula, hundreds and thousands cf car- 
 riages were every where to be seen going or 
 returning from Thorn and Warsaw; while, 
 from all the countries between France and 
 Poland, being under the power of France, 
 provisions and often recruits were drawn. 
 
 Notwithstanding the severity of the sea- 
 son, ^lich it was probably thought the 
 French could ill sustain, the campaign, which 
 the Russians were determined should keep 
 open all the winter, was gallantly supported 
 by their enemies. The aifeirs of Hoff and 
 Deppen occurred in February, 18G7; but die 
 battle of Eylau, which was the most bloody 
 of any, took place likewise on tlie 7th and 
 8th of that month. After this sanguinary 
 contest, though the main body of the Rus- 
 sians were forced to fall back eiglity leagues 
 from the Vistula, the French Emperor either 
 did not think it prudent, or was not in a 
 condition to hazard another battle, nor at that 
 juncture to proceed to Koningsberg, though 
 the French soldiers were within sight of 
 
THE RitiUT HON. 8. PEUCEVAL. 21) 
 
 the steeples of that place. But if possession 
 of the field of battle be any proof of victory, 
 at Eylati this certainly belonged to the 
 French, who, after the Russians had retreated, 
 leaving the wounded in their hands, re- 
 mained seven or eight days on the ground 
 They occupied during the action. While 
 this ardent struggle on the part of the Rus- 
 sians and Prussians continued, in w^hich all 
 the strong places were falling successively 
 into the hands of the French, a subsidy of 
 500,0001. had been granted by our court ; 
 but though repeated and earnest application 
 was made, no troops were sent from Eng- 
 land till it was too late ; and these, consisting 
 only of 8000 of the German legion, which 
 were landed at Rugen, were too few in num- 
 ber to effect any real service. 
 
 The French next turned their attention 
 to Swedish Pomerania, where the King Of 
 Sweden had arrived to animate his army by 
 his presence ; but his efforts not being crown- 
 ed with success, the whole of the pro\'ince, 
 with Stralsund, and the Isle of Rugen, after 
 much fruitless opposition, fell into the hands 
 of the enemy. 
 
 The first session of ixirlinment in 1807, 
 
 D 2 
 
30 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION Oi 
 
 was much occupied with the subject of the 
 last year's negociation with France, during 
 which Mr. Whitbread expressed his full con. 
 viction that the chief of the French govern- 
 ment was desirous, and the ministers of 
 France sincere in their wishes for peace ; 
 that an opportunity liad been lost of making 
 peace upon terms both honourable and advan- 
 tageous ; that the negociation had been 
 broken off by the government of this coun- 
 try prematurely and unnecessarily ; and that 
 with greater prudence and candour, and a 
 little more patience, skill, and address on 
 our parts, we should have found France ready 
 to grant such terms as his Majesty's minis- 
 ters ought to have accepted. 
 
 Mr. Perceval, from a review of all the 
 circumstances connected with the negocia- 
 tion, concluded, tliat the enemy were never 
 seriously desirous of peace, and that minis- 
 ters were dupes to the artifices of the 
 French government. He lamented that a 
 man of Mr. Fox's great talents and incor- 
 ruptible mind, had been betrayed into a pri- 
 vate and confidential correspondence with 
 Talleyrand. He declared his firm convic- 
 tion that no peace could take place with 
 
THE RIGHT HON* 9. PEKCEVAL. 3i 
 
 France, at least such a peace as would be 
 worthy of the acceptance of this country, so 
 long as the force and counsels of that country 
 were directed by two such men as Talleyrand 
 and Buonaparte. 
 
 But notwithstanding the grounds which 
 the new ministers could thus boast of for 
 exultation, Mr. Perceval exhibited no symp- 
 toms of the least consciousness of this nature ; 
 though Mr. Canning, one of his new col- 
 leagues, after recapitulating the arguments 
 used on the state of Ireland, ended ^vith a 
 threat '* that whatever might be the result 
 of that before them, or a series of motions, 
 the new ministers would keep their places." 
 " The changes in the councils of the King,'' 
 he said, " did not arise from themselves, but 
 from their predecessors; and if necessary, 
 an appeal would be made to the people." 
 This threat called up Lord Henry Petty, 
 who spoke vehemently against such lan- 
 guage ; however, after a debate which lasted 
 till half past six in the morning, his Majesty's 
 dismissal of his ministers was approved of by 
 a majority of thirty- two, in favour of their 
 successors. 
 
 But relative to a dissolution of parliament, 
 
32 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 Mr. Canning's menace was well understood : 
 each party prepared, and a universal canvas 
 inlmediately took place. Excepting the 
 Westminster election, in which Messrs. 
 Sheridan, Cockrane, Elliot, Paul, and Bur- 
 dett, respectively figured, the rest passed off 
 in the country without much contest. Liver- 
 pool, however, rejected the elegant historian 
 of the House of Medicis, because he voted 
 with Mr. Perceval against the slave trade, 
 and took the advantage of this, and the cry 
 of " No Popery," to excite the mob against 
 him. At Cambridge University there was 
 also a most violent struggle, which ended in 
 the ejectment of Lord Henry Petty, the Ex- 
 Chancellor of the Exchequer. A similar 
 defeat attended Lord Howick, who stood 
 for the county of Northumberland, after 
 having figured at the hustings in a very long 
 speech ; but here it seems his lordship was 
 no longer acknowledged as that Mr. Grey, 
 who early in life had such strong pretensions 
 to populai' favour : Lord William Russel 
 also lost Suny% 
 
 On the 27th of April, 1807, the parhament 
 had been prorogued by the following speech, 
 in which, if as usual the minister's sentiments 
 
THE RIGfHT HOfN. S. PERCEVAL. 3S 
 
 are to be considered as the most prominent, 
 Mr. Perceval could have had no reason to 
 blush ; but on the contrary, from what was 
 then said relative to the Catholics, it was im- 
 possible, upon the ground of consistency, to 
 expect he could deviate from the plan with 
 which he set out in public life. 
 
 " MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, 
 
 " We have it in command from his Majesty to 
 inform you, that his IMajesty has thought fit to 
 avail himself of the first moment, which would ad- 
 mit of an inienruptjon of the sitting of parliament, 
 without material inconvenience to the public busi- 
 ness, to close the present session : and, that his 
 Majesty has therefore been pleased to cause a 
 commission to be issued under the great seal for 
 proroguing the parliament. 
 
 " We are farther commanded to state to you, that 
 his Majesty is anxious to recur to the sense of his 
 people, while the events which have recently taken 
 place, are yet fresh in their recollection. 
 
 " His Majesty feels that, in resorting to this mea- 
 sure, under the present circumstances, he at once 
 demonstrates, in the most unequivocal manner, 
 his own conscientious persuasion of the rectitude 
 of those motives upon which he has acted ; and 
 affords to his people the best opportunity of testi- 
 fying their determination to support him, in every 
 exercise of the prerogatives of his crown which is 
 
34 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 conformable to the sacred obligations under which 
 they are held, and conducive to the welfare of his 
 kingdom, and to the security of the constitution. 
 
 His Majesty directs us to express his entire con- 
 viction, that after so long a reign, marked by a 
 series of indulgences to his Roman Catholic sub- 
 jects, they, in common with every other class of hrs 
 people, must feel assured of his attachment to the 
 principles ©f a just and enlightened toleration, and 
 of his anxious desire to protect equally, and pro- 
 mote impartially, the happiness of all descriptions 
 of his subjects." . 
 
 '' GENTLEMEN OF tmb hovce or COMMONS, 
 
 *' His Majesty has commanded us to thank you 
 in his name, for the supplies which you have fur- 
 nished for the public service. He has seen with 
 great satisfaction, that you have been able to find 
 the means of defraying in the present year, those 
 large but necessary expenses, for which you have 
 provided, without imposing upon his people the im- 
 mediate burden of additional taxes. 
 
 " His Majesty has observed with no less satisfac- 
 tion, the inquiries which you have instituted into 
 subjects connected with public economy ; and he 
 trusts, that the early attention of a new parlia- 
 ment, which he will forthwith direct to be called, 
 will be applied to the prosecution of these impor- 
 tant objects." 
 
 " MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN, 
 
 " His Majesty has directed us most earnestly to 
 recommend to you, that you should cultivate, by 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 35 
 
 all means in your power, a spirit of union, har- 
 mony, and good will amongst all classes and de- 
 scriptions of his people. 
 
 " His Majesty trusts, that the divisions, natural- 
 ly and unavoidably excited by the late unfortunate 
 and uncalled for agitation of a question, 60 inte- 
 resting to the feelings and opinions of his people, 
 will speedily pass away ; and that the prevailing 
 sense and determination of all hjs subjects to exert 
 their united efforts in the cause of their country, 
 will enable his Majesty to conduct, to an honoura- 
 ble and secure termination, the great contest in 
 which he is engaged." 
 
 Immediately after the election, it was 
 stated in the newspapers that Mr. Perceral 
 had written letters to all the members of his 
 party, desiring their earliest attendance, as 
 matters of the greatest importance would be 
 brought forward ; on which it was asked, 
 " Pray who is this Mr. Perceval that writes 
 such letters? Is Mr. Perceval King of the 
 country ? Has not the King called his par- 
 liament together, and have not the Speaker 
 and the House the exclusive right of inter- 
 fering with the appearance or nion-appear- 
 ance of their members ?" However, as we 
 now behold Mr. Perceval invested with full 
 powers, firmly seated on the Treasury 
 
36 ILIFB ANn ADMINISTRATION OE 
 
 Bench, he is henceforth to be considered as 
 influenchig, ccKitrouling, or assenting to all 
 measures of pul^lic import ; accordingly, the 
 new Parliament, which he was so anxious 
 to assemble, was opened by a commission, 
 on the 26th of June, with the following 
 ^eech. 
 
 " My Lords and Gentlemen^ 
 
 " We have it in command from his Majesty to 
 state to you^ that having deemed it expedient to 
 recur to the sense of his people, his Majesty, in 
 conformity to his declared intention, has lost no 
 time in causing the present Parliament to be assem- 
 bled, 
 
 *' His Majesty has great satisfaction in acquaint- 
 ing you, that since the events which led to the dis- 
 solution of the last Parliament, his Majesty has 
 received, in numerous Addresses from his sufc^- 
 jects, the warmest assurances of their affectionate 
 attachment to his person and Government, and of 
 their firm resolution to support him in maintain- 
 ing the just rights of his Crown, and the true, 
 principles of the Constitution ; and he commands 
 us. to express his entir<> confidence, that he shall 
 experience in all your deliberations, a determina- 
 tion to afford him an equally loyal, zealous, and 
 affectionate support, under all the arduous circum- 
 stances of the present time. 
 
 "We are commanded by his Majesty to inform; 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 37 
 
 )Gu, that his Majesty's endeavours have been 
 most anxiously employed for the purpose of draw- 
 ing closer the ties by which his Majesty is con- 
 nected with the powers of the Continent ; of as- 
 sisting the efforts of those Powers against the am- 
 bition and oppression of France ; of forming such 
 engagements as may ensure their continued co- 
 oi>eration ; and of establishing that mutual con- 
 fidence and concert so essential under any course 
 of events to the restoration of a solid and perma- 
 nent peace in Europe. 
 
 " It would have afforded his Majesty the great- 
 est pleasure to have been enabled to inform you, 
 that the mediation undertaken by his Majesty for 
 the purpose of preserving peace between his Ma- 
 jesty's Ally, the Emperor of Russia, and the Sub- 
 lime Porte, had proved effectual for that important 
 object : his Majesty deeply regrets the failure of 
 that mediation, accompanied as it was by the dis- 
 appointment of the efforts of his Majesty's squa- 
 dron in the sea of Marmora ; and followed, as it 
 has since been, by the losses which have been sus- 
 tained by his gallant troops in Egypt. 
 
 " His Majesty could not but lament the exten- 
 sion of hostilities in any quarter, which should 
 create a diversion in the war so favourable to the 
 views of France ; but lamenting it, especially in 
 the instance of a Power with which his Majesty 
 has been so closely connected, and v/hich has been 
 lio recently indebted for its protection against the 
 
3'8 UFfi AND ADMIN'IStRATION OF 
 
 encroacliments of France^ to the signal arid suc- 
 cessful interposition of his Majesty's arms. 
 
 His Majesty has directed us to acquaint you, 
 that he has thought it right to adopt such mea- 
 sures as might best enable him, in concert with 
 the Emperor of Russia, to take advantage of any 
 favourable opportunity fot bringing the hostilities 
 in which they are engaged against the Sublime 
 Porte, to a conclusion, consistent with his Ma- 
 ^jesty's honour and the interest of his ally." 
 
 '* Gentlemen of the House of Commons^ 
 " His Majesty has ordered the estimates of the 
 current year to be laid before you, and he relies 
 on the zeal of his faithful Commons to make such 
 provision for the public service, as well as for the 
 further application of the sums which were grant- 
 ed in the last Parliament, as may appear to be 
 necessary. 
 
 *' And his Majesty, bearing constantly in mind 
 the necessity of a careful and economical Adminis- 
 tration of the peeuniary resources of the country, 
 has directed us to express his hopes that you will 
 proceed without delay in the pursuit of those en- 
 quiries, connected with the public economy, which 
 engaged the attention of the last Parliament." 
 
 " My Lords and Gentlemeiiy 
 " His Majesty commands us to state to you, 
 that he is deeply impressed with the peculiar im- 
 portance, at the present moment, of cherishing a 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 39 
 
 spirit of union and harmony amongst his people : 
 such a spirit will most effectually promote the 
 prosperity of the country at home, give vigour 
 and efficacy to its councils, and its arms abroad; 
 and can alone enable his Majesty, under the bless- 
 ing of Providence, to carry on successfully the 
 great contest in which he is engaged, or finally to 
 conduct it to that termination which his Majesty's 
 moderation and justice have ever led him to seek, 
 a peace — in which the honour and interests of his 
 kingdom can be secure, and in which Europe and 
 tlie world may hope for independence and re- 
 pose." 
 
 In the House of Commons, the Address 
 was moved by Lord Newark, and seconded 
 by Mr. Hall, both being echoes of the 
 speech, the latter ending with a commenda- 
 tion of that great and lamented statesman, 
 Mr. Pitt, who had weathered the storm; 
 and he called upon those Ministers who had 
 lately quitted the helm, to abandon all spi- 
 rit of mutiny, and to join in navigating the 
 \'essel, and guiding her to a port of security. 
 During this debate, the late Ministers being 
 charged with the disasters in Egypt, in con- 
 sequence of our attempts to seize Alexandria 
 and Rosetta, Lord Howick said, "No man 
 could lament those disasters more than he 
 
40 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 did ; but what did Ministers mean by insert- 
 ing the paragraph relative to it in the 
 speech? If ill success," he said, " in an ex- 
 pedition, was an argument against a Minis- 
 try, what shall we say to the memorable 
 achievements at Ferrol, Corsica, and the 
 Helder?" 
 
 The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, 
 Mr. Perceval, ^' indicated the dissolution of 
 Parliament, and replied to the observations 
 on the inconveniences to the public, which, 
 he said, when compared with the arguments 
 in favour of the dissolution, sunk to nothing. 
 The conduct of the late Ministers he assi- 
 milated with that of Mr. Pitt on a like ques- 
 tion, and declared it to be his firm opinion, 
 that no farther concessions to the Catholics 
 were desirable. How^ever, though several 
 members spoke for an Amendment to the 
 Address, in order to express their abhorrence 
 of the first act of a set of men, who, they con- 
 ceived, by reinstating Lord Melville, had re- 
 called to his Majesty's Councils })rofligacy 
 and corruption, there appeai'ed to be for the 
 Address 300, and for the Amendment only 
 155. In the House of Lords the Address was 
 carried without a division. 
 
THE lilGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 41 
 
 Passing over our disasters in Egypt, in 
 the Archipelago, and at Buenos Ayres, over 
 which Mr. Perceval and his friends could 
 have no controul, we may observe, that 
 among the more fortunate results of the em- 
 ployment of the British ai'ms, the taking of 
 Curacoa, on the 1st of January, 1807, with 
 very little resistance, might be enumerated c 
 This \vas a considerable help to our com- 
 merce, which no^v began to feel the eifects 
 of the Berlin Decree, notwithstanding the 
 counteraction arising from our Orders in 
 Council. 
 
 In the British possessions in the East In- 
 dies, it ^\^as still acknowledged, that a latent 
 spirit of discontent and alarm had existed 
 ever since the horrid massacre at Vellore: 
 the cause of which interfering with the reli- 
 gious opinions of the natives was frivolous 
 and fatal — as it probably produced the re- 
 pulse of the British arms, after two most 
 desperate attempts on the almost impregnable 
 fortress of Burtpore, together with the obsti- 
 nate resistance of Dundie Khan, at his fort and 
 fortified garden at Comana. 
 
 In returning to take a view of the state 
 of affairs in Europe, it will appear, that th^ 
 K 2 
 
42 LIFE AND ADMlNISTRATiON OF 
 
 impolitic expedition to Copenhagen eventu- 
 ally added Denmark to the list of our most 
 determined enemies, among whom, after the 
 peace of Tilsit, we numbered Austria, Russia, 
 Prussia, and the Ottoman Porte. 
 
 Early in the year 1807, it seems that the 
 British Cabinet had adopted the resolution 
 of compelling Denmark to declare against 
 France; and for this purpose a naval and 
 military armament, consisting of about 
 25,000 men, and a fleet of nearly thirty sail 
 of the line, with other vessels, to the number 
 of ninety pendants, were some months in pre- 
 paration. 
 
 It was not till the 14th of August, 1807, 
 that the British fleet unexpectedly appeared 
 between Elsineur and Helsingborg on the 
 other side. A division of the fleet, under 
 Commodore Keats, had been previously de- 
 tached to the Great Belt, with instructions 
 to allow no military force whatever to enter 
 Zealand; and, from the manner in which 
 his vessels were stationed, the communica- 
 tion between Zealand, the adjacent Isle of 
 Funen, »nd the main land of Holstein, Sles- 
 wig, and Jutland, was cut off*. The British 
 army followed the main body of the fleet to 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAL. 43 
 
 the Sound, Lord Cathcart being commander 
 in chief of the land forces, and Admiral Gam- 
 bier commanded the fleet. 
 
 But as negociation was to be tried pre- 
 vious to hostilities, Mr. Jackson, who had 
 resided several years at Berlin, as envoy 
 from this country, was selected, and repair- 
 ing to Copenhagen, he was instructed to use 
 every argument in his power to bring the 
 Prince Regent to terms of friendly accom- 
 modation ; or, in plain terms, to induce him 
 to consent to the delivery of the Danish fleet 
 into the possession of the British Admiral, 
 under the most solemn stipulation that it 
 should be restored at the conclusion of the 
 war between this country and France. Pro- 
 posals thus degrading being rejected, the 
 anny landed without opposition on the morn- 
 ing of the 16th of August, and on the even- 
 ing of the 2d of September the British land 
 batteries and the bomb and mortar vessels 
 opened such a tremendous fire upon the city 
 of Copenhagen, that a general conflagration 
 was thought to have taken place. 
 
 On the night of the 3d, our fire was 
 slackened ; but on the 4th it was resumed 
 with so much vigour and efiect, that tlie next 
 
44 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 morning a trumpeter appeared at the British 
 out- posts, with a letter, proposing a truce. 
 On the 8th of September a capitulation was 
 signed, and the British army took possession 
 of the citadel, dock-yards, and batteries. 
 The Danish vessels captured being rigged 
 with the utmost dispatch, the whole fleet was 
 safe in the British ports before the end of 
 October. After the capitulation had been 
 signed by both parties, Mr. Jackson made a 
 fresh attempt to negociate with the prince 
 of Denmark, as did also a Mr. Merry, but 
 with neither would the Danish government 
 hold the least communication. These at- 
 tempts, however, sufficiently prove that the 
 authors and advisers of this extraordinary 
 expedition indulged in the imparalleled weak- 
 ness of believing, that the conciliation of the 
 Danes w^as still possible, notwithstanding 
 what had happened. 
 
 Among the various apologies made for 
 what was called the immorality of the Da- 
 nish expedition on the part of England, it 
 was alleged, that the court of Denmark 
 had a secret imderstanding with France. 
 But that this was far from being founded is 
 proved from the circumstance, that while 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 45 
 
 scarcely a single cannon was mounted on the 
 ramparts of Copenhagen, nearly the whole of 
 the Danish forces, about thirty thousand 
 men, A^ere collected in Holstein, at least to 
 make a show of defending their continental 
 possessions, or protecting their commerce, 
 and which conduct had some time before 
 occasioned the French Emperor, when the 
 deputies that waited upon him from Ham- 
 burgh made some allusion to the Danish 
 sovereign, to say, *' Let that little prince 
 take care of himself." Still, whether the 
 Danes would not have been ultimately in- 
 duced to declare themselves on the part of 
 France, can scarcely admit of a doubt. 
 
 But though the allies of France upon the 
 continent were exposed to the predatory 
 incursions of England, the French gave the 
 ton ; and in the kingdom of Westphalia in 
 paiticular, the government and civil employ- 
 ments were administered exclusively by 
 Frenchmen, and even the Napoleon code 
 established in its courts. To such an excess 
 was this complaisance carried, that in one of 
 ilie numbers of the Westphalian Moniteur 
 the French are called " La noblesse du 
 genre humain," the nobility of the human 
 
40 LIFE AHl) ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 race. For the pyrpose also of restraining 
 apd excluding English commerce, French 
 troops now first began to line the whole coast 
 of Holland, the borders of the Elbe, &c. 
 JEven the Dutch fishing-boats were ordered 
 not to put to sea without having in each a 
 soldier to watch their proceedings; but as 
 Louis Bonaparte had not nerve suf&cient to 
 carry these severe measures into execution, 
 he was eventually compelled to abdicate his 
 crown and kingdom. 
 
 In Bavaria, as well as Westphalia, the 
 population able to bear arms were organized 
 ijito national guards, and drilled and train€<3: 
 with the greatest diligence and activity. 
 
 The treaty of Tilsit was scarcely con- 
 cluded, before the French Emperor is said 
 to have resolved upon availing himself of 
 circumstances for the subjugation of Spain 
 and Portugal. On the 31st of October, 
 1807, all the members of the different coun- 
 cib of state being assembled, a declaration 
 by the king of Spain was read, of a disco- 
 very that his son, the prince of Asturias, had 
 formed a conspiracy for dethroning him. 
 .He had been surprized, it is said, in his own 
 apartments with the cyphers of his corres- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 47 
 
 ponclcnce ; but while some persons believed 
 this accusation, otliers looked upon the pre- 
 tended conspiracy as the fabrication of the 
 Prince of Peace, Don Emanuel Godoy, for 
 the purpose of removing the only obstacle 
 that then stood in the way of his audacious 
 ambition. However, on the 5th of Novem- 
 ber, the prince having written to his royal 
 father and mother, a royal edict was ad- 
 dressed to the governor of the council of 
 Castile, declaring, that the voice of nature 
 having disarmed the hand of vengeance, the 
 king had been moved by pity, and the inter- 
 cession of the queen, to pardon his penitent 
 son, who had given information against the 
 authors of the horrible design in contempla- 
 tion. 
 
 After the peace of Tilsit, as the French 
 Emperor demanded that the court of Lisbon 
 should shut the ports of Portugal against the 
 English, with other severe restrictions; to 
 enforce a compliance it was necessary to 
 obtain leave of Spain to send a large French 
 army through that kingdom, to act in con- 
 cert with the Spanish armies. This inducing 
 the prince of the Brazils to ship himself with 
 liis court for South America, on the morning 
 
48 l^IFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 of the 29th of November, the Portuguese 
 fleet had not left the Tagus when the French, 
 with their Spanish auxiharies, under General 
 Junot, appeared upon the hills. In the 
 meanwhile, such reluctance had been shewn 
 on the part of the court of Lisbon either to 
 depart, or to believe that the enemy were so 
 near, that had they not been prompted by 
 the British Ambassador and assisted by a 
 British squadron, it is probable all their 
 preparations would have been too late. 
 By way of precaution, as soon as the 
 French had entered Lisbon, the inha- 
 bitants were disarmed, and prohibited from 
 assembling together to the number of 
 more than ten at a time; cannon were 
 also planted in all the streets and squares. 
 On the part of the British it was now thought 
 necessary to secure the valuable island of 
 Madeira, on the condition of its being re- 
 stored to Portugal on the conclusion of a 
 general peace. 
 
 But the conduct of the ministry not only 
 embroiled us this year with the Danes, but 
 with the Americans also, in the affair of the 
 Chesapeak ; a vessel belonging to the United 
 States, from which the British Admiral 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 49 
 
 Berkeley conceived himself authorized to 
 take four seamen, under the pretext of their 
 being British. This vessel was also stated 
 to have been *' disabled from service, with 
 the loss of a number of men killed and 
 wounded." This circumstance at that time 
 excited the observation on this side of the 
 water, that " the dominion of the seas, if 
 exercised without any regard to natural 
 right or to natural justice, is an act of hosti- 
 lity, not so much against 7nan as against the 
 Author of the Universe; whom we cannot 
 reasonably suppose ever intended it for a 
 mere theatre of blood-stained victories^ rather 
 than a grand link to unite in friendship and 
 peaceful commerce the interest and pros- 
 perity of distant nations." 
 
 But although the feelings of the Americans 
 on this occasion were warmly expressed, 
 their government exercised the utmost degree 
 of prudence and deliberation. They con- 
 fined themselves merely to the demand of an 
 express disavowal of the act by the govern- 
 ment of Great Britain, and an unqualified 
 surrender of the officer or officers by whose 
 orders it was perpetrated, to the justice of the 
 States. It will, notwithstanding, appear 
 
BO LIFE AND ADMINISTEATION OF 
 
 extraordinary that several years elapsed, 
 during which a succession of accredited 
 negociators were employed on the part of 
 Great Britain, without coming to any con- 
 clusion upon this or any other subject in 
 dispute between us and the American 
 States ! 
 
 This year, 1807, saw a new constitution 
 given to Poland, instead of any more dis- 
 memberments; and this so contrived as to 
 strengthen the French interest upon the 
 continent. 
 
 The king of Sweden also, who had been 
 held up as one of our invincible champions, 
 was this year compelled to surrender Stral- 
 sund and the whole of Pomerania to the 
 French under Marshal Brune. A declara- 
 tion of war on the part of England soon fol- 
 lowed, and the Russians in return imposed 
 an embargo upon all British ships in their 
 harbours. This new rupture gave much 
 cause for recrimination on the part of 
 France. 
 
 " Russia," the Moniteur observed, '' had vainly 
 expected to see an army of 40,000 English, not in 
 the month of July but in April, landed at Stral- 
 sund or Dantzic, to co-operate with her. Has 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 51 
 
 England furnished diese troops? Was she abk to 
 do it ? If she answers in t!ie negative, she had 
 litde reason to make so great demands upon her 
 allies; but her ministers were wanting in inclina- 
 tion, they calculated the results of war at so much 
 per cent, they think only of profit, and the fields 
 of Poland presented nothing but danger and 
 glory." 
 
 This accusation is similar to one made 
 before, namely, "that the English weigh or 
 calculate upon every ounce of blood slied 
 upon the Continent." 
 
 When speaking of the apprehensions of 
 the Sepoys, it should have been added, that 
 these api^eared to have been but too well 
 founded ; for an order being issued to oblige 
 the native troops at Vellore to wear a drum- 
 mer's cap, and that the mark of the cast on 
 their forehead should be taken off, their 
 upper lip shaved, 8cc. some Sepoys being- 
 punished for resistance was the cause of the 
 European ban-acks being surrounded, &c. 
 &c. It was to little pui'pose that vengeance 
 was soon executed upon tlie poor deluded 
 offenders ; but it ^vas highly creditable to 
 the humanity and prudence of the govern- 
 ment that a proclamation ^vas issued soon 
 
52 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 after, from Fort St. George, assuring tlie 
 native troops in the most solemn manner, that 
 the respect which liad hitherto been shewn 
 to their rehgion and customs should be in 
 future continued, and no interruption given 
 to any native, whether Hindoo or MussuK 
 man, in the practice of his religious ceremo- 
 nies. ^: 
 
 This concession, at a time when the 
 French Emperor was known to be cultivating 
 a good understanding with the court of 
 Persia, was politic, as well as humane. An 
 ambassador from that distant quarter, with 
 a suit of nearly fourscore persons, had this 
 year been received with great satisfaction at 
 Paris; and it was stated that a military 
 survey had been made by the French Em- 
 peror's directions, extending from Constan- 
 tinople to the shores of the Indus. 
 
 This year the abolition of the slave trade was 
 followed by the establishment of the African 
 Institution, for the purpose of introducing 
 the arts of social life in a quarter of the globe 
 so long the seat of oppression, ignorance, and 
 bai'barism. 
 
 The celebrated Orders in Council, which 
 have operated so forcibly in the destruction 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 53 
 
 of the remains of our trade, in consequence 
 of the re-action which they have produced in 
 France and America, were the results of the 
 eventful year 1807; for on tlie 11th of No- 
 vember three Orders in Council were issued 
 in the name of his Britannic Majesty, by the 
 first of which the ports of every country is 
 declared in a state of blockade from which 
 Great Britain is excluded. All trade in the 
 produce or tho manufactures of these coun- 
 tries is deemed illegal, and the vessels em- 
 ployed in such trade are liable to seizure, 
 unless such neutral vessel shall be going 
 direct to, or from, a British or neutral port 
 to some free port in the enemy's colonies, 
 or the British colonies, laden with such 
 articles as it may be lawful to import into 
 such free port. 
 
 The second Order provides, 
 
 *' That no exportation from the ports of the 
 united kingdom, of the produce or growth of 
 France, Spain, &c. that may have been legally 
 imported, shall be permitted to be exported, but 
 upon condition that the parties so exporting shall 
 enter into proper security that they will export, 
 within a limited period, one-third of the tonnage 
 of such goods in British manufactures, or colonial 
 ""'"oducc, the said produce of Friuicc to be subiect 
 
54 LIFE AND ADMINISTBATJON Ot' 
 
 to such duties upon exportation as may hereafter be 
 
 directed." 
 
 The third Order directs, 
 
 " That no purchase of British prize ships by- 
 neutral subjects from the enemy, shall, after the 
 present notification, and during the present war, 
 be considered as valid in a British Court of Admi- 
 ralty, but that any vessel so purchased shall be 
 liable to confiscation. The documents granted by 
 French agents in neutral ports, known by the name 
 of ' certificates of origin,' are no longer to be allow- 
 ed; and all neutral vessels in possession of them are 
 to be seized wherever met with." 
 
 The futility of these orders, as to their pur- 
 pose of causing the enemy to relax in his re- 
 strictions, or sue for a peace, was foreseen by 
 several judicious and dispassionate observers, 
 from the moment they were promulgated. 
 
 Among the first grievances arising from 
 these mutual restraints upon commerce, it 
 appeared from a report of one of the com- 
 mittees of the West India Planters, that sugar 
 had at length sustained such a degradation, 
 that instead of paying the planter 18 per 
 cent, he was not reimbursed for his capital, 
 and tlie necessary expences incurred upon it, 
 while the duty demanded by government in- 
 creased, as the price became lessened to th-e 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 55 
 
 consumer. On the piirt of the Americans, 
 one of the first steps produced by our Orders 
 in Coimcil, M'as the prohibition of the depar- 
 ture of their vessels, which terminated in what 
 was called the non- intercourse bill. 
 
 The Berlin decree was only a counterpart 
 of the system previotisly established by Eng- 
 land. It commenced by stating, 
 
 " That England had ceased to observe the law of 
 nations, that she considers every individual as an 
 enemy who belongs to a hostile state, and makes 
 prisoners not only of the crews of ships of war, but 
 also of the crews of merchant vessels. That she 
 seizes and condemns the property of individuals 
 not at war with her, and extends her blockade to 
 places not fortified, and to whole coasts and whole 
 kingdoms." Under these circumstances it further 
 states, " That it is a right conferred by nature to 
 oppose to an enemy the weapons he employs against 
 you, and to fight him in the same manner in which 
 he attacks." 
 
 Our Orders in Council manifestly produced 
 the Milan decree on the part of Napoleon, and 
 dated from that city Dec. 17th, 1807, by which 
 to excite universal resentment against the Bri~ 
 tish Government, it was decreed, 
 
 " That every ship, to whatever nation it may 
 helong, that sjaall have submitted to be searched 
 
56 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 by an English ship, or to a voyage to England, 
 or that shall have paid any tax whatever to the 
 English government, is thereby, and for that alone, 
 declared to be denationalized^ to have forfeited the 
 protection of its King, and to have become English 
 property." 
 
 It was further expressed that every ship 
 that sails from the ports of England, or those 
 of the English colonies, and of the countries 
 occupied by English troops, is good and law- 
 ful prize, and that these measures, only resort- 
 ed to in just retaliation of the barbarous system 
 adopted by England in its legislation similar 
 to Algiers, shall cease to have any effect with 
 respect to all nations who shall have the firm- 
 ness to compel the English government to 
 respect their flag, &c. 
 
 In the course of this year we heard of a 
 singular proceeding on the part of the 
 French Emperor, relative to the Duchy of 
 Mecklenburgh. The Duke of Mecklen- 
 burgh it was urged by the French Minister, 
 Bourienne, was invested with a command in 
 the Russian Army, and in other respects 
 having an immediate interest with Russia; 
 therefore as the Cabinet of St. Petersburgh 
 had, contrary to all right, and even without 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 57 
 
 the least pretext, violated the independence of 
 the Ottoman Porte, in making itself master of 
 the provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia, by 
 way of retaliation the French Minister at Ham- 
 burgh was charged to declare, 
 
 ** I. That it is the will of the Emperor and King, 
 on account of the assistance which this country has 
 afforded to his enemies, that it shall be considered 
 as having made a common cause with them. 
 
 " II. That the future and ultimate fate of Meck- 
 lenburgh will depend upon the conduct which 
 Russia shall observe towards Moldavia and Wal- 
 lachia.'' 
 
 To return from our foreign to our domes- 
 tic connections: — much business had been 
 ^one in parliament with little opposition. 
 Among the most important transactions were 
 the remuneration voted to Dr. Jenner, for 
 his useful plan of vaccination. Mr. Whit- 
 bread's parochial poor bill was stopped in the 
 Lords, as was also the reversionary place bill. 
 The Irish insurrection bill, and Mr. Sheri- 
 dan's famous speech on the state of Ireland, 
 were also among the affairs of the greatest in- 
 terest. \ 
 
 Lord Grenville introduced the subject of 
 the late negociation into the upper house, and 
 conceived it would be of the same opinion 
 
58 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 with him, that the peace was prevented ea^ 
 tirely by the disposition of the enemy, and 
 that every assistance ought to be given to the 
 King, to prosecute the war with vigour 
 and effect. He still thought the country, be- 
 sides the obligations it was under to its natu- 
 ral allies, was bound to see that the interests 
 of the elector of Hanover w ere not neglected : 
 the great point of the French, it was evident, 
 was to separate us from our allies. Large 
 offers were made to detach Russia from Eng- 
 land; yet we were to hold Malta, next the 
 Cape of Good Hope, then India, afterwards 
 Hanover. For these we were to give up all 
 our conquests made upon the enemy and his 
 allies; to cede Sicily, and confirm the 
 French in the possession of Dalmatia. Lord 
 Sidmoutli, with the fallacious view of the 
 future offering us better terms, dwelt upon 
 a probable reverse of the fortune of Buona- 
 parte. In the Commons, it should be ob- 
 served. Lord Yarmouth rose to refute a 
 charge gone forth among the public against 
 him, under the sanction of a great name. 
 The negociation, he said, he believed owed 
 its origin to Mr. Fox. At the commence- 
 ment of it were some points which could 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 59 
 
 not be committed to paper. This reason it 
 seems induced Talleyrand to look out for a 
 safe person, and he fixed upon him with a 
 stipulation, that there should be no writing 
 upon the subject, that the bond between 
 France and Russia might not be dissolved in 
 case the negociation should fail. As he had 
 been chosen by Talleyrand to bring a ver- 
 bal message to England, that choice led to 
 his return with the answer. He said he wish- 
 ed a person better qualified had gone, but if 
 he had he would not have been allowed to re- 
 main twelve hours in Paris, without producing 
 his full powers. On his arrival he communi- 
 cated his message, stating actual possession as 
 the basis of the negociation ; and this basis, 
 he said, was actually allow^ed in the second 
 note to Lord Lauderdale. The noble lord 
 concluded his observations by saying, " that 
 if Government had wished for a written docu- 
 ment, they ought to have sent him as a minis- 
 ter, not as a post-boy." 
 
 It was well known that a treaty between 
 France and the Russian Minister D'Oubril, 
 was on the tapis, but in the event of its 
 being concluded Lord Yarmouth had no 
 kind of instructions how to act, nor had he 
 
60 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 any instructions to come away at the time; 
 therefore the arrival of Lord Lauderdale, 
 who was appointed to succeed him, gave him 
 no pain. ** Terms," said he, " of a glorious 
 peace were then proposed (by the French), 
 but they were refused, and the negociation 
 was broken off, not for India, or any other 
 British object, but on account of Sicily and 
 Dalmatia." 
 
 About this time a circumstance occurred 
 which shewed that a denial of all indulgence 
 to the Catholics never entered into Mr. Per- 
 ceval's plan of government : — On the bring- 
 ing in the bill for the education of the poor, 
 Mr. Whitbread declaring himself favourable 
 to a liberal interpretation of the word tole- 
 ration, the Chancellor of the Exchequer de- 
 precated the idea, that he wished to with- 
 hold instruction from the Catholics : yet he 
 could not but look with a jealous eye on so 
 distinguished a mark of public favour to- 
 vpards them, as the support demanded for 
 Maynooth College. He had opposed this 
 grant in the last parliament, but was unwil- 
 ling to do it now, lest his opposition might 
 be construed into spleen, by making this the 
 only -exception to the grants of the last par- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 61 
 
 iiament. Was it, however, prudent to doable 
 tlie number of popish priests educated at the 
 college? Was this die way to extend the 
 Protestant religion in that country? Only a 
 hundred protestant clerg}'men were there 
 educated annually, and they proposed to 
 educate four times that number of popish 
 priests. If the establishment was thus to be 
 encreased, government ought, he thought, to 
 have some hold on it, in some shape or ano- 
 ther, that they might at least know that they 
 were not nourishing in their bosom a society 
 of Jesuits. Lord H. Petty contended for 
 the necessity of the measure, and ridiculed 
 tlie idea of allowing such a seminary, and 
 dien compelling the priesthood to allow our 
 system of education. The college was suffi- 
 ciently under the contioul of government, as 
 the act recjuired that the college should be vi- 
 sited once in five yem*s by five visitors, among 
 whom ^vere necessarily the Lord High Chan- 
 cellor and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. 
 The comparative statement of the two endow- 
 ments was not placed in the proper light. 
 Trinity College, Dublin, was one of the 
 richest endowments in the world ; but were 
 
62 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 it not SO, that was no reason that the interest 
 of the Catholics should be wholly neglected. 
 
 Mr. Foster, member for the University of 
 Dublin, approved of the erection of May- 
 nooth College, as an excellent substitute for 
 that of St. Omer. The propriety of doubling 
 that establishment might be called in ques- 
 tion. The excellent system of education, 
 established in Trinity College, Dublin, had 
 induced many Catholics to send their sons to 
 that College. Its religious moderation was 
 well known, and had been eminently dis- 
 played during the late cry. It was a pro- 
 testant garrison in a land of catholics ; but it 
 would not join in any unfair cry against that 
 body, and by the prudence of this system it 
 would greatly assist in removing religious 
 animosity. Mr. Dillon read a statement of 
 sinecure livings in Ireland, by which it ap- 
 peared that the catholics paid one-tenth of 
 their property to the clergy for doing nothing, 
 and he recommended to the house to take the 
 state of tithes into their consideration. The 
 Chancellor of the Exchequer assured the 
 house, that the attention of government 
 would be early directed to the state of glebe 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PKUCEVAL. 63 
 
 houses, and sinecure livings. A measure 
 would be introduced for reducing the opulent 
 livings, and out of their abundiince making an 
 allowance for poorer curates. He regretted 
 much, that the late government had not paid 
 more attention to the church of Ireland. 
 
 The last sentiment roused up Lord Ho^v- 
 ick, who totally denied the charge broiight 
 against the late government, which he chai- 
 lenged the Chancellor of- the Exchequer to 
 prove, and adverting to the conduct oi 
 Mr. Foster, in bringing in the bill witli- 
 out proper documents, he charged him 
 with levity. Mr. Foster retorted upon the 
 noble lord, that in charging him with levity 
 his lordship had shewTi both levity and igno- 
 rance. Colonel Barry was against the con- 
 tinuance of such a grant in future, and disaj)- 
 proved of the wanton and unprovoked aspe- 
 rity of the noble lord. Dr. Duigenan denied 
 tliat the late administration had been atten- 
 tive to the interests of the protestant religion 
 in Ireland. So far from it, they had resisted 
 a bill, introduced by him, to enforce the re- 
 sidence of the clergy, with the approbation 
 of several archbishops and bishops. Lord 
 Howick would not allow this tg be anv 
 
64 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATIOK OF 
 
 proof, as they might have the utmost regard 
 for the protestant rehgion without entering 
 into the -doctor's views. Mr. Grattan was 
 for the measure, which was agreed to; and 
 thus it w'ds observed, '' the cathoUcs cannot 
 comp'ain of a nation, which contributes so 
 much more to the support of their reUgion, 
 than it does for that branch of the protestant 
 rehgion, which is not so repugnant to the 
 established church, and so numerous in this 
 country. The methodists require nothing 
 from the state; and the privilege of erecting 
 a college seems to be as much as dissenters- 
 of any kind can desire, or sound policy ap- 
 prove." 
 
 The speech with which parliament was 
 prorogued on Friday, August 14th, express- 
 ed his Majesty's regret at the unfortunate 
 issue of the war upon the continent, and 
 alluded to the immense extension of the 
 power and influence of France, as reasons 
 for our perseverance in the contest, and as 
 the means of giving the character of honour 
 to any future negociation, and aniving at the 
 prospect of a permanent peace. 
 
 About the latter end of September, 1807, 
 Government thought proper to publish a 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 65 
 
 Declaration in his Majesty's name, relative 
 to the affair of Copenhagen, under the idea 
 that he owed to himself and to Europe a 
 frank exposition of the motives which dic- 
 tated the late measures in the Baltic ; the 
 principal ground of this is stated to have 
 been the information that his Majesty had 
 received the most positive information of the 
 determination of the present Ruler of France 
 to occupy with a military force the territory of 
 Holstein, for the purpose of excluding Great 
 Britain from all her accustomed channels of 
 communication with the continent, and of 
 availing himself of the aid of the Danish 
 marine for the invasion of Great Britain and 
 Ireland, &c. &c. 
 
 The French Moniteur of September 21, it 
 vv^as obser\Td, had anticipated almost every 
 argument in this Declaration. 
 
 In the course of October, 1807, we learnt, 
 that by a Proclamation dated Memel, it was 
 announced, that in pursuance of the peace 
 concluded at Tilsit, Prussian ports must not 
 only be shut against English ships, but all 
 trade and commerce between Prussia and 
 England must cease. This measure it wtis 
 confessed would have been adopted before, if 
 G 2 
 
6iS Ul'E AND ABMimSTRATTON ©T 
 
 several Prussian shi|5s had not been lying in 
 Knglisli ports, while others laden ^vitb provi- 
 visions for Prussia were at sea. Not even a 
 neutral bottom coming from English ports or 
 colonies could any longer be admitted into the 
 Prussian ports ; and the execution of this Pro- 
 clamation was enforced in the most rigorous 
 manner. 
 
 On the 6th of November an instrument 
 published by the Prince of Denmark at 
 Rendsburgh, prohibited any trade or com- 
 merce between his subjects and those of 
 Great Britain, under very severe penalties, 
 even though carried on by the means of a 
 third person or party. Portugal also was 
 this year compelled to shut her ports against 
 us, though evidently w^ith the greatest re- 
 luctance, and as the Prince Regent express- 
 ed it, " he had acceded to the cause of the 
 continent, by uniting himself to the Emperor 
 of the French and to his Catholic Majesty, 
 in order to contribute as far as it might be 
 in his power to the acceleration of a maritime 
 peace, "^"^ 
 
 However, as the Prince and the Court 
 of Portugal chose rather to retire to the 
 Brazils under British protection, than re.. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 67 
 
 main in his own country either as a subject 
 or as an ally of France, it was not astonish- 
 ing that we should be told so soon after from 
 the French Moniteur, " that the House of 
 Braganza had ceased to reign." As to the 
 advantages that were supposed would accrue 
 to us from this transportation of the Portu- 
 guese Court to South America, they were 
 evidently over-rated. Besides an alliance 
 between us and the Brazilians, it was 
 thought it would have been in our power to 
 regain in the way of trade, what we had lost 
 by our misconduct at Buenos Ayres. 
 
 The last measure of importance adopted 
 by our Government in 1807, was the pub- 
 lishing of his Majesty's Declai'ation, in 
 answer to that of the Emperor of Russia, 
 dated Petersburgii, October 20. This De- 
 claration sets out by saying, his Majestj- was 
 not aware of those secret engagements 
 which had been imposed upon Russia in the 
 conferences at Tilsit. The King, on the con- 
 trary, hoped his Imperial Majesty would 
 have extricated himself from the embarrass- 
 ments of those new counsels and connections 
 which he had adopted in a moment of de- 
 spondency and cilanu, and that he would 
 
68 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 have returned to a policy more congenial to 
 the principles he had so invariably professed, 
 more conducive to the honour of his crovvn, 
 and the prosperity of his dominions. 
 
 - His Majesty deeply lamented the exten- 
 sion of the calamities of war, but observed 
 that if the Peace of Tilsit was indeed to be 
 considered as the consequence, and the 
 punishment of the imputed inactivity of 
 Great Britain, he could not but regret that 
 the Emperor of Russia should have resorted 
 to so precipitate and fatal a measure, at the 
 moment when he had received distinct assur- 
 ances that his Britannic Majesty was mak- 
 ing the most strenuous exertions to fulfil the 
 wishes and expectations of his ally. 
 
 His Majesty did not refuse the mediation 
 of the Emperor of Russia after the peace of 
 Tilsit, although the offer of it was accom- 
 
 ' panied by circumstances of concealment 
 which might well have justified his refusal. 
 The articles of the Treaty of Tilsit were 
 not communicated to his Majesty, and spe- 
 cifically that article of the treaty, in virtue 
 of which the mediation was proposed. It 
 was further urged against Russia, that the 
 complete abandonment of the interests of 
 
THE tllGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 69 
 
 the King of Prussia, presented no encourag- 
 ing prospect of the result of any exertions 
 >vhich his Imperial Majesty might be dis- 
 posed to employ in fdvour of Great Britain. 
 In answer to the assumed inviolability of 
 the Baltic sea, and the reciprocal guarantees 
 of the powers that border upon it, said to 
 have been contracted with the knowledge 
 of the British government, it was replied, 
 that however his Majesty might at particular 
 periods have forborne, for special reasons 
 influencing his conduct at the time, to act 
 in contradiction to them, such forbearance 
 could never have applied but to a state of 
 peace and real neutrality in the North ; and 
 his Majesty most assuredly could not be ex- 
 pected to recur to it after France had been 
 suffered to establish herself in undisputed 
 sovereignty along the whole coast of the 
 Baltic sea, from Dantzic to Lubeck. 
 
 It was also asked, that even if a media- 
 tion by means of Russia had taken place, 
 and a peace had been the result, and that 
 peace guaranteed by his Imperial Majesty, 
 could his Britannic Majesty have placed im- 
 plicit reliance on it after having seen the 
 Emperor of Russia openly transfer to France 
 
70 LIFE AKD ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 the Sovereignty of the Ionian Re\)ublic, the 
 independence of which his Imperial Ma- 
 jesty had recently and solemnly guaran- 
 teed ? 
 
 As to the expedition against Copenhagen, 
 his Majesty felt himself under no obligation 
 to offer any atonement or apology to the 
 Emperor of Russia : his Majesty's justifica- 
 tion of this expedition, it was said, was be- 
 fta-e the world. 
 
 The requisition of the emperor of Russia 
 for the immediate conclusion of a peace with 
 France, was represented as extraordinar)^ 
 in the substance, as offensive in the manner, 
 and the Emperor of Russia was reminded, 
 that the last negociation between- Great 
 Britain and France was broken off upon 
 points immediately affecting, not his Ma- 
 jesty's own interests, but those of his Im- 
 perial Ally, the Emperor of Russia. There- 
 fore his Majesty would neither understand 
 nor admit the pretension of the Emperor of 
 Russia, to dictate the time or the mode of 
 his Majesty's pacific negociation with other 
 powers. 
 
 His Britannic Majesty also availed him- 
 self of the present opportunity to proclaim 
 
THE RIGHT. HON. S. PERCEVAL. 71 
 
 unetv those principles of the Maritime Law, 
 against which the Armed Neutrality under 
 the auspices of the Empress Catharine was 
 originally directed, and against which the 
 present hostilities of Russia were denounced: 
 these principles his Majesty asserted it was 
 his right and duty to maintain against every 
 confederacy whatever. They had at all 
 times contributed essentially to the support 
 of the maritime power of Great Britain, 
 and were become incalculably more valu- 
 able and importiuit at a period, when the 
 maritime po\\er of Great Britain continued 
 the sole remaining bulwark against the 
 overwhelming usurpations of France, the 
 only refuge to Avhich other nations might 
 yet resort for assistance and protection, &c. 
 
 On the 21st of January, 1808, the Par- 
 liament was opened with a speech delivered 
 from the throne b)' commission. The speech 
 entered into a justification of the measures 
 that had been adopted since the last meet- 
 ing, was ^'cry prolix, and drawn up with 
 more than usual attention to st\^lc. The 
 Commons \\ere again adckessed witlr. full 
 confidence in their loyalty and public spirit 
 to raise supplies, but at the same time en- 
 
72 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATJOK^F 
 
 couraged with the hope that very little would 
 be added to the public burdens. Both 
 houses were again assured, that the war is 
 really a just and national war, as it was 
 purely defensive; and that nothing was 
 wanted on the King's part but a secure and 
 honourable peace : Providence was also again 
 invoked to make the struggle successful 
 and glorious to Great Britain. 
 
 The Duke of Norfolk suggested an amend- 
 ment to the address, proposing that the un- 
 qualified approbation of the Copenhagen 
 business should be omitted. In this amend- 
 ment Lord Sidmouth concurred, and brought 
 many ai'guments to prove that the attack on 
 Copenhagen was unjustifiable : and he ob- 
 served, that our wars from the revolution 
 were founded upon the principles of uphold- 
 ing the law of nations, and this was parti- 
 cularly the case with the war begun in 
 1793. A deviation from this principle could 
 not be admitted. He could not subscribe 
 to that monstrous policy which induced us, 
 because we apprehended danger from a gi- 
 gantic power, to com^mit such an act of in- 
 justice, and follow the same course as had 
 been pursued by that power. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 73 
 
 Lord Aberdeen approved of the Copen- 
 hagen business, and maintained that the 
 principles of our maritime rights must be 
 universally asserted or not at all. 
 
 Lord Grenville could not give any appro- 
 bation of the Copenhagen business till the 
 proper documents were laid before the house 
 on which that melancholy affair could be 
 justified. Last of all, he adverted to Ire- 
 land, and strongly recommended the con- 
 cession of the Irish claims, that the whole 
 empire might be firmly united against the 
 common enemy. Two amendments to the 
 addi'ess, brought in by Lord Grenville, as 
 also that proposed by the Duke of Norfolk, 
 were negatived. 
 
 In the House of Commons the address 
 was moved by Lord Hamilton, who stated, 
 with great energy, the critical situation of 
 tlie country, in which faint-heartedness and 
 listlessness would inevitably lead us to ruin. 
 He praised Mr. Perceval and the rest of the 
 Ministers to the skies, and was seconded by 
 Mr. Ellis. 
 
 Lord Milton reprobated the rejection of 
 the mediation by Russia, and lamented that 
 
74 WFE AHFD ADMINISTRATION &9 
 
 nothing in the speech appeared to indicate a 
 disposition for the restoration* of peace ii^^^heis 
 it was practicable. He asserted, that the: 
 Copenhagen business was, primd facie ^ aii 
 unprovoked act of aggression. 
 
 Mr. Ponsonby hoped that England' would 
 never bow her head to France ; and he Was 
 convinced that if she were now to st<30p she 
 would never be able to rise again. He was 
 soiry to observe, that no notice had been 
 taken of Ireland in the speech ; and he gave 
 notice that if Ministers did not produce the 
 documents on the Copenhagen business he 
 should move for them himself, or introduee 
 the subject in some other shape for regular 
 discussion. 
 
 Mr. Milnes vindicated the Ministry through 
 thick and thin. 
 
 MV: Whitbre^d reprobated the Copenha- 
 gen business, and declared, that for his part 
 he would ratlier have the Danish navy in tile 
 Danish ports, manned with Danish sailors 
 and their hearts with us, than all the ships 
 they possessed in their own harbours, and 
 the hearts of the population, as it now is to a 
 liian, against us. He could not give the 
 
THE Hl^HT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 75 
 
 ministers credit for getting off the court of 
 Portug-al to their trans-atlantic possessions, 
 and he lamented the want of a disposition 
 for peace. He hoj^ed the people would con- 
 tinue to press forward with petitions till 
 Ministers were forced to make peace, or tlie 
 government was placed in the hands of others 
 who would agree to it. Yet he would sooner ■■■'^' 
 sec the country perish, than witness a peace 
 dislioiiourable or insecure. 
 
 Mr. Canning asserted, that as to Russia, 
 there was sufficient to justify Ministers in 
 what they had done, and he was ready 
 without documents to meet the discussion on 
 that subject. She had offered to mediate, 
 but she had neither the temper nor the 
 power to do it, for at the time she professed 
 to be the sworn protector of Europe, she 
 was the slave of France by the treaty of 
 Tilsit. As to the unfortunate affair of the 
 Chesapeak, no time was lost on the investi- 
 gation, and it appeared that an act had been 
 done without authority, and an answer to 
 this eifect was returned. As to the aifair of 
 the Chesapeak, he said, reparation was 
 voluntarily offered to the Americans, but 
 unfortunately in the mean time other inci- 
 
76 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 dents occured, which still continued to b^ 
 matter of discussion. The late Orders of 
 Council were assuredly matters of the high- 
 est impoitance, but they were made neces- 
 sary by the conduct of the enemy. We 
 had the right to make retaliation ; and we, 
 cannot look forward to a permanent and 
 onourable peace, but from our naval supe- 
 riority. Lord Henry Petty and Mr. Ba- 
 diurst each opposed Ministers, but without 
 any new argument. 
 
 Mr. Windham reprobated the Copenhagen 
 business in the strongest terms. He had 
 much rather that Buonaparte posiiessed the 
 fleet, than that we should acquire it at the 
 price of our honour, and the national de- 
 gi-adation. The ships we had thus obtained 
 were perishable, the enmity of a power once 
 friendly to us would never decay, and our 
 national disgrace would be eternal. The 
 Chancellor of the Exchequer declared, that 
 Ministers had no written document respect- 
 ing the secret aiticles of the Treaty of Til- 
 sit; but they had a communication of the 
 substance of these secret aiticles from the 
 most unquestionable authority. Mr, Sheri- 
 dan was very severe upon Mr. Perceval, ob- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PEttCEVAL. 
 
 serving that we did not attack the fleets of 
 Russia, whom Ministers could consider no 
 otherwise than as a princri:)al, but we fall 
 foul upon Denmark, who at any rate was 
 but an accessal'}^ Afterwards we apply to 
 Russia to mediate between us and Denmark, 
 ^^dlen we had committed an outrage beyond 
 all possibility of a reconciliation. Such, he 
 said, were the absurd measures pursued ; and 
 in the mean time Ireland was neglected, 
 without any attempt to reconcile that much 
 injured country, on which subject he pledg- 
 ed himself to bring forward an early motion. 
 The Address, however, passed, without a 
 division. 
 
 On the next day, the Report on the Ad- 
 dress was brought up in the Commons, when 
 Mr. Macdonald expressed his disapprobation 
 of it, on account of the affair at Copenhagen. 
 Mr. Hibbert lamented the want of disposition 
 to negotiate for peace, which he thought ^vas 
 desired by all parties, who were heartily tired 
 of this fifteen years struggle. 
 
 Mr. M, A. Taylor reprobated tlie Copen- 
 Iiagen business, and related som: facts re- 
 lative to the Yorkshire petition for pea:e, 
 which he stated to have been delivered, not 
 
 rr Q 
 
7^ L,IF^ AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 SO much agtiiiist the war, as the Orders ol' 
 Council, which, in the opinion of the peti- 
 tioners, supported the efforts of the common 
 enemy. 
 
 Mr. Yorke thought it was absurd at this 
 day to talk of abstract principles of right, 
 when they were disregarded by the enemy; 
 and thought the government of the countr}' 
 could not be carried on, unless the House 
 reposed some confidence in the speech of his 
 Majesty : he therefore cautioned them against 
 pressing for the disclosure of information 
 which came from secret sources. 
 
 Mr. Windham said, he was so old-fashion- 
 ed as to thinli rascrJity on the part of an ene- 
 my not a sufficient ground for us to ^ iolate 
 the principles of honesty. Such a depravity 
 in the mtional character he looked upoii as a 
 dreadful s}'mptom, and forerunner of future 
 rnin. The support given to bad principles in 
 tliat House and in the country was impolitic 
 and. unjust. Too little importance he thought 
 attached to the preservation of tlie national 
 character; and that the rrun of the country 
 was not a greater evil than the extinction of 
 our reputation. 
 
 In the JiousG of Lords, fe Copenhagen 
 
THE KIGHT HON. ». PERCiiVAL. 79 
 
 business wiis brought forward on the 8th 
 of Fcbru;iry, 1808 ; their Lordships having 
 Ixen suninioned for this ])urpose by the Duke 
 of Portland. He opened die debate by ob- 
 serving, tliat it was iK)t his intention to call 
 for any papers which woukl be dangerous or 
 ii>convenient to grant ; but even Ministers 
 must wish to stand acquitted in the eyes of 
 Europe, from tl:ie imputation of a violeiit 
 and unprovoked attack on a neutral, a 
 friendly, or a defenceless power. It had 
 been stated, that the attack was grounded 
 on actual information, that Denmark was to 
 be dragged into hostilities against us, and 
 that Ministers had documents to prove it. 
 It was, therefore, tlie business of the House 
 to call for such documents, and to pass judg- 
 ment on a full view of the case. Violence 
 of an extraordinary kirxd had been used, and 
 great scandal to the governors and the na- 
 tion had been incurred, from which nothing 
 but imperious necessity could acquit them. 
 He then moved for certain papers, S:c. 
 
 Lord Wellesley opposed the motion as 
 superfluous, which he thought evident from 
 three dififerent points of view.— 1st. The evi- 
 dent design of the French Emperor to draw 
 
80 LIFE AND AI>MINISTRATION OF 
 
 tlie Court of Denmark into his plan of uni- 
 versal confederacy against England — 2d. 
 The means he had to accomplish this ob- 
 ject — 3d. The danger attending the accom- 
 plishment of this object, and the necessity 
 of taking the strongest measures to secure 
 our safety. His Lordship's conclusion from 
 a long chain of reasoning was, that the 
 Copenhagen business was justifiable and ab- 
 solutely necessary. 
 
 Lord Hutchinson, who had been with the 
 Russian armies during the last campaign, 
 and was frequently closeted with the Russian 
 Emperor, could find no justification of the 
 expedition against Copenhagen in the 
 speech of the noble Lord, Wellesley. He 
 had completely failed in proving, that Zea- 
 land could not have effectually been defend- 
 ed, even if the French had seized Holstein 
 and Jutland. He wasi of opinion, that the 
 defence of Zealand was perfectly practicable 
 against the whole French army. He had 
 been engaged in an important mission, on 
 which it was necessary for him to speak, as 
 partial extracts had been communicated 
 from his dispatches, and he was held out as 
 giving opinions which he never advanced. 
 
THE niGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 81 
 
 He could speak to certain facts. The Rus- 
 sian army in Poland never amounted to 
 more than seventy thousand men, with the 
 exception of two detached divisions, amount- 
 ing* to thirty thousand. The French troops 
 were estimated at a hundred and four or 
 five thousand. The loss of the Russians af- 
 ter the battle of Fricdland amounted to forty 
 thousand men, eighteen hundred and ninety- 
 eight officers, and twenty-nine generals. 
 He was then convinced that Russia was un- 
 der the necessity of making peace; and he 
 observed, that the Emperor of Russia was 
 smcere in his desire to mediate between this 
 country and France ; and at all events, that 
 the relations of peace and amity might have 
 been preserved between this country and 
 Russia. The Treaty of Tilsit was signed 
 on the 7th of July. On the 23d of August 
 he had a conference with the Emperor of 
 Russia, to whom he confirmed an opinion 
 advanced by him of the necessity of peace, 
 and declared himself bound publicly to avow 
 it, which he should do as lon^ as he lived. 
 His Lordship then stated, that the Emperor 
 declared his sincere and anxious wish, that 
 England should make peace, as it was his 
 
 4 
 
» 
 
 §g },ir]^ Aia^ ADMIATISTjRATION Or 
 
 ijjltiei-est, and that of IJurope a^id Eogland, 
 ihat tranqmJlity shoukj be restored to t\m 
 WQrl^* His Lordj^hip replied, that sufficient 
 t|m^ bad ^oX foe^ii giv^ for the offer 4of 
 ?^4iatipn, and that no one in England 
 would accept of peace, but on conditions 
 reasonable and honourable. His Majesty 
 TjCplied, that time was jip object, as we might 
 tSfee three or four months to accept ot reject 
 hi§ mcdiaticHi, but his anxious desire was 
 fcM:" peace; the terms for which, h^ had no 
 ^ubt, were such fts hjs Lordship would 
 f^eem to be highly reasonable and honour^ 
 able. 
 
 His Lordship allowed, that the result of 
 the Copenhagen expedition did materially 
 change the relations between Great Britain 
 md Russia, and gave rise to sentiments of 
 a very hostile nature at the Court of Peters- 
 burgh. Here his Lordship detailed another 
 conversation with the Russian Emperor oit 
 the 4th of September, 1807, when the Em- 
 peror declared, that the language of the 
 Prince of Denmark had always been expli- 
 cit and uniform : that he had maintained for 
 many years a system of neutrality, in which 
 he was determined to persevere, and that no 
 
Gonsidemtion should evei^ ttidvite hiiW to dt^ 
 part frotn it. Wis tmpethl Majesty added, 
 that he was sure no connection existed be- 
 tween tlie Frcn<3h and Danish governinents, 
 previottS to ottf fittiick oii Gop^fthagen, He 
 stated the great concern which this unjusti- 
 fiable aggi*ession kid given him : tlie French 
 had never done any thing so strong, and it 
 justified ei-^ry thing they had done, or might 
 dte> hereafter. Such proceedings put an end 
 to all the relations by which niltions con- 
 ducted themselves toward's each other ; and 
 in- the most peremptory language, tone, ^tf 
 manner, hfe Miajesty said, th^t he wbiiltf 
 have satisfaction-^complete satisfaction^^^for 
 this unprovoked aggression. As to the vic- 
 tory of Eylau, Lord Hutchinson declared; 
 it was no victory to the Russians, who vVeUe 
 generaHy unsuccessful, and unequal to the 
 French, in generals, in discipline, and every 
 rc^quisite, except courage. 
 
 I^ord Erskine reprobated the Copenhageh' 
 iDUsiness in the s-trongest terms. The fleet 
 we had stolen, he said, he would rather we 
 had met on the ocean filled with French- 
 men, than to be covered with the disgmte" 
 which now attaches to the nation. We, 
 
84 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 who entered upon the war with France as 
 conservators of political morality, were in 
 the end its most flagrant violators. 
 
 The Earl of Buckinghamshire did not 
 think the necessity of the attack had been 
 shewn, or its policy proved. 
 
 Lord Moira could sciircely persuade hinv 
 self, that he was in a British House of 
 Lords, when he heard such sentiments ad- 
 vanced, and an action casting an indelible 
 stain on our character was considered as a 
 matter of mere speculation. We have now, 
 ^id he, lost all our moral advantages, and 
 there is no longer a rallying point for the 
 oppressed. The government had lost all 
 credit for fortitude and magnanimity, if six- 
 teen sail of the line could put it into such 
 great fear for its existence. 
 
 Lord Hawkesbury contended, that the 
 whole might be referred to a first principle, 
 equally belonging to nations, that of self- 
 preservation, to which no limits but those of 
 necessity could be assigned. 
 
 Lord St. Vincent gave it as his opinion, 
 that it was much easier to invade England 
 from Boulogne, than Zealand from Hol- 
 stein. 
 
THE KIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 85 
 
 Lord Grey thought the honour of the 
 nation had received a mortal stab, and did 
 not alloAv that Lord Hawkesbury had in any 
 point justified the conduct of Ministers. 
 
 The curious case of the Admirahy Droits 
 was brought before Parliament in the be- 
 ginning of this year. To comprehend these 
 it is necessary to imderstand, thart in a state 
 of war, captures from the enemy are indis- 
 putably the property of the captors ; but in 
 a state of peace, property may be seized by 
 order of the Crown, to which the captors 
 have no right, as in the case of the Dutch 
 frigates in 1807, and the Spanish frigates 
 the year before. The amount of property 
 thus seized is unknown, as is likewise the 
 application of it, a few cases excepted. Suf- 
 ficient evidence was, ho^^'e\er, brought be- 
 fore the House of Commons, that the Duke 
 of York and the younger Princes had re- 
 ceived grants of money to a very consider- 
 able amount, out of this fund. When the 
 propriety of this practice became a ques- 
 tion, it was -urged, that a King might com- 
 mit acts of hostility, merely for the sake of 
 increasing his own ])ri>'ate property, whilst 
 the nation must be at the cxpence of sup 
 
86 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 porting the hostility such actjs may produce. 
 Sir Francis Burdett, in taking up this sub- 
 ject, moved for papers relative to the amount 
 of this property and its application, which 
 led to a slight discussion on these Droits of 
 the Admiralty as they are called. His re- 
 quest was only granted in part ; for though 
 the amount of the property inquired after 
 was ascertained, the application of it was still 
 unfathomable. 
 
 An imperfect hope of peace was brought 
 within the view of the nation in the com- 
 mencement of 1808, in consequence of over- 
 tures being made to our government by 
 France, through the medium of the Austrian 
 minister, Prince Stahremberg, founded upon 
 the pacific dispositions of his Britannic Ma- 
 jesty, expressed in an official communica- 
 tion to the Austrian government in Novem- 
 ber, 1807. This ended in a communication 
 from our ministry to the Prince, informnig 
 him, that as he could not enter into any ex- 
 planations in the name of the French govern- 
 ment, or aiford any assurances by which that 
 government would be bound, his Britannic 
 Majesty could, not give any authority to the 
 
THE UIGHT HON. S. PEHCEVAL. 67 
 
 >^rince de Strahrembcrg to speak in his name 
 to the government of France. 
 
 A lew clays after receiving this answer, the 
 Austrian ambassador demanded and received 
 his passports. The emperor of Austria, in 
 an official declaration published at Vienna in 
 February, expressed his wishes for the ar- 
 rival of that moment, when the Court of 
 London, sensible of its true interests, should 
 with calmness and justice judge of and com- 
 pare the situation of England with that of 
 the other powers. This oifer on the part of 
 the Emperor, was imputed by the war party 
 here merely to his subserviency to the French 
 ruler, and of course its failure made little im- 
 pression. 
 
 Much about this time, as if every means 
 within the reach of diplomacy was to have 
 been brought forward at once to harrass our 
 administration, the King of Spain issued a 
 decree against England, complaining of the 
 abominable attack made upon the four Spa- 
 nish frigates in 1806, sailing under the full 
 assurance of peace. I'hat atrocious aggi^es- 
 sion was now deemed a sufficient motive for 
 an open rupture, consequently the Spanish 
 monarch, in conjunction with his intimate 
 
88 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION %!F 
 
 ally, the Emperor of the French and King oi 
 Italy, had declared the British isles in a state 
 of blockade, in order to see if that measure 
 would reduce the British cabinet to abdicate 
 its supremacy over the ocean, and conclude a 
 solid and desirable peace ; he therefore adopt- 
 ed all the measures of his ally. 
 
 Earl}^ in 1808, Sir Sidney Smith pub- 
 lished a declaration, dated off Lisbon, de- 
 claring* that port and the Tagus in a state of 
 blockade, in consequence of their being in 
 possession of the French. The weakness of 
 the King of Spain, in admitting French troops 
 to pass through his territory to Portugal, 
 began to appear more and more undenia- 
 ble; for, on the 13th of February, 10,000 
 French aiTived before the gates of Barce- 
 lona, which they entered without opposition, 
 the Spanish governor being given to under- 
 stand they were only to halt two or three 
 days in order to refresh themselves. They 
 however took possession of the citadel and 
 fortress of Montjuick. 
 
 To deny that intrigues were made use oi 
 to increase the breach between Charles and 
 his son Ferdinand, to induce the former to 
 resign and get both into the hands of the 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAL. 89 
 
 French at Bayonne, would be folly in the 
 exti-eme. Chiu-les IV. at length forniiilly 
 abdicated his throne ; and when this mo- 
 narch and his son came to Bayonne, it ap- 
 pears that their mutual crimination and re- 
 crimination furnished the French Emperor 
 with an objection to any accommodation, on 
 the ground that, consistent \vith his interests 
 and liis means for opposing England, neither 
 of them were fit to reign. The unhappy 
 Ferdinand, though he dined with the French 
 Emperor on the day on which he reached 
 Bayonne, had not long returned to his resi- 
 dence before General Sa\ary waited upon 
 him to" declare, in the name of his master, 
 *' that the Bourbon dynasty should no longei" 
 reign in Spain, and that it should be suc- 
 ceeded by the family of Buonaparte." Thi<> 
 determination was coupled with a requisition 
 that Ferdinand should, in his own name, 
 imd in that of all his family, renounce the 
 crown of Spain and the Indies in favour of 
 the Emperor of the French. This, however, 
 he could not be prevailed upon to do till the 
 5th of May, 1808, when the King his father, 
 the Queen, and the Prince of Peace, were all 
 present before the French Emperor. Then, 
 I 2 
 
90 LIFE ANB ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 all the party being seated, excepting Ferdi- 
 nand, the father ordered him to make an ab- 
 solute renunciation of the crown, under pain 
 of being treated, with all his household, as 
 an usurper of the throne, and a conspirator 
 against the life of his parent. This was ac- 
 ceded to in all due form on the 10th of May, 
 and the father lost no time in informing the 
 Spanish nation, in a Letter to the Supreme 
 Council of Castile, *' that he had abdicated 
 all his claims upon the Spanish kingdoms in 
 favour of his friend and ally the Emperor of 
 the French, by a treaty which had been 
 signed and ratified; in which it was stipu- 
 lated, that the King, Queen, and Prince of 
 Peace, should preserve their respective ranks 
 in France, with such of their servants as shall 
 choose to follo^v them, and that the Imperial 
 Palace of Compeigne shall be at the dis- 
 posal of King Charles during his life; that a 
 civil list of 80,000,000 reals shall be al- 
 lotted to the King, and the dowry of the 
 Queen at his death, shall be 2,000,000. 
 To the Infiuitas of Spain the annual sum 
 of 400,000 livres was to be secured, and the 
 King gave to Napoleon his personal landed 
 property in Spain in exchange for the 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 91 
 
 Castle of Chambord. To Ferdinand, the 
 Prince of Asturias, tlie Emperor ceded the 
 domain of Navarre, Avidi an annual sum of 
 400,000 livrcs of appanage rent, with a fur- 
 ther rent of 600,000 . livres. The newly ap- 
 pointed King, Joseph Bonaparte, arrived at 
 Bayonne about the middle of June; but all 
 the pains, as well as die force used to im- 
 press the Spanish nation with favourable 
 views of the change that had taken place, 
 were unavailing. Ferdinand was proclaim- 
 ed, at several places, by immense num- 
 bers, encouraged by the clergy and nobility, 
 A Supreme Junta, and Inferior Juntas, 
 v\ere established at various places, all of 
 w horn insisted that the abdications of Charles 
 and Ferdinand could not be free, encom- 
 passed as they were by every species of ar- - 
 tiiice. Soon after this, with a view to the 
 accomplishment of their ulterior views, the 
 Junta of Seville issued in the name, but 
 without the least authority from Ferdinand, 
 the following proclamation of peace with 
 England and Sweden. 
 
 " The Supreme Junta of this principality, de- 
 clares a general peace with England, and at the 
 iame time the closest alliance with that nation, 
 
9^ LIPE AND ADMimSTUATlON OF 
 
 which has, with the greatest generdsit)^, ofFered 
 all the succours and assistance that have been asked 
 of her. They also declare peace with Sweden, and 
 order that all our ports shall be open to the vessels 
 of both nations, and that this royal resolution be 
 communicated to all the justices of the princi- 
 pality." 
 
 On the part of England, this insurrection 
 in Spain was hailed as the most auspicious 
 and happy event that could possibly have 
 occurred. No fears were now entertained 
 of reducing the increasing power and influ- 
 ence of France, and least of all of wresting 
 Spain from the grasp of their enemy. The 
 Junta of Asturia dispatched two noblemen 
 to England, and other deputies were also 
 sent from other quarters, to inform our go- 
 vernment that the inhabitants w^ere engaged 
 in making e\'ery warlike preparation to op- 
 pose their invaders, so that nothing but pa- 
 negyric upon the Spanish patriots Avas to be 
 heard from one end of the kingdom to the 
 other. Arms, ammunition, and clothing be- 
 ing what were principally wantmg, these were 
 supplied in great abundance ; and as the ports 
 in the Bay of Biscay were in the hands of the 
 Patriots, these supplies were transmitted with 
 the greatest facility. 
 
THE HIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAT.. 93 
 
 About the same time an Order of Council 
 was issued for taking off the blockade of the 
 Spanish ports, those excepted whicli were in 
 the hands of the enemy. All the Spanish pri- 
 soners in our hands were also released and sent 
 home, the more to insinuate ourselves into the 
 good graces of our new allies. 
 
 Attached to a degree of bigotry as the Spa- 
 niards have ever been to the Papal See, it was 
 with some degree of surprize, at this junc- 
 ture, that we learned the French Emperor's 
 determination of seizing the greatest part of 
 the Pontiff's territory, namely, Urbino, An- 
 cona, Macerata, and Camarino, to unite them 
 for ever to the kingdom of Italy, principally 
 because " the temporal sovereign of Rome 
 had refused to make war against England." 
 To this and other charges, his Holiness re- 
 plied in a document of considerable length, 
 in which assertions were made relative to the 
 pretended rights of the church, and its spirit- 
 ual head, which could only have been expect- 
 ed in the dark ages. 
 
 But to return to the affairs of Spain : so 
 anxious were the j^eople of Cadiz to obtain 
 English assistance against the French squa- 
 dron in that port under Admiral Rosilly, 
 
94 MFE AND ADMIN ISTHATJK)N<Jft^ 
 
 even before it was officially known there 
 that the British government would lend its 
 aid, that the former applied to Admiral 
 Purvis, then at Gibraltar, who immediately 
 sailed to co-operate with them. The French 
 Admiral proposed to quit the Bay, and to 
 make other concessions if this w^as not ac* 
 ceded to ; but as nothing less than uncondi- 
 tional submission would be heard of by the 
 Spaniards, aftca* an unequal engagement ^ 
 three days with the batteries on shore, he 
 surrendered five sail of the line and a frigate. 
 The death of Don Solano at Cadiz followed 
 soon after, with the battle of Baylen, and the 
 surrender of the French army under Dupont; 
 which, with the obstinate defence made by 
 the inhabitants of Saragossa under Palafox, 
 naturally dispirited the enemy, while die 
 hopes of the patriotic party were raised to a 
 pitch of enthusiasm; but at Saragossa, as 
 well as at many other places which fell into 
 the hands of the French, the ardour of their 
 opponents was compelled to give way to su- 
 perior discipline and military skill. 
 
 Indefatigably solicitous to raise obstacles 
 to the growing power of France, in every 
 quarter of the world, while these affairs were 
 
THE niGMT HON. S. PEnCEVAE. 9S 
 
 going on upon the Peninsula, according to li 
 convention agreed upon between his Bri- 
 tannic Majesty and the King of Sweden, it 
 ^vas agreed that Britain should pay to the lat- 
 ter the sum of 1,200,0001. sterling, in equal 
 instalments of 100,0001. per month, to be 
 appropriated to the support of an additional 
 number of Swedish troops, beyond what the 
 revenue of that kingdom was able to maintain, 
 as well as to equip such a part of the Swe- 
 dish navy as might be deemed necessffl*y, 
 particularly its flotilla. 
 
 Early in 1808, even before the season of 
 the year had rendered Finland lit for open- 
 ing the campaign, a Russian army of 40,000 
 men crossed their own frontier, and proceeded 
 as far as Helsingor, without opposition, which, 
 when it was made by the Swedish forces un- 
 der Count Klingspor, was ineffectual, in con- 
 sequence of the inferiority of his numbers. 
 Abo, the capital of Swedish Finland, was 
 soon taken; Biomeberg, a strong place, was 
 also captured, after the Swedish army had 
 sustained a considerable loss in its defence. 
 Sweaborg soon followed in submitting to the 
 invaders; and one of the most extraordinary 
 articles of its capitulation, expressly stipu 
 
96 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 lated, that the numerous galleys and the flo- 
 tilla there taken should be restored to Sweden, 
 after the conclusion of a peace, in the event 
 that England should also restore to Denmark 
 the fleet which she took last year. 
 
 Too late to afford our Swedish ally any 
 eflfectual assistance, the British government 
 dispatched Sir John Moore, with about 
 10,000 men, to the Baltic: these troops, it 
 is understood, were never employed, owing 
 to the difference of opinion between the Bri- 
 tish general and his Swedish Majesty, which 
 arose to such a height, that this weak mo- 
 narch would have arrested Sir John Moore 
 if he had not escaped in a cart to Gotten- 
 burgh, which vehicle was waiting at a short 
 distance from Stockhohii, and belonged to 
 Mr. Johnson the messenger. This occurred 
 in the afternoon of Wednesday the 29th of 
 June ; when the British general, being in the 
 habit of a private gentleman, first visited his 
 apartments at Gottenburgli to ascertain whe- 
 ther his paper'^ had been safely conveyed on 
 board the Victory, which being done, he 
 proceeded alongside that ship, disguised as 
 he had travelled from Stockholm. Soon aft^ 
 tliis a Russian fleet of thirteen sail of the 
 
THE RIGHT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 97 
 
 Jine besides frigates, were chased by the Swe> 
 dish Admiral and two line -of- battle ships, un- 
 der Sir Samuel Hood and Captain Martin, who 
 succeeded in burning one of them after an 
 action of twenty minutes, and compelling the 
 rest to take refuge in the port of Rogerswick. 
 Unhappily for the Swedes this short cam- 
 paign terminated in the cession of Finland to 
 the Russians, and the annexation of it to 
 Russia for ever. 
 
 In Spain, though most of the maritime 
 places were in the hands of the English and 
 the patriots, yet as the capital was in posses- 
 sion of the French, and as King Joseph had 
 arrived at Vittoria, the new constitution of 
 Spain being settled and approved by the Junta 
 of Bayonne, he there published a proclamation 
 promising to govern according to the laws, 
 the nation which Providence had confided to 
 him. The better to secure the affections of 
 his new subjects, the persons he chose to fill 
 the principal posts in the civil and military 
 departments of the state, were selected from 
 the most ancient and respecfcible families 
 of the grandees. Many persons also, as well 
 as corporate bodies, being convinced that 
 nothing was so well calculated to save their 
 
 K 
 
98 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 country from the horrors of war as the 
 cordial reception of their new monarch, 
 were solicitous to pay him their respects as 
 he passed. 
 
 At Burgos a triumphal arch had been 
 erected, where, soon after his arrival, his 
 Majesty gave audience to the Archbishop, 
 the Chapter, the Intendant, the Consulate, 
 and a number of other persons. And having 
 taJien up his residence at the Archbishop's 
 palace, which adjoins the cathedral, he went 
 to see that ancient edifice, where he was re- 
 ceived under a canopy with all the solemni- 
 ties usually observed with respect to royal 
 personages. 
 
 On the 26th of June, when King Joseph 
 reached the capital, the Royal Council of Cas- 
 tile sounded aloud their panegyric on his mo- 
 derate views; he having waved his universal 
 right over the public revenues, by making a 
 distinction between those of the crown and that 
 of the state. 
 
 It must be confessed, that this kind of 
 conquest over the affections of the Spaniards, 
 and the peaceable possession of the capital 
 by the r rench, was soon interrupted in con- 
 sequence of the surrender of Dupont and 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. I'EKCl^VAL. 9V 
 
 his army; as nine days alter, viz. on the 31st 
 of July, the new king and all liis adherents, 
 conceiving themselves no longer in salct}', 
 w ere compelled to leave it. 
 
 But though a great number of persons of 
 all descriptions continued in open arms 
 against the Freneli in the provinces, parti- 
 cularly in Valencia, Andalusia, &c. a report 
 of the War Minister of France imputed the 
 want of success to " English gold and the 
 agents of the Inquisition, who were afniid 
 of losing their authority, and to the influ- 
 ence of the numerous tribes of monks in 
 Spain, who dreaded reform." And the 
 question is then asked, will your Majesty 
 permit England to be able to say, ^* Spain 
 is one of my provinces; my flag, driven 
 Irom the Baltic, the North Sea, the Levant, 
 8cc. rules in the ports of Spain?" No, 
 never, Sire : to prevent so much shame arid 
 misfortune t\\'o hundred thousand brave men 
 ;(re ready to scale the Pyrenees, and chase 
 the English from the Peninsula." The pro- 
 bability of meeting the English at length, 
 and lighting them man to miin, Mas held up 
 ^ no small advantage, in makiiig them also 
 
100 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 feel the evils of a war of the dangers of which 
 they were ignorant, having only caused it by 
 their gold. 
 
 But if the situation of the French in 
 Spain in 1808 was rendered thus uneasy and 
 critical, in Portugal it was still more so, in 
 consequence of the British fleet, whose con- 
 stant and vigorous blockade caused the 
 inhabitants of Lisbon to feel all the calami- 
 ties of famine. Trade also being at a stand, 
 and scarcely any of the merchants either 
 paying or accepting bills, it was not strange 
 that the populace were often impelled to 
 acts of tumult and outrage. Soon after 
 this, as the Spaniards and English had 
 seized Oporto, and all the northern pro- 
 vinces were in a state of insurrection; and 
 as Sir Arthur Wellesley had arrived from 
 Cork with an army of ten thousand men to 
 co-operate with Admiral Cotton against 
 Lisbon, General Junot found sufficient em- 
 ployment in preparing for his own defence. 
 Before Sir Arthur effected the landing of his 
 men, he received advice from the British 
 Government that five thousand men under 
 General Anstr other were proceeding to join 
 
THE llIGrtT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 101 
 
 him, and that above ten thousand under Sir 
 John Moore would soon after be dispatched 
 for the siime purpose. 
 
 The British General's chief object was to 
 have attacked the posts of the enemy stationed 
 along the coasts, but for want of co-operation 
 on the pml of the Portuguese he was obliged 
 to give this up. 
 
 On the 12th of August, 1808, the British 
 army reached L}Tia; and on the 1 5th, the 
 itd\^anced guard came up, for the first time, 
 with a party of the French at Ovicdos. A 
 slight action took place, occasioned by the 
 eagerness of the English troops, who how- 
 ever were obliged to desist from their attack, 
 and retire with some trifling lo^^s.. A detach- 
 ment of British riflemen also, wfib pursued the 
 enemy within three miles of Brilos, escaped 
 with much difficulty from being entirel}' cut 
 off. 
 
 On the 16th, the British army halted at. 
 
 Caidas, and on the following day the Frencli 
 
 were driven from all the hills in front of 
 
 Roleia, but conducted their retreat in good 
 
 order; and the deficiency of number in the 
 
 j.\giish ca\alry was the reason that the 
 
 pcmy sustained but small loss; that of the 
 
 K 2 
 
102 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 English on this occasion was gazetted, in 
 killed, wounded, and missing, as consisting 
 of twenty-eight officers, and four hundred 
 and fifty-one non-commissioned officers and 
 privates. 
 
 On the day following the above battle, the 
 British army proceeded to Lourinha, to 
 protect the disembarkation of the troops 
 under General Anstruther; but the French 
 general, Junot, knowing that further rein- 
 forcements were expected from England, 
 resolved, notwithstanding the repulse of a 
 portion of his army on the 17th, to renew 
 his efforts to compel the British to retire 
 before fresh succours should amve. With 
 this view he quitted Lisbon with nearly the 
 whole of his troops, and proceeded on his 
 anarch to Vimiera. Sir Arthur Wellesley 
 had made himself master of a fine position, 
 but intended to march tov/ards Mafra on 
 the morning of the 21st, and thereby turn 
 the position of the French divisions under 
 Generals Loison and Laborde. This, how- 
 ever, he was prevented from doing by the 
 arrival of Sir Harry Bun'ard at Macera 
 Bay on the preceding evening. Sir Harry 
 was prompted to this measure undej* the 
 
THE RIGHT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 105 
 
 idea of waiting for a reinforcement under 
 General Ackland ; but, on the night of the 
 20th and on the morning of the 21st, the 
 French troops were seen in motion by the 
 British centinels, in such a manner as to leave 
 no doubt of their intention to attack ; Sir Ar- 
 thur accordingly made every necessary prepa- 
 ration to meet it. 
 
 The village of Vimiera stands in a valley ; 
 at the back, and to the northward and west- 
 ward of this little town, there is a moun- 
 tain, whose western point extends to the sea, 
 while the eastern is separated by a deep 
 ravine from the heights, over which the 
 road passes that leads from Lourinha. The 
 greatest part of the English infantry, with 
 eight pieces of artillery, were posted on this 
 mountain, under Generals Hill and Fergu- 
 son. The riflemen under General Fane, 
 and the brigade of General Anstruther were 
 posted on a hill to the east and south of the 
 village, entirely commanded by the moun- 
 tain upon which Generals Hill and Fer- 
 guson were placed. The cavalry and re- 
 served artillery were stationed in the valley 
 between the hills on which the infantry 
 were posted, flanking and supporting Ge- 
 
104 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 neral Fane's advanced guard. As soon as 
 the French appeared, as it was obviously 
 their intention to attack the advanced guard 
 and left wing of the British, the latter 
 changed their positions to meet and repel 
 them. Major-general Ferguson's brigade 
 was immediately moved across the ravine to 
 the heights on the road to Lourinha, with 
 three pieces of cannon ; he Avas followed 
 successively by Brigadier-general Nightin- 
 gale with his brigade, three pieces of cannon, 
 and two other brigades. These troops were 
 formed on the heights to the right and left of 
 Vimiera. 
 
 The attack of the enemy commenced in 
 several columns upon the whole of the Bri- 
 tish troops, on the height to the southward 
 and eastward of the town, and notwith- 
 standing the fire of the English riflemen, 
 they advanced close to the 50th regiment, 
 by whose bayonets they were checked and 
 driven back. In the ohurch-yard also, 
 where a small body of troops v. ere posted, 
 a further engagement took place, in wliich 
 the French were repulsed ; and while one 
 column advanced against the British left, 
 another body endeavoured to break tlirough 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 105 
 
 the right wing, but were repulsed at the 
 point of the bayonet by the 95th, supported 
 by the second battaUon of the 52d, which, 
 by an advance in column, took them in 
 flank. But after General Anstruther ad- 
 vanced to attack the enem}% the contest on 
 the height was long and desperate, till at 
 length the French gave way, and retired in 
 great confusion, leaving behind them seven 
 pieces, of cannon, and a number of killed, 
 wounded, and prisoners. They were pur- 
 sued by a detachment of British cavalry, but 
 from the enemy's superiority in this re^ect^ 
 the English, after having suffered severely, 
 were obliged to return. It is sufficient how- 
 ever to say, that the enemy failed in all 
 his attacks, and that though their loss was 
 very considerable, that of the English, ac- 
 cording to their own return, amounted in 
 killed, wounded, and missing, to no more 
 than 800 men ! 
 
 After a victory so glorious, it appeared 
 most unaccountable that Sir Hew Dalrym- 
 pie, who had quitted his station at Gibraltar 
 to take the command of the British army in 
 Portugal, and arrived at C intra, should 
 listen to a proposal made by Junot, by a 
 
106 LIFE AKD ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 flag of truce, for the evacuation of Portugal. 
 An armistice which v^as hkev/ise agreed 
 upon, directly after the battle, did not ap- 
 pear less astonishing than any event of the 
 war. This general, however, who must be 
 supposed to have been the best judge of 
 passing events, urged, " that mimy circum- 
 stances of a local and incidental nature" 
 had great weight in deciding his resolution. 
 The great importance of time, he also ob- 
 served, which the enemy could easily have 
 consumed in the protracted defence of the 
 strong places they occupied, if terms of 
 convention had been refused them, was 
 decisive as to the measures. he then adopted, 
 to put an end to the campaign in that 
 quarter. 
 
 But as the conveiUion of C intra stipula^ 
 ted that the French under General Junot 
 were not to be considered as prisoners of 
 war, but that all the individuals composing 
 it were to be transported to France, with 
 their arms and baggage and the, whole oS 
 their private prcpert}^, the nation at lai'ge, 
 particularly the capital, felt highly indig- 
 nant. They had flattered themselves that 
 noticing short of surrendering at x^iscretion 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 107 
 
 eould be granted to an enemy completely 
 xanquishcd. The Portuguese, likewise, 
 could not see the enemy retire unmolested 
 with all his plunder, witliout extreme morti- 
 fiaition, so that the measure was as much 
 condemned in Portugal as in England ; at 
 length ^\4len the French were ready to set 
 sail in the transports provided for them, 
 they were detained, till they had restored 
 whatever could be proved to have been un- 
 justly taken from individuals, or from the 
 public buildings in Portugal. The city of 
 London in this case made themselves re- 
 mai'kably conspicuous, but in the answer to 
 their remonstrance transmitted to his Ma- 
 jesty, they were very civilly reminded, 
 " tliRt they ought to concern themselves 
 with their own affairs." However several 
 county meetings followed, but with no other 
 effect than that of shew^ing their own weak- 
 ness, and the comparative superiority of the 
 w^eight and influence of their opponents in 
 the Cabinet, and the Grand Council of the 
 nation. 
 
 The events that immediately succeeded 
 were by no means calculated to excite very 
 sanguine hopes of speedy success in Spain or 
 
108 I.1FE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 Portugal, for on the 26th of October, when 
 the French Emperor went to the Palace of 
 the Legislative body, he remarked it as a 
 distinguished favour of that Providence 
 which has constantly protected the French 
 arms, that passion had so far blinded the 
 English counsels that they abandon the de- 
 fence of the seas, and at last produce that 
 {irmy on the continent, "I," added he, 
 " depart in a few days to put myself in per- 
 son at the head of my army, and with God's 
 help to crown the King of Spain in Madrid^ 
 and to plant my eagles on the forts of 
 Spain." An answer, in terms similar to this 
 speech, was returned by the Legislative 
 body : " Sire,'' say they, " the hand that 
 has led you by miracle to the summit of 
 human grandeur, will abandon neither 
 France nor Europe, whic4i yet for so long a 
 time stands in need of you." 
 
 The meeting of the Emperors of France 
 and Russia took place on the 27th of Sep- 
 tember at Erfurth, but though it was said 
 this interview had for its object a general 
 restoration of peace to Europe, the particu- 
 lai's of what passed have never been clearly 
 ascertained. Soon after this Imperial con- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 109 
 
 ference a Russian and a French messenger 
 were dispatched to England with offers ol a 
 pacific nature, wliich were rejected for no 
 other reason than because no terms could 
 then be consistently listened to on the part 
 of the Court of St. James's, that did not in- 
 clude in them the evacuation of Spain and 
 the restoration of Ferdinand ; and in the 
 Declai'ation published by our Government 
 on this occasion, it was stated, " With 
 astonishment as well as with grief his Ma- 
 jesty has learnt that the universal Spanish 
 nation is described by the degrading appel- 
 lation of the Spanish Insurgents, The Em- 
 peror of Russia also stigmatizes as * insur- 
 rection' the glorious efforts of the Spanish 
 people, in behalf of their legitimate Sove- 
 reign," &c. 
 
 To return to the war, the island of Capri 
 on the coast of Naples had been some time 
 held by the English ; but about the begin- 
 ning of October, 1808, an expedition was 
 fitted out at Naples under General La- 
 marque, and other officers, consisting of sixty 
 transports, having on board one thousand 
 five hundred men, with a frigate, a corvette, 
 and twenty-six gun-boats. But though the 
 
110 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OI^ 
 
 English were apprized of the enemy's ^- 
 proach, a vivid and incessant fire from the 
 British musketry did not prevent the disem- 
 barkation of the enemy ; however, after 
 getting on shore, as it was necessary to make 
 themselves masters of the height of Ana- 
 capri, which commands the island and all 
 the forts which defend it, the French 
 soldiers accomplished that object by climb- 
 ing up the bye ways which seemed imprac- 
 ticable, being intersected with ditches and 
 intrenchments, and defended by two batta- 
 lions of the Royal Maltese regiments, who 
 were made prisoners of war, and carried to 
 Naples. In the end, however, all the Eng- 
 lish were compelled to surrender to the 
 French, notwithstanding relief was in sight. 
 For once this conquest was effected more by 
 the activity of their marine, than the valour 
 of their land forces. 
 
 On the 4th of November, 1808, the French 
 Emperor set out from Bayonne to take the 
 command and direction of his army in 
 Spain. At this time the army of Estrema- 
 dura, with the expected assistance from 
 England, under Generals Sir John Moore 
 and Sir David Baird, opposed itself to the. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. Ill 
 
 French. The army of Blake wiis estimated, 
 before the junction of the Marquis Romana, 
 at twenty-three thousand men. The com- 
 bined armies of Castanos and Palafox at 
 nearly sixty thousand, and another corps at 
 twenty thousand men. Previous to the 
 French Emperor's an'ival at Vittoria, several 
 spirited actions had been fought by his ge- 
 nerals, and Blake's army^w^iolly routed. 
 
 The naval transactions of 1808 were not 
 of their usual importance ; the Rochefort 
 squadron, eluding the vigilance of tlie 
 British, entered Toulon, while Sir John 
 Duckworth, who was in search of them, 
 proceeded to the West Indies. Sir Edward 
 Pellew destroyed four Dutch ships of war 
 in Griesse harbour, in the island of Java. 
 
 On the 5th of July the Turkish ship of 
 war Badere Gaffer, of fifty-two guns and 
 five hundred men, was captured by the Sea- 
 horse frigate. Captain Stewart. In Novem- 
 ber also his Majesty's ship the Amethyst, 
 of thirty-six guns, Captain Seymour, fell 
 in with the Thetis French frigate, which 
 she captured, after one of the most sangui- 
 nary contests ever known. 
 
 The year 1808 was further remarkable 
 
112 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 for the death of Lord Lake, that of Dr. 
 Hurd, Bishop of Worcester, and Lord 
 Liverpool ; with the destruction of Covent 
 Garden theatre by fire, and for the laying 
 the foundation stone of the new theatre, by 
 his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, 
 on the 31st of December, the last day of the 
 old year. 
 
 The month of February, 1808, was much 
 occupied by the trial of General White- 
 lockc. The footing which had been made 
 on the banks of the river of Plate, by Sir 
 Home Popham and General Beresford, was 
 to be secured and extended by subsequent 
 armies, and General Whitelock sailed to 
 take the command of these in 1807. The 
 cause of his defeat appeared plainly to have 
 arisen from his pursuing measures ill-calcu- 
 lated to facilitate the conquest of Buenos 
 Ayres. It appeared that whilst Liniers, 
 a known Frenchman, was filling the post 
 of commander-in-chief in that quarter, the 
 minds of the Spaniards were so much in- 
 flamed against us, as almost to produce a 
 general detestation. General Whitelocke 
 was so presumptuously confident of his own 
 success, that am on a; other articles he had the 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S, PERGEVAL. 113 
 
 audacity to demand of the Spaniards the 
 surrender of all persons holding civil offices 
 in the government of Buenos Ayres, as pri- 
 soners of war, which only tended to produce 
 and encourage a spirit of resistance to his 
 Majesty's arms, which proved fatal to the 
 undertaking. 
 
 Though previously to his attack upon 
 Buenos Ayres, on the fifth of July, 1807, he 
 was informed that the enemy meant to oc- 
 cupy the flat roofs of the houses, he ordered 
 the muskets of the troops to be unloaded, 
 and no firing to be permitted on any account, 
 even while they had to march througli the 
 principal streets of the town, by which they 
 were unnecessarily exposed to destruction, 
 without the possibility of making effectual 
 opposition. 
 
 Although it was in his power, the general 
 did not even make any effectual attempt, by 
 his own personal exertion or otherwise, to 
 co-operate with, or support the different divi- 
 sions of the army under his command, which 
 after having partly accomplished the object, 
 was left without further orders. 
 
 Another charge against him, was, that in 
 the treaty that he entered into, and finally 
 L 2 
 
114 LIFE AND ADMINISTUATJON OF 
 
 concluded with the enemy, he acknowledged 
 that " he resolved to forego the advantages 
 which the braver}"^ of his troops had ob- 
 tained." The advantages he mentioned in 
 his dispatches, cost him about 2,500 men, 
 in killed, wounded, and prisonejrs. In his 
 treaty it was observed, " he had shame- 
 fully surrendered all his advantages, totally 
 evacuated the town of Buenos Ay res, and 
 consented to deliver to the enerny the strong 
 fortress of Monte Video, at that time suffi- 
 ciently garrisoned and provided against 
 attack." 
 
 In consequence of these charges, the 
 general having returned home in 1807, on 
 Thursday, January 28th, 1808, a Court 
 Martial commenced its sitting at Chelsea 
 Hospital, and continued by adjournment till 
 Tuesday, March 15th, 1808, when he was 
 found guilty of the whole of the charges 
 brought against him ; the court adjudging, 
 "that the said Lieutenant General White^ 
 locke be CASHIERED, and declared to- 
 tally unfit and unworthy to serve his Majesty 
 in any military capacity whatever." This 
 sentence the King was pleased to confirm. 
 
 The effects of the Convention of Cintra, 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL* 115 
 
 and the unexpected turn of affairs in favour 
 of the French in Spain, gave rise to many- 
 strong reflections in this country. " We 
 would," says a poUtical writer of the day, 
 " willingly shut our eyes to what has been 
 passing in November, 1808. The French 
 cooped up in a narrow space all the summer, 
 not attacked when they were few in num- 
 ber, are now triumphantly spreading them- 
 selves over the whole country. What a con- 
 trast to their state six months ago ! Let any 
 one take a map, and mark out the situation 
 of the French even three months ago. Let 
 him reflect on the number of our ships, and 
 the number of our soldiers, and then ask this 
 plain question, * If Buonaparte had had the 
 same number of ships and men in England, 
 and the people of Spain in an insurrection, 
 how long would he have permitted the French 
 to remain in repose? Would he not have 
 landed, if necessary, the whole army of Eng- 
 land, between Bilboa and St. Sebastian, 
 and marching from the shores of Biscay to 
 the Mediterranean, have cleared the country 
 of the French, and secured the passes of the 
 Pyrenees against their return ?' But the re- 
 sources of Spain and Elritain have been frit- 
 
116 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 tered away, while Buonaparte, acting with 
 judgment, firmness, and resolution, has car- 
 ried his point." 
 
 The session of parliament was this year, 
 1809, opened on the 19th of January. The 
 speech stated that his Majesty had called 
 them together in perfect confidence that they 
 were cordially prepared to support his Ma- 
 jesty in the prosecution of the war, which 
 there was no hope of terminating safely and 
 honourably, except through vigorous and 
 persevering exertion. 
 
 His Majesty, they were informed, had di- 
 rected copies of the proposals for opening ne- 
 gociations at Erfurth, and of the correspond- 
 ence which took place thereon, with the go- 
 vernments of France and Russia. His Ma- 
 jesty, it was said, was persuaded that both 
 houses would participate in the feelings he 
 expressed when it was required that he 
 should consent to commence the negociation, 
 by abandoning the cause of Spain which he 
 liad so recently and solemnly espoused. 
 His Majesty had renewed to the Spanish 
 nation, the engagements which he volunta- 
 rily contracted at the outset of its struggle. 
 With respect to Portugal, though he contem- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 117 
 
 plates with the liveliest satisfaction the de- 
 liverance of the kingdom of his ally from 
 the presence and oppression of the French 
 army, he most deeply regretted the termina- 
 tion of that campaign, by an armistice and 
 convention ; of some of the articles of which, 
 his majesty felt himself obliged formally to 
 declare his disapprobation. 
 
 The aid to the King of Sweden, which 
 was to be continued, was mentioned, and it 
 was also observed, " that Monarch derives a 
 peculiar claim to his Majesty's support, for re- 
 jecting any proposal for negociation, to 
 which the government of Spain was not to 
 be admitted as a party." 
 
 The address was, as usual, an echo to the 
 speech; and after some debate, which related 
 principally to the mode of carrying on the 
 \vwr, was agreed to without amendment or 
 division. 
 
 One reason why the debates in the two 
 houses, on the opening of the session, had 
 so little interest attached to them, was, 
 that the leaders of opposition had mani- 
 fested such eagerness to embark in the 
 cause of Spain, without having a competent 
 knowledge of the real state of affaii's in that 
 
118 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 kingdom, that the principal difference be 
 tween them and their opponents, rested 
 merely on the mode in which the war had 
 been, and should be carried on. But the 
 intelligence which arrived very soon after the 
 opening of the parliament, produced a ma- 
 terial change in the sentiments of some of 
 the members : Lord Auckland declared, 
 " he considered the Spanish cause as hope- 
 less." Lord Milton, in answer to Lord 
 Castlereagh, instead of sending more troops 
 to Spain, wisely recommended, " that we 
 ought rather to shut ourselves up within our- 
 selves, content with a force sufficient for our 
 country, and repel the enemy should he 
 choose to attack us." 
 
 The event of our expedition to Spain was 
 tot too fatally anticipated ; even in one of 
 the French bulletins, "that circumstance," 
 it was observed, " must furnish materials for 
 a fine opening speech to the English par- 
 liament. * The English nation must be in- 
 formed that her army remained three months 
 in a state of inaction, while it was in their 
 pow^r to assist the Spaniards : that its 
 leaders, or those whose orders they executed, 
 had been guilty of the extreme folly of mak- 
 
THE RIGHt HON. S. PERCEVAL. 119 
 
 ing a movement forwiird, after the Spanish 
 armies had been destroyed ; that, in a word, 
 it entered upon the new year by rumiing 
 away, pursued by tlie curses of those whom 
 it had stiiTed. up to resistance, and whom it 
 was its duty to support. Such enterprises, 
 and such results, can belong only to a country 
 that has no government. Fox, or even Pitt, 
 would not have been guilty of such blunders. 
 To contend against France by land, who has 
 100,000 cavalry, 50,000 horses for all sorts 
 of military equipment, and 900,000 infantry, 
 were, on the part of England, carrying folly 
 to the utmost extreme ; it is, in fine, to ad- 
 minister the affairs of England just as the 
 cabinet of the Thuilleries would wish them 
 to be administered." 
 
 These bitter siircasms of the enemy, though 
 treated with contempt at the time, were but 
 too fatally verified. The report of the Con- 
 vention of Cintra, the appearance of which 
 liad been anxiously expected by some per- 
 sons, w^as so deficient in the first instance, 
 that his Majesty sent it back for revision; for 
 as it altogether omitted noticing the prin- 
 cipal points the framers of it were expressly 
 required to take into consideration, viz. the 
 
120 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 armistice and the convention. The court re- 
 assembled, and by their amended report it 
 appeared that members were of diiferent 
 opinions; three members approved of the 
 former, but disapproved of the latter, and 
 one, Lord Moira, disapproved of both. The 
 court, however, were unanimous that no 
 further military enquiry was necessary, and 
 the whole of the blame was thrown upon 
 Sir Hew Dairy mple, whilst the thanks of 
 the house were procured for Sir Arthur 
 Wellesley ! 
 
 About this time the speech of the Presi- 
 dent of the American Congress arrived in 
 town, with the very fair offer to the British 
 Government to take off the existing em- 
 bargo, if Great Britain would repeal its 
 Orders in Council, so far as they related to 
 America ; this proposal, as it might have 
 been expected from the temper of the ad- 
 ministration, was not accepted. 
 
 But to return to our affairs in Portugal : — 
 on the 24th of January, 1809, a gazette ex^ 
 traordinary was published, containing dis- 
 patches from General Sir David Baird, 
 dated Ville de Paris at sea, January 18th, 
 confirming the report of the death of the 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PEHCEVAL. 121 
 
 much lamented General Sir John Moore, 
 who fell in the action with the enemy, on 
 the 16th of the same month, and by which 
 we learnt that the French army attacked tlie 
 British troops in the position they occupied 
 in front of Corunna, at about two o'clock 
 in the afternoon of that day. Sir David 
 himself received a severe wound in this ac- 
 tion, which was long and obstinately con- 
 tested. The command of the army devolv- 
 ing upon Lieutenant General Hope, his dis- 
 patches, which were written on board the 
 Audacious, contained such particulars of this 
 action which government thought proper to 
 publish by authority. He stated that about 
 one in the afternoon of the 16th, the enemy, 
 wfio in the morning had received reinforce- 
 ments, and had placed some guns in front of 
 the right and left of the line, was observed 
 to be moving troops towards his left flank, 
 and forming various columns of attack at the 
 extremity of the strong and commanding 
 position, which, on the moiniing of the ^ 5th, 
 he had taken in the immediate front of the 
 British. 
 
 This indication of his intention was im- 
 mediately followed by the rapid and deter- 
 
 M 
 
J22 LIFE AND ADMmiSTBATION OF 
 
 mined attack upon the division which occu- 
 pied the right of our position, when this first 
 effort of the enemy was met by the Com- 
 mander of the forces, and by Sir David 
 Baird, at the head of the 42d regiment, and 
 the brigade under Major General Lord Wil- 
 liam Bentinck. Very soon after a severe 
 wound had deprived the army of Sir Da- 
 vid's services, Sir John Moore, who had 
 directed the most able disposition, fell by a 
 cannon shot. The troops, not dismayed at 
 the irreparable loss they had sustained, by the 
 most determined bravery not only repelled 
 every attempt of the enemy to gain ground, 
 but actually forced him to retire, although he 
 bad brought up fresh troops in support of 
 those originally engaged. 
 
 The enemy finding himself foiled in every 
 attempt to force the right of the position, 
 endeavoured by numbers to turn it. A ju- 
 dicious and well-timed movement, which 
 was made by Major General Paget, with 
 the reserve, which corps had moved out of 
 its cantonments to support the right of the 
 army, by a vigorous attack, defeated this 
 intention. The Major General, having 
 pushed forward the 95th (rifle corps) and 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. l23 
 
 first battalion 52d regiment, drove the enetny 
 before him, and in his rapid and judicious 
 advance, threatened the left of the enemy's 
 position. This circumstance, with the po- 
 sition of Lieutenant General Frasier's division 
 (calculated to give still further security to the 
 right of the line), induced the enemy to relax 
 his efforts in that quarter. 
 
 They were, however, more forcibly directed 
 to^^'xirds the centre, where they were again 
 successfully resisted by the brigade under 
 Major General Manningham, forming the 
 left of General Baird's division, and a part 
 of that under Major General Leith, forming 
 the right of the division. Upon the left, 
 the enemy, at first, contented himself 
 With an attack upon our picquets, which, 
 however, in general maintained their 
 ground. Finding, however, his efforts un- 
 availing on the right and centre, he seemed 
 determined to render the attack upon the 
 left more serious, and had succeeded in ob- 
 taining possession of the village through 
 which the great road to Madrid passes, and 
 which was situated in front of that part of 
 the line. From this post, however, be was 
 soon expelled, with considerable loss, by a 
 
124 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 gallant attack of some companies of the 
 .second battalion 14th regiment, under Lieu- 
 tenant Colonel Nichols; before five in the 
 evening, we had not only successfully re- 
 pelled every attack made upon the position, 
 but had gained ground in almost all points, 
 and occupied a more forward line than at the 
 commencement of the action, whilst the ene- 
 my confined his operations to a cannonade, 
 and the fire of his light troops, with a view 
 to draw off his other corps. At six the 
 iiring entirely ceased. The different bri- 
 gades were re-assembled on the ground they 
 occupied in the morning, and the picquets 
 and advanced posts resumed their original 
 stations. 
 
 Notwithstanding the decided and marked 
 superiority which at this moment the gal- 
 lantry of the troops had given them over an 
 enemy, who from the numbers and the com- 
 manding advantages of his position, no doubt 
 expected an easy victory, the General did 
 not, on reviewing all circumstances, con- 
 ceive that he should be w^arranted in depart- 
 ing from the fixed and previous determina- 
 tion of the late commander of the forces to 
 withdraw the army on the evening of the 
 
THE klGHt hb^. ^. PERCEVAL. 125 
 
 16th, for the purpose of embarkation, the 
 previous arrangements for which had already 
 been made by l}is order, and were in fact far 
 advanced at the commencement of the action. 
 The troops quitted their position about ten 
 at night, with a degree of order that did 
 them credit. The whole of the artillery that 
 remained unembarked, having been with- 
 dra^vn, the troops followed in the order pre- 
 scribed, and marched to their respective points 
 of embiu-kation in the tonn and neighbour- 
 hood of Corunna. The picquets remained at 
 their posts until five on the morning of the 
 17th, when they were also Avithdi-awn Avith 
 similar orders, and without the enemy liaving 
 discovered the movement. 
 
 Though the whole of the army was em- 
 barked with an expedition that has seldom 
 l:)een equalled, the enemy pushed his light 
 troops towards the to^vn soon after eight 
 o'clock in the morning of the 17th, and 
 shortly after occupied the heights of St. 
 Lucia, which command the harbour ; but 
 the disposition of the Spaniards being good, 
 the embarkation of the last brigade, under 
 Major Generals Hill and Beresford, were 
 commen€(;d and completed in the course o^' 
 M 2 
 
126 L,l¥E AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 the afternoon. General Beresford having ex- 
 plained to the satisfaction of the Spanish 
 Governor of Corunna, the nature of the 
 British movement, all the wounded that had 
 not been previously moved, embarked before 
 one in the morning. 
 
 Circumstances, the general acknowledged, 
 produced the necessity of rapid and harassing 
 marches, which had diminished the numbers, 
 exhausted the strength, and impaired the 
 equipment of the army. To these disadvan- 
 tages might be added those more immedi- 
 ately attached to a defensive position, which 
 the imperious necessity of covering the har- 
 ])our of Corunna for a time, had rendered 
 it indispensable to assume. 
 
 A supplement to the Gazette extraordi- 
 nary, published on this occasion, contained 
 a dispatch from Rear Admiral de Courcy, 
 which stated in general terms, that in the 
 \ icinity of Corunna, the enemy had pressed 
 upon the British in great force ; and that the 
 British, though triumphant, had suifered 
 severe losses. Sir John Moore received a 
 mortal wound, and Sir David Baird lost an 
 arm, and that several officers and many men 
 had been killed and wounded. The great 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 127 
 
 body of the transports lost their anchors and 
 ran to sea without the troops they were 
 ordered to receive ; in consequence of which 
 there were some thousands on board the ships 
 of war. Several transports, through mis- 
 management, ran on shore^ tvv o were burnt, 
 and five were bilged. 
 
 Notwithstanding the most favourable 
 glosses put upon this disastrous event, the 
 historian had a melancholy task to perform. 
 The British had retreated before the forces 
 of Buonaparte, and had for a short time 
 taken refuge in Corunna, but not being com- 
 petent to keep the place, the enemy were left 
 triumphing in their leader's prediction, 
 '' that he would in a short time oblige the 
 English to take refuge in their ships ; and 
 thus, at the termination of this ill-fated cam- 
 paign, the iiorth and the middle of Spain 
 were left in the sole possession of the enemy. 
 
 Never was the opinion of Lord Moim on 
 the conduct of the war in Spain felt more 
 forcibly than at this mournful period. His 
 Lordship contended, that a large force should 
 have been sent to the foot of the Pyrenees, 
 when the French were weak in that quarter, 
 which would have given an opportunity to 
 
WS LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 Spam to bring forward its troops and defend 
 those important passes against future inva- 
 sion, whilst they hemmed in the enemy that 
 had already entered. The fate of the brave 
 but unfortunate General Moore, however, 
 deceived a tribute of acknowledgment from 
 the enemy, " that he was a clever and sen- 
 sible man, to whom it was impossible to 
 impute the folly of the plan of the cam- 
 paign." 
 
 How exceedingly unpleasant any remarks 
 upon the affairs of the peninsula were taken 
 by the ministry in any quarter to which they 
 were not compelled to attend, was evident 
 from the manner in which the address of the 
 city of London upon the convention of C intra 
 was taken. But as truth is the child of 
 time, when an address of thanks was moved 
 in the Upper House, it called up Lord 
 Erskine, who, as a privileged person, could 
 there contradict the flimsy representations of 
 newspapers, and even London gazettes, with 
 impunity. He said, 
 
 ** Was it possible to deplore the loss of friends 
 ^hom we loved, and of men whose lives were 
 precious to their country in a most awful crisis, 
 V?ithout lamenting in bitterness that they were 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 129 
 
 literally immolated by the ignorance and folly of 
 those who now v/ished to cover their own dis- 
 ijrace, by the just and natural feelings of the 
 public, towards men who had died for their coun- 
 try ? But for their immortal renov/n it would have 
 been better for them, certainly much better for 
 their country, to have shot them upon the parade 
 of St. James's park, than to have sent them, not to 
 suffer the noble risk of soldiers, and in a practica- 
 ble cause, but to endure insufferable, ignoble, and 
 useless misery, in a march to the very centre of 
 Spain, when they who sent them knew that Buo- 
 naparte had above an hundred thousand men 
 before them, so as to render attack not only im- 
 practicable, but retreat only possible by the noble 
 and unparalleled exertions which that House had 
 assembled to commemorate. And what sort of a 
 retreat ? a retreat leaving upon the roads and in 
 the mountains of SpainyVom eight t(^ nine thousand 
 of our brave men dying of fatigue^ without one act 
 of courage to sweeten the death of a soldier! 
 W hat could then be a more disgusting and humi- 
 liating spectacle than to sec the government of this 
 great empire in such a fearful season in the hands 
 of men who seem not fit to be a vestry in the small- 
 est parish." 
 
 Earl Grosvenor also asserted in the House 
 oF Lords, that the retreat to Corunna was so 
 rapid, and the privation of the troops so great. 
 
130 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 that officers were obliged to walk without 
 shoes or stockings, and the army was nearly 
 in a state of mutiny, occasioned by their suf- 
 ferings. 
 
 From the contemplation of these and simi- 
 lar objects, the ministry were at length, hap- 
 pily for themselves, relieved by the investi- 
 gation of the charges made by Mr. Wardle 
 in the Commons against his Royal Highness 
 the Duke of York, as Commander in Chief 
 of the army. Mr. Wardle was member for 
 Oakhampton ; he was formerly a majo^ in 
 Sir W. Wynne's regiment of fencible cavalry, 
 when upon service in Ireland. This serious 
 business was brought forward by Mr. Wardle 
 on Wednesday, February 1st, when the 
 honourable gentleman stated in his place in 
 the House, that he had ordered a general list 
 of witnesses t6 be transmitted to the Com- 
 mander in Chief, thus giving his Royal 
 Highness every advantage in his power, and 
 l3ie means of knowing the grounds On which 
 he meant to proceed. He offered himself as 
 an accuser of the Royal Duke on grounds 
 that had come to his knowledge, and from 
 reports which ought not to pass unnoticed in 
 that House, He then alluded to what had 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 131 
 
 dropped from the Hon. Mr. Yorke on the 
 preceding Friday, who then asserted his 
 belief, " That there existed a conspiracy of 
 the most atrocious and diabolical kind 
 against his Royal Highness, founded on the 
 Jacobinical spirit which appeared at the 
 commencement of the French revolution." 
 Much, Mr. Wardle observed, had been said 
 of jacobinism, much of tlie licentiousness of 
 tlie press, and of a conspiracy against the 
 liimily of Brunswick ; but he had taken up^ 
 no reports circulated through the medium of 
 the press, nor employed the press in his accu- 
 sation of the Royal Duke. He then took 
 upon himself to prove by evidence unques- 
 tionable, either at the bar of that House, or 
 before any other tribunal, that pecuniary 
 transactions to an enormous amount did take 
 place, the very, discover}^ of which led to the 
 breach between the Commander in Chief 
 and the lady whom he should call to their 
 bar, who was then under the protection of 
 his Royal Highness. The first witness he 
 called was Dr. Andrew Thynne, to prove the 
 charge relati\'e to the exchange of Col. 
 Knight with Col. Brooke; in fact, Mr. War- 
 die brought forward five cases on which 
 
1S2 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 his charges were founded, viz. that of a Mr. 
 Tonyn, who paid Mrs. Clarke five hundred 
 pounds on being gazetted as a major. This 
 sum was paid to a silversmith, in part of 
 plate for the establishment of herself and the 
 Duke of York. From these it was inferred, 
 that Mrs. Clarke possessed the power of mi- 
 litary promotion, that she received pecuniary 
 consideration for it, and that the Commander 
 in Chief was a partaker in tlie benefit arising 
 from it. A Major Shaw, it appeared, agreed 
 to pay a thousand pounds to Mrs. Clarke for 
 the place of Deputy Barrack Master at the 
 Cape of Good Hope; but on some failure on 
 his part, and complaint to the Duke on that 
 of Mrs. Clarke, Major Shaw was put upon 
 half-pay, so that the lady's influence ex- 
 tended to appointments on the staff. As to 
 Col. French's levy, it transpired that Mrs. 
 Clarke was to have a guinea on the bounty of 
 each man raised for this corps in 1804 and 
 1805, and the sale or patronage of a certain 
 number of commissions; and from a loan, 
 said to have been in agitation, it was inferred 
 that Mrs. Clarke had the power of increasing 
 the military force of this country. The case 
 ©f a Captain Maling was curious ; he was 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PKRCEVAL. 133 
 
 appointed to an ensigncy, then to a lieu- 
 tenancy, and afterwards to a captaincy, 
 thougli during the whole of this progress he 
 remained a clerk in an office without seeing 
 any service. Another point referred for 
 further consideration, when the business was 
 first brought before the Commons, w^as the 
 establisliment of an office for the sale of 
 commissions, and the disposition of places in 
 church and state. The sketch of these in- 
 stances of coiTuption only in outline, it was 
 observed, began to stagger the opinions of 
 some of Mr. Wardle's opponents, who at 
 first, under the pretence that infamy must 
 certainly attach somewhere, either to the 
 accuser or accused, evidently thought to 
 intimidate Mr. Wardle: this called up Mi:. 
 Wilberforce, who very properly rebuked the 
 Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Attor- 
 ney General for their manner of treating tlie 
 witnesses, ^\hich he called brow- beating 
 them. The examination of Mrs. Mary Aiine 
 Clarke went to prove that she resided in 
 .Gloucester place, in o, house belonging to 
 the Duke of York, in 1805; that she then 
 liyed under the protection of his Royal High-- 
 
i34 LIFE AND ADMIKISTRATION OP 
 
 ness. She admitted that she had grounds 
 of complaint against the Duke of York; 
 and that she told his counsel, Mr. William 
 Adam, in a letter, that if he did not pay 
 her annuity regularly she would expose the 
 letters of his Royal Highness. She admit- 
 ted, in the course of her examination, that 
 she was in the habit of frequently seeing 
 Colonel Wardie, and that she had reluc- 
 tantly communicated to him the substance 
 of what she had stated at the bar of the 
 House, and that she was displeased at being 
 compelled to come before that assembly. 
 
 As soon as the evidence was closed, and 
 which seemed strongly against his Royal 
 Highness, it was said that the Duke, justly 
 considering his character deeply affected on 
 the present occasion, thought it necessary to 
 take some notice of the proceedings of the 
 Commons : he accordingly addi'essed the fol- 
 lowing letter to the Speaker : 
 
 *^ Sir, Horse Guards, Feb. 23, 1809. 
 
 " I have waited with the greatest anxiety until 
 
 the conimittee appointed by the House of Com« 
 
 mons to enquire into my conduct as Commander 
 
 iatChief of his Majesty's army, had closed its 
 
THE RItSHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 135 
 
 examinations, and I now hope that it will not be 
 deemed improper to address this letter through 
 you to the House of Commons. 
 
 " I observe with the deepest concern, that in 
 the course of the inquiry my name has been 
 coupled with transactions the most criminal and 
 disgraceful, and I must ever regret and lament 
 that a connection should ever have existed which 
 has thus expbsed my character and honour to 
 public animadversion. 
 
 " With respect to my alleged offences, con- 
 nected with the discharge of my official duties, I 
 do in the most solemn manner, upon mij honour as 
 a prince^ distinctly assert my innocence, not only 
 by denying all corrupt participation in any of the 
 infamous transactions which have appeared in 
 evidence at the bar of the House of Commons, or 
 any connivance at their existence, but also the 
 slightest knowledge or suspicion that they existed 
 at all. 
 
 " My consciousness olf innocence leads me con- 
 fidently to hope that the House of Commons will 
 not, upon such evidence as they have heard, adopt 
 any proceeding prejudicial to my honour and cha- 
 racter; but if, upon such testimony as has been 
 adduced against me, the House of Commons can 
 think my innocence questionable, I claim of their 
 justice that I shall not be condemned without 
 trial, or be deprived of the benefit and protection 
 
136 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 which is afforded to every British subject by thost 
 sanctions under which alone evidence is received 
 in the ordinary administration of the law. 
 " I am, Sir, your's, 
 
 '' FREDERICK." 
 " The Speaker of the House ofCommonaJ*'* 
 
 Notwithstanding all the attempts made to 
 weaken the charges brought against his 
 Royal Highness, and the failure of Mr. 
 Wardle to cany the motion he made on 
 summing up the evidence, *' That his Royal 
 Highness ought to be deprived of the com- 
 mand of the army," and subsequent motions 
 calculated to acquit him of personal corrupt 
 tion^ the Royal Duke found it necessary to 
 ,wait upon his Majesty at Windsor, where, 
 after a long audience, he tendered him a 
 written resignation, Vvdiich his Majesty was 
 graciously pleased to accept, and Sir David 
 Dundas was thought a proper person to be 
 appointed as his successor. 
 
 The Duke probably did not feel alto- 
 gether satisfied that a majority of eighty-two 
 members of the House of Commons had 
 acquitted him of connivance in Mrs. Clarke's 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 137 
 
 business, and lie might probably think that 
 the two hundred members who had voted 
 him guilty, although a minority in the House 
 of Commons, spoke the unequivocal sense of 
 a very great majority of the people out of 
 doors. 
 
 By way of return to Mr. Wardle and his 
 friends, Lord Folkstone, Sir Francis Bur- 
 dett, and others, the address of thanks, begufi 
 by the city of Canterbury, to the member for 
 Oaikhampton, was followed by similar ad- 
 dresses from boroughs, cities, and counties, 
 one and all breathing the same spirit of detes- 
 tation of corruption and zeal for the adminis- 
 tration of the government and the public mo- 
 ney according to the principles of the consti- 
 tution. This example in England extended 
 to Scotland and Ireland. 
 
 A motion of the highest importance, 
 grounded on recent events, was brought for- 
 ward in the House of Commons, on the 17th 
 of April, by Lord Folkstone, for the appoint- 
 ment of a committee, to enquire into the 
 (Existence of corrupt practices in the state, as 
 th^ purchase and- sale of commissions, and 
 the issuing letters of service. The necessity 
 of this committee he urged from the late 
 N 2 
 
138 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 discovery of various abuses, which proved 
 that corruption had gone on upon a settled 
 system, the whole of which ought to be com- 
 pletely exposed, and proper remedies applied 
 to prevent the ruin of the country by the con- 
 tinuation of such abuses. The Chancellor of 
 the Exchequer saw no necessity for such a 
 committee ; for were it efficient he would ask, 
 ought the House to enquire into all the abuses 
 which had taken place during the last half 
 century ? What effect, he asked, could such 
 a proceeding have, except to increase the fer- 
 ment in the public mind ? but Lord A. Ha- 
 milton was convinced, that the most certain 
 way to increase the discontents of the people 
 ^vas to stifle enquiry into those abuses, the ex- 
 iste nr,fifcf>f which no man now could be obsti- 
 nate el^^h to deny. 
 
 Lord Henry Petty objected to the extent 
 of the trust to be delegated to the Commit- 
 tee. Such an inquisitorial power, he thought, 
 should be exercised only by the whole 
 House. Mr. Whitbread acknowledged, that 
 a ferment did exist, and an indignant feeling 
 pervaded the public on this occasion ; it was 
 therefore desirable to know through whose 
 means persons obtained situations in the 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 139 
 
 army, the church, and other piibUc establish- 
 ments. Mr. Tierney was offended that no- 
 tice had not been given of a motion, which, 
 he contended, amounted to an arraignment 
 of the whole of his Majesty's government, 
 as guilty of corruption in every one of their 
 various departments. Mr. Ponsonby, Sir J. 
 Anstrutlier, Mr. Wynne, and Mr. Canning, 
 expressed a decided disapprobation of the 
 motion ; and, though a long debate ensued, 
 on a division, 30 votes appeared for it, 
 agauist it 178, making a majority of 148. 
 
 That several members of the opposition 
 should resist an enquiry so salutary as this 
 proposed by Lord Folkstone, excited no 
 small surprise ; but the coalition of senti- 
 ments and feelings on this subject, between 
 the right honourable leader of the Lis, and 
 the right honourable leader of the Outs, 
 was remarked, as being similar to the famous 
 coalition recorded by Hudibras : 
 
 " This shews how perfectly the Rump 
 *^ And Commonwealth, in nature jump." 
 
 And yet, at the moment th^se objections 
 were making against enquiry, by the sup- 
 porters of Administration, fresh instances of 
 
140 LIFE AND ADMINISTKATIO^TOF 
 
 iniqditous peculation was crowding to view : 
 a motion made by Sir Francis Burdett, 
 which he justly termed " a scandalous job," 
 relative to some land contiguous to Chelsea 
 Hospital, made it appear, that in a grant fo 
 Colonel Gordon, one of the friends of the 
 Duke of York, he obtained a lease of a 
 piece of land for ^50 a year; for which 
 land, with the exception of a quarter of an 
 acre, the public had paid £5000. 
 
 A Committee of Finance, instituted for 
 the purpose of investigating abuses in that 
 department, having brought forward their 
 Fourth Report about this time j to this Re- 
 port the attention of the House of Com- 
 mons was solicited by Mr. Ord: it detailed 
 the conduct of the Commissioners for the 
 Sale of Dutch Prizes, viz. Messrs. Crauford, 
 Briekwood, Chatlield, Baxter, and John 
 Bowks. By Mr. Ord's speech it appears, 
 they kept no regular account of the monies 
 that came into their possession. They had 
 charged a commission of five per cent, on 
 the gross proceeds of property, amounting 
 ift four years to ;C80,000. It was by the first 
 tmnsaction that they secured a commission 
 df ;^25,000; and tMs conduct they had 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 141 
 
 adopted, after* the violent abuse which John 
 Bowles had launched against all those who 
 had neglected to give fair returns under the 
 income tax. It further appeared, that the 
 Act appointing these Commissioners re- 
 quired they should lodge their money in the 
 Bank of England ; yet, on the contrary, they 
 had kt pt large sums at their private bankers : 
 that, iilthough they held balances in their 
 hands at one period amounting to £, 20p,000, 
 and during the whole of the latest period 
 never less than £. 50,000, when Mr. Pitt ap- 
 plied at a time of great public difficulty for 
 £, 50,000 on account, they, although they 
 had at that time £, 190,000 in their posses- 
 sion, informed the Minister they could af- 
 ford him no assistance. Mr. Ord, after cha- 
 racterizing the neglect of the Pitt Adminis- 
 tration " an encouragement to abuses, and 
 a bounty to roguery," moved sundry resolu- 
 tions, reprobating such neglect as leading to 
 the most prejudicial consequences, declaring 
 it to be a violation of the obvious duty of 
 the Government. To these statements Mr. 
 Perceval was led to reply, " that he was 
 prepared without any notice from the ho- 
 nourable gentleman, to communicate the 
 
IA2 UFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 measures that were about to be taken by Gor 
 vcrnment," and then recommended him to 
 withdraw his motion. 
 
 After a short discussion, including an ex* 
 cellent speech from Mr. Whitbread, charging 
 the Commissioners with gross prevarication 
 in their evidence before the Committee, and 
 endeavouring to withhold from the public 
 the real state of their criminal conduct, the 
 previous question was put and carried, and 
 another motion passed of a more gentle na^ 
 ture, in which, although the conduct of the 
 Commissioners was censured, tlie Adminis- 
 tration, which had so long winked at tliat con- 
 ^€t, was simply charged with having omitted 
 to notice it ! 
 
 In this debate, as it j^peared that Mr. 
 Rose being suspected by Mr. Whitbread as 
 having a leaning towards Mr. Jolm Bowles, 
 and a partiality for his writings, he assured 
 the Hon. Gentleman, that he had never read 
 any of his thirty pamphlets, though he would 
 allow that they were regularly laid on his ta- 
 ble. 
 
 The war between France and Austria, 
 wliich was supposed would operate so much 
 to the relief of Spain, and had been pre- 
 
THE BietIT HON. S. PBRCEVAt.. 143 
 
 dieted so long before-hand by the ministerial 
 writers, actually broke out 'm the spring of 
 1809. 
 
 In the pompous Manifesto published on 
 this occasion by the Emperor of Austria, he 
 complained of the manner in which the Ar- 
 ticles of the Treaty of Presburg were car- 
 ried into execution ; of a passage demanded 
 by France for hei troops from tlie Venetian 
 States to the Provinces on the east coast of 
 the Adriatic ; of the insults offered to the 
 Sacred Head of the Church ; ^c. But the 
 true secret of the Emperor's complaints cer- 
 tainly transpired in the avowal expressed in 
 the same document, " that the security of 
 the Austrian empire could not be sought in 
 an insulated state." His majesty then in- 
 vites all sun'ounding states to assist him, 
 and endeavours to tUiimate them by assu- 
 rances. *' A happier lot," he siiys, " awaits 
 you : the liberty of Europe has taken refuge 
 under our banntrs ; and your brothers in 
 Germany, yet in the ranks of the enemy, 
 long for their deliverance. Our assistance 
 is your last eftbrt to be saved. Our cause is 
 thf't of Germany. United with Austria, 
 Germany was independent and happy ; it is 
 
144 T ■ y. AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 only through the assistance of Austria that 
 German}^ can receive happiness and inde- 
 pendence." 
 
 From these indications and corresponding 
 circumstances it was evident, that tlie Aus- 
 trian war of 1809 had for its basis the prin- 
 ciple of all the coalitions, which have been 
 formed for these twenty years past. In fact, 
 the emperor's ministers acknowledged, that 
 he very unwillingly, and only as an act of 
 necessity, signed each of his different trea- 
 ties of amity with France. 
 
 The official documents published by 
 France, like those of the Emperor of Aus- 
 tria, contain a variety of complaints mingled 
 with a number of truths. " The horrible 
 expedition against Copenhagen," and the 
 " British Orders in Council," for instance, 
 were reprobated in very strong terms. But 
 the manner in which the Emperor of Austria 
 commenced the war, afforded the best j)roof 
 of his regard for the principles of justice, 
 and the independence of States. — The King 
 of Saxony and King of Bavaria had reason 
 to complain, that without a declaration of 
 war, and without any previous explanation, 
 their territory was invaded. In fact, the lat- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 145 
 
 ter was compelled to leave his capital, 
 which w^as for a time in the hands of the 
 Austrians. 
 
 The Emperor of France, in one of his 
 bulletins, recommending to the Bavarians to 
 give minute and faithful accounts of the acts 
 of wanton cruelty committed by the Aus- 
 trians, the invaders of their country, added 
 the extreme probability, that it would be tlie 
 last insult Austria would be able to offer to 
 the allies of France. Scarcely a week had 
 elapsed after the arrival of Napoleon at the 
 head of his army, when brilliant and repeat- 
 ed victories had routed nearly one half of the 
 Austrian forces, and made 40 or 50,000 pri- 
 soners. The victor triumphantly addressing 
 his soldiers, told them, that before the ex- 
 piration of a month they should be at Vien- 
 na. This promise was made on the 24th of 
 April. In little more than a fortnight, viz. 
 on the 12th of May, it was realized — ^the 
 Emperor with his victorious army took pos- 
 session of the Austrian capital. 
 
 After a series of victories and good for- 
 tune almost unprecedented, the victorious 
 career of the French Emperor was for a 
 short time anxsted, owing, as the French 
 o 
 
146 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 bulletins stated, to an accidental breaking 
 down of their bridges by the swelling of the 
 Danube. The Austrians, on this account, 
 were represented in England, as having ob- 
 tained a brilliant victory; and nothing but 
 congratulations was heard of among the ad- 
 vocates for the war, on the supposed charm 
 of the French Emperor's invincibility being 
 broken. On this account, a sudden frenzy 
 seemed to have seized upon all the journal- 
 ists under ministerial influence, as well as 
 some of their opponents. 
 
 An interval of some weeks in the opera- 
 tions of ^var was so new to the French, that 
 many persons began to think some negoci- 
 ation was on foot between the contending 
 parties ; still the delusion that had seized 
 on all the public writers, with few excep- 
 tions, continued till the arrival of a fresh 
 bulletin, which announced, that the repara- 
 tion of the bridges and the preparations of 
 the French were nearly completed ; but 
 when the battles of Enzendorf and Wagram 
 were announced, then " How unstable is 
 the ground of all human hopes ! how impo- 
 tent the grasp of all human expectation ! — 
 It is with heartfelt grief, &c." were some of 
 
THE KIGUT HON. S, PERCEVAL. 147 
 
 the exclamations used as prefaces to the as- 
 tonisliing catiistrophe that had taken place. 
 It appeared, that on the 5th of July, at 
 day-break, after several movements had 
 taken pkcc in the French army for passing 
 the Danube, ever}^ one perceived ^vhat had 
 been the project of the Emperor Napoleon, 
 who was then with his whole army arranged 
 in order of battle at the extremity of the 
 enemy's left, having turned all his entrench- 
 ed camps, and rendering his works useless, 
 obliged the Austrians to abandon their posi- 
 tions, and come and offer him battle on the 
 spot that was convenient to him. The great 
 problem which had puzzled so many was 
 thus resolved — and without passing the Da- 
 nube on other points, without receiving any 
 protection from the works he had raised, he 
 forced the enemy to iight three-quarters of 
 a league from his redoubts. From that mo- 
 ment the greatest and happiest results v/ere 
 foreseen. Enzendorf was cleared of the Im- 
 perialists. Count Oudinot suiTOunded and 
 carried the Castle of Sacksengang, forcing 
 900 men in it to capitulate. The Emperor 
 then caused the whole army to spread itself 
 along the immense plain of Enzendorf, 
 
148 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 where the enemy was every where over- 
 whelmed, and the field of battle covered 
 with his remains. Strongly alarmed at the 
 unexpected progress of the French army, 
 the Archduke put all his troops in motion. 
 The details of this battle would not interest 
 the reader, who is only curious to know the 
 result : this was, on the part of the French, 
 the taking of ten pair of colours, forty pieced 
 of cannon, twenty thousand prisoners, includ- 
 ing between three and four hundred officers', 
 and a considerable number of generals, colo- 
 nels, and majors. All the enemy's wounded, 
 twelve thousand in number, fell into the hands 
 of the French. 
 
 Some of the French columns were en- 
 gaged so near to Vienna on this occasion, 
 that the people covered the turrets, steeples, 
 and roofs of the houses. The Emperor of 
 Austria left Wolkersdorf on the 6th, at five 
 in tlie morning, where from a tower he had 
 also a view of the field of battle. The 
 Austrians retreated in the utmost disorder, 
 and an armistice was agreed upon between 
 the two Emperors at Zraim, on the 12th of 
 July. This armistice led to the peace which 
 buried all the hopes of those who reckoned 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 149 
 
 upon any further diversion in favour of Kng- 
 land upon the Continent. 
 
 Thus it was that the French Emperor 
 answered the proud language of the Aus- 
 trians; and thus all the resources of their 
 favourite general, the Archduke Charles, 
 were cut oft', he being obliged to retreat 
 into Bohemia. Even from this period it 
 was easy to see, that the afftiirs of Spain 
 must finally take their colour from those of 
 Austria. 
 
 We might now advert to the famous Wal- 
 cheren Expedition, the promise of which, 
 as a matter of diversion, excited strong 
 hopes of success on the part of the Austrians 
 in their rene^val of hostilities v/ith France, 
 and whicli were bitterly disappointed : but 
 for the numbers Vv-ho perished in those un- 
 healthy marshes, and almost in the presence 
 of a few thousands of the enemy. Leaving 
 the I^ords Chatham and Castlereagh to ac- 
 count, we must in future confine ourselves 
 more to the measures of Mr. Perceval as a 
 Statesman, in order that we may have am- 
 ple space for a particular detail of the final 
 overthrow of his adherents, who vainly at- 
 tempted to adniii^ister the affairs of the conn- 
 o 2 
 
150 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 try, after they had lost their head on thellth 
 of May last. 
 
 The year 1808, m fact, was pregnant with 
 misfortunes to this country ; but in none more 
 than in Spain and Flushing: however, when 
 the Chancellor of the Exchequer met the 
 Parliament, we were still told, that vigorous 
 exertions would lead to the termination of 
 the war with safety and honour. Happily 
 for Ministers, the attention which would 
 otherwise have been fixed upon them was 
 soon drawn off, by the exposure of the cele- 
 brated Mrs. Clarke, and the conduct of his 
 Royal Highness the Duke of York, in Ja- 
 nuary, February, and March, 1809. And 
 yet, after all the evidence which had been 
 brought forward, the Chancellor of the Ex- 
 chequer thought that the House should pre- 
 viously come to a decision on the question ^ 
 whether the Duke was guilty or not guilty 
 of corruption ; and begged them to recollect 
 who it was they were endeavouring to turn 
 out, almost the first subject in the kingdom. 
 If the charge should be substantiated, the pro- 
 per mode would be to carry up their accusa- 
 tion to the House of Lords, and proceed to 
 an impeachment. It would be severe, in 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 151 
 
 deed, to cast upon his Majesty a task which 
 the Commons themselves would not under- 
 take to perform. The House had two 
 courses to pursue; the first to see whether 
 the charges were proved, and then to enquire 
 what proceedings ought to be adopted. The 
 one was a judicial, the other a discretionary 
 question. The guilt, if any, must appear 
 from the evidence ; and the principal in it 
 was Mrs. Clarke, who appeared to him to 
 be perfectly incompetent. This he endea- 
 voured to prove by an examination of her 
 evidence, and after entering into a long de- 
 tail on this and the other evidence, he \vas 
 interrupted by strong cries for adjournment. 
 Acceding to the wishes of the House, he 
 begged leave to submit his view of the case, 
 shortly, to the House, in the shape of reso- 
 lutions, on which he would, at a future op- 
 portunity, dilate ; these were,, that diere was 
 no just ground to charge the Duke with per- 
 sonal corruption, or criminal connivance at 
 abuses, in his capacity as Commander in 
 Chief. If this should be acceded to, he 
 should propose an Address to the King, with 
 this resolution, and noticing the important 
 services performed by the Commander in 
 
152 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 Chief, in his department. The Chancellor 
 of the Exchequer, not content with this, de- 
 clared his belief on his soul, that there was 
 not in the kingdom an individual so able as 
 tlie Duke to perform the duties of his office. 
 The address, proposed by him, stated, 
 that the House has seen the exemplary regu- 
 larity and method in which business is con- 
 ducted in the Duke's office, and the salutary 
 regulations introduced by him, some of which 
 were intended to prevent the very abuses 
 complained of; but it feels great concern 
 that a connection should have existed, ex- 
 posing the Duke's character to public 
 calumny ; and that frauds should have been 
 carried on, with which his name has been 
 coupled, of a most disgraceful and dangerous 
 tendency. The regret of the Duke, on this 
 connection, was a great consolation to the 
 House, which is confident that he will keep 
 in view the uniformly virtuous and exemplary 
 conduct of his Majesty, since the commence- 
 ment of his reig-n, and which has endeared 
 his Majesty to all his subjects. The House 
 adjourned, and the discussion was carried 
 on for several nights. The Chancellor of 
 the Exchequer resumed the debate, and 
 
tHE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 153 
 
 made a very long legal speech on the evi- 
 dence, in which he was supported, and 
 nearly with the same arguments, by the 
 Attorney- General . 
 
 After several nights' debate, the House 
 came to a vote on the 15th of March, and the 
 first division was, whether they should pro- 
 ceed by Address, or by Resolution, when 
 there were 
 
 For the address 199 
 
 For pKoceeding by resolution - 294 
 
 Majority against the address - 95 
 
 The next vote was 
 
 For Mr. Wardle's motion - - 123 
 
 Against it ..._.- 361 
 
 Majority ^44 
 On the 16th Sir Thomas Turton proposed 
 an amendment to Mr^ Perceval's resolution, 
 purporting, that there were grounds to charge 
 his Royal Highness with a knowledge of cor- 
 rupt practices, with connivance at them, and 
 <:onsequently with corruption. 
 
 For this amendment - - - - 1^5 
 Against it _._--- 334 
 
 Majority 199 
 
i54 LiF^ AKD Administration of 
 
 The next vote was for Mr. Perceval's ori- 
 ginal motion, 
 
 For it --.--.„. 278 
 Against it - - 196 
 
 Majority 82 
 The farther discussion of the question was 
 adjourned to the 20th, and in the interim the 
 Duke of York resigned his command. The 
 resignation was communicated to the House 
 by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in 
 which he stated the Duke's very unfounded 
 opinion, that he was acquitted from all corrupt 
 motives, and all participation or connivance 
 at corruption, but tliat he gave way to the 
 public opinion, dra\vn on him by the charges, 
 how^ever ill founded. Upon this Mr. Bathurst 
 proposed this resolution— that while the 
 House acknowledges the beneficial effects 
 of the Duke's services, they had observed, 
 with the deepest regret, that in consequence 
 of a connection, most immoral and unbe- 
 coming, a pernicious and corrupt influence 
 had been used m respect to military pro- 
 motions, and such as gave colour to the 
 various reports, respecting the knowledge of 
 the commander-in-chief, of these transactions. 
 Sir W. Curtis seconded the motion. Lord 
 
THE RIGHT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 155 
 
 Althorpe proposed, instead of it, that as the 
 Duke had resigned, no farther proceedings 
 should be now adopted against him. On 
 this an amendment was proposed, that the 
 word now should be left out, when the House 
 divided, there being 
 
 For its insertion 112 
 
 Against it 235 
 
 Majority - 123 
 Thus ended these proceedings, as far as 
 the Duke was concerned, the enquiry having 
 produced far more tlian its proposers expect- 
 ed; and the ministers and the Duke were 
 completely defeated. 
 
 Soon after this Lord Castlereagh was con- 
 victed of a fact by his own evidence, " of 
 which, though no one acquainted with the 
 world had the least doubt; yet the proofs 
 had never before been exposed in so convinc- 
 ing a manner to public inspection." 
 
 The motion brought forward with this 
 view, by Lord A. Hamilton, concluded by 
 proposing the following resolutions. 
 
 " First, that it appears to this House, from the 
 evidence on the table, that Lord Viscount Castle- 
 reagh, in the year 1805, he having just quitted the 
 
156 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 office of President of the Board of Controul, and 
 being then a Privy Counsellor and Secretary of 
 State, did place at the disposal of the Earl of Clan- 
 carty, a member of the said Board, the nomination 
 of a writership to India, for the purpose of thereby 
 procuring the said Earl Clancarty a seat in this 
 honourable House. 
 
 " Secondly, That it was owing to a disagreement 
 among other subordinate parties to the transaction, 
 that this corrupt negociation did not take effect. 
 
 " Thirdly, That Lord Viscount Castlereagh has 
 been, by the same conduct, guilty of a violation of 
 his duty, of an abuse of his influence and authority, 
 as President of the Board of Controul, and also of 
 an attack upon the purity and constitution of this 
 House." 
 
 In his Lordship's defence he admitted of 
 the main facts, but pleading unintentional 
 error*, he said he looked back with great per- 
 sonal regret at his having any connection 
 with Reding the borough jobber, or traffick- 
 ing broker. In fine, Lord Hamilton's mo- 
 tion was negatived by 216 noes to 167 ayes. 
 Mr. Canning moved an amendment stating, 
 " That it is the duty of the house to maintain 
 a jealous guard over the purity of election; 
 but considering that the attempt of Lord 
 Castlereagh to interfere in the election of a 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. IPEKCEVAL. 157 
 
 member has not been successful, the House 
 does not consider it necessary to enter into 
 any criminal proceedings on the sul)ject." 
 Tliis amendment \\'as earned, and another 
 made by Mr. Wynne negatived, because it 
 proposed, " That the House were the niorc: 
 confirmed in their opinion ])y the regret ex- 
 pressed by Lord Castlereagh for his mis- 
 conduct." 
 
 On the second reading of the Bill for pre- 
 venting the sale of offices, Lord Foikstone 
 openly charged the Treasur}^ \\ ith trafficking 
 for boroughs; he said " What he stated was 
 matter of public notoriety. It was even un- 
 derstood that previous to every election an 
 oflicc was opened in the Treasury for the 
 purchase of seats in Parliament, \\hich again 
 v/ere sold to others of more or less interest 
 
 \d abiiit}-, wlio again, in proportion to their 
 possession of these qualities, paid a higher or 
 iower price for their seats." Mr. Creevy 
 confirmed the statement of the noble Lord, 
 and refeired to any one of the right honour- 
 iibk: gentlemen o]j])osite to him, wlio had at 
 any time filled tlie situation of Secretary of 
 the Treasury. Mr. Wluti)read stated, Th.it 
 
 was well kno^vn in that House, and out of 
 ■ V 
 
J 58 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 it, that there were members who represented 
 nothing but their own money ; that there 
 were some who were not even then free 
 agents ; but that there was occasionally such 
 a thing as conscience in the transaction, which 
 forced them to abandon both their seat and 
 their money too. If the right honourable 
 gentleman really entertained any doubt of 
 the purchase and sale of seats in Parliament, 
 he had only to turn to his near neighbour, 
 Lord Castlereagh^ and learn what they had 
 done in Ireland, where one million and a half 
 of money had been taken out of the pockets 
 of the people to pay for the purchase of bo- 
 roughs. It was impossible, he said, for the 
 Chancellor of the Exchequer to consider 
 ihese circumstances, without feeling that i?i 
 one way or other an end must be put to this 
 system^ or it xvould put an end to them, Mr. 
 Maddock's motion for enquiry into the sale 
 of an Irish Borough was negati^^ed, there 
 being a majority of 235 in favour of the 
 accused Minister ! ! ! 
 
 In the mean whife, as a check to disgiTice at 
 home, the Ministry had to boast of the suc- 
 cess of their measures in that of our arms 
 ■abroad — Lisbon, as well as Oporto and the 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PEkCEVAL. 159 
 
 Nortli of Portugal, had been cleared of the 
 French, while their Emperor seemed to have 
 been checked, at least for a while, by the 
 breaking of his bridges on the Danube. 
 
 In June, 1809, m hen Mr. Curwen's Mo- 
 lion for a Reforni in Parliament ^Aas dis- 
 cussed, Mr. Perce\'al roundly asserted, " That 
 he saw no rciison for any reform, and that 
 the people were more united against reform 
 than upon any other question, because they 
 thought it unnecessary. He denied that tu- 
 mult or bribery would be lessened." He 
 would not allow that the House had thought 
 any reform necessary, and it would raise the 
 plan into too much importance to give it a 
 moment's farther consideration. On a divi- 
 sion of the House the majority against reform 
 was 59 against 15. 
 
 It was the fate of Mr. Perceval's friends 
 to render themselves in a great measure ridi- 
 culous, by their dissension, particularly in 
 the duel between Lord Castiereagh and Mr. 
 Canning, Mliom the former e\'idently caught 
 tripping in a little political duplicity, " total- 
 ly contrar}' to tlie old principles of English 
 honour." 
 
 Soon after tlnis, :IiC illness of tlic 
 
160 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 iJ like of Portland compelled him to resign, 
 ■md the two duellists, diough not struck out 
 of the list of the Privy Council, felt it most 
 clccoroiis to \vithdraw. At this period the 
 '\hole management of the public aflairs rested 
 with the two law} ers, Mr. Perceval and Lord 
 Eldon. To strengthen themselves, the first 
 tiring they did was to send letters by express 
 ip Lord Grenville in Cornwall, and Lord Grey 
 in Northumberland, requesting them to assist 
 hi ihe new Ministry, which the resignations 
 of Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Canning had 
 made necessary : Lord Grenville came to 
 (own, but Lord Grey contented himself with 
 •' t'li ?:i i!:^ a very spirited reply, "that he 
 would not condescend to act in concert with 
 nieB, whose measures he conceived to be 
 fraught with mischief to the kingdom." Lord 
 Grenville firxliug- he could have no personal 
 5 vess to the King, declined any farther dis- 
 ^"Ucision. Thus disconcerted, however, Mr. 
 Perceval became First Lord of the Treasury ; 
 -and the public attention w^as once more di- 
 verted b}' the measures taken for the cele- 
 bration of the Jubilee, in commemoration of 
 the fiftieth year of his Majesty's reign ; 
 which, with the liberty granted to the dis- 
 
THE' RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 161 
 
 lurbers of the performances at Covent Gar- 
 den, during the winter of 1809, commonly 
 called the O. P.'s, from their advocating the 
 continuance of the old playhouse prices, 
 might have given strangers a wonderful idea 
 of the happiness and liberty of the people of 
 England. In the meanwhile, the gallantry 
 ■n our troops, and the skill of their com- 
 mander, as exhibited at Talavera, added np 
 small triumph to the advocates for the war 
 '*i the peninsula of Spain. 
 
 The speech which opened the session of 
 January, 1810, regretted the unavailing efforts 
 of the Emperor of Austria against the ambi- 
 tion and violence of France, and stated, that 
 though die Vvar was undertaken by that mo- 
 narch without encouragement on the part of 
 his Majesty, every effort was made for the 
 assistance of Austria consistent with the sup- 
 port of Ills Majesty's allies, and the v/clfare 
 and interest of his own dominions. 
 
 The principal ends of the expedition to the 
 Scheldt were admitted as not liaving been 
 obtained; but the trade and revenue of tlic 
 country were represented as being highly 
 satisfactory. 
 
 The prosecutions entered against Mr, 
 
162 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 Perry of the Morning Chronicle, and Mr. 
 Gale Jones, for libels, did no honour to the 
 liberality of government in the year 1810. 
 
 Two subjects of union in foreign countries 
 this year caused some people to be very much 
 disunited at home: the first was the mar- 
 riage of the French Emperor with the Prin- 
 cess Louisa, Archduchess of Austria, and the 
 second the preliminary steps for the annexa- 
 tion of Holland to France. In consequence 
 of this design, tlie French Emperor made 
 offers of peace, the acceptance of which 
 would have induced him to suffer Holland 
 to have remained separate from France ; but 
 these offers ^vere such as Mr. Perceval and 
 his co-administrators could not accept ! 
 
 About this time, how^ever, a circumstance 
 occurred in this country, relative to whidi it 
 was then remarked, ** that all thoughts oi 
 foreign powers had been absca'bed at home 
 by a more powerful consideration," — by the 
 grand point at issue between the House of 
 Commons and the People of England. The 
 House of Commons chiim privileges — the 
 people contend for their rights. The great 
 champion for the latter is Sir Francis Bur- 
 dett, and he has acted in such a manner as to 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 163 
 
 bring down upon himself the furious ven- 
 geance of the parties who are battling to 
 obtain or to preserve their places. A curious 
 circumstance has occurred in consequence of 
 ;l debate at a speaking club, and which first 
 arose from Mr. Yorke's enforcing the order for 
 excluding the public from the gallery of the 
 House of Commons; this was seized as a 
 subject of debate; and the question proposed 
 was, whether k was a greater outrage on the 
 public feelings, than the speech of another 
 member on die liberty of the press? Mr. 
 Yorke called it a breach of privilege, and 
 quoted, most perversely and entirely contrary 
 to its obvious and designed meaning, a clause 
 in the Bill of Rights, allowing to members 
 of parliament freedom of speech without lia- 
 bility of being impeached or questioned for 
 his conduct in any court whatsoever. Mr. 
 Gale Jones, the author of the question, was 
 summoned before the House, where he ac- 
 knowledged the flict of writing the paper in 
 question, but expressed his contrition at 
 having offended the House. Not content 
 with the humble apology thus made, Mr. 
 Yorke, professing sovereign contempt for 
 
164 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION Oi 
 
 the opinions in the paper, and the medium of 
 discussion, moved that the author should be 
 sent to Newgate; to which, without "a dis- 
 sentient voice, the House agreed. 
 
 Sir Francis Burdett was not in the House 
 at the time, but he soon after recalled its at- 
 tention to these violent proceedings, by mov- 
 ing, after a very admirable speech, proving 
 that the House had gone beyond its pow^erSj 
 that Mr. Gale Jones be discharged. The 
 success he met wdth was exactly what might 
 be expected : fourteen voted on his side, and 
 a hundred and thirty were against him. Soon 
 after. Sir F. Burdett, in an admirable letter to 
 his constituents, stated the whole law on this 
 question to them, and left no shadow of doubt 
 in the minds of all constitutional men, that 
 he was perfectly right in his argument. This 
 letter, a Mr. Lethbridge, the member for So- 
 mersetshire, called a libel upon the House, 
 and read several passages with which he was 
 exceedingly oifended; such as these — Whe- 
 ther our liberty should lie at the absolute 
 mercy of a part of our fellow- subjects, col- 
 lected together by means which it is not ne- 
 cessary to describe ? — If they have the abso- 
 lute power of imprisoning and releasing, why 
 
niE RIGHT HON. S. PEXiCEVAL. 165 
 
 may they not send their prisoners to York 
 jail, as well as to a jail in London? 
 
 The discussion of the question was defer- 
 red, notwithstanding every effort of the mi- 
 nister, for a week, when the resolutions of 
 Mr. Lethbridge, that Sir F. Burdett's letter 
 was a libel on the House, and that he was 
 guilty of a violation of its privileges, were 
 read, and an animated debate took place, 
 when Sir S. Romilly distinguished himself, 
 by not allowing the publication to be a libel, 
 or to intrench upon the privileges of the 
 House. In doing this, he referred to the 
 original cause of the whole, namely, the com- 
 mitment of Mr. Gale Jones ; and gave strong 
 and convincing reasons for doubting the le- 
 gality of the right of the House to commit 
 for libels. — Mr. Perceval, on the contrary, 
 was for punishing, what he called one of the 
 grossest attacks ever made upon tiie cha- 
 racter and privileges of the House. — Gene- 
 ral Mathew expressed a sentiment much 
 more congenial with the feelings of the 
 country, as he declared his entire coinci- 
 dence, not only in every expression in the 
 publication complained of, but in the whole 
 political conduct of Sir F. Burdett; ancj 
 
166 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 in one point he most particularly concurred 
 with him, namely, that the House had not a 
 leg to stand on. — The question was carried 
 that Sir F. Burdett was guilty of a libel; 
 and then Sir Robert Salisbury made his 
 name known, and it will hereafter be dis- 
 tinguished by his moving that Sir F. Burdett 
 be committed to the Tower. In this vote con- 
 curred one hundred and eighty-nine persons, 
 and against it one hundred and fifty -two. — 
 The Speaker soon after signed the warrant for 
 commitment, and most extraordinary scenes 
 were the consequence. 
 
 The vote of the House was soon spread 
 abroad in the metropolis, tod consternation 
 and indignation filled the minds of all. Look- 
 ing on Sir F. Burdett as a man of high ho- 
 Jiour and integrity, as having advanced no- 
 thing but what was founded on the law, and 
 knowing that, by the truths in Iiis speeches, 
 he had excited the utmost envy and jealousy, 
 and every malignant passion in the breasts of 
 the borough-mongers, they looked up to him 
 as the martyr of political liberty. His own 
 constituents were particularly hurt on this 
 occasion; a requisition was prepared, and 
 the signature of many hundi'eds affixed before 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 167 
 
 noon of the Friday, for a meeting to take the 
 proceedings of the House into consideration, 
 Nufnbers went to the House of the Baronet, 
 and all were in expectation that he would be 
 seized that day. The Baronet was at Wim- 
 bledon when the vote passed, and came to 
 town on horseback at his usual time in the 
 morning, \A'here he found a letter from the 
 Serjeant, to which he replied, b}^ appointing 
 the next day, between eleven and twelve, for 
 an interview. The Serjeant, however, came 
 in person between five and six in the after- 
 noon, when he sav.- Sir Francis, who told 
 him that he would not obey the warrant, but 
 resist force by force. The Serjeant, not hav- 
 ing force enough with him, prudently re- 
 tired, and informed the Speaker of the House 
 of Commons, who seemed to be as much at 
 a loss as the Serjeant, and the night passed 
 without any seizure : but not without several 
 outrages committed on the houses of persons 
 who had made themselves obnoxious by the 
 parts they had taken in the late proceedings. 
 
 The next day passed without a seizure ; 
 for it afterwards appeared, tiiat the Serjeant 
 was completely puzzled with his ^var^ant, as 
 was tlie Privy Council, which had a long de- 
 
168 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 bate on the subject, and much more so tht 
 Attorney General, who gave an opinion that 
 made every thing more doubtful than before. 
 At one o'clock, however, on the Saturday, a 
 very strong detachment of the guards 
 marched to Sir F. Burdett's house, and com- 
 pletely occupied the ground before it ; upon 
 which he wrote to the Sheriff, who came, and 
 removed the guards, who took stations to the 
 east and w^est of the house, leaving the whole 
 space before the house free. The house 
 fronts the Green Park, and there strong de- 
 tachments of the foot 2;uards were placed, 
 and troops and artillery were marched from 
 all quarters into town. It is supposed that, 
 w^ith the volunteers, the armed force put in 
 motion upon this occasion, libout doubled the 
 number employed in the Walcheren Expe- 
 dition. Sunday passed without a seizure ; 
 but on Monday morning the whole space be- 
 fore Sir F. Burdett's house was again occu- 
 pied by the military, who extended them- 
 selves both v/ays to a great distance in Pic- 
 cadilly, so that at ten o'clock there was no 
 passage ; and about that hour a gang of 
 Bow Street runners and House of Commons' 
 officers ,got into the area, broke open the 
 
THE IHGHT HON. S. PEKCEVAL. 1^9 
 
 house, rushed up stairs, opened die hall door, 
 and let in the military ; so that, to Sir F. Bur- 
 dett's apartment, the whole space was occu- 
 pied by an armed force. The Sergeant, with 
 his warrant, entered the room whem Sir 
 Francis was sitting with his lady, brodier, 
 and children, and on his refusal to obey the 
 warrant, a great number closed round him, 
 whilst he called in vain in die Kind's name 
 for protection ; they hurried him down the 
 stairs, through the hall, into a hackney 
 coach, when, preceded and followed by a 
 large body of troops, he was conveyed to the 
 Tower. Multitudes had got to Tower Hill 
 before them, and when the carriage was seen, 
 the shouts of " Burdett for ever!" rent the 
 skies. After the usual ceremonies, Sir 
 Francis was received by the governor at the 
 gate, and conducted to the apcirtments pre- 
 pared for him, being two rooms up two pair 
 of stairs, in a small house on the parade. 
 
 A dreadful scene now took place in the 
 neighbourhood of the Tower. The military 
 fired in several quarters upon the multitude ; 
 wounded a great number, and some have died 
 of their wounds. Three coroner's incjuests 
 have already been taken : one was declared 
 
170 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 to be justifiable homicide, one wilful murder 
 against a soldier in the Life Guards, and one 
 murder against a soldier in the Life Guards, 
 but this last murder was perpetrated in the 
 liberties of Westminster. There can be no 
 doubt but that the military received some 
 slight provocation, both in Westminster and 
 in the city : but the question must occur to 
 every one, what business had they in either 
 place ? 
 
 The account of these proceedings was 
 laid before the House of Commons in the 
 evening, w^hen the Sergeant was examined as 
 to the leading facts ; the meeting of the 
 Privy Council was establislied, the names of 
 the persons attending it recorded, the con- 
 sulting of the Attorney General made known, 
 and his opinion was read. The whole was 
 ordered to be printed for the use of the mem- 
 bers. Sir Francis's letter to the Speaker 
 was read, in which he persisted in denying 
 the legality of the Speaker's wan-ant ; but it 
 was referred for consideration to the next 
 night, when, after some debate, the House 
 very prudently determined not to enter into 
 any resolution upon it. Every thing w^s quiet 
 in the metropolis, and it was evident that the 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 171 
 
 civil power \vi\s perfectly competent to have 
 preserved the peace of tlie city. 
 
 The commitment of Gale Jones wvls the 
 original ground of the whole disturbance ; 
 and Sir Samuel Romilly, agi^eeably to a no- 
 tice he had previously given, moved for his 
 discharge ; but that he might not irritate the 
 feelings of the House, did not enter into the 
 legality of the commitment, but argued in 
 favour of his motion, on the ground that the 
 prisoner had suffered a punishment more than 
 adequate to his supposed offence. In this 
 opinion he was ably supported ; but a formi- 
 dable obstacle presented itself, of which the 
 ChcUicellor of the Exchequer eagerly availed 
 himself, namely, that the custom of the 
 House required a petition from the prisoner 
 for a release, with an expression of sorrow 
 for his offence, and Mr. Gale Jones had not 
 presented a petition. To this it was ob- 
 served, that he had already made ample apo- 
 logy, and how could he know, as that apo- 
 logy had not been taken, what other he could 
 possibly use ? But Sir Samuel Romilly stated 
 his own opinion very properly on the subject, 
 that he would sooner rot in a jail than peti- 
 tioji, or make another apology. The majo- 
 
1 72 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION Ot 
 
 v'lty, however, did not concur with him, and 
 Mr. Gale Jones remained a prisoner till the 
 prorogation of Parliament. 
 
 On the day after this debate was the meet- 
 ing of the city of Westminster, when it was 
 supposed that upwards of twenty thousand 
 persons were assembled in the Palace Yard, 
 who conducted themselves with the utmost 
 regularity. Motions were made and seconded 
 by two most respectable householders, in 
 large lines of business, who, in their speeches, 
 gave a succinct account of the late proceed- 
 tng3 and the grounds on which their motions 
 were founded. These resolutions passed una- 
 nimously, not a single dissentient voice was 
 heard, nor an opposing hand raised. The 
 whole assembly felt and concuiTed in every 
 expression. The tenor of them was an en- 
 tire approbation of Sir F. Burdett's con- 
 duct ; the agreement to a petition to the 
 House of Commons, and to a letter to be 
 sent to their beloved representative. The 
 petition stated how sensibly the City felt 
 the indignation oftered to it in the person of 
 their representative, for a letter which ought 
 to have induced the House to reconsider the 
 subject of commitment, in which they 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 173 
 
 were, in tlieir own cause, prosecutor, judge, 
 jury, and executioner. It called for the re- 
 lease of their representative, and adjured the 
 House to endeavour with him to reform the 
 representation, whose necessity was pointed 
 out by the conduct of Lord Castlereagh and 
 Mr. Perceval, in jobbing for seats, and by the 
 acknowledgment of practices at which the 
 Speaker said our ancestors would startle with 
 hon^or and indignation. The letter to Sir F. 
 Burdett expressed their affection and attach- 
 ment to him, and their approbation of his 
 conduct in strong and animated terms. 
 
 Lord Cochrane presented the petition in 
 the afternoon to the house, when some mem- 
 bers \^'ere very indignant at its being styled 
 also a remonstrance ; they Avere offended also 
 at the commitment of Sir Francis being 
 termed an indignity to the city; they felt 
 most poignantly the bitter truths conveyed 
 on the jobbing for seats in Parliament ; and 
 they were very eager tliat the petition should 
 not be received. Others more prudently ex- 
 amined the petition clause by clause, and in 
 vain looked for the means of rejecting it ; and 
 it was observed by Mr. Canning, that how- 
 ex er distressing the petitioa miglit be to the 
 o'2 
 
174 LITE AND ADMINISTRATION C^F 
 
 feelings of the house, it would be l^ettef to 
 let it rest on the table, as the rejection of k 
 would only be the iiieans of occasioning 
 another meeting, and another petition, in 
 which the same propositions would be con- 
 veyed in still more offensive terms. At 
 last the petition was permitted to be laid 
 on the table. 
 
 The letter to Sir F. Burdett was present- 
 ed to him by the High Bailiff, and he return- 
 ed to it a most spirited and animated answer, 
 in which he urges the absolute necessity of a 
 reform in parliament, that the kingdom may 
 not be in complete vassalage under borough- 
 mongering sovereigns, and groan under the 
 curse of Canaan, that of being the slaves of 
 slaves. He also sent a letter to the Speaker 
 of the House of Commons, in which he in- 
 formed him of his intention to bring an action 
 against him for his warrant; and this letter 
 was read to the House, and ordered to lie on 
 the table. 
 
 But the idea of public murders and popu- 
 lar insurrections, were soon diverted by a 
 most mysterious transaction in St. James's 
 palace, in which Seillis, a servant to the 
 Duke of Cumberland, was found on his bed 
 with his throat cut from ear to ear. The 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 175 
 
 Duke likewise was said to have received 
 several wounds in his hands, face, sides, d^c, 
 ajid did not appear in public for some time 
 after. 
 
 The trial of Mr. Cobbett, in June, 1810, 
 lor a libel on the Gerroan Legion, excited a 
 great deal of interest. Some of the Cam- 
 bridgeshire militia, it seems, having been 
 mutinous, were flogged by these foreigners. 
 Mr. Cobbett was found guilty of libelling 
 them, and sentenced to two years' imprison- 
 ment in Newgate, and to pay a lai'ge fine. 
 
 The liberation of Sir Francis Burdett from 
 the Tower, in June, 1810, was an event of 
 too great importance to be passed over with- 
 out due preparation. His constituents in 
 Westminster took the lead on this occasion, 
 and proposed that he should be carried back 
 from the Tower in solemn parade, the pro- 
 cession being formed in a very diiferent man- 
 ner from that which conveyed him into con- 
 finement. Every thing was arranged for this 
 purpose, and the breaking up of parliament 
 was expected with the utmost impatience. 
 With the King's speech ceased the power of 
 the House of Commons over Sir Francis ; 
 but on the prorogation being made known 
 
176 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 to him by the governor, Sir Francis Burdett 
 left the Tower quite privately, going down 
 the water a little distance, and then taking 
 his horse for Wimbledon. A very great as- 
 semblage of people was collected on Tower- 
 Hill, with the view cf seeing the procession, 
 Avhich went through the streets with banners 
 and appropriate mottoes : but great disap- 
 pointment was excited at the hero of the day 
 not being there. The people, however, were 
 pleased at the liberation of their great friend, 
 and gave him credit for the motives that led 
 him to privacy instead of an ostentatious ap- 
 pearance of triumph. In the evening an il-' 
 lumination, to a very considerable extent, 
 took place. It \\'as a satisfaction to all re- 
 flecting minds, that the peace of the metro- 
 polis was not, on this occasion, at all dis- 
 turbed, and the people showed, that they 
 could hold to the laws, and that no military 
 force was wanting, as in many countries, to 
 preserve public order. 
 
 The painful task of announcing the cap- 
 ture of Almeida by the enem}% in the month 
 of August, 1810, was soon effaced by the 
 battle of Busaco, in which Lord Welling- 
 ton's defeat of the enemy was complete, and 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 177 
 
 his loss comparatively trifling. The capture 
 of the islands of Bourbon and Amboyna, 
 which transpired soon after, was of a de- 
 scription to raise the spirits of the nation. 
 
 But in November, 1810, the malady which 
 had fixed upon his Majesty early in October, 
 could no longer be concealed. After the un- 
 welcome intelligence had been announced, 
 preparations were made for issuing daily 
 bulletins at St. James's and the Mansion 
 House. From these, though nothing satis- 
 factory, or explicit, could possibly be ob- 
 tained, it was impossible the public could 
 long remain ignorant of the nature of the 
 King's complaint, for time produced the de- 
 velopement of the whole mystery. 
 
 With this state of his Majesty's mind the 
 ministers must be presumed to haye been ac- 
 quainted long before it was laid before the 
 public ; and it might have justified them in 
 proceeding to remedy the defect in the regal 
 authority without any delay. The question 
 naturally recurs, in what manner, and by 
 whom it is to be remedied ? A regency was 
 obviously necessary ; in wliom is this to be 
 confided ? The public would naturally look 
 up to the Prince of Wales upon such an oc- 
 
178 LIFE AND ADMINISTKATION OF 
 
 casion ; and it seemed to be the general opi- 
 nion, both in and out of doors, that an appli- 
 cation should be made to him to take upon 
 himself this office. An interview, it was 
 said, had been requested by the Minister, 
 but this was declined by the Prince ; and the 
 purport of it was conveyed in a letter, of 
 which the papers gave with confidence the 
 substance, and added, that the princes of the 
 blood had united in a remonstrance against 
 his Royal Highness being fettered by any 
 conditions on coming into the office. To 
 this the- jninisters made a respectful reply, 
 urging their duty to the crown, which caused 
 them to see things in a different light; and 
 in fact, if the occurrences took place as re- 
 presented, there seems nothing preposterous 
 in the proceeding. The interference of the 
 princes was not called for, nor could they 
 claim any peculiar privilege on this occasion 
 above that of any other subject. The Prince 
 declined witli great dignity to make any re- 
 ply as to the main question, till the propo- 
 sition came fairly before him from the two 
 Houses. 
 
 A difference of opinion prevailed in the 
 Houses on the mode of filling up the va- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 179 
 
 cancy, whether by bill or by address, but it 
 was determined to be by bill, and to follow 
 as much as possible the precedent of 1788. 
 The whole of this proceeding depends on a 
 fiction. It supposes, that an act of the two 
 Houses, sanctioned by the king's seal, af- 
 fixed by a person acting under their autho- 
 rity, shall have the weight of an act of par- 
 liament. 
 
 The Minister, in one of his vaunting 
 speeches, suggested that no inconvenience 
 would follow from the adjournments, or the 
 delay in filling up the vacancy, as in the 
 case of issues of money or execution of or- 
 ders, what inferior officer would dare to dis- 
 obey the orders of the cabinet? But this 
 high language in the end did not prove so 
 decisive as was expected ; for in a very im- 
 portant point the cabinet found itself mis- 
 taken, and England was seen to contain an 
 inferior officer, who knew his duty, and would 
 be guided by his oath, and not by the opi- 
 nions of others, on what it might be their 
 interest to exact. A large sum of money 
 was wanted for the public service, and this 
 is drawn by proper checks, countersigned by 
 diffisrent officers, and whose duty it is to fol- 
 
180 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 low the rules prescribed in a matter of so 
 great importance. The King's seal was na- 
 turally wanting ; and wlien the order came, 
 its informality was evident; and Mr. Lar- 
 pent, with true honour and the old English 
 spirit, refused to let it pass in this improper 
 manner through his department, nor could 
 Lord Grenville, as auditor, suffer the issue 
 without decisive authority upon the subject. 
 In consequence of this resistance, the Mi- 
 nister was obliged to come to the two 
 Houses for their assistance, and a vote was 
 passed by them to take off the scruples in 
 the officers. 
 
 On the meetmg of the Houses on the 30th 
 November, a report of the physicians on the 
 state of the King's health was brought up 
 in both Houses, and in the lower House the 
 Chancellor of the Exchequer, in hopes of the 
 King's amendment, moved for the further 
 adjournment of a fortnight, and if none ap- 
 peared, that then the Houses should proceed 
 to fill up the chasm in the royal authority. 
 This was opposed by Mr. Whitbread on ttie 
 ground of the impropriety of delay, but jus- 
 tified by Mr. Yorke. Mr. Ponsonby went 
 more at large into the grounds of opposition, 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PEItCfcVAL. 181 
 
 declaring his intention of dividin,^ the House 
 upon it, and moving for a committee to ex- 
 amine the physicians." — Sir F. Burdett re- 
 probated in very apt terms tlie pretended dc 
 licacy of many gentlemen, who forget that 
 delicacy must give way in great affairs of 
 moment. — Mr. Wilberforce declared, that 
 after balancing the matter in his mind for a 
 considerable time, he could see no harm in 
 the adjournment, and should therefore vote 
 for it. Some other members spoke, and on 
 a division, there appeared for it two hundred 
 and thirty-three, and against it one hundred 
 and twenty-nine. In the House of Lords a 
 similar adjournment was moved and cairied. 
 Lord Grenville winded up a speech against 
 it with a school-boy quotation, but the Duke 
 of Sussex made a deep impression on the 
 House by the reasons which he gave for re- 
 sisting the adjournment, namely, that it was 
 more consistent with the constitution to ad- 
 journ only from day to day ; and secondly, 
 because he wished to ascertain in whose care 
 the King was to be placed, and that in case 
 of recovery the royal authority might be re- 
 stored to him pure and unimpaired. 
 
 On the 13th of December the Houses met 
 
 R 
 
182 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 again, and in the House of Lords it was 
 agreed that a committee should be appointed, 
 and in the House of Commons one was fixed 
 on to examine the physicians, after which it 
 adjourned to the 17th, when a very volumi- 
 nous report was brought up and ordered to 
 be printed. The Chancellor of the Exche- 
 quer gave an outline of his plan for filling 
 up the chasm in the regal branch, and 
 mo\^ed a call of the House to take it into 
 consideration on the 20th. The examina- 
 tion of the physicians pointed out the species 
 of insanity under which his Majesty laboured, 
 held out hopes of recovery, but could not 
 ascertain its early removal. Above all, it 
 brought to light various periods in which 
 his Majesty had been in similar situations, 
 and matter sulficient for very serious investi- 
 gation, and due regulation of those persons 
 who are supposed, when they issue orders by 
 the King's authority and with his signature., 
 to have received them from him. At the 
 meeting of the House the Chancellor of the 
 Exchequer brought forward three proposi- 
 tions : the first, declaring the incapacity of 
 tlie King to perform the royal fimctions ; the 
 second asserting the right of the House to 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAU 183 
 
 supply die defect ; and the third pointing- 
 out the necessity of devising some means 
 that the royal assent should be given to a 
 bill on the exercise of the ' royal authority 
 during the King's indisposition. On each 
 of these he dilated at considerable length, 
 making the proceedings of 1*788 his prece- 
 dent, according to which, the Prince of 
 Wales was to be regent under certain re- 
 strictions, and the Queen to ha\'c the care 
 of the King's person. 
 
 On the second resolution being put fiom 
 the chair, Sir F. Burdett declared, that 
 he could not assent to it, as it spoke of the 
 Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons 
 of the United Kingdoms, lawfully, fully, 
 and freely representing all the estates of this 
 realm. This was contrary to truth, and it 
 was notorious that instances of corruption 
 had been proved of that House, in which a 
 hundred and fifty peers had great influence 
 in the election of its members. In 1688^ 
 the City of London, the respectable gentry 
 throughout the count r}^, who had sat in par- 
 liament, were called in a convention parlia- 
 ment to settle the great interests of the na- 
 tion : now a house, of which he gave some 
 
184 LIFE AND ADMINISTEATION Oi 
 
 strong features, summing up its titles in tlit • 
 name of the Walcheren Parliament, without 
 any appeal to the people, their constituents, 
 usurped power for themselves. On the sub- 
 ject of the King's illness it appeared, that 
 the people had been deceived, and that mi- 
 nisters had dared to carry on the government 
 while the executive was incapacitated. He 
 should therefore enter his solemn protest 
 against the whole of the proceedings, as 
 miserable shams and pretences, as aiming a 
 mortal stab at the constitution of the coun- 
 try, and making an oligarchical House of 
 Commons, varnished over with forms to go- 
 vern the country. The second resolution 
 was then read, and passed, with the dissent 
 of Sir Francis, but without a division. 
 
 On the third resolution being put, Mr. 
 Ponsonby objected to it, denying the right of 
 the Houses to command the Chancellor to 
 apply the King's seal to an act, and then 
 to consider it as liaving the royal sanction. 
 They were agreed as to the person of the 
 Regent, but differed on the mode, to which 
 he objected more than to the limitations; 
 and he m.oved, that an address be presented 
 ta his Royal Highness, praying him to takfs 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 185 
 
 the royal functions upon him during the 
 King's illness. — Mr. Canning preferred the 
 precedents of 1788 to those of the restoration 
 and revolution, and spoke in ridicule of Sir 
 Francis Burdett, as he wished to call in the 
 assistance of the Lord Mayor and Common 
 Council to settle the regency. — Lord Temple 
 followed the same course as Lord Joselyn; 
 but Mr. Adam strenuously resisted it. — Sir 
 Samuel Romilly considered the resolutions 
 as inconsistent with each other. In one, the 
 right of the Lords and Commons to fill up 
 the vacancy is asserted, and yet that vacancy 
 being acknowledged, the royal assent to a 
 bill was to be procured, to which his Majesty 
 could give no assent. The will of the Lords 
 and Commons can in no wise be construed 
 into the King's will, nor can they by any 
 means legislate for the nation. As well might 
 a set of men in common life make a contract 
 for a man under insanity, then employ a person 
 as his solicitor to affix his seal and signature 
 to the deed. In fact, the personal presence 
 of the King, or of a commission signed by 
 him, was essential to every act of legislation, 
 and if the Houses could dispense with this 
 in one case they might in others; they 
 R 2 
 
186 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 might make war, or peace, or any thing 
 else, and say such was the Kmg's pleasure. 
 This mode of legislation was fraudulent, and 
 inconsistent with that open and manly cha- 
 racter which ought to characterise every act 
 of the legislature. — -Mr. XVhitbread spoke 
 \vith great animation in favour of the proceed- 
 ing by address, which the House rejected, 
 there being for it 157, against it 269. 
 
 On tlie next day the report of the com- 
 mittee v/as brought up ; and, on the second 
 resolution being read. Lord W. Russell ob- 
 jected to it as unnecessary, and to the calling 
 on the House to vote abstract propositions. 
 He therefore moved the previous question, 
 in which he was supported by Sir Francis 
 Burdett, who said, that it became the pro- 
 posers of the resolution to shew in what its 
 necessity consisted. Necessity implies the 
 ^vant of an alternative, but here there was 
 an alternative. He agreed also with the 
 noble lord in condemning abstract proposi^ 
 tions, as the introduction of them tended 
 only to fill the journals with a chaos of in- 
 consistencies. The way of duty in the pre- 
 sent case is clear and plain. In addressing 
 thp Prince we do not usurp a disputed 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 187 
 
 power, but exercise our undoubted right : 
 we adhere to the sound principles of the 
 constitution, by keeping within the sphere 
 of our own rights and duties. A gentle*- 
 man had been facetious in his remarks on 
 the corporation of London, and the recovery 
 of his powers of pleasantry might be accept- 
 able to the house. The gloom, occasioned 
 by the deaths at Walcherence, • might well 
 have restrained him ; for the miseries of that 
 disgraceful expedition, in which he had 
 been convicted as having acted with a col- 
 league whom he had denounced as unfit 
 and inefficient, were enough to suspend his 
 drolleries, especially as he must reflect that 
 there never was a minister in this country 
 so much deserved impeachment. But this 
 gentleman might have recollected, that the 
 corporation of London was an important 
 body in our history ; and it little became 
 him to despise the city of London, who had 
 not thought it beneath his dignity to meet 
 at a city tavern a set of jobbers and con- 
 tractors, whom he entertained with speeches 
 on affairs of state. A learned gentleman 
 seemed to argue, that there was a law beyond 
 the law, a constitutional something, to be 
 
188 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 found only in the practice of parliament : to 
 this he could not assent ; he could take law 
 as it was found only in the acts of the legis- 
 lature, not in the practice of different parts 
 of it. A constitution means nothing but 
 certain things established, and to talk of 
 a law beyond the law was to talk of things 
 in the air. To the assertion then in the re- 
 solution he objected, as assuming a right not 
 belonging to them, and to the proceeding 
 upon it as making the House part of the 
 crown, and thus violating the first principle of 
 the constitution. — Mr. Lamb contended that 
 the House had the right of supplying the de- 
 fect, and cited the proceedings of the Long 
 Parliament. He allowed the defects in the 
 representation ; but though they were not 
 removed, the House was the legal repre- 
 sentation. But the house could not make 
 itself the King to assent to its own act, and 
 he should therefore oppose the bill as illegal. 
 — Mr. Stephen contended that the proceed- 
 ings in 1788 ought to be viewed as a com- 
 plete precedent, and he concluded with so 
 fulsome a panegyric on the Sovereign for 
 fifty years of virtues, as required no com- 
 ment from any other speaker. — Mr. Wynne 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S, PERCEVAL. 189 
 
 observed that if the Houses could, at tliis 
 time, by their own power, declare the royal 
 prerogative suspended, then pass an act to 
 render their own legislative powers complete, 
 they may do so at any other time when tlie 
 King is in perfect health. — Mr. Wilberforce 
 said that the high character of the Prince of 
 Wales was no reason for investing him with 
 unlimited power. His present conduct did 
 him eternal honour, as he looked like a good 
 subject of the realm to parliament to provide 
 for the deficiency. 
 
 Mr. Grattan asserted the plan of ministers 
 to be repugnant to the constitution in two 
 ways, first, as assuming an executive autho- 
 rity on the part of the two houses, and again, 
 as it went to legislate without the royal assent. 
 The proceedings of 1788 were no precedent, 
 as they had not passed into an act. Sir 
 John Newport was surprised, that Mr. Ste- 
 phen, representing an Irish borough, had 
 not condescended, in his love for the prece- 
 dent of 1788 — 9, to look to the conduct of 
 the Irish parliament, which was more simple, 
 avoiding all fiction and fallacy, and pre- 
 venting unnecessary delay. Including a 
 recess of four days, nine days only elapsed 
 
190 LIFE AND APMINISTEATION OF 
 
 between the message of the Lord Lieutenant 
 and the adoption of an address to the Prince. 
 — Mr. Elliot asked, what power the House 
 had of punishing the Chancellor if he should 
 refuse the seal to this monstrous act. — Mr. 
 Perceval replied at length, asserting that he 
 would not defer doing that, which the in- 
 terest of the country might require, though 
 such acts might belong to the executive pow- 
 er, and even require the sign manual. He 
 would not risk a mutiny in the army or 
 navy for want of money, because the letter 
 of the law could not be complied with. 
 Would the officers of the Exchequer refuse 
 the order of the Treasury ? They could not 
 refuse compliance, though they might protest 
 against the authority ; and he would act 
 upon his own responsibility, regardless of 
 the result. — Mr. Whitbread asked whether 
 it was to be endured, that a Chancellor of 
 the Exchequer should invest himself with 
 powers subversive of every constitutional 
 principle ? should assume the controul over 
 the public purse, apply the public money 
 when and how he thought proper, and on 
 a pretended responsibility, trample upon 
 that throne which he is sworn to support, 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 191 
 
 and which he is, by his very actions, now 
 crumbling into the dust. The day of en- 
 quiry may come, and the tone of this night 
 will call on every one to examine past actions 
 with a scrutinizing eye. — After a few words 
 from Mr. Adam and Mr. Perceval, the House 
 divided on the previous question, there being 
 for it 15, against it 98. 
 
 After long, tedious, and very uninstructive 
 debates, it was agreed in both Houses, that 
 they should become a regular parliament, 
 which was done by a commission formed 
 under the great seal, opening the parliament 
 by a similar commission, when the King does 
 not appear in person. This being done, the 
 two houses determined, that the vacuum in 
 the royal power should be filled up by bill, 
 not by address; and for the purpose of fram- 
 ing this bill, certain resolutions were passed 
 in the Commons, and carried to the Lords, 
 which, after a slight alteration, were returned 
 to them, and were meant to be the founda- 
 tion of a bill for vesting the royal power, 
 with certain limitations, in the Prince of 
 Wa-es ; and the care of the Royal Person 
 Avith certain privileges in the Queen. 
 
 Previously to the framing of this bill, a 
 
192 LIFE AN© ADMINISTRATION ^1? 
 
 deputation of Lords and Gommons waited 
 on the Prince and the Queen to lay before 
 them the resolutions of the two Houses, as 
 far as belonged to each, to which a favoura- 
 ble answer was given by both. The Prince, 
 in a very dignified manner, declared his 
 acceptance of the trust confided to him ; and 
 at the same time made some delicate allu- 
 sions to the manner in which it had been 
 conferred. In consequence of this assent, 
 the House of Commons went into the dis- 
 cussion of the bill produced by mmisters, 
 which contained a vast variety of clauses ; of 
 which the following is the substance : — 
 
 ** The Prince of Wales to exercise the Royal 
 Authority, subject to Restrictions. 
 
 " Present Appointments to remain until the Re- 
 gent declares 16 the contrary. 
 
 " Upon his Majesty's recovery, and declaratioD 
 of his pleasure to resume^his authority, this act to 
 cease, and no act done under it afterwards to he 
 valid. 
 
 " Any acts, orders, appointments, &c. previous^ 
 made or done under it, to remain until counter- 
 manded by his Majesty. 
 
 " No act of the Regent to be valid, unless done ~ 
 in the name of his Ptlajesty, i^nd according to the 
 provisions of the Act. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 193 
 
 '* Regent to take oath to administer the law ac- 
 cording to the Act. 
 
 ** Regent to be deemed a person holding an office 
 in trust, and to take the oath, and make the decla- 
 ration relating to such persons, before the Privy 
 Council. 
 
 '* Regent to be restrained from granting Peer- 
 ages, or summoning- Heirs -Apparent^ or appointing 
 to Titles in abeyance^ until after a given time» 
 
 " Regent to be restrained from granting Offices 
 in Reversion, or for longer period than during 
 pleasure, except those which are by law granted by 
 life, or during good behaviour ; and except pensions 
 to Chancellor, Judges, &c. 
 
 ** Regent not to be impowered to give the Royal 
 Assent to any Bill to repeal any Bill for varying the 
 order and course of succession to the Crown. 
 
 "' The Regent to reside in Great Britai?i, and not 
 40 marry a Papist. 
 
 *' Care of his Majesty's person, and appointment 
 of a suitable part of his Household, to be vested in 
 her Majesty. Her Majesty to be assisted by a 
 Council. 
 
 " Her Majesty's Council to meet some day in 
 April ne.rt., and on the 1st day of every third month 
 after, and declare the state of his Majesty's health, 
 a copy of which shall be transmitted to the Presi- 
 dent of the Privy Council, and published in the 
 London Gazette. 
 
194 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 " Her Majesty's Council may examine the Phy- 
 sicians in attendance on oath. 
 
 " Her Majesty's Council to notify his^ Ma- 
 jesty's recovery by Instrument sent to the Privy 
 Council. 
 
 " The Privy Council to assemble and enter said 
 Instrument. 
 
 " After such Instrument his Majesty may, by 
 Sign Manual, require the Privy Council to as- 
 semble. 
 
 " If his Majesty, by the advice of such Privy 
 Council, so assembled, shall signify his pleasure to 
 resume the personal exercise of his Royal Authori- 
 ty, a Proclamation shall be issued accordingly. 
 
 " Such Proclamation, countersigned by 
 
 of the said Privy Council, together 
 with the other proceedings, to be sent to the Lord 
 'Mayor, aind the present Act to cease. 
 
 " In case of the death of the Regent, or of her 
 Majesty, or of the resumption by the King — Parlia- 
 ment, if prorogued, or adjourned, to meet and sit, 
 or if dissolved, the Members of the last Parliament 
 ao meet and sit again. 
 
 " Parliament so met, not to sit longer than 
 months. 
 
 "'In the case of the death of her Majesty, the care 
 of his Majesty's person to be vested in her Council." 
 
 At this time it appeared that no alteration 
 was to be made in the cabinet, for as soon 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 195 
 
 as every thing was settled for placing the 
 reins of government in his hands, the Prince 
 announced, in a letter to the Minister, his 
 determination not to change the ministry. 
 This was very specifically declared to be i 
 o\nng solely to the iiTCsistible impulse of 
 filial duty and affection, which led him to 
 dread, that any act of the Regent might, in 
 the smallest degree, have the effect of inter- 
 fering with the progress of his Sovereign's 
 recovery. In the conclusion he refers to 
 the embarrassing situation in which he was 
 placed, which he could not reconcile to the 
 genuine principles of the British constitution. 
 Mr. Perceval, in a very awkward manner, 
 expressed the readiness of himself and col- 
 leagues to do every thing in their power to 
 give satisfaction to your Royal Highness, 
 your being used for his throughout the 
 whole of the answer, regretting at the same 
 time the difference of opinion on the subject 
 of the restrictions. 
 
 One of the first acts almost of the Regent, 
 after his being sworn-in in due form before 
 the privy council, was to receive the address 
 of the Lord Mayor and Common Council of 
 London upon the occasion ; and as he on 
 
196 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 the same dav held a council, all the ministers 
 of state were present, when it was read in a 
 very solemn manner. The address was 
 partly condolence, and partly congratulation, 
 accompanied with those truths unwelcome to 
 the ears of ministers, in which a great ma- 
 jority of the nation heartily concur. Among 
 the grievances enumerated, was specified, 
 ^^ the present representation in the Commons 
 House of Pai'liament, which was termed a 
 ready instrument in the hands of the mini- 
 ster for the time being, whether for purposes 
 of nullifying the just prerogatives of the 
 crown, or of insulting and oppressing the 
 people, and a reform in which representa- 
 (ion is therefore absolutely necessary for the 
 safety of tlie crown, the happiness of the 
 people, and the peace and independence of 
 the country." 
 
 To this address the Regent returned a 
 kind nnd dignified answer, assuring the 
 city that he should esteem it the happiest 
 moment of his life, when he could resign 
 the powers delegated to him into the hands 
 of his sovereign ; and that he should always 
 listen to the complaints of those who thought 
 themselves aggrieved. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 197 
 
 The parliament was formally opened on 
 the twelfth by a speech from the Prince 
 Regent, delivered by lords commissioners, 
 which contained sentiments of sorrow for 
 the calamity which occasioned his Royal 
 Highness to make the address, the sense of 
 the difficulties of the situation, and his con- 
 fidence in the assistance of the people. It 
 stated the successes of our arms 'ti\ the east, 
 the defence of Sicily, the exertions of our 
 troops in Portugal, and for the defence of 
 the peninsula. Hopes also were entertained 
 of an amicable termination of the difficulties 
 between this country and America. The de- 
 falcations in the revenue were noticed, and 
 confidence expressed in the liberality of the 
 Commons for farther supplies. The whole 
 concluded with ardent prayers for the restora- 
 tion of the King's health. 
 
 A slight debate took place in both Houses, 
 and, in tlie House of Lords, the address, as 
 usual an echo of the speech, was passed 
 unanimously. In the Commons, Mr. Pon- 
 sonby, agreeing with the speech, reserved to 
 himself the right of exercising his judgment 
 on the topics contained in it as they should 
 arise. — Sir F. Biirdett descanted, with great 
 s 2 
 
198 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 justice, on the long delay that 'had taken 
 place, in settling the executive government, 
 in which at last they had made a governor 
 without entrusting to him the power of 
 government. The dissatisfaction of his 
 Royal Highness was too evident from his 
 not meeting the Houses, and on this topic 
 Sir Francis ^vas happy in his allusion to Sir 
 John Falstaif and his ragged regiment, 
 comparing tlie ministry to the latter, and 
 uniting with him all sides of the House in a 
 temporary acquiescence in the justice of his 
 description. He complained also of the ne- 
 glect of the old practice of giving the mem- 
 bers of the House an opportunity of know ing 
 the subject on which they w^ere to decide, by 
 reading the speech the night before at a pri- 
 vate meeting. 
 
 In the course of the. month of March a 
 statement was made in several of the public 
 papers that, from events which succeeded it, 
 seems to have been nothing more than a clap 
 ti^ap to catch a portion of public applause ; its 
 follows. 
 
 *' We are sure that the public will participate in 
 the pleasure which we feel in stating the following 
 anecdote of the Prince Regent, which has been 
 
fHE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 199 
 
 communicated to us by a correspondent of known 
 respect : — 
 
 " Last week the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
 submitted to his Royal Highness a military arrange- 
 ment, in consequence of the death of Lord Cardi- 
 gan, to which he trusted to be honoured with the 
 Prince Regent's approbation. 
 
 " Earl Harcourt to be Governor of Windsor Cas- 
 tle, in the room of Earl Cardigan, deceased. 
 
 " Gen. Charles Craufurd to be Governor of the 
 Military College, at Marlow, in the room of Earl 
 Harcourt. 
 
 " The Prince Regent signified his entire acquies- 
 cence in the appointment of Earl Harcourt to Wind- 
 sor castle ; he knew it would be perfectly agreeable 
 10 his Majesty ; and he had reason to believe that he 
 had designed him to be the successor of the Earl of 
 Cardigan. 
 
 " The Prince also expressed the high respect 
 which he entertained for the talents and services 
 of Gen. Craufurd. He had high claims on the 
 gratitude of his country ; and the country had not 
 been unmindful of his claims. His Royal High- 
 ness said, that, to the best of his recollection, Gen. 
 Craufurd had a pension of 1200/. a year, on his 
 own life and that of the Duchess, his wife. He 
 had a regiment of dragoon guards, and he was the 
 Lieutenant-Governor of Tynemouth — bringing 
 him, altogether, above 3000/. a year ; and, there- 
 fore, he must hesitate in adding to these appoint- 
 
200 LIFiS ANl> ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 ments, while so many other gallant officers had not 
 an equal provision. 
 
 " Mr. Perceval strongly urged the General's high 
 merits — and besides, begged leave respectfully to 
 state to his Royal Highness, that his claims were 
 powerfully seconded by his son-in-law, the Duke of 
 Newcastle — whose support in parliament was most 
 essential to his Majesty^ s administration ; perhaps 
 was of more consequence to them than that of any 
 other individual. 
 
 " The Prince Regent, In answer to this argu- 
 ment, nciade a declaration to the following purport : 
 — ' Sir, I did not expect such a reason to be as- 
 signed; but I am not sorry that it is so in an in- 
 stance like the present, v/hen it enables me to make 
 known my resolution without disparagement to 
 the gallant offiicer in question. I repeat that I 
 have a high respect for his merits, which have met 
 their rewaM ; but I must tell you, once for all, 
 that I never can, nor will, consent to bestow any 
 place or appointment, meant to be an asylum or 
 reward for the toils and services of our gallant 
 soldiers and seamen, on any person, on account 
 of parliamentary connection, or in return for par- 
 liamentary votes. This is my fixed determina- 
 tion, and I trust 1 shall never again be solicited 
 in the same way.' 
 
 *' The Minister bowed and took his leave." 
 
 The news of the retreat of Massena from 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 201 
 
 Santarem for some time filled the advocates 
 for the war with the most eager expecta- 
 tions; but these were considerably lessened 
 w hen it was understood, that he had eftected 
 this masterly movement in such a manner, 
 as to prevent the English from obtaining 
 any essential advantage over him. Still the 
 thanks of both Houses were very properly 
 voted to Lord Wellington for his defence of 
 Lisbon, and his subsequent conduct with 
 respect to Marshal Massena. The battle 
 of Albuera, which soon followed, only tend- 
 ed to add to our former triumphs, notwith- 
 standing it was allowed with respect to th^ 
 enemy, that "his overbearing cavalry crip- 
 pled all our operations, and with his artillery 
 saved his infantry, after its route." 
 
 When the Parliament was prorogued in 
 July, the Prince Regent's speech contained 
 a short abstract of its proceedings, and a 
 very strong compliment to Lord Wellington 
 and the Ministers, for so successfully main- 
 taining the national interests, and the glory 
 of the British name. 
 
 At length the day for the splendid fete, 
 which gave delight to some and umbrage 
 to others, was appointed for Wednesday, 
 
202 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 July the 19th. Carlton-house was opened 
 about 9 at night, to the numerous persons 
 of distinction who had been honoured with 
 cards of invitation. Soon after nine o'clock 
 the company began to arrive. The illus- 
 trious family of the House of Bourbon entered 
 through the gardens about ten, when they 
 were ushered into the Privy Council Cham- 
 ber, where the Prince Regent was sitting 
 under a crimson canopy of state, surrounded 
 by the officers of his household, who, on their 
 approach, immediately rose to receive them. 
 The French sovereign was introduced by 
 the Earl of Moira as Comte de Lisle, and 
 her Royal Highness the Duchess d'Angou- 
 leme by the Duchess of York, and the 
 French princes by Lord Dundas. They 
 were received not only with the utmost 
 respect, but every mark of affectionate re- 
 gard. From this grand ceremonial the 
 Illustrious Strangers retired into the sky- 
 blue satin room that adjoined. The Prince 
 Regent now passed through into the grand 
 saloon, which was most brilliantly illumi- 
 nated, and paid respects to the nobility, &:c. 
 crowded and assembled, in his most graceful 
 and truly fascinating manner. It would be 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PJERCEVAL. 203 
 
 "et difficult task to describe, in terms ade- 
 quate, the effect produced by the profusion 
 of magnificent objects, which, at ev^ry 
 glance, conveyed an exalted idea of national 
 grandeur and the fine arts, cherished in a 
 state of perfection. The apartments were 
 decorated with splendor perfectly new. The 
 palace was a scene of enchantment, and 
 every elegant female, clad in the attire of 
 her native country, appeared the Armida. 
 The Conservatory was one of the most dis- 
 tinguished objects in the splendid arrange- 
 ment. The building, of the Gothic order^ 
 appeared to be the most perfect and beauti- 
 ful specimen of tliat style executed in mo- 
 dem times. Between the pillars candelabras 
 were suspended 12 feet above the ground, 
 each presented four brilliant patent burners, 
 which spread a breadth of light not easy to 
 describe. The interior struck the beholder 
 widi astonishment. The grand table extend- 
 ed the whole length of the Conservatory and 
 across Carlton- house, to the length of 200 
 feet. 
 
 Along the centre of the table, about six 
 inches above the surface, a canal of pure 
 water continued flowing from a silver foun- 
 
^04 LIFE ANi> ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 tain, beautifully constructed at the head of 
 the table. Its faintly waving, artificial banks, 
 were covered with green moss and aqua- 
 tic flowers ; gold and silver-coloured fish 
 were by a mechanical invention made to 
 swim and sport through the bubbling cur- 
 rait, which produced a pleasing murmur 
 where it fell, and formed a cascade at the 
 outlet. At the head of the table, above the 
 fountain, sat his Royal Highness the Prince 
 Regent, on a throne of crimson velvet, 
 trimmed with gold. The throne com- 
 manded a view of the company. The most 
 particular friends of the Prince were ar- 
 ranged on each side. At the back of the 
 throne appeared Aurolea tables, covered 
 with crimson drapery, constructed to ex- 
 hibit, with the greatest effect, a profusion 
 of the most exquisitely wrought silver gilt 
 plate, consisting of fountains, tripods, eper- 
 gnes, dishes, and other ornaments. Above the 
 whole of this superb display appeared a royal 
 thrown, and his Majesty's cypher, G. R. splen- 
 didly illumined. 
 
 The supper was the most superb in spec- 
 tacle and arrangement that perhaps ever 
 was exhibited in this country. The state 
 
lliE IIIGUT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 205 
 
 tcible of the Prince Regent was ranged along 
 the Conservatory, the west end of ^^hich 
 (being the head) was hung semi-circularly 
 with a crimson silk ground, covered with 
 transparent musUn, drawn into a variety ol 
 apertures, for the splendid display of nume- 
 rous gold vases, urns, massy salvers, Sic. 
 embossed by admirable workmanship, and 
 the whole surmounted by a most superb 
 ancient urn, captured in the reign of IlUzk- 
 beth from the Spanish admiral who com- 
 manded what was so presumptuously styled 
 the " Invincible Armada." The service of 
 this table was in gold. Adjoining to this 
 were tables running through the library and 
 whole lower suite of rooms, the candelabras 
 in which were so arranged that the Regent 
 could distinctly see and be seen, from one 
 end to the other. Along those tables the 
 royal family of England, and that of the 
 Bourbons and the nobility, were seated, con- 
 formably to their respective ranks. On the 
 right hand of the Prince Regent was placed 
 the Duchess D'Angouleme, oh his left the 
 Duchess of York. From the library and 
 room be}-ond branched out two great lines of 
 tables und^r canvas tar into the' gardens, 
 
 T 
 
206 LirE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 each in the shape of a cross, all richly sei'ved 
 with silver plate, and covered with every 
 delicacy that the season could possibly afford. 
 When the whole company was seated, there 
 was a line of female beauty, more richly 
 adorned, and a blaze of jewellery more bril- 
 liant than England probably ever displayed 
 before. — The grand cuxuhir dining-room, 
 in ^vhich the knights of the gaiter were 
 recently entertained> excited particular admi- 
 ration by its cupola, supported by columns 
 of porphyry, and the superior elegance of the 
 w^hole of its furniture and arrangements. 
 In this room were marble busts of the late 
 Mr. Fox, the late Duke of Bedford, the Karl 
 of Moira, and Earl Grey ; and in the centre 
 was a lustre of an immense size imd most 
 dazzling briiUanc}^ — The library and the 
 council-room displayed the greatest taste. 
 The latter was appropriated to dancing, and 
 the floors chalked in a beautiful style. In 
 the centre appeai'cd G. R. III. with the 
 crown, supporters, and blazonry. The ex^ 
 ternal decorations were equally grand and 
 pleasing. Bands of music were stationed in 
 the tents on the lawn of Carlton-house, and 
 when dancing commenced, the ^;ay tlii'onpr 
 
THE lUGilT HON. 6. PERCEVAL. '201 
 
 fitcpped over floors chalked \\ith Mosaic 
 devices, and moved throiii^h thickets of roses, 
 geraniums, and other Irai^rant sweets, illu- 
 mined by variegated lights, that gleamed 
 like stars through the foliage. In the course 
 of the night a brilliant display of nre- works 
 took phce, which gratified an inmiense body 
 of spectators. 
 
 The diuicing commenced about 12 o'clock, 
 in the grand Council Chamber, in two lines, 
 which were divided by a crimson cordon ; 
 but not more tlian five or six couple danced 
 in each set. At three o'clock supper was 
 announced by the striking up of three bands 
 of grand martial music stationed in the gar- 
 dens. The Prince Regent, bowing grace- 
 fully to the several personages of the Bour- 
 bon family, preceded them to the ro\ al table 
 in the Conservatory, being follo\^"ed by tlie 
 Comte De Lille and the Duchess D'Angou- 
 leme (handed by the Duke of York), by the 
 Dukes D'Augouleme, Berri, Prince of 
 Orange, and the Dukes of Clarence, Kent, 
 Cumberland, Cambridge, Sussex, and Glou- 
 cester. Except the great officers of state, 
 none under the rank of duke and marquis 
 with their ladies, could have place there, §o 
 
208 LIFE AKD ADMINISTKATION OF 
 
 hat earls, countesses, and those of subordi- 
 mte degree, took their places indiscrimi- 
 nately at the other tables, all oi' which were 
 amply supplied with every thing in season, 
 and the richest wines, fruits, confectionary, 
 &c. &c. Chairs for 2000 were placed, but 
 that number being found insufficient, recesses 
 were soon provided, so that all were amply 
 supplied. The Prince Regent and his illus- 
 trious guests rose from table at half-past four, 
 and returned to the gold saloon in the same 
 order that they descended. All the rooms 
 were soon re-iilied, when dancing w^as re- 
 newed ; and the sun being w^ell up, the 
 blended lights of day and night gave the 
 whole scene new features, which compen- , 
 sated by a fuller display of the variegated 
 colours of female dress, for any little draw- 
 back that might ha^'c been sustained in arti- 
 ficial complexions. 
 
 Dresses. — All that art, taste, and expence 
 ♦.•oukl command, for personal decoration, 
 had been in requisition for this night. The 
 kidies all wore new dresses of English manu- 
 facture, principally white satins, silks, lace, 
 crape, ?.nd muslins, ornamented with silver ; 
 head-dress ostrich feathers and diamond^. 
 
tHU RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 209 
 
 The short Grecian waist appears to be again 
 revived. The gentlemen wore court dresses, 
 and naval and military uniforms, covered 
 with a profusion of gold lace. The Prince 
 Regent was dressed as a field marshal (as 
 was also the Duke of York) with his hair in 
 a long queue, the cordon blue, and a superb 
 brilliant star, a large diamond loop and but- 
 ton in his hat and feather, and wearing a 
 sabre, the handle and scabbard of which 
 were richly studded with jewellery. 
 
 There were present at this splendid enter- 
 tainment 14 dukes, 15 duchesses, 15 mar- 
 quisses, 16 marchionesses, 98 earls, 85 count- 
 esses, 39 viscounts, 21 viscountesses, 107 
 lords, and as man}^ ladies of the same rank, 
 besides barons, counts, admirals, ministers 
 of state, generals, aldermen, &c. &c. 
 
 It was impossible, ^^here the invitations 
 were extended to such a number, to avoid 
 many irksome and painful mistakes : pre- 
 ferences v/ilhout reason, and omissions by 
 oversight ; etiquette rigorously adhered t<5 
 in one case, and innocently departed from in 
 another ; but all this was natural in an 
 establishment where the thing was new, and 
 the number of guests so unprecedented. It 
 t2 
 
210 LIFB AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 is allowed on every hand that his Royal 
 Highness's motive was most generous and 
 patriotic. He was desirous of reviving the 
 almost dormant spirit of the metropolis, and 
 of giving a spur to the relaxed branches of 
 national industry. In the absence of his 
 Majesty's court, and in the want of all 
 foreign vent for the labours of our artisans, it 
 was an object nearest the Prince's heart to 
 animate the manufactures of the country, and 
 to set all those who administer to the splen-. 
 dours of fashion to work. — The distinguished 
 ."•uests did not begin to leave Carlton-house 
 before six o'clock on Thursday morning, 
 and the whole had not departed at eight, at 
 which time the guards were taken off duty. 
 The crowd of people in Pall Mail, from 
 day-light until nine o'clock, was immense. 
 
 The Duchess of Bedford, on her return 
 from the fete on Thursday morning, ia 
 alighting from her carriage at her house in 
 Hamilton-place, dropped a diamond worth 
 500 guineas, but it was afterwards found on 
 the staircase. 
 
 The plate used at the fete at Carlton-house 
 was removed on Thursday, since which a 
 tliimber of persons have been admitted with 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. TEUCEVAL. 211 
 
 tickets to view the an-angements in the house 
 and gardens. 
 
 That justice might be done to the British 
 troops alter the battle of Barrosa, Mr. Per- 
 ceval interested himself much to his honour. 
 On Thursday, March 28, 1811, when the 
 Vote of Thnnks was voted to General Gra- 
 ham, he touched upon the particulars of that 
 victor)' — a victory, he said, decided by the 
 bayonet, and proved by the enemy's loss of 
 cannon, of eagles, and of generals, while 
 not a man was missing on our side. That 
 it was not attended with the complete de- 
 struction of the French army was owing to 
 the great fatigue of the British, and should 
 rather be ascribed to ill-fortune than to any 
 thing else. Panegyric on the brilliant con- 
 duct of the gallant General and his no less 
 gallant army was quite unnecessary, he 
 should thei-efore move, " That the Thanks 
 of this House be given to Lieutenant-Gene- 
 ral Thomas Graham, for the distinguished 
 ability he displa}ed in the contest on the 
 heights of Ban^osa, which terminated in the 
 signal and total defeat of a superior force." 
 
 Another attempt was made in May fol- 
 lowing relative to the Catholic quebtioii, 
 
212 LIFE AND ADMINIST3ftAT10NvOF 
 
 when Mr. Perceval stated, that he had then 
 heard, after a long interval, the claim of 
 right revived. He would allow the fullest 
 claims of toleration, but the idea of a claim 
 to political power was palpably absurd, and 
 eminently so as coming from the very men 
 who perpetually talked of povrer as only a 
 trust for the people. If there was any fear 
 that any body of men would use their power 
 improperly, it ought not to be put into their 
 hands. This single proposition made the 
 claim of right to power absurd. He had 
 never put the question on the loyalty and 
 courage of the Catholic, but simply on the 
 probable abuse or use of the power which 
 he would have over the Establishment. He 
 gave the highest praise to the bravery of the 
 Irish soldiers and sailors ; but those merits 
 had an inferior connection with the ques- 
 tion. The language of the Hon. Gentle- 
 man, (Mr. G.) who considered tithes as an 
 oppression, and against the Canon of the 
 Almighty, shewed the spirit of the motion^ 
 and of the Catholics. Would not this be 
 preliminary to the abolition of Tithes and of 
 the Establishment? Those gentlemen who 
 .had spoken so much of the Irish were not 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAL. 213 
 
 infallible. Dr. Milner had been the god of 
 their idolatry. He soon became quite the 
 contrary. The same thing happened in 
 their declarations on the Veto. The Irish 
 now would allow it, and now they would 
 not. All this ought to generate some dis- 
 trust in their knowledge. He loved Chris- 
 tian toleration, not the toleration of Philo- 
 sophy. The French tolerating Philosophers 
 were atrocious persecutors, and they over- 
 turned all establishments. He thought that 
 the more any great sects were brought to 
 an equality of honours, the nearer they were 
 to a struggle. They ought to have subor- 
 dination, to have peace. It was not to be 
 supposed that the Catholic Petition was 
 more agreeable to the nation, because the 
 public voice was less loud agciinst it than 
 formerly. The reason was, the public fear 
 was less active. When, at a late period, 
 dangerous measures were urged by the le- 
 gislature, the cry of the nation rose against 
 them. The origin of that cry was imputed 
 to artifice; but the cry exhibited the feeling 
 which would be roused again the first mo- 
 ment that the danger seemed probable. He 
 must vote against the motion. 
 
214 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 Mr. Whitbread thought the speech of the 
 Right Honourable Gentleman one of the most 
 inflammatory things he had ever heard. It 
 had false feelings, false principles, and false 
 m'guments. 
 
 To return to the Prince Reo-ent : some 
 short time before this, Mr. Perceval, advert- 
 ing in the House of Commons to a former 
 notice he had given, respecting the House- 
 hold to be provided for tlie Prince Reg^ent, 
 proceeded as follows: "When his Royal 
 Highness was pleased to signify his deter- 
 mination of continuing in the service of the 
 crown, the persons then carrying on the go- 
 vernment, he (Mr. Perceval) felt that it be- 
 came his duty to lay the plan of an household 
 before the Regent; but upon an audience 
 with his Royal Highness he learned, that 
 his Royal Highness remained fixed in a per- 
 fcct determination of adhering to his former 
 sentiments upon that subject. For the na- 
 ture of those sentiments his Royal Highness 
 was pleased to refer him to a learned and 
 honourable friend of his opposite {Mr. 
 Adam). By him he had been informed, that 
 from the moment he (Mr. P.) had first com- 
 municated his intention respecting the course: 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PEUCKVAL. 215 
 
 meant to be pui-sued by him respecting the 
 household, his Royal Highness had com- 
 municated to that learned gentleman, his 
 detej'mijiatmi not to add to tlie burdens of 
 the people by accepting of any addition to his 
 public statey as Regent of the United King- 
 dom! He (Mr. P.) felt satisfied that neither 
 the House nor the public would have felt 
 any indisposition in contributing to the ex- 
 pence of the due support of the state and 
 dignity of the Prince Regent : at the same 
 time, the country would not be back'^'v ard in 
 duly acknowledging this instance of self- 
 denial on the part of the Prince ; and his 
 Royal Highness could not fail to find that such 
 refusal will, in point of fact, throw round his 
 character and station more real splendour than 
 could be borrowed from any pageantry how- 
 n.wr brilliant. That external magnificeyice 
 ^mlculated to dazzle the vulgar gaze, and 
 catch the giddy admiration of the populace, 
 the Prince did not hesitate to sacrifice to 
 those solid good qualities, which have long 
 since won^ and promise to secure to him the 
 affections of the people. Having stated thts2 
 circumstances to the House, it Avas scarcely 
 
216 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OJ" 
 
 necessary for him to add, that it was not 
 now his intention to submit to them an^r 
 such plan." 
 
 Mr. Adam then rose, and confirmed the 
 statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman, 
 remarking — " That he had had long oppor- 
 tunity of becoming minutely acquainted with 
 the vievv s and intentions of his Royal High- 
 ness, respecting his domestic economy ; and 
 that his determination in this particular in- 
 stance was but conformable to the principles 
 which had governed the conduct of his Royal 
 Highness." 
 
 Upon the return of the Duke of York to 
 office, it was said, " That the retreat of the 
 French armies from Portugal had been re- 
 ceived with so much exultation by Ministers,: 
 that they imagined they might take what 
 liberties they pleased, and that no insult of- 
 fered to popular opinion could be too gross. 
 Mr. Perceval seems to glory in having taken 
 this hardy step, in recommending the Duke's 
 restoration to office. May the merit he boasts 
 be long remembered," &,c. 
 
 The rippointnient of Colonel M^Mahon to 
 the new office of Private Secretary to the 
 
THE BIGHT HON. S. VERCEVAi. 217 
 
 Prince Regent, also excited a number of se- 
 vere strictures, and the following among the 
 rest. — 
 
 " The appointment of Colonel M'Mahon holds 
 out the Prince Regent, at the very connmence- 
 ment of his office, as incompetent to discharge the 
 functions of it, without such helps as none of his 
 ancestors have ever had, except his immediate 
 father after he had lost his sight. Next, we 
 should wish it to be rentarked, how deeply it in- 
 jures Colonel M'Mahon. That gentleman has 
 been represented as a most meritorious servant of 
 his Royal Master ; and yet would this appoint- 
 ment lead one to infer, that the Prince Regent, 
 with one hundred thousand pounds in his hands, 
 allow^ed him for the express purpose of rewarding 
 such servants, will not give Colonel M^Mahon a 
 halfpenny of it, but fobs him off upon the people 
 (who have received none of his attentions) to pro- 
 vide for him in a new office. The nation is of ne- 
 cessity driven to one of these alternatives, either to 
 suppose that his Royal Highness is a master that 
 will not reward the fidelity of his adherents, diough 
 he has means allowed him by his people for that 
 purpose (and that no one surely can credit) ; or 
 that Colonel MMahon is not that faithful friend 
 which he has been represented. This charity, 
 therefore, instead of being one that blesses alike 
 the giver and the receiver, is one that is detri- 
 
5^18 LIFE AND ADMINISTEATION 6* 
 
 mental to both ; subjecting them alike to the infts^t 
 injurious, and, we trust, unfounded suspicions. 
 The opinion which we wish to inculcate is, that 
 the Prince is a very beneficent master — Colonel 
 H'Mahon a very deserving servant; and that, 
 on the matter being thus truly represented to 
 them, as they before shewed that they scorned to 
 retain an useless office, they will now also shew 
 that they scorn to burthen the people with a new 
 one. The Prince, indeed, not able to govern the 
 realm without the support of Colonel M'Mahon 
 as his State Secretary, in addition to the threq 
 Secretaries of State ! How demeaning the in- 
 sinuation ! Why, it is likening his Royal High- 
 ness to a bad President at a table who cannot 
 keep his company in order without the help of a 
 Vice." 
 
 At length, in February, 1812, the predo^ 
 minating influence of Mr. Perceval and his 
 friends appeared to have obtained its meri- 
 dian splendour. He had before damped the 
 expectations of his opponents, when dream- 
 ing of coming into power, by hinting to 
 them, that the prospect they entertained 
 might not open upon them so pleasantly as 
 they imagined; but when the following Let- 
 ter appeared from the Prince Regent, the 
 last spark of hope was extinguished, and a 
 
THE RIGmt HON. S. PERCEVAL. 219 
 
 doud seemed concentrating upon every coun- 
 tenance. 
 
 Letter of the Prince Regent to the Duke of Tor k. 
 
 " MY DEAREST BROTHER, 
 
 " As the Restrictions on the exercise of the 
 Royal Authority will shortly expire, when I must 
 inake my arrangements for the future Administra- 
 tion of the Powers with which I am invested, I 
 think it right to communicate those sentiments, 
 which I was withheld from expressing at an earlier 
 period of the Session, by my warmest desire, that 
 the expected Motion on the Affairs of Ireland 
 tnight undergo the deliberate discussion of Parlia- 
 ment, unmixed with any other consideration. 
 
 " I think it hardly necessary to call your recol- 
 lection to the recent circumstances under which I 
 assumed the authority delegated to me by Parlia- 
 ment. At a moment of unexampled diificulty and 
 danger, I was called upon to make a selection of 
 persons to whom I should entrust the functions of 
 the Executive Government. My sense of duty to 
 our Royal Father solely decided that choice ; and 
 every private feeling gave way to considerations 
 which admitted of no doubt or hesitation. I trust 
 I acted in that respect as die genuine Representa- 
 tive of the august Person whose functions I was 
 appointed to discharge ; and I have the satisfac- 
 tion of knowing, thit such was the opinion of per- 
 
220 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 sons, for whose judgment and honourable princi- 
 ples I entertain the highest respect. 
 
 " In various instances, as you well know, where 
 the law of the last session left mc at full liberty, I 
 waved any personal gratification, in order that His 
 Majesty might resume, on his restoration to health, 
 every power and prerogative belonging to the 
 Crown. I certainly am the last person in the king- 
 dom to whom it can be permitted to despair of our 
 Royal Father's recovery. 
 
 '^ A new era is now arrived, and I cannot but re- 
 flect with satisfaction oi> the events which have dis- 
 tinguished the short period of my restricted Regen- 
 cy. Instead of suffering in the loss of any of her 
 possessions, by the gigantic force which has been 
 employed against them. Great Britain has added 
 most important acquisitions to her Empire. 
 
 " The National Faith has been preserved invio- 
 late towards our Allies ; and, if character is strength, 
 as applied to a Nation, the increased and increasing 
 reputation of His Majesty's arms will shew to the 
 Nations of the Continent how much they may still 
 achieve, when animated by a glorious resistance to 
 a foreign voke. In the critical situation of the 
 War in the Peninsula, I shall be most anxious to 
 avoid any measure which can lead my Allies to 
 suppose that I mean to depart from the present 
 system. Perseverance alone can achieve the great 
 object in question ; and I cannot withhold my ap- 
 probation from those who have honourably dis^ 
 
THE HIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL, 221 
 
 tinguished themselves in support of it. / have no 
 predilections to indulge ^—^vio resentments to gra- 
 tify no objects to attain but such as are common 
 
 to the whole Empire. If such is the leading prin- 
 ciple of my conduct, and I can appeal to the past 
 in evidence of what the future will be, I flatter my- 
 self I shall meet with the support of Parliament and 
 a candid and enlightened Nation. 
 
 " Having made this communication of my sen- 
 timents in this new and extraordinary crisis of our 
 affairs, I cannot conclude without expressing the 
 gratification I should feel, if some of those per- 
 sons, 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 Ad- 
 ministration, formed on the most liberal basis, I 
 shall look with additional confidence to a prosper- 
 ous issue of the most arduous contest in which 
 Great Britain was ever engaged. — You are au- 
 thorised to communicate these sentiments to Lord 
 Grey, who, I have no doubt, will make them known 
 to Lord Grenville. 
 
 " I am always, my Dearest Frederick, your affec- 
 tionate Brother, 
 
 " George, P. R. 
 *' Carlton House, Feb. 13, 1812. 
 
 " P. S. I shall send a copy of this Letter imme- 
 diately to Mr. Perceval.^' 
 
 u2 
 
222 LIFE AND ADMmiSTRATIO:^ OF 
 
 However, if the Prince's former friends 
 were chagrined, his Highnesses dissatisfac- 
 tion at meeting with a refusal of his gracious 
 offers from the Lords Grenville and Grey, 
 could not be much less than theirs. At least 
 it was an open acknowledgment of that 
 weakness of party, to the consciousness of 
 which, both Mr. Perceval and his friends, at 
 certain intervals, were no strangers. 
 
 Perseverance in the system, seems to have 
 been the watch word of Mr. Perceval and 
 his coadjutors ; so that with respect to our 
 conduct abroad or at home, innovation ap^ 
 peared to have been as much dreaded in the 
 state as formerly in the church. Neither the 
 progress of our enemies on the continent, 
 nor the alarming insubordination of some 
 of our own counties, the desperation of 
 some, or the distress of others, particularly 
 our merchants, could awaken Mr. Perceval 
 from the fatal lethargy of self- security, till it 
 was too late, when a catastrophe, which can- 
 not be too strongly deprecated in every civi- 
 lized country, appears to have overthrown the 
 Minister and his majorities. 
 
 Monday, May the 11th, 1812, will proba- 
 fel V be a day which will never be erased from 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 223 
 
 our annals. It was a day when the first mi- 
 nister of a great and powerful nation was 
 doomed to fall in a place, which, for its secu- 
 rit}% might have been chosen before all 
 others, and by the hand of a private indivi- 
 dual, whose dark and gloomy purpose, un- 
 like conspirators in general, it seems had ne- 
 ver been entrusted to any but his own bo- 
 som. The late Mr. Bellingham, whose dis- 
 tresses as a merchant drove him to this da- 
 ring deed, having been harshly treated in 
 Russia, first applied to Lord Leveson Gower, 
 our ambassador at the time, without effect ; 
 and on his coming over to England, think- 
 ing Mr. Perceval stood in the way of justice, 
 he was determined to take vengeance in his 
 own hcuids : the particulars of this alarming 
 and important event we shall now state as 
 briefly as possible. 
 
 On Monday, May the 11th, about five in 
 the evening, Mr. Perceval having walked 
 from his house in DowAing Street, was en- 
 tering the lobby of the House of Commons, 
 where a number of persons were standing, 
 when a man, who had a short time previously 
 })laced himself in the recess of the door- way 
 within the lobby, drew out a small pistol, and 
 
S24 t,tPE AND ADMimSTIlATlON Of* 
 
 shot Mr. Perceval in the lower part of the 
 Mt breast. The ball is supposed to havfe 
 entered the heart. Mr. Perceval moved for- 
 wards a few faltering steps, nearly half way 
 up the lobby, and fell. He was immediately 
 carried to the room of the Speaker's Secre- 
 tary, to the left of the lobby, by Mr. W. 
 Smith, Mr. Bradshaw, and another gentle- 
 man. Mr. Lynn, the surgeon, of Great 
 George Street, was immediately sent for ; 
 but, on examining the wound, he considered 
 the case utterly hopeless. All that escaped 
 Mr. Perceval's lips previously to falling in 
 the lobby, was "murder!" or "murdered!" 
 He said no more aftervi^ards. He expired in 
 about ten or twelve minutes after receiving 
 the fatal wound. Several members of both 
 Houses of Parliament went into the room 
 while he was dying ; among others, his bro- 
 ther Lord Arden : all of them appeared greatly 
 agitated. There was very little effusion of 
 blood from the wound externally. His body 
 was subsequently removed into the Speaker's 
 house. The deed ^as perpetrated so sud- 
 denly, that the man who fired the pistol was 
 not instantly recognised by those m the lobby, 
 ^t a p^son passing at the i](ioni€i^t beMnd 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PEHCEVAL. 225 
 
 Mr. Perceval, seized the pistol, which the 
 assassin surrendered without resistance, re- 
 tiring towards a bench to the left. On being 
 asked if he were the villain who shot the 
 Minister, he replied, " I am the unhappy 
 man;^' but appeared quite undisturbed. He 
 was taken to the bar of the House, and being 
 identified as the assassin, underwent an exa- 
 mination before Messrs. M. A. Taylor, Al- 
 dermen Coombe and Curtis, &c. Though 
 cautioned by Sir J. Hippesley not to crimi- 
 nate himself, he said : "I have admitted the 
 fact — I admit the fact, but wish, with per- 
 mission, to state something in my justifica- 
 tion. I have been denied the redress of my 
 grievances by Government; I have been ill- 
 treated. They all know who I am, and 
 what I am, through the Secretary of State 
 and Mr. Becket, with whom I have had fre- 
 quent communications. They knew of this 
 fact six weeks ago, through the magistrates of 
 Bow Street. I was accused most wrong- 
 fully by a Governor General in Russia, in a 
 letter from Archangel to Riga, and have 
 sought redress in vain. I am a most unfor- 
 tunate man, and feel here (placing his hand 
 on his breast) sufficient justification for what 
 
^2^6 lil^FE AN© ADMIl^ISTRATIOX OF 
 
 I have done," Being again cautioned by Lord 
 Castlereagh that he was not on his defence, 
 lie said, " Since it seems best to you that I 
 should not now explain the causes of my con* 
 "duct, I will leave it until the day of my trial, 
 %hen my country ^vill have an opportunity 
 '^f judging whether I am right or wrong." 
 He was then handcuffed, with an assurance 
 ^at the property taken out of his pocket 
 Ihi^iild be restored next morning. He was 
 Conveyed to Newgate between one and two 
 d'cloek on Tuesday morning in a coach, es- 
 •tfeorted by a party of Life-guards — it being 
 -tlfeught proper not to send him earlier, on ae- 
 ^jibunt of a disposition having been manifested 
 •hy the populace in Lower Palace Yard, to 
 %pen the coach door and liberate him. He 
 WJas taken out by the Speaker's entrance, and 
 -^ery precaution adopted at Newgate to pre- 
 vent his committing suicide. 
 
 With respect to the House of Lords, at 
 Itie time, it seems they had just finished hear- 
 ing counsel in an appeal case, and were pro- 
 ceeding with the reading of some private 
 bills, when a bustling noise was heard with- 
 but dooi's. Presently a cry was heard, ** Mr. 
 Fferc^^^al shot!-^Mr. Perceval shot!" and a 
 
gentleman connected with one of the parlia^ 
 mentary offices, rushed in, and stated to the 
 anxious Peers who surrounded him, that h^ 
 was standing close by Mr. Perceval in th|9 
 lobby of the House of Commons, when ji 
 pistol was fired at Mr. Perceval, who uttered 
 a cry of *' murder," or " murdered,'* stag- 
 gered two or three piaces, and fell on his side. 
 The officer then came away ; but said he be* 
 lieved that Mr. Perceval was dead. Mo^ 
 of the Lords immediately rushed out, leaving 
 only Lord Eldon and two Bishops in the 
 liouse ; and upon their return, after a few 
 minutes private conversation, the Lord Chan- 
 cellor said, that having just been apprized of 
 a melancholy and atrocious event which had 
 occurred in the lobby of the other House, he 
 should give proper directions to the officer^ 
 that none go out of the doors without being 
 searched (alluding to the strangers below 
 the bar). After some private consultation, 
 an address to the Prince Regent was agreed 
 upon ; but Lord EUenborough thought they 
 should have some evidence how IVir Ptrceval 
 came by his death ; and for this purpose, 
 Mr. Taylor, a door-keeper, being called, said 
 he saw a pistol aimed and fired at Mr. Per 
 
228 UPE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 ceval, who fell and expired. Earl Radnor 
 then moved a Resolution for an Address to 
 the Prince Regent, " expressive of the horror 
 which their Lordships feel at the atrocious 
 assassination of Mr. Perceval in the lobby of 
 the House of Commons, and pray his Royal 
 Highness would take the speediest measures 
 for bringing the perpetrator of the crime to 
 justice." Earl Grey seconded the motion in 
 a low tone, as if overpowered by his feelings. 
 The motion was then unanimously agreed to> 
 and the address ordered to be presented. 
 
 Tuesday. — The Duke of York present- 
 ed the answer of the Prince Regent to the 
 Address, declaring that his Royal Highness 
 participated in the sentiments of horror felt 
 by their Lordships at the atrocious murder 
 of Mr. Perceval, and w^ould take the requi- 
 site measures to bring the perpetrator to 
 justice. The Earl of Liverpool then deli- 
 vered a Message from the Prince Regent, 
 stating, that being desu'ous of marking his 
 sense of the public and private virtues of Mr. 
 Perceval, and of affording relief and assist- 
 ance to his numerous family and afflicted wi- 
 dow, his Royal Highness recommended a 
 parliamentary provision for them.. The Earl 
 
THE RIGHT HUX. S. PEllOEVAL. 2^^* 
 
 of Liverpool, in moving a corresponding an- 
 swer, paid an affecting tribute to the me- 
 mory and virtues of his departed friend ; his 
 Lordship said he knew no man possessed of 
 more virtues, or of fewer faults, or more de- 
 void of guile. Earl Grey participated most 
 sincerely in the feelings excited by this de- 
 plorable and horrid event, and approved highly 
 of making provision for the numerous family 
 of a public servant. 
 
 In the House of Commons, on Tuesday, 
 Lord Castlereagh brought up a Message 
 from the Prince Regent, recommending a 
 provision for the wife and family of Mr. Per- 
 ceval. His Lordship, in an impressive ad- 
 dress, rendered nearly inaudible at times by 
 the acuteness of his feehngs, stated that liis 
 honourable and lamented friend had fallen a 
 victim to the resentment and revenge of a dis- 
 appointed individual, while in the zealous and 
 conscientious discharge of his duty. He was 
 happy to state that the crime attached itself 
 to a single individual ; that he had no accom- 
 plice ; and so far the national character re- 
 mained without a stain. Aftt r some just en- 
 • omiums on die character and disposition of 
 ihe late M^. Perceval, his Lr.rdslilp laid it 
 
230 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 down as a principle, that unless there had 
 been some base misconduct on the part of 
 the public servant, it became the duty of the 
 House to extend its protection to such ser- 
 vants, and defend them from public or pri- 
 vate malignity. His Lordship then moved 
 an Address to the Prince Regent, declaring 
 their abhorrence of the atrocious act com- 
 mitted within the walls of Parliament, and 
 expressing their willingness to make the 
 required provision. Mr. Ponsonby was anxi- 
 ous to second the motion, ai^ expressed 
 his entire concurrence in the sentiments of 
 the Noble Lord. He bore testimony to the 
 numerous virtues of the late Mr. Perceval, 
 for whose person he entertained a warm af- 
 fection. Mr. Whitbread sincerely deplored 
 the loss of the Right Hon. Gentleman, whose 
 liberal and unceasing controul of temper he 
 particularly admired. Sir R. Wigram sug- 
 gested a public funeral, which L'^d Castle- 
 reagh said would be distressing to t&e family. 
 Messrs. Canning and W. Wynne* shortly 
 spoke, after which the House agi'eed to hear 
 such witnesses on the' Orders of Council as 
 were desirous of returning home before an 
 adjournment of any length took place. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 231 
 
 Wednesday. — Sir F. Burdctt rose, and 
 in a short speech expressed his detestation of 
 the assassination of Mr. Perceval, and his 
 concurrence in the proceedings of this House. 
 In a Committee on the Prince Regent's mes- 
 sage, relating to the provision for Mr. Per- 
 ceval's family, Lord Castlcreagh moved that 
 an annuity of 20001. should be granted to 
 Mrs. Perceval, and the sum of 50,0001. to be 
 vested in trustees, for the benefit and use of 
 the twelve children of the late Mr. Perceval. 
 His Lordship said that scarcely any property 
 was left behind, and that only arising- out of 
 the fortune the widow was entitled to at her 
 marriage. Messrs. Herbert and H. Sumner 
 thought the grant wholly inadequate, and the 
 latter proposed that 7,0001. should be ap- 
 ^propriated to each child. Messrs. Wilber- 
 force, Whitbread, Wynne, and Banks, urged 
 the propriety of unanimity — the sum propo- 
 sed by the noble Lord had the sanction of 
 the family, and it would be better to vote it 
 unanimously, than a larger sum with opposi- 
 tior). The grant of 50,0001. without fee or 
 deduction to the children, was tlien voted 
 unanimously ; but on ih<t motion of Mr. H* 
 Sumner, carried on a division by 156 to 
 
232 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATIdN Of 
 
 23, the annuity of 2,0001. to Mrs. Perceval, 
 is to descend, on her decease, to the next 
 heir male of the late Mr. Perceval. — Ad^. 
 journed. 
 
 Thursday . — About 300 members, dress- 
 ed in mourning, or with crape round their 
 regimentals, went up with the Address; 
 after the Regent's answer had been read, the 
 House went into a Committee on the Reso- 
 lutions for providing for the family of the late 
 Mr. Perceval, when Mr. H. Sumner's Reso- 
 lution was opposed by Mr. Whitbread. — Mr. 
 Lushington, in advocating the Resolution, 
 said, " I saw Lord Arden, the brother of Mr. 
 Perceval, overwhelmed with grief, and his 
 hand placed upon his body, near the part 
 w^here the fatal Vvound was inflicted." * My 
 brother,' he exclaimed, * you are gone, gone 
 to heaven ! but your children' " His chil- 
 dren," replied an honourable Member stand- 
 ing by, "are his country's!" He hoped the 
 declaration would be verified. The Resolu- 
 tion was ordered to be re-committed to-mor- 
 row. — Witnesses were examined on the 
 Orders in Council, after which the House ad- 
 journed. 
 
 Friday. — On the Motion of Lord Cllve, 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 233 
 
 the erection of a monument to the memory 
 of Mr. Perceval, m St. Peter's church, West- 
 minster, at the public expence, was carried 
 by 199 to 26; — as was Mr. Huskisson's Re- 
 solution, for granting an annuity for life to 
 Mr. Perceval's eldest son of 1,0001. from May, 
 1812, to be increased to 2,0001. on the death 
 of his mother. 
 
 On Saturday morning the remains of Mr. 
 Perceval were removed from his house in 
 Downing Street, for interment in the family 
 vault, at Charlton, in Kent, where Mrs. Per- 
 ceval's mother resides. At eight o'clock a 
 great number of noblemen's and gentlemen's 
 carriages were assembled at Whitehall, op- 
 posite Privy Gardens. At nine the proces- 
 sion moved from Downing Street, in the fol 
 lowing order : — 
 
 Mutes and attendants on horseback, 
 
 Hearse and Six with the Body, 
 
 vSIx Mourning Coaches, followed by 25 Carnages, 
 
 tbe Carnages of the Cabinet Ministers, 
 
 Relatives of the deceased, 
 
 his own Carriage, &c. 
 
 The procession moved slowly on towards 
 Westminster Bridge. Here the solemiiity 
 X 2 
 
234 LIFE ANB ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 of the spectacle was heightened by the tolUng 
 of the deep-toned bells of the Abbey and St. 
 Margaret's church. The pause which took 
 place in George Sti'eet and Parliament Street^ 
 within a few yards of the place where the 
 atrocious murder was perpetrated, gave an 
 opportunity for reflection, and excited in every 
 inind susceptible of grief, the most painful 
 sensations ; and the mourners would have 
 been numerous indeed, had not the Members 
 of both Houses of Parliament received circu- 
 lars, that it was the particular wish of the af- 
 Bicted family to have the ceremony conducted 
 as privately as possible. 
 
 In the first mourning coach was Lord 
 Arden, attended by his chaplain, and ano- 
 ther gentleman ; in the second were the Lord 
 Chancellor, the Earl of Liverpool, the Earl 
 of Harrowby, and Mr. Secretary Ryder; 
 Among the mourners in the otlier coaches 
 were Lord Perceval, Lord Redesda!e, the 
 Marquis Wellesley, the Earls of Westmor- 
 land and Buckinghamshire, Lords Sidmouth, 
 Camden, Bathurst, Castlereagh, Melville, 
 ' and Messrs. Arbutlmot, Wharton, Croker, 
 Brooksbank, &.c. 
 
 A party of the City Light Horse attended at 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 235 
 
 Ncwington Butts, and accompanied the pro- 
 cession to the church, in order to testify their 
 respect for Mr. Perceval, who was a member, 
 and their treasurer. 
 
 The coffin was very superb. The inscrip- 
 tion was as follows : — 
 
 Right Honoural)le SPENCER PERCEVAL, 
 
 Chaiicellor of the Exchequer, first l^ord of the 
 
 Treasury, Prime Minister of England, 
 
 Fell by the hand of an ASSASSIN, in the Commons 
 
 House of Parliament, May 11, A. D. 1812, in the 
 
 50th year of his age; born, Nov. 1st. A. D. 1762. 
 
 The trial of Bellingham commenced on Fri- 
 day, May 15, when the auditors were nume- 
 rous beyond example. But as the Prisoner's 
 defence embraces the most important part pf 
 that proceeding, we shall insert it here, for the 
 purpose of tlirowing more light upon the 
 conduct of Mr. Perceval and his colleagues 
 in office. 
 
 " Gentlemen of the Jury, 
 '^ I feel that I am under great obligations to the 
 learned Attorney General for inducing the court 
 to disniiss the objection that was made by my 
 counsel on the ground of insanity ; because it is 
 by far tnore fortunate for roe that such a plea 
 
236 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 should be determined to be unfounded, than that 
 it should be established. At the same time, I must 
 express m\' gratitude to my counsel, whose object 
 was certainly most meritorious. That I am insane, 
 I certainly am most ignorant of, and I assure you 
 that I never had an idea of it, with the exception 
 of one instance in Russia, where my insanity was 
 made a matter of public notoriet}'. — {The prisofier 
 here appeared inuch embarrassed^ and after a short 
 pause^ proceeded,)''^'Geuilemeny I beg pardon for 
 thus detaining you, but I am wholly unaccustomed 
 to situations like the present, and this is the first 
 time I ever addressed a public audience ; I there- 
 fore hope to receive your candid indulgence, and 
 trust that you will pay more attention to the matter 
 detailed than to the manner in which it is deli- 
 vered. We are now engaged in the investigation 
 of the facts of this most singular affair, and the 
 circumstances under which I am brought (if I may 
 use the phrase), a compulsive vohmteer to this bar. 
 Do you suppose me the man to go with a delibe- 
 rate design, without cause or provocation, with a 
 pistol to put an end to the life of Mr. Perceval? 
 No, gentlemen ! far otherwise. I have strong rea- 
 sons for my conduct, however extraordinar}'^ ; rea- 
 sons v/hich, when I have concluded, you will ac- 
 knowledge to have fully justified me in this fatal 
 fact. Had I not possessed these imperious incite- 
 ments, and had murdered him in cool blood, I 
 should consider myself a monster, not only unfit 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 237 
 
 lo live in this world, but too wicked for all the tor- 
 ments that may be inflicted in the next. 
 
 " Circumstances may justify every thing ; and I 
 have now to unfold to you a scene of oppression 
 and iniquity which is without a parallel, and 
 which, had not the facts been authenticated by 
 original documents, laid before Marquis Welles- 
 ley, as his Lordship can prove, would be utterly 
 incredible. The learned Attorney General has 
 candidly stated to you, that he has not the slightest 
 imputation against my honour or character up to 
 the fatal catastrophe which must be long lamented, 
 and which I regret with the utmost sincerity ; 
 none can feel more pain upon this subject than I 
 do, not excepting even the family of Mr. Perceval. 
 I hope I shall be able to make the truth of this 
 assertion distinctly appear, by setting the affair in 
 its true light. For eight years have I now been 
 persecuted on account of circumstances that were 
 mere invention for my ruin; I was driven almost 
 to despair, and I had even a carte blanclie from the 
 British to right myself in any way I might be able 
 to discover. I have cV ne so. I am now unex- 
 pectedly called to judgment, though for the last 
 eight years I have sought judgment and justice 
 from government in vain. Here I stand unpre- 
 pared with many necessary documents that I have 
 been unable, from the shortness of the notice, to 
 procure, and I am, besides, in a great measure^ 
 
238 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 without witnesses, which are equally requisite foi- 
 my vindication. 
 
 " It will be necessary for me, gentlemen, to go 
 back to transactions as long ago as 1804, for from 
 that period I may date my misery; and to set the 
 subject in a clear point of view, I shall beg leave to 
 read to you the 'copy of a petition which was trans- 
 mitted through my solicitor, Mr. Windle, to the 
 Prince Regent, as long ago as September, 1807. In 
 consequence, however, of not receiving any reply, I 
 took the resolution, under the instruction of counsel, 
 to apply to Colonel M*Mahon on the subject. It 
 appeared, that he had received the petition, but 
 it had been mislaid, and in consequence I sent ano- 
 ther, of which, what I hold in my hand is a copy. 
 I will beg leave to read it, that you may be inform- 
 ed of the commencement and progress of this un- 
 happy business in Russia, which gave rise to my ap- 
 plications on this side the water, and which, unfor- 
 tunately for me, for Mr. Perceval, and for the coun- 
 try at large, have ended in a manner so melancholy 
 and tragical." 
 
 The prisoner here read ^ht commencement of his 
 petition to the Regent, and then went on : — 
 
 " Lord Leveson Gower also, as I little ex- 
 pected, wrote me word, that by the letter of the 
 Governor, he was precluded from interposing ; 
 but that if I would produce vouchers, establishing 
 the truth of my allegations, he would then write 
 
TFIE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 239 
 
 to the governor. Very good ! I was now in some 
 hopes of a restoration to freedom and to my fa- 
 mily, but I was again doomed to be disappointed. 
 I sent the letters and papers to the procureur, for 
 the purpose of establishing my innocence, and the 
 aft'air being so grossly impure and so perfectly no- 
 torious, the procureur was obliged to report upon 
 them, but froin that hour to this moment, I never 
 heard a single, syllable from Lord Gower, or from 
 Sir S. Shairpe. Reflect now, gentlemen, if you 
 can imagine yourselves in a state of such accumu- 
 lated misery, what must have been your feelings, 
 and from thence judge of mine. I had been but 
 recently married to a wife, then only twenty years 
 of age, with an infant at her breast, and pregnant 
 with a second child ; yet I was doomed to continue 
 immured in a dungeon for six months longer. 
 ( The prisoner burst into tears ; as soon as he was 
 again collected^ he proceeded.) Gentlemen, it so 
 happened, that at this juncture, a new civil go- 
 vernor. Baron Asch, was appointed, and to him I 
 stated tilt cruel circumstances under which I was 
 detained. He very candidly said, that I was 
 either innocent or guilty : if innocent, I ought to 
 be discharged, and if guilty, I ought to be tried. 
 He took up my cause, for I had no friends beside ; 
 I was surrounded by enemies ; but he generously 
 stepped forward, and bringing the matter into a 
 court of justice, 1 obtained judgment against the 
 whole party, including the military governor who 
 
240 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 had injured me. I proved the falsity of the charge, 
 and shewed, that the only object of the infernal 
 league was to extort from me a large sum of 
 money. 
 
 "On my arrival in Petersburg, I made appli- 
 cation to Count Kotzebue, then minister of the 
 interior, and I brought two charges against my 
 prosecutor. Count Kotzebue had the affair in- 
 vestigated in most of the departments at Archangel, 
 and finding my statement accurate, gave me a do- 
 cument which enabled me to bring my case before 
 the Senate. It had previously devolved into tlie 
 hands of Prince Chatterinsky, minister of foreign 
 affairs, by whom it was laid before the Emperor, 
 from whence it was transmitted to the Senate to be 
 determined according to the law. Just at this 
 period, Lord Gower arrived, and I put the papers 
 into his hands, that they might be laid before the 
 Senate. I produced my complaints before the 
 Senate, but before any decision was had, I found 
 myself arrested on two charges, the one criminal, 
 and the other civil,, and I was dragged from my 
 family, thrown again into prison, where I con- 
 tinued for no less a space than two years ! These 
 ^^-ere trials that would bow the proudest head and 
 sink the noblest heart. Think, gentlemen, what I 
 endured ; and what was my offence ? Nothing : 
 there was not the shadow of proof against me. 
 I was accused, however, of having quitted Areh- 
 angcl cUmdestinely. Gentlemen, I feel myself bO 
 
THE RfGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 241 
 
 much exhausted, that I must beg to pause for a few 
 seconds. 
 
 " Gentlemen, thus I was again thrown into a 
 dungeon and into despair ; without a hope, with- 
 out a friend ! The very day I expected a com- 
 plete enfranchisement, the very hour I looked for 
 re-established honours and reviving fortunes, 1 
 was handed to another prison, because I would not 
 and could not submit to the extortion of 2000 
 roubles. I was dragged about the streets, with 
 offenders who had been guilty of the most atro- 
 cious crimes. I was bandied about from one place 
 to another. I have even passed the very door of 
 the British ambassador, who had refused to listen 
 to my complaints, and who must have been an un- 
 moved and pitiless witness of what would have 
 wrung the heart-strings of other men but to have 
 looked upon. Of what must my heart have been 
 composed, that was the sufferer of this indignity 
 and this torture, to the eternal disgrace of both na- 
 tions ? I applied to Sir Stephen Shairpe again, 
 without success ; I was not listened to ; I could 
 obtain no redress there. I sought it here, and 
 here in my native country I have been again re- 
 fused : my fortune and my character have been ru- 
 ined, and I §tand here alone and unprotected by all 
 but the laws of my country. They, I trust, will af- 
 ford me that which all others have denied. 
 
 " I applied constandy to every ambassador for 
 redress, and still I was kept in that miserable con- 
 Y 
 
242 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 dition for six years ; bandied from prison to prison, 
 from torture to torture, made a public spectacle of, 
 led through the streets of Petersburgh with a 
 common herd of malefactors. I ask you, gentle- 
 ttien of the jury, what my feelings must have 
 been? Consult your own bosoms, and there you 
 will find the answer. And all this could not have 
 happened but by the connivance of Lord L. 
 Gower and Sir S. Shairpe. During this period, 
 too, Mrs. Bellingham, then in a state of preg- 
 nancy, and one infant in her arms, was anxiously 
 waiting for me to accompany her to England. I 
 could not, and she was compelled to perform that 
 dangerous voyage alone and unprotected, though 
 in a condition so interesting; while Lord Gower 
 saw and permitted so much misery. Oh, my God ! 
 what must his heart be made of? Gentlemen, I 
 appeal to you as men, as fathers, as Christians, if 
 I had not cause of complaint. — {Here the prisoner 
 -was much affected^ and he burst into tears : after a 
 pause of a few moments^ he resumed*) — -Lord 
 Gower committed a first error, in refusing to in- 
 terfere ; and he afterwards persisted in it. — I was 
 the victim. I was imprisoned for eighteen months, 
 by the order of the chamber of commerce, in 
 order that they might extort from me 2000 roubles, 
 which, as I knew I did not owe, I would not pay. 
 I was constantly guarded during this period, and 
 iVt(r: ^tly paraded through the streets of Peters- 
 burgh, a public spectacle. Finding I was too firm 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 243 
 
 to bend to their views, they proclaimed me a 
 bankrupt, allowing me, according to the law in 
 Russia, only three months to setde every claim 
 upon me. And such was the eagerness of the 
 chamber of commerce to ruin me, that they em- 
 ployed emissaries to enquire out persons to whom 
 I owed money : their clerks stopped people in the 
 streets, and asked them, ' Do you know Mr. Bel- 
 lingham ? Does he owe you any money I Do 
 you know he is a bankrupt,. and that he is going 
 to England with all his property r' and other si- 
 milar questions. Yet, after all, they were obliged 
 to give a document, testifying, that there were 
 neither claimants nor creditors. These documents 
 I afterwards placed in the hands of INIarquis Wcl- 
 lesley, and I call upon the noble Marquis, whom I 
 see in the court, to disprove this assertion, if it be 
 false. 
 
 " Under such accumulated, jnisfortunes, nothing 
 but a sustaining Power from above, nothing but 
 the express interposition of Providence, could 
 have preserved me to visit once ntore. my country 
 and my family. None of my friends in England 
 ever expected to see me again. And I beg of you 
 to remember, gentlemen, that all these sufferings 
 were endured through the permission of Lord 
 Gower. It was with his sanction and patronage 
 that I was proclaimed a bankrupt, for without, it 
 could not have taken place ; and it was through 
 his connivance that iTiy appeal to justice was never 
 
244 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 listened to. During this period I made repeated 
 applications to various ambassadors, and I made 
 a final appeal to Lord Gower before he left Pe- 
 tersburgh, the last time he was there. His secre- 
 tary informed me his lordship could not do any 
 thing. — Here I pause, gentlemen of the jury, and 
 ask you earnestly to recollect these proceedings : 
 consider, for a moment, what must have been the 
 conduct of Lord Gower and Sir Stephen Shairpe, 
 men clothed with the dignity of the representa- 
 tion of majesty, to suffer a native of their country 
 to remain in prison, enduring such multiplied in- 
 dignities. There was a transaction, also, which 
 happened during that very period, calculated to 
 shew, in a still stronger light, the manifest in- 
 justice of my case. A paltry dispute between 
 two captains was four times laid before the em- 
 peror, by Lord Gower, in the course of two 
 months. Gentlemen, while I relate this, I must 
 say it would have been fortunate for me, and it 
 would have been more fortunate for Mr. Perceval, 
 had Lord Gower received the ball which terminated 
 the life of the latter gendeman,. 
 
 (There here arose a murmur of disapprobation 
 in the court, which appeared to disconcert the pri- 
 soner.) 
 
 ** After I came to England, I presented a me- 
 morial to the Marquis Wellesley, and grounded 
 my claims to compensation upon the erroneous 
 letter already alluded to. I received an answer, 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 245 
 
 in which I was informed that his Lordship could 
 not enter into a consideration of my claims, be- 
 cause of the state of relation in which Russia then 
 stood with regard to this country. — My next mea- 
 sure was to bring a serious charge against Lord 
 Gower and Sir S, Shairpe before the privy coun- 
 cil. I did so; and what was the result? an an- 
 swer from the council office, that their lordships 
 did not find any matter in my case, in which 
 they could interfere. — I then applied to Mr. Per- 
 ceval, and received an answer, in which I was in- 
 formed, that the time for receiving private peti- 
 tions was past for that session ; nor, he added, 
 did he think my claims such as could with pro- 
 priety be submitted to parliament. 
 
 " By this refusal I was again reduced to despair* 
 My situation became daily and hourly worse. My 
 property was all sold ; my creditors were clamor- 
 ous ; my family was ruined ; my mind was in a 
 state of horror. I next applied to the treasury, 
 conceiving, that there I might obtain some consi- 
 deration for my claims. My pretensions, how- 
 ever, were neglected, and I received a letter from 
 the Secretary of the Treasury, inclosing my. do- 
 cuments and negativing my request. My next 
 application was to the fountain of grace itself, to 
 the Prince Regent. It appeared, from Colonel 
 M'Mahon's letter, that my first petition was mis- 
 laid, I therefore sent a second, nearly similar to the 
 former. 
 
 T 2 
 
246 LIFE AND AT)]MINISTKATION OF 
 
 " Gentlemen, this second petition I forwatded 
 to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, and re- 
 ceived an answer from Mr. Becket, secretary to 
 Mr. Ryder, dated the 18th of February, 1812. 
 In consequence of this reply, referring me to the 
 council office, I had the honour of communicating 
 with Lord Chettvynd and Mr. BuUer. Upon 
 opening my case to them, and stating my hopes^ 
 of compensation, Mr. Buller said, I don't know 
 where the money is to come from ; and he added 
 definitively, that I had nothing to expect. I 
 asked, why the council refused to attend to hrs 
 Royal Highness's reference, but could obtain no 
 answer. It was my duty, then, to communicate 
 the affair to the Prince Regent. I had a petition 
 to the parliament drawn out. This I sent to the 
 Prince Regent, requesting that his Royal High- 
 ness would order the Commons to take it into 
 consideration. I received an answer from Mf. 
 Secretary Ryder, dated Whitehall, March 9, 1812, 
 in which I was informed, that his Royal Highness 
 had not been pleased to signify any commands re- 
 specting my petition. 
 
 " Thus deluded by his Majesty's ministers — ^r^ 
 ferred backwards and forwards — bandied about 
 from one to another, obviously for the purpose of 
 evasion, could it be expected I should not feel 
 some degree of indignation ? I mention these 
 things as some justification of the crime laid to my 
 charge ; it is a duty which I owe myself to da so ; 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 247 
 
 and I shall continue, therefore, to state the facts 
 as they occurred. Finding myself the dupe of 
 the ministers, and not likely to obtain any redress 
 through their hands, I resolved to take justice in 
 my own, I did so. I gave notice at Bow-street 
 against his Majesty's ministers, for not doing me 
 justice. I wrote a letter to Mr. Read, the magis- 
 trate, in which I stated that the door of justice 
 had been shut against me ; and I added, " if this 
 reasonable request of justice be refused, I shall 
 be obliged to do justice for myself, in which case 
 I shall be prepared to argue the matter before his 
 Majesty's attorney-general, whenever and where- 
 ever it may be necessary." To this letter I re- 
 ceived an answer that Mr. Read could not inter- 
 fere ; but, as was his duty, especially as was 
 proved by the subsequent melancholy catastrophe, 
 he communicated the matter to his Majesty's mi- 
 nisters. I then went to Mr. Ryder again, by him 
 I was referred to the Treasury for a final decision 
 upon my claims ; that final decision I at length 
 received from Mr. Hill, who told mc that nothing 
 could be done, and added, that I was at liberty to 
 take any measures I thought proper, and to do, 
 in short, whatever I chose. 
 
 " Gentlemen, I am now coming to a conclusion. 
 I have stated to you a history of my case, in the 
 firm hope that it will prove some justification of 
 the crime with which I am charged. I shall only 
 further trouble you with a defence which, at a late 
 
248 J^IFIB AND ADMINISTRATION, OF 
 
 hour last night, and at an early hour this vtnorn- 
 ing, I drew up. [Here the prisoner read from a 
 written paper, in substance to the following ef- 
 fect ;]-r-Gentlemen, whenever I appear before the 
 tribunal of my God, I shall appear there as inno- 
 cent of, the wilful murder of Mr. Perceval, as they, 
 who, after judgment, are admitted, among the 
 angels of heaven. That my arm destroyed him, 
 I allow ; that he perished by my hand, I admit ; 
 but to constitute felony, there must be malice fire' 
 penseii there must be the wilful intention, and X 
 deny that that has been proved. Unless proved, 
 however, the felony cannot be made out; this you 
 will shortly hear from the bench, and in that case 
 you must acquit me. Recollect, gentlemen, what 
 was my situation; recollect that my family was 
 ruined, and myself destroyed, merely because it 
 was Mr. Perceval's pleasure that justice should 
 not -be granted ; sheltering himself behind the 
 imagined security of his station, and trampling 
 upon law and right, in the belief that no retribu- 
 tion, could reach him. Of that departed gentle- 
 ma»: I'! do not wish to speak with disrespect ; I do 
 not ;wish to say any, thing in disparagement of the 
 virtues which he was allowed to possess; and 
 when I speak of him, I speak of him only in re- 
 fere^fe- to myself. In a case so strong as mine, 
 when I demand justice, I demand only my right, 
 and npt a favour; I demand what i& the birth- 
 ri^ jai^d ;pnyilege.v9df fvery EnglishBa^^^t- Gen- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 249 
 
 tlemen, when a minister sets himself above the 
 laws, as Mr. Perceval did, he does it at his own 
 personal risk. If this were not so, the mere will 
 of the Minister would become the law, and what 
 would then become of your liberties ? As to any 
 malicious intention towards Mr. Perceval, or any 
 desire to injure him, I solemnly avow that it was 
 most averse from my heart. Justice, and justice 
 only, was my object. I was driven to despair, to 
 agony, to ruin, by the conduct of ministers. I 
 gave notice at Bow-street, that if my claims were 
 finally rejected, I would do myself the justice, 
 and that solely to ascertain in a criminal court of 
 justice, whether a Minister of England has a right 
 to refuse justice to a subject of the realm. I have 
 done so ; and I again repeat, that the direct refu- 
 sal of justice, on the part of Administration, 
 was the sole cause of this sad catastrophe ; and 
 his Majesty's ministers have now to reflect on 
 their own impure conduct, for an act which has 
 deprived the country of the talents of Mr. Per- 
 ceval. It is a melancholy fact, that to warp jus- 
 tice on any pretext, or under any circumstances, 
 is the cause of all moral evil : if this position 
 needs any proof, the unfortunate event upon 
 which you are now assembled to decide affords 
 that proof. The cruelty of my case must be ob- 
 vious to you. If a poor but unfortunate man 
 stops another upon the highway, and robs him of 
 a few shillings, he is deprived of life j but I have 
 
24Q LIFJEANI]^ ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 been robbed of thousands by the government; I 
 have been deprived of every thing : I have been 
 imprisoned for years ; my wife, my family, have 
 been ruined ; and I am now called to answer for 
 my life, because Mr. Perceval chose to patronize 
 iniquity. What must then be the crime of the 
 government towards me ? and yet it goes unpu- 
 nished. Is there any comparison between the two 
 cases ? It is a mite to a mountain. I had no al- 
 ternative but to sink into utter ruin, or to take 
 the melancholy step which I have adopted. I was 
 prompted to it by no malice prepense : I was in- 
 cited by the hope of bringing into court my un- 
 fortunate case, without which, I. knew .it never 
 could be promulgated ; and I was incited by the 
 desire, of afterwards returning to the bosom of my 
 family with comfort and honour. I trust that this 
 serious lesson will operate as a warning to all fu- 
 ture ministers, and that they will henceforth do 
 the thing that is. right; for if the upper ranks of 
 society are permitted to act wrong with impunity, 
 the inferior ramifications will soon become wholly 
 corrupt. 
 
 " Gentlemen, my life is in your hands, J rely 
 confidently upon your justice ; I know not wiiat 
 your verdict may be ; but sooner than suffer what 
 I have done for the last eight years, five hundred 
 deatlis would be preferable. If I am destined to 
 sacrifice my life, I shall meet my doom with con- 
 scious tranquillity ; I shall look forward to it. as 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 251 
 
 the iveary traveller looks for the promised inn, 
 where he may repose his wearied frame after en- 
 during the pelting of the pitiless storm. — Gentle- 
 men^ it will now remain between God and your con- 
 sciences as to what your verdict will be." 
 
 Sir J. Mansfield shortly summed up. The 
 prisoner was indicted for the murder of Mr. 
 Perceval, a name dear to every Englishman, 
 (here his lordship seemed much affected^) but 
 the jury were to consider it as a case of the 
 meanest subject. The law knew no distinc- 
 tion of persons. They had to decide whether 
 Mr. Perceval died by a pistol shot, — whether 
 the prisoner fired that shot, — and whether he 
 was in a sane . mind, so as to know what he 
 was about when he fired? — His lordship 
 concluded by telling the jur}^ that if the 
 prisoner, at the time he fired the pistol^ knew 
 right from wrong, he was a fit object for cri- 
 minal justice. 
 
 The jury withdrew for a quarter of an hour, 
 and returned with a verdict of gidltij. 
 
 The Recorder then, in impressive lan- 
 guage, pronounced sentence of death on the 
 prisoner, who was ordered to be hanged on 
 Monday, and his body to be anatomized ; — 
 
252 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 a sentence which he heard with the utmost 
 composure. 
 
 The trial lasted eight hours. When the 
 prisoner was put to the bar, he appeared a 
 little affected, but not at all dismayed. He 
 made a profound bow to the court, and waS 
 altogether calm and collected. While at the 
 bar he looked at the assembly with a curious 
 eye. He was dressed in a brown great coat, 
 yellow striped waistcoat, and nankeen trow- 
 sers. After standing some hours he asked for 
 the indulgence of a chair; the request was 
 granted, and he seated himself, apparently, 
 much at ease. He frequently took up some 
 leaves which were strewed at the bar, which 
 he often handled and smelled. During one 
 of the pauses which occurred, he took an 
 orange from his pocket and ate it. 
 
 On Monday morning. May 18th, 1812, 
 (the very day, of the preceding week, stained 
 by his guilt,) the wretched man suffered the 
 sentence awarded by the law. A vast 
 assemblage of spectators witnessed the firm- 
 ness with which he met his fate ; he appeared 
 unshaken in spirit to his last moment. A 
 number of persons in the crowd exclaimed, 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 25o 
 
 '' God bless him ! God receive him !" kc. 
 He Was hurried as it were out of the world, 
 not being allowed above two minutes to re- 
 main on the scaffold after he came out of 
 NeM'gatc. And notwithstanding the public 
 opinion was divided to know whether he 
 would be executed before Newgate, in Palace 
 Yard, or at Horsemonger Lane, gi'eat num- 
 iDcrs of troops wert stationed near Smithfield 
 and Blackfriar's Bridge; happily there was 
 no occasion for their interference, though it 
 was evident that by nine tenths of the people, 
 this unfortunate culprit was looked upon 
 more as a meritorious character than a male- 
 factor, to which his pertinacity in refusing to 
 acknowledge the criminality of the action, to 
 his last moments, materially contributed ; 
 notwithstanding he had been assailed by 
 magistrates, ministers, and persons of all 
 descriptions for that purpose. 
 
 But though it seems Lord Leveson Gower 
 did not come forward when the prisoner was 
 living, to defend his conduct, yet when the 
 man was dead and dissected, the following 
 letter appeared in the public papers, addressed 
 to Viscount Castlereagh, May 17th, 1812. 
 
254 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 '< Stanhope-Street, May 17th, 1812. 
 
 " MY LORD, 
 
 " It appears upon the trial of John Bellingham 
 for the murder of Mr. Perceval, that the prisoner, 
 in his defence, endeavoured to justify that atro- 
 cious act on the ground of his Majesty's Govern- 
 ment having refused to compensate him for the 
 injuries and oppression he states himself to have 
 suffered in Russia, during the time I had the 
 honour of representing his Majesty in that country. 
 He complained particularly of my conduct, and 
 that of Sir Stephen Shairp, his Majesty's Consul- 
 General, as having sanctioned, by our silence and 
 neglect to interfere in his behalf, the unjust treat- 
 ment, as he considered it, of the Russian Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 " I was subpoenaed by the prisoner to attend the 
 trial ; I did attend, and expected anxiously to 
 be called upon, to state, upon oath, all I could re- 
 collect of the circumstances of his case in Russia. 
 In this expectation, however, I v/as disappointed ; 
 my testimony was not called forj and, after 
 having heard the most serious accusation of gross 
 neglect of duty and want of common humanity, 
 brought forward by the prisoner, against myself 
 and Sir Stephen Shairp, I had not the opportunity 
 afforded me of publicly refuting those charges. 
 Although I am perfectly aware that the assertions 
 of a man, standing in the situation of Bellingham, 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 255 
 
 can, unsupported by any other testimony, have no 
 weight whatever with the sober and reflecting part 
 of the public, yet I should be wanting, I think, to 
 the interests and honour of the government of this 
 country, as well as to my own character and reputa- 
 tion, if I did not endeavour to do away any possible 
 misapprehension upon this subject, by as ample a 
 statement of the circumstances, as my memory, of 
 transactions which passed some years ago, will allow 
 me to furnish. 
 
 " As you, my lord, are at the head of that depart- 
 ment, under which I was employed, I conceive it to 
 be my duty to address this statement to your lord- 
 ship. 
 
 " In the year 1805, I remember receiving a 
 letter from John Bellingham, complaining of his 
 being detained in a prison at Archangel, and claim- 
 ing my protection, against what he conceived to 
 be the injustice of the constituted authorities of 
 that port ; I remember that immediately upon the 
 receipt of this letter, I consulted with Sir Stephen 
 Shairp, who agreed not only to write a letter to 
 the Governor-General, requiring an explanation 
 of the circumstances of which Bellingham com- 
 plained, but also to his own mercantile corre- 
 spondents, British residents at Archangel, for their 
 opinion of the conduct of the Russian Government 
 towards the complainant. 
 
 '' It appeared from these enquiries, that Belling- 
 ham having been engaged in commercial business 
 
256 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 with the house of Dorbecker and Co. pecuniary 
 claims were made by each party against the other, 
 and that these claims had been by the Governor- 
 General referred for decision to four merchants, 
 two British merchants being appointed on the part 
 of BtUingham, and two other persons on the part of 
 Dorbecker. By the award of those arbitrators, Bel- 
 iingham was declared to be indebted to the assignees 
 of Dorbecker the sum of two thousand roubles. This 
 sum, Bellingham, notwithstanding this decision, re- 
 fused to pay. 
 
 " It also appeared from the communications re- 
 ceived from Archangel, that a criminal suit had 
 been instituted against Bellingham, by the ovvn- 
 f^rs of a Russian ship, which had been lost in the 
 White Sea. They accused him of having written 
 an anonymous letter that had been received by 
 the Underwriters in London, in which letter it 
 was stated, that the insurance of that ship was a 
 fraudulent transaction ; and payment for the loss 
 of her had been in consequence resisted. No sa- 
 tisfactory proof was adduced against Bellingham, 
 and he was acquitted of this charge. — But be- 
 fore the termination of this suit, he attempted to 
 quit Archangel, and being stopped by the police, 
 whom he resisted, he was taken to prison ; but was 
 soon after liberated, in consequence, I believe, of a 
 second application to the Governor from Sir Ste- 
 phen Shairp. 
 
 " Aboyt this period I quitted Russia, and I have 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 257 
 
 no recollection of hearing any thing more of John 
 Bellin^ham, till after my arrival at St. Peters- 
 burgh upon my second embassy. He came run- 
 ning into my house one evening, and solicited me 
 to allow him to remain all night, in order to avoid 
 being retaken into custody by the police, from 
 whom he had escaped. I complied with this re- 
 quest, though I could not, upon any ground, as- 
 sume to myself the power of protecting him from 
 legal arrest. It appeared that the award of the 
 arbitrators of Archangel had been confirmed by 
 the Senate, to which body Bellingham had ap- 
 pealed ; and he was in consequence delivered over 
 to the custody of the College of Commerce (a 
 tribunal established for the special purpose of 
 taking cognizance of commercial matters relating 
 to British subjects, and whose authority was re- 
 cognized in the commercial treaty between the two 
 countries), there to remain till he discharged the 
 debt of the two thousand roubles. This custody 
 was not very strict, for he was allowed to walk 
 wherever he pleased, attended by a police officer 
 belonging to the college. He came frequently to 
 my house, and at various times received from my 
 private secretary small sums of money, to sup- 
 port him during his confinement. Confined as he 
 was by the legal authorities of the country, I cqulijj 
 on no pretence make any application for his re- 
 lease ; but I remember v/eil, in conversati,on,\vitji^ 
 the Minister for foreign affairs^ expressing my 
 
^5S LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 personal wish that the Russian government, see- 
 ing no prospect of recovering the sum of money 
 fequired from him, would liberate him from pri- 
 son, on condition of his immediately returning to 
 England. 
 
 "^ Very soon after this conversation, all diploma- 
 tic intercourse ceased between the two Courts ; 
 and the course of public events necessitated my 
 quitting Russia in the abrupt manner with which 
 your Lordship is well acquainted. I am, my Lord, 
 v.'ith great respect, 
 
 "" Your Lordship's most obedient, 
 
 " Humble Servant, 
 
 (Signed) " Granville Leveson Gower» 
 
 '' The Viscount Castlereagh, &c. &c. &c." 
 
 That a change in the administration would 
 take place in consequence of Mr. Perceval's 
 death was very ardently wished for and ge- 
 nerally credited, none can doubt ; for before 
 his remains were well deposited in the earth, 
 some of his former coadjutors began to ex- 
 pose his political weakness : of this class 
 none had more weight than the following 
 paper, which bore the name of Marquis 
 Wellesley's Declaration, and made its first 
 appearance in the Morning Chronicle. The 
 
THE RIGHT HOK. S. PERCUVAL. 259 
 
 facts it contains, it must be allowed, are by 
 no means creditable to the memory of the de- 
 ceased Chancellor, especially those which re- 
 late to his new Barrack system and the war in 
 Spain. 
 
 *' We believe it is no secret in the high political 
 circles, though not generally known. A paper 
 has been read (and indeed we have read it) which 
 states, that the Noble Marquis felt it impossible 
 for him to continue in office, because all his efforts 
 for conducting the foreign department of our 
 affairs with vigour and effect were counteracted 
 and nullified by the influence of Mr. Perceval in 
 the Cabinet. — The war in the peninsula, particu- 
 larly, was not maintained with that energy which 
 gave a chance to the skill of our commanders, and 
 the gallantry of our troops, to make it successful. 
 And here we may be allowed, by way of pa- 
 renthesis, to state a fact not mentioned in the 
 paper alluded to, but which has come to our 
 knowledge— that some time ago Lord Wellington 
 stated, that with the aid of a sum of 100,0001. the 
 Spanish government would have been able to raise 
 and equip an army for the defence of Gallicia, 
 which would set free, at an auspicious moment, 
 the whole of the British and Portuguese force, so 
 as to enable him to advance to important offensive 
 operations against the enemy-— but Mr. Perceval 
 declared, in the most peremptory manner, that 
 
260 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 the state of our resources would not enable him to 
 apply any such extra sum to the war in the penin- 
 sula. And yet he soon after, in complacency to 
 the prevailing taste at head-quarters, was quite 
 ready to devote double the sum to the raising of 
 extra barracks in the neighbourhood of London, 
 Bristol, and Liverpool. Barracks certainly use- 
 less at this time, when there are so few troops in 
 the country, and not very constitutional at any 
 time. — In every thing the Noble Marquis found 
 himself crippled in the discharge of his functions, 
 and in carrying into execution the measures 
 which he conceived to be the best calculated, for 
 the success of the great struggle in which we were 
 involved ; and therefore, on the very day when 
 Mr. Perceval proposed to bring in the Bill, for 
 taking off the restrictions from the authority of 
 the Regent, the Noble Lord laid his prayer before 
 his Royal Highness, that he might be permitted to 
 resign. He made known this determination to Mr. 
 Perceval in a letter, which that Right Honourable 
 Gentleman answered in terms ilattering to his 
 Lordship. 
 
 " The Prince Regent earnestly beseeched the 
 Noble Marquis to continue in place for a time at 
 least (the obvious meaning of which, we suppose, 
 the Noble Lord could not mistake), and accor- 
 dingly consented to hold the seals j but it was with 
 no litde surprise that he le?,rnt that Mr. Perceval 
 had, without communicating the fact to him, and 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 261 
 
 while he continued, indeed, to observe towards 
 him the forms of outward civility and confidence, 
 made repeated applications to his Royal Highness 
 to nominate a successor to Marquis Wellesley ; 
 and had actually, at different times proposed to 
 take his pleasure on the appointment of Earl 
 Moira, of Lord Castlereagh, and of Lord Sid- 
 mouth in his room. When this disingenuous 
 proceeding came to the knowledge of the Noble 
 Lord, he renewed his application to the Prince 
 Regent to be permitted to resign. — His Royal 
 Highness at length said, that he shoul(J hear his 
 determination through Lord Eldon ; and two days 
 after the seals were sent for. — The paper in ques- 
 tion concludes with a declaration of the opinion 
 of the Noble Marquis on the very inadequate ta- 
 lents of Mr. Perceval to the station of Prime 
 Minister, though he might possess abilities that 
 fitted him for inferior situations in the State — that 
 the Noble Marquis was resolved never again to 
 act under Mr. Perceval j but he by no means had 
 the desire or ambition to be Minister himself. On 
 the contrary, he would be quite ready to act under 
 others — ^imder such men for instance, as Earl Moira 
 or Lord Holland — nor had he any objection to act 
 with any persons — even ivith Mr. Perceval, but 
 certainly not under him. 
 
 " We mention the substance of this paper 
 (which has been so long in circulation as to be 
 no longer a secret at the West-end of the town), 
 
262 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 because it is fit, when there is talk of public ho- 
 nours and of rewarding the services of Mr. Perce- 
 val by a monument, to make known the sentiments 
 of his most able and distinguished coadjutor, on his 
 talents and conduct in office." 
 
 This almost death-blow to the political 
 consistency and consequence of the late 
 Chancellor, was almost immediately follow- 
 ed by the publication of the whole corres- 
 pondence between the Earl of Liverpool, 
 the Marquis Wellesley, and Mr. Canning. 
 
THE EIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 263 
 
 PAPERS 
 
 RD LIVERPOO 
 LORD WELLESLEY. 
 
 May ir, 1812. 
 
 ■wvvwvwwv 
 
 (COPY)— No. 1. 
 
 Note from Mr, Canning to Lord Wdlesley^ inclos- 
 ing the Minute taken in Lord LinerpooVs pre- 
 sence^ May 17, 1812. 
 
 " Gloucester-Lodge, May 17, 1812. 
 
 " MY DEAR WELLESLEY, 
 
 " I inclose the Minute which I have taken in 
 Lord Liverpool's presence of the proposal which 
 he was charged to convey to me. 
 
 " Ever, my dear Wellesley, 
 *' Sincerely and affectionately your's, 
 
 (Signed) " George Canning. 
 
 '* P. S. I shall return a written answer to Lord 
 Liverpool to-morrow." 
 
264 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 (INCLOSURE)— No. 1. 
 
 Minute of Conversation between Mr. Canning and 
 Lord Liverpool^ dated \7th May^ 1812. 
 
 " Gloucester-Lodge, Sunday, May 17, 1812. 
 
 " Jl.ord Liverpool stated to me, that he was 
 commanded by His Royal Highness the Prince 
 Regent to make me the following communica- 
 tion : — 
 
 " That upon the melancholy event of Mr. Per- 
 ceval's death, his Royal Highness being desirous 
 of continuing his Administration upon its present 
 basis, was desirous also of strengthening it as 
 much as possible, by associating to it such per- 
 sons in public life as agreed most nearly and ge- 
 nerally in the principles upon which public affairs 
 had been conducted. 
 
 " That with this view his Royal Highness natu- 
 rally looked to Lord Wellesley and to me. 
 
 " That he (Lord Liverpool) was authorized to 
 express the disposition of all his colleagues to act 
 with Lord Wellesley and me, under an arrange- 
 ment which might be at once consistent with their 
 own honour and duty, and honourable and satisfac- 
 tory to us. 
 
 " That with respect to Lord Castlereagh, it 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 265 
 
 was fair that it should be distinctly understood, 
 that the situation in which he stands, both in this 
 Government and in the House of Commons, was 
 to be preserved to him. 
 
 *' That with respect to official arrangements, he 
 (Lord L.j would not have been the bearer of any 
 proposition to me, but one which was understood 
 as comprising my friends. In answer to a ques- 
 tion put by me, Lord L. stated, that his col- 
 leagues were desirous, that he should be appointed 
 to the office of First Lord of the Treasury ; and 
 that this desire was known to the Prince Regent, 
 when his Royal Highness commanded Lord Liver- 
 pool to undertake this communication. 
 
 *' Lord Liverpool added, that he was ready to 
 answer any other enquiry that I might wish to 
 make : or to clear up any thing that he might 
 have imperfectly explained. I said, that I thought 
 it better to receive his communication just as he 
 gave it me ; and to defer making any remark, or 
 giving ary answer whatever, until I should have 
 communicated it to my friends. Lord Liverpool 
 himself undertaking to see Lord Wellesley. 
 
 ^' I would only, therefore, ask — Whether I was 
 to consider the opinion and policy of the Govern- 
 ment as remaining altogether unchanged upon the 
 question relating to the laws affecting the Roman 
 Catholics ? 
 
 " Lord Liverpool answered, that his own opi- 
 nions upon this subject remained unchanged ; and 
 A a 
 
266 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 that he was not aware that those of his colleagues 
 had undergone any change. 
 
 " I then wrote this minute in Lord Liverpool's 
 presence; which he read over, and suggested 
 such corrections as appeared to him necessary for 
 making it perfectly accurate. 
 
 " (Signed) George Canning." 
 
 May 17, 1812. 
 
 No. II. 
 
 Minute of Conversation between Lord Wellesley 
 and Lord Liverpool^ 17th Mayyl812. 
 
 " Apsley-House, inh May, 1812, 
 " quarter past 5, p. m. 
 
 " Lord Liverpool came to me immediately af- 
 ter his visit to Mr. Canning, and remained with 
 me for about half an hour. Soon after Lord Li- 
 verpool's departure, I received the annexed paper 
 from Mr. Canning^. 
 
 " Lord Liverpool's conversation with me was 
 substantially the same as that which is described 
 to have passed with Mr. Canning. Any differ- 
 ence which appeared, arose necessarily from my 
 questions and observations, which were made 
 
 * Vide Mr. Canning's Minute, No. 1. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 267 
 
 without knowledge of what passed between Lord 
 Liverpool and Mr. Canning. After receiving 
 Lord Liverpool's verbal communication, nearly 
 in the terms stated by Mr. Canning, I enquired, 
 (1st.) what was to be the policy of the Government 
 with relation to the Roman Catholics ? To this 
 question Lord Liverpool returned the same answer 
 stated in Mr. Canning's paper to have been return- 
 ed to a similar question. 
 
 " 2dly, I observed to Lord Liverpool, that he 
 was apprised of my opinion, that our efforts in 
 the Peninsula had been conducted on an inadequate 
 and imperfect scale, which could not be expected 
 to accomplish the ultimate objects of the war in that 
 quarter ; that I had for a long time considered an 
 extension of our system in the Peninsula to be 
 indispensably necessary, and easily practicable : 
 that I was aware of the impropriety (in my present 
 situation) of urging any detailed questions to Lord 
 Liverpool on this point ; but, that I mentioned it 
 now, because it must form a principal consideration 
 in my answer to the proposition which he had 
 brought to me. 
 
 " Lord Liverpool said, that he did not agree 
 in my opinion respecting the scale of the efforts 
 which we had hitherto made in the Peninsula, 
 which he thought as great as it had been possible 
 to make ; that there never had been any limit to 
 our exertions in that quarter, but what arose out 
 of the question of practicability (that is, the 
 
268 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 means of increasing and supplying our armies) ; 
 and that he had never heard any specific plan ify 
 which those means might have been carried fur- 
 ther, though the subject had been often most 
 anxiou&ly considered in my presence ; that cir- 
 cumstances had occurred since my resignation, 
 which did not then exist, and into the particulars 
 of which it would not be proper for him to enter 
 at this time, which might enable Government to 
 extend to a certain degree, the military operations 
 in the Peninsula ; and the system of himself and 
 his colleagues would be, as he contended they al- 
 ways had been, to make the greatest efforts in the 
 cause of the Peninsula which the resources of the 
 country rendered possible. 
 
 *' Sdly, I enquired whether all the general con- 
 stituent parts of the present Cabinet were to re- 
 main ? He informed me that they were in general 
 to remain. He believed it was known to me, that 
 some of the Members of the Cabinet had been long 
 desirous of retiring, and would be ready, there- 
 fore, now to afford facilities to my new arrange- 
 ment. 
 
 *' In answer to a question put by me respecting 
 Lord Sidmouth and his friends, he said they were 
 to remain. 
 
 ^' 4thly, I stated to Lord Liverpool, that I 
 made no enquiry respecting the pro'posed distri- 
 bution and allocation of offices ; because that cir- 
 cumstance would not constitute the basis of my 
 
THB RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL, 269 
 
 decision upon the proposition which he had 
 brought to me. 
 
 " Lord Liverpool observed, that the distri- 
 bution of offices was a matter open to future ad- 
 justment, to be regulated for the honour of all 
 parties. 
 
 ** 5thly, When Lord Liverpool informed me, 
 that the leading in the House of Commons was to 
 be preserved to Lord Castlereagh, I remarked, 
 that in any situation which I might ever hold in 
 any Administration, I should feel great obligation 
 to any Member of the Government who would 
 undertake that charge, which was called the leading 
 in the House of Parliament in which I sat j al- 
 though I was fully aware of the great importance 
 which that charge necessarily conveyed to the per- 
 son who exercised it, and of the great influence 
 which it must give to him in the general Adminis- 
 tration and Patronage of the Government. 
 
 " 6thly, I desired to know, whether all those 
 persons now designated by the name of the *^ Op- 
 position," were to be excluded from the proposed 
 scheme of Administration. 
 
 " Lord Liverpool answered, that no principle 
 of exclusion was intended ; but that he was not 
 authorized to make any proposal to any persons of 
 the description which I had mentioned. 
 
 " rthly. Considering the course which Lord 
 Liverpool had observed in making this communi- 
 cation, I asked him, whether he applied to me by 
 A a2 
 
Q70 JUIFB AN3 ADMINI&TBA,TION OF 
 
 command of the Prince Regent, as a part of Mr, 
 Canning's suite ? I reminded Lord Liverpool of 
 the constant and unabated exertions which I had 
 made to open every avenue for the return of Mr. 
 .Canning to the public service ; remarking at the 
 same time, that I never had attempted to press 
 that point beyond the honour and feelings of Mr. 
 Perceval's Administration. I stated, that I could 
 not consider any Administration to be constituted 
 on a foundation of justice towards individual ta- 
 lents and services, or towards the interests of 
 the country, in which Mr. Canning should not 
 hold a high efficient station. But I added, that 
 Mr. Canning was under no engagement to me 
 which could preclude his acceptance of any office 
 which might be offered to him ; that, on the other 
 hand, Mr. Canning would certainly make the 
 same declaration with regard to my perfect free- 
 dom. Lord Liverpool said, that he had pursued 
 this course of communication, being convinced, 
 that, under the present circumstances, I would not 
 accept office, unless a fair proposal was made to 
 Mr. Canning. I declared to Lord Liverpool, that 
 he was correct in this view of my sentiments 
 towards Mr. Canning ; repeating, however, that 
 Mr. Canning and I were perfectly free to act as 
 each might think fit, and that our agreement in 
 many great public principles could not affect ques- 
 tions of mere official arrangement. 
 
 *' Sthly, I expressed my wish to receive this 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL, 271 
 
 communication in writing ; to answer it in wri- 
 ting ; and also to submit my sentiments upon the 
 whole transaction in an audience of the Prince Re- 
 gent. 
 
 " Lord Liverpool informed nie, that Mr. 
 Canning would transmit to me a copy of the 
 Minute of Lord Liverpool's conversation tiikcn 
 in his presence, and Lord Liverpool desired me 
 to consider that paper=^ as the written communi- 
 cation which I wished to receive. I agreed to 
 Lord Liverpool's proposal on this point. I then 
 informed Lord Liverpool, that I would return my 
 answer in writing to that paper. Whatever 
 might be the tenor of my answer, with regard to 
 the great public considerations on which it mu^ 
 be founded, I expressed my hope, that Lord 
 Liverpool would be assured of my sincere per- 
 sonal respect and esteem. I now transmit this 
 Minute to Lord Liverpool, requesting him to 
 insert any correction which he might think re- 
 quisite. 
 
 " (Signed) Wellesley." 
 
 '-' May 18, 1812." 
 
 *' Corrected by Lord Liverpool, and returned 
 to me. 
 
 " (Signed) Wellesley." 
 
 Vide Mr. Canning's Minute, No. L 
 
272 LITE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 No. III. 
 
 Note from Mr, Canning to Lord Wellesley^ enclO" 
 sing a Letter to Mr. Canning from Lord Liver- 
 pool^ relative to Lord Castlereagh, 
 (COPY.) 
 " Gloucester Lodge, Sunday night, 
 " May 17, 1812. 
 
 " MY DEAR WELLESLEY, 
 
 " I have just received from Lord Liverpool a 
 ktter, of which the enclosed is a copy. I trans- 
 mit it to you to be added, according to his desire, 
 to the copy of the minute of his verbal communica- 
 tion of this morning. 
 
 " Ever affectionately your's, 
 
 " G. C." 
 
 COPY in No. III. 
 Lord Liverpool to Mr. Canning, 
 (private.) 
 « Fife-House, May ir, 1812. 
 
 " MY DEAR CANNING, 
 
 " I think, upon reflection, it is due to Lord 
 Castlereagh to state, in writing, what I mention- 
 ed to you verbally, that from motives of delicacy 
 he absented himself from the Cabinet, on the oc- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 273 
 
 casions on which the subject in your Memorandum 
 was tletermined. 
 
 " I did not, however, make the communica- 
 tion to you, without having reason to know that 
 he would be no obstacle in the way of an ar- 
 rangement, founded on the principles stated in 
 the Memorandum. 
 
 " I will beg of you to communicate this letter 
 to any persons to whom you may communicate 
 the Memorandum. 
 
 " (Signed) Liverpool." 
 
 " To the Right Hon. George Canning." 
 
 Paper relative to Lord Liver pooVs Proposal to 
 Mr. Cannings Blay 17, 1812. 
 
 •' Gloucester Lodge, May 18, 1812. 
 
 " MY DEAR LIVERPOOL, 
 
 " I have communicated to such of my friends as I 
 bad an immediate opportunity of consulting, the mi- 
 nute, taken in your presence, of the proposition 
 which you conveyed to me yesterday. 
 
 " In a case in which I felt that my decision either 
 way might be liable to misapprehension, I was desi- 
 rous rather to collect the opinions of persons whose 
 judgment I esteem, than to act on the impulse of my 
 own first feelings. 
 
274 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 " The result of their opinions is, that by entering 
 into the Administration upon the terms proposed to 
 me, I should incur such a loss of personal and pub- 
 lic character, as would disappoint the object which 
 his Royal Highness the Prince Regent has at heart ; 
 and must render my accession to his Government a 
 new source of weakness, rather than an addition of 
 strength. 
 
 " To become a part of your Administration, 
 with the previous knowledge of your unaltered 
 opinions as to policy of resisting all consideration 
 of the state of the laws affecting his Majesty's 
 Roman Catholic subjects, would, it is felt, be to 
 lend myself to the defeating of my own declared 
 opinions on that most important question : opi- 
 nions which are as far as those of any man from 
 being favourable to precipitate and unqualified 
 concession ; but which rest on the conviction that 
 it is the duty of the advisers of the crown, with 
 a view to the peace, tranquillity, and strength of 
 the empire, to take that whole question into their 
 early and serious consideration ; and earnestly to 
 endeavour to bring it to a final and satisfactory 
 settlement. 
 
 " With this result of the opinions of those whom 
 I have consulted my own entirely concurs ; and 
 such being the ground of my decision, it is wholly 
 unnecessary to advert to any topics of inferior im- 
 portance. 
 
 " After the expressions, however, with which 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 275 
 
 you were charged on the part of all your col; 
 leagues, I should not be warranted in omitting to 
 declare, that no objection of a personal sort should 
 have prevented me from uniting with any or all of 
 them, in the public service, if I could have done 
 so with honour ; and if, in my judgment, a Cabi- 
 net so constituted in all its parts, could have af- 
 forded to the country, under its present gi'eat and 
 various difficulties, an adequately efficient Admin- 
 istration. 
 
 '^ I cannot deny myself the satisfaction of add- 
 ing, that the manner of your communication with 
 me has entirely corresponded with the habits and 
 sentiments of a friendship of so many years ; a 
 friendship which our general concurrence on many 
 great political principles has strengthened, and 
 which our occasional differences have in no degree 
 impaired. 
 
 " On the public grounds which I have stated, 
 I must entreat you to lay at the feet of the Prince 
 Regent, together with the warmest expressions of 
 my dutiful attachment to his Royal Highness, and 
 of my acknowledgement for the favourable opinion 
 which his Royal Highness has been graciously 
 pleased to entertain of me, my humble but earnest 
 prayer to be excused from accepting office on terms 
 which, by a sacrifice of public character, must ren- 
 der me inefficient for the service of his Royal High- 
 ness's Government. 
 
 " I presume, at the same time, humbly to solicit 
 
276 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 an audience of the Prince Regent, for the purpose 
 of explaining in person to his Royal Highness the 
 grounds of my conduct, on an occasion on which I 
 should be grieved to think, that his Royal Highness 
 could, for a moment, consider me as wanting either 
 in duty to his Royal Highness, or in zeal for the 
 public service j and of assuring his Royal Highness 
 that my ii^ability to assist in forwarding his Royal 
 Highness's purpose of procuring strength to his Ad- 
 ministratiorij on the plan which has been suggested 
 by his Royal Highness's confidential servants, does 
 not arise from any disposition, on my part, to shrink 
 from the encounter of those difficulties which press, 
 at this time, upon the country and upon the Crown. 
 " I am &c. 
 " (Signed) George Canning." 
 
 No. IV. 
 
 Copy of a Letter from 3Iarquis Wellesley to the Earl ^ 
 of Liverpool^ transmitting Lord W.^s Reply to 
 Lord Liver pooVs Proposal, 
 
 " Apsley-House, May 18, 1812, 
 half-past three, p. m. 
 
 " MY DEAR LORD, 
 
 " I enclose a paper, containing my reply to the 
 communication which you were so kind as to 
 
THE RIGHT HON. 8. PERCEVAL. 277 
 
 make to me yesterday. Although I find myself 
 compelled to decline the proposal which you con- 
 veyed, I request you to accept my grateful thanks 
 for the amicable and satisfactory manner in which 
 you communicated with me: and to be assured, 
 that I shall always entertain the most sincere and 
 cordial sentiments of personal respect and esteem 
 for you. 
 *♦ Believe me, my dear Lord, 
 
 " Most sincerely your's, 
 " (Signed) Wellesley." 
 
 '^ Earl of Liverpool." 
 
 (INCLOSURE) No. IV. 
 
 LdrdWelksky^s Reply to Lord Liverpoors 
 PropositioTU 
 
 ** Apsley-House, May 18. 
 
 *' From the communication received through 
 Lord Liverpool,, I understand, that his Royal 
 Highness the Prince Regent has been graciously 
 pleased to signify his desire of strengthening his 
 Administration upon its present basis, by asso- 
 ciating me with it, as one of those persons who 
 agree most nearly and generally in the principles 
 upon which public affairs have been conducted. 
 
 " From the same communication I also derive 
 Bb 
 
278 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 the gratifying intelligence, that all Lord Liver- 
 pool's colleagues have authorised him, to express 
 a disposition to act with me, under an arrange- 
 ment, consistent with their own honour and duty, 
 and honourable and satisfactory to me. 
 
 " I receive this notification of the Prince Re- 
 gent's commands with every sentiment of duty 
 and affection, while it affords me matter of just 
 satisfaction, that, to the distinguished honour of 
 such condescending notice from his Royal High- 
 ness, is added so high a testimony of the confi- 
 dence and esteem of all the respectable persons 
 composing his present Administration. 
 
 " With all humility towards the exalted autho- 
 rity from which this proposition proceeds, and 
 with the most sincere regard for those through 
 whom it is conveyed, I must, however, declare, 
 that I should have declined it at the first instant 
 of its approach, if motives of deference and sub- 
 missive attachment had not imposed upon me 
 the obligation of receiving it with respectful con- 
 sideration. 
 
 . " The proposition necessarily rests upon a sup- 
 position, that I entertain no such difference of 
 public sentiment with the present Administration, 
 as should preclude me from acting with them, 
 under an arrangement compatible with our mu- 
 tual and respective honour and duty. 
 
 " But it appears from Lord Liverpool's candid 
 and explicit statement, that upon the important 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 279 
 
 question, which regards the laws affecting the Ro- 
 man Catholics, Lord Liverpool's opinions remain 
 unchanged ; nor is he aware, that the sentiments 
 of his colleagues, on that subject, have undergone 
 any change. 
 
 " I must therefore conclude, that the policy 
 which has been pursued respecting the Roman 
 Catholics, during the present Session of Parlia- 
 ment, is to be continued without abatement ; the 
 general constituent parts of the present Cabinet 
 are to remain unchanged ; the highest and most 
 efficient offices in the State, therefore, are to be 
 filled by persons who still conceive themselves to 
 be bound by duty, honour, and conscience, not 
 only to resist any mitigation of the present 
 condition of the Koman Catholics, but even to 
 prevent the consideration of the laws which 
 affect that large portion of the population of the 
 empire. 
 
 " I cannot concur in the principle on which the 
 present Administration has conducted this impor- 
 tant branch of public affairs ; on this point, I have 
 recently expressed the strongest difference of opi- 
 nion with the present Administration. 
 
 " The declaration of Lord Liverpool precludes 
 the hope of any such change in the policy of the 
 present Administration towards the Roman Ca- 
 tholics as could satisfy my judgment. This diffe- 
 rence is of the utmost importance : without any 
 ©ther obstacle, therefore, this alone compels me 
 
280 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 to decline the proposition which Lord Liverpool 
 has conveyed to me. 
 
 " I entertain a confident expectation, that when 
 the Prince Regent shall have considered the nature 
 of this difficulty, he will extend his indulgence 
 to my humble representation, and will relieve me 
 from the pressure of commands, which I could not 
 obey without sacrificing a public principle of the 
 highest obligation. 
 
 ** These observations comprise a sufficient re- 
 ply to the communication received through Lord 
 Liverpool. But I deem it to be a duty towards 
 the Prince Regent to declare, that the considera- 
 tions which induced me, on the 19th of February, 
 to resign the station which I had the honour 
 to hold in his Royal Highnesses service, ;h^ve 
 acquired additional force since that time, and 
 w^ould constitute an insuperable obstacle to my 
 acceptance of any station in the present A^^fnUlis^ 
 t ration. 
 
 " I originally expressed my desire to withdraw 
 from Mr. Perceval's Administration, because my 
 general opinions, for a long time past, on various 
 important questions, had not sufficient weight in 
 that Cabinet, to justify me towards the public, 
 or towards my own character, in continuing in 
 office. 
 
 " My objections to remaining in that Cabinet 
 arose, in a great degree, from the imperfect scale 
 on which the efforts in the Peninsula were con- 
 
r 
 THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 281 
 
 diirted. It was nlwaj-s stated tu mc, that it was im- 
 practicable to enlarge that system. I thoughi that 
 it was perfectly practicable to extend the plan in the 
 Peninsula, and that it v/as neither sate nor honest to- 
 wards this country or the allies to continue the pre- 
 sent inadequate scheme. 
 
 " From Lord Liverpool's statement upon this 
 point, it is evident, that, since my resignation, it 
 has been found practicable to make some exten- 
 sion of the system in the Peninsula ; but it is still 
 intimated, that my views are more extensive than 
 the resources of the country can enable the Go- 
 vernment to reduce to practice. I however still 
 entertain the same views and opinions, without 
 diminution or alteration ; and I am convinced, 
 that a considerable extension of the scale of our 
 operations in the Peninsula, and also an effectual 
 correction of many branches of our system in that 
 quarter, are objects of indispensible necessity, and 
 of easy attainment. 
 
 *^ With such a decided difference of opinion in re- 
 lation to the conduct and management of the war, 
 my return into a Cabinet composed as the present is, 
 would oflVr to me no better prospect than the re- 
 newal of discussions which have hitherto proved uri- 
 avaiiing. 
 
 " I learn from Lord Liverpool, that he has 
 received no authority, in forming the intended 
 Administration, to make any proposal to any of 
 B b2 
 
282 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 those persons naw designated by the name of ^' The 
 Opposition." 
 
 " My enquiry on this point originated in a 
 sincere conviction, (founded upon an attentive 
 observation of the general state of public opinion, 
 and of the condition of the empire,) that no Ad- 
 ministration, which shall not comprise some of 
 those persons, can prove advantageous to the 
 Prince Regent, conciliatory towards Ireland, and 
 equal to the conduct of the war on a scale of suf- 
 ficient extent. 
 
 " It has been stated erroneously, that the first 
 act of the Prince Regent upon his approach to 
 unrestricted authority, was to establish Mr. Per- 
 ceval's administration : but the fact is, that his 
 Royal Highnesses first act at that crisis was to 
 dissolve Mr. Perceval's Administration ; and to 
 endeavour to form a Cabinet upon a more ex- 
 tended and liberal basis. This endeavour was 
 frustrated at that moment, and the formation of 
 such a Cabinet was represented to his Royal 
 Highness to be impracticable. It has, however, 
 since appeared evident to me, from the discussions 
 and declarations which I have witnessed in Par- 
 liament, that his Royal Highnesses benevolent 
 intentions on that subject are now perfectly prac- 
 ticable ; and that their accomplishment would 
 tend to promote internal peace and tranquillity, 
 and to invigorate the whole system of our exter- 
 nal operaUons. 
 
, THE RCGHT HOK. &. PEHCEVA^. 283 
 
 " Impressed with this sentiment, I should be 
 untrue to his Royal Highness's interests and 
 honour, as well as to the prosperity of the empire, 
 if I concurred in any arrangement of an Admini- 
 stration which did not include a fair and full con- 
 sideration of this most important point. 
 
 "After such a dispassionate consideration, my 
 opinion is, that a Cabinet might be formed, on 
 an intermediary principle respecting the Roman 
 Catholic claims, equally exempt from the dangers 
 of instant, unqualified concession, and from those 
 of inconsiderate, peremptory exclusion ; the en- 
 tire resources of the empire might be applied to 
 the great objects of the war with general con- 
 sent, upon a full understanding of the real exi- 
 gency of the present crisis ; and concord and 
 union at home might secure ultimate and perma- 
 nent success abroad. 
 
 *' (Signed) Wellesley." 
 
 To the Marquis Welles ley. 
 
 " Fife-House, May 19, 1812. 
 
 " MY DEAR LORD, 
 
 ** After the receipt of the paper v/hich you sent 
 to me in the afternoon of yesterday, I should cer- 
 tainly have felt it to be unnecessary and fruitless 
 to trouble you with any further correspondence, 
 if I were not desirous to correct the misapprehen- 
 
284 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 sion into which you appear to have fallen respect- 
 ing my opinions, and those of my colleagues, upon 
 the Roman Catholic question. 
 
 " In the communication which passed between 
 us on Sunday, as well as that which I previously 
 had with Mr. Canning, I certainly stated my opi- 
 nions upon the Roman Catholic question to re- 
 main unchanged, and that I was not aware that 
 those of my colleagues had undergone any 
 change. 
 
 *' With respect to myself individually, I must 
 protest against its being inferred from any decla- 
 ration of mine, that it is, or ever has been, my 
 opinion, that under no circumstances it would be 
 possible to make any alteration in the laws re- 
 specting the Roman Catholics. 
 
 " Upon the last occasion on which the subject 
 was discussed in Parliament, 1 expressly stated 
 that circumstances might arise, in which, in my 
 judgment, some alteration in those laws would be 
 advisable. I have always been desirous of hear- 
 ing the specific proposition which should explain 
 distinctly, what part of the existing securities it 
 was intended to repeal — v.- hat part it was intended 
 to preserve, and what were the new securities 
 whifh it has been so often declared must be sub- 
 stituted in the place of some of those, which are at 
 present in force. 
 
 " I liave never heard any satisfactory explana- 
 tion on this point. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 285 
 
 " I will fairly own, that in the present state of 
 the opinions and feelings of the Roman Catho- 
 lics, I do not believe such a project to be practi- 
 cable, consistently with the attainment of the 
 avowed objects of really satisfying the Roman 
 Catholics, and of aifording an adequate security 
 to the Established Church and Constitution. 
 
 " Entertaining this opinion, I have felt it to be 
 my duty to continue to resist a Parliamentary In- 
 quiry on that subject, which, in my judgment, 
 could be productive of no other effect than that 
 of alarming the Protestants on the one hand, 
 and of deluding and deceiving the Roman Ca* 
 tholics on the other. 
 
 ** With respect to the opinions of my col- 
 leagues, there are some who entirely agree with 
 me in the view which I have taken of this ques- 
 tion ; but I am sure it must be known to you, 
 from discussions at which you have been present, 
 that there are others who have always entertained 
 and avowed different opinions from those profess- 
 ed by me upon some parts of this subject. 
 
 " You must recollect, that considerations of a 
 very high importance, but which might be only 
 temporary in their nature, induced us all, up to 
 a very late period, to be decidedly of opinion, that 
 it was not proper that under such circumstances 
 the measure should be entertained. 
 
 " You may be of opinion that since the month 
 of February last these considerations have ceased 
 
286 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION' OF 
 
 to be in force. But they are still regarded by 
 others as not having lost their weight. Besides 
 the considerations to which I have referred, the 
 conduct and temper which the Roman Catholics 
 have been induced to manifest, the principle upon 
 which the question has been brought forward, the 
 circumstances of Europe at this time give rise to 
 objections which are felt in a greater or less de- 
 gree by different persons. 
 
 " I have thought this explanation due to my 
 colleagues and to myself. 
 
 " In one point we are all agreed, that this is not 
 the moment at which the question ought to be en- 
 tertained, with a view to any immediate practical 
 consequence. I am aware, that in this sense of 
 our duty, our opinions may be at variance with 
 your's ; but it is material that these opinions 
 should not be misunderstood, or subject to the in- 
 terpretation to which my silence might render 
 them liable, if I had not returned some answer to 
 that part of your paper. 
 
 " Upon the subject of the manner in which the 
 war in the Peninsula has been managed, I forbear 
 entering into any particulars at present ; but I 
 think it material to observe, with respect to my 
 declaration, that since your resignation it had 
 been found practicable to make some extension of 
 the military efforts in the Peninsula, that this has 
 not arisen from any means which were in exist- 
 ence at the time when you were in office, and 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 287 
 
 which there had been then any indisposition or ob- 
 jection to direct to that object, but it has grown out 
 of events which have subsequently occurred, and 
 which may place at the disposal of Government, 
 means which were at that time unavoidably applied 
 to another service. 
 
 " As this letter is merely explanatory, I will not 
 give you the trouble of returning any answer to it j 
 but I am sure you will see the justice and propriety 
 of considering it as a part of the correspondence 
 which has passed between us on the subject to which 
 It relates. 
 
 " I am, &c. 
 " (Signed) Liverpool." 
 
 *' Marquis Wellesley, K. G." 
 
 Copy of Lord Wellesley'* s Reply to Lord Liver pooVs 
 Explanatory Letter of the 19th May^ 1819. 
 (COPY.) 
 " Apsley House, May 21, 1812. 
 
 " MY DEAR LORD, 
 
 " Although you have had the goodness to dis- 
 pense with my returning any answer to your let- 
 ter of the 19th instant, some further observations 
 on my part may perhaps contribute to promote 
 the professed object of that letter, by explaining 
 and correcting whatever may appear doubtful or 
 
288 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 erroneous in the course of our recent correspond- 
 ence* 
 
 " When you informed mc^ that your opinion 
 upon the claims of the Roman Catholics remained 
 unchanged, and that you were not aware of any 
 change in the opinion of your colleagues on that 
 subject, I certainly concluded, that the policy, 
 which has been pursued, during the present ses* 
 sion of Parliament, would be continued by the new 
 Cabinet: subsequent reflection satisfies me, that 
 such a conclusion was just and reasonable ; nor 
 can I admit, that I have fallen into any misappre- 
 hension of that system of policy, when I have de- 
 scribed it as consisting, not only in the denial of 
 any present relief to the Roman Catholics, but even 
 a peremptory refusal to consider the state of the law 
 which affects their civil condition. 
 
 " Whatever may be the different character or 
 complexion of the opinions of the several Members 
 of the present Cabinet, the practical result has been 
 to pursue the course which I have described, during 
 the present session of Parliament ; and your expla- 
 nation on this point closes with an admission, that 
 you are all agreed to continue the same policy in the 
 present moment. 
 
 " No suggestion is made of the time or circum- 
 stances, in which any alteration of this system of 
 policy can be expected ; no prospect is afforded of 
 any conciliatory proceeding, which might tend to 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 289 
 
 Open the v/ay to an amicable settlement ; and, while 
 I desire of hearing specific propositions of security 
 is professed, the very consideration of the question, 
 is denied to Parliament, and is not pursued by any 
 other authority. 
 
 *-^ This statement is no misapprehension of the 
 tenor of your explanatory letter ; and in such a. 
 state of the practical consequences of the united 
 Councils of the present Cabinet, it maybe deemed 
 superfluous to analyze individual sentiments. 
 
 ^' This task (however useless with regard to pre- 
 . nt practice) is required from me, by the strong 
 protest wliich you have made against any inference 
 to be drawn from any declaration of your's, * that 
 ' it is, or ever has been your opinion, ^that under 
 ' no circumstances it would be possible to make any 
 ' alteration in the laws respecting the Roman Ca- 
 ' tholics.' To this protest you have added an assu- 
 rance, ' that upon the lasf: occasion, on which the 
 ' subject was discussed in Parliament, you expressly' 
 * stated that circumstances rrjght arise, in which,' 
 ' in your judgment, some alteration In those laws 
 ' would be advisable.' 
 
 " I confess freely to you, that! had always un-^' 
 
 dt-rstood your recorded opinion on this subject in 
 
 a very different sense: T had supposed, that you 
 
 considered the disabilities imposed by Statute upon 
 
 the Roman -Catholics, not as temporary and 
 
 ccasional securities, against a temporary 'and 
 
 ccasiohal danger, but as an integral and perma- 
 
 c c 
 
290 LIF13 AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 nent part of the Constitution in Church and State, 
 established at the Revolution. 
 
 " In this opinion, I had always understood, that 
 several of the principal Members of the present 
 Cabinet concurred with you ; and that you felt, 
 in common, an apprehension, that the removal of 
 any important part of this system of restraint 
 would endanger the foundations of the Estab- 
 lishment of our Laws, Liberties, and Re- 
 ligion. 
 
 " Viewing in this light your sentiments, and 
 those of the respectable persons to whom I refer, 
 I am persuaded, that I shall not be suspected of 
 intending to cast any reflection upon the honour or 
 honesty of those principles, or of the persons who 
 maintain them. 
 
 " I have ever considered those principles to be 
 pure and honest in the minds in which I supposed 
 them to reside ; and, while I gave full credit to their 
 sincerity, I lamented their erroneous foundation and 
 dangerous tendency. 
 
 ** I must further declare, that, from some acci- 
 dent, I did not hear the Statement in Parliament to 
 which you refer, as having b?en made by you, on the 
 last occasion, in the House of Lords. 
 
 " I now, however, understand your opinion to be, 
 that circumstances may arise., in which, in your 
 judgment, some alteration would be advisable in the 
 Laws affecting the Roman Catholics. 
 
THE RIGHT HON. 9. PfiRCEVAL. 291 
 
 " I should be desirous of urging the same in- 
 quiry respecting circumstances^ which you have 
 made respecting seciirkies ; and I should be anxi- 
 ous to hear the specific statement of a//y vr ajiy of 
 those circumstances^ under which you would ad- 
 vise any alteration in the Laws respecting the 
 Roman Catholics. 
 
 " The explanation which you require, respect- 
 ing securities, is attainable, only by a full consi- 
 deration and discussion of the whole subject ; and 
 I therefore view the declared intention of resisting 
 the first step towards such a discussion, as an 
 effectual barrier against that explanation, which 
 you consider to be the necessary preliminary to 
 any alteration in the existing Statutes. 
 
 '' The details of your reasoning on this part of 
 the question, render the prospect of any settle- 
 ment utterly hopeless : you require a change in 
 the state of the opinions, feelings, conduct, and 
 temper of the Roman Catholics, as a preliminarv 
 even to the consideration of the causes of their 
 tomplaints. But is it possible to expect effec- 
 tual change in the temper of the Roman Catholic 
 Body, while you refuse even to inquire if^to the 
 nature of their grievances ? 
 
 *' The repeated rejection of their claim, with- 
 on.t any other deliberation, than that which has 
 arisen on the mere question of taking the Peti- 
 tion into consideration, is not a course of pro- 
 
292 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 eeeding calculated to mitigate the severity of dis- 
 appointment. 
 
 *' Reason and moderation must^ appear in our 
 consideration of their prayer, if we hope to in- 
 fuse those qualities into their proceedings. 
 
 " You require, also, a change in the circum- 
 stances of Europe. ' Ignorant of the events 
 which may have furnished any hope of such a 
 change, since I hitd the honour of a share in his 
 Royal Highness's Councils, I must consider the 
 determination to delay this interesting question, 
 until Europe shall have assumed a new aspect, as 
 a virtual negative upon the substance of the 
 Claim ; and I feel this point with a greater de- 
 gree of pain, because I am convinced that the 
 continuance of Ireland in her present condition, 
 must protract, if not perpetuate, the present un- 
 happy condition of Europe. 
 
 " But, until these preliminaries shall have been 
 established, you declare, that it will be your 
 duty to resist Parliamentary Inquiry ; which in 
 your judgment could be productive of no other 
 effect, than to alarm the Protestants, and to de- 
 lude the Roman Catholics. At the same time, 
 you offer no hope, that the means of relief will 
 be opened by any other authority. 
 
 " I cannot understand, through what channel 
 of reason or passion, the Protestants should be 
 alarmed, or the Catholics deluded, by a full and 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAL. 295 
 
 fecting the latter body. Indeed, I cannot conceive 
 any proceeding so likely to remove alarm, and to 
 prevent delusion, as that which appears to you likely 
 to create both. 
 
 " You refer to considerations of a ' very high 
 importance^ which, until a very late period of 
 time, have precluded the executive government 
 and parliament from entertaining this measure ; 
 and you suggest, that in the opinion of some per- 
 sons these considerations have not lost their 
 weight. 
 
 " I presume, that you refer to the known senti- 
 ments of the most exalted and venerable authority 
 in these realms, on the claims of his Majesty's Ro- 
 man Catholic subjects. 
 
 *' As your letter seems to bear some reference to 
 the course of my conduct in parliament, and in his 
 Majesty's councils on this subject, I avail myself of 
 this opportunity to explain the motives both of my 
 former silence and of the recent declaration of my 
 sentiments. 
 
 " At the remote period of the year 1 797', upon 
 the eve of my departure for India, I stated to the 
 late Mr. Pitt my solicitude that he should direct 
 his attention to the settlement of Ireland ; and I 
 expressed to him my conviction that Ireland could 
 neither be happily settled nor firmly united to 
 Great Britain, without a concurrent settlement of 
 the claims of his Majesty's Roman Catholic sub- 
 jects, 
 
 c c2 
 
294 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION 01 
 
 " The opinions, which I declared to Mr. Pitt, at 
 that time, respecting the substance of those claims, 
 were precisely similar to those which I have stated 
 in the House of Lords, during the present session of 
 parliament. 
 
 " It is not necessary to enter into any review of 
 the transactions which passed during my absence in 
 India, with relation to Ireland, or to the claims of the 
 Roman Catholics. 
 
 " I arrived from India in the month of Januar\% 
 1806; and, after one short interview with Mr. Pitt, 
 I assisted in performing the last sad office of follow- 
 ing his remains to the grave. 
 
 " You are aware, that long before that period of 
 time the ' hig'h consideration^^ to which you refer 
 had been fixed in full force; that no attempt to 
 change those sentiments could have been made with 
 any prospect of success ; and that the result even of 
 a successful proceeding in parliament would have 
 tended only to produce the most dreadful extremity 
 of confusion. 
 
 " You must remember, that I have always lament- 
 ed (as serious national calamities, menacing the con- 
 stitution of the monarchy) the reference which has 
 necessarily been made to the existence of those per- 
 sonal sentiments, and the causes which have occa- 
 sioned that necessity. 
 
 " With the warmest sentiments of personal 
 veneration, attachment, and gratitude, my opinion 
 ha§ always been, that the duty of loyalty and 
 
THE KIGHT HON. S. PEUCEVAL. 295 
 
 ulTcction towards a British sovereign does not 
 consist in submissive obedience, even to the honest 
 prejudices or errors of the royal mind, but rather 
 in respectful endeavors to remove those preju- 
 dices and errors by free advice in council, and by 
 temperate remonstrance in parliament. 
 
 " But the time for such endeavours had passed • 
 and I submitted, reluctantly, not to my sense of 
 the genuine duty of a faithful counsellor towards 
 his sovereign, but to the painful, and, by me, irre- 
 versible necessity of the case. 
 
 " This is a subject of the utmost — of the most 
 perilous delicacy. Your letter has opened it— I 
 Avill pursue it no farther than to assure you, that 
 when, on the 31st of January, I declared, in the 
 House of Lords, my sentiments respecting the 
 Roman Catholic claims, the necessity which had 
 occasioned my silence appeared to me to have 
 entirely ceased. 
 
 " The second 'point of your explanatory letter 
 refers to the management of the war in the Penin- 
 sula. 
 
 " Your suggestions are necessarily indistinct 
 with regard to the additional means (which have 
 occurred since my resignation) of extending our 
 military efforts in that quarter. I think I can 
 collect, even from your hints, that although those 
 means are extraneous, the probability of their 
 existence might have been foreseen as the natural 
 
296 Lll £ AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 result of instructions which were in progress oi 
 execution previously to my resignation. 
 
 " But my objection to the system pursued in 
 the Pe^iinsula, at the time of my resignation, was 
 applied to the whole frame and fabric of our per- 
 manent arrangements, both in Portugal and Spain, 
 which, in my judgment, must be corrected and 
 extended, not 'only with a view to the advantageous 
 use of such means as we now possess in the 
 Peninsula, but even of such adventitious and 
 extraneous means as events in other quarters may 
 place at our disposal. 
 
 " Believe me, my dear Lord, 
 
 " Always your's, most sincerely, 
 
 (Signed) WELLESLEY." 
 
 The Earl of Liverpool, £sfc. ^c. ^c'' 
 
 That weakness and inefficiency in the 
 cabinet, and their declining consequence in 
 the eyes of the country at large, which had 
 been long suspected, it would seem only 
 waited for the circumstance of Mr. Perceval's 
 demise, as it were, to proclaim it at noon- 
 day. It was the inevitable fate of his coad- 
 jutors, who had long been distrusted by the 
 people^ now to be distrusted by iht parliament 
 
THE lUGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 297 
 
 also, Mr. Stuart. Wortley, who gave no- 
 tice of a motion in the House of Commons 
 on Wednesday, May 20, brouglit this for- 
 ward the next evening, namely, 
 
 ^'That an humble address be presented to his 
 Royal Highness the Prince Regent, praying, that 
 he would be graciously pleased to take such mea- 
 sures as are best calculated to tlie promotion of a 
 strong and efScient 'administration/' 
 
 This was seconded by Lord Milton, and 
 opposed by Mr. Eyre, Mr. Wilberforce, 
 Lord Castlcrcagh, Mr. Ryder, and other 
 members in the habit of voting with the late 
 Chancellor of the Exchequer, and supported 
 by Sir Francis Burdett, who said that his 
 opinion was, that under the present circum- 
 stances no change of men whatever could 
 be productive of any lasting benefit to the 
 state, ^vithout a thorough change of measures 
 altogether. — The Honourable Bart, was de- 
 sirous of taking a short retrospect in relation 
 to the subject now more particularly before 
 the House. We had, within these few 
 yeai-s, had administrations \'ery differently 
 constituted. We had had administrations 
 ncludvi^^ as was suppo^rcd, all the talents of 
 
29B LIFE AND ADxMINISTRATION OF 
 
 the countiy — and we had had administra- 
 tions excluding^ as was also supposed, all the 
 talents of the country. We had, for many- 
 years, at the head of the government a 
 gentleman of most transcendant abilities, he 
 meant Mr. Pitt, and yet it was a very 
 general opinion,, in which he (Sir F. Bur- 
 dett) could not but concur, that he (Mr. 
 Pitt) was one of those who had brought 
 down on the country the mass of calamities 
 from which it was now found to be so difficult 
 to extricate us. The country had since had 
 at the head of its affairs that Right Hon. 
 Gentleman's no less able opponent (Mr. 
 Fox), but still our situation was not changed 
 for the better. We had had administrations, 
 in short, of every description, and of every 
 character and profession j but stiil, from the 
 system which had never ceased to be acted 
 on, the evils under which we laboured, in- 
 stead of being alleviated, had augmented, 
 and our burthens had gone on encreasing 
 and accumulating daily. When he consi- 
 dered ail this, he (Sir Francis Burdett) could 
 not agree in thinking that the motion now 
 made by the Honourable Member (Mr, 
 Stuart Wortiey), and which he seemed to 
 
THE BIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. ^99 
 
 regard as a specific for all the evils we suffer- 
 ed, namely, an address to the Prince Regent 
 to form a strong and efficient administration, 
 would have the effect of answering the ob- 
 ject in view. He therefore proposed an 
 amendment, namely — Imploring his Royal 
 Highness, in the forming of a new adminis- 
 tration, to select men whose chief object 
 should be to apply the resources of the nation 
 to national purposes ; who were actuated by 
 feelings of toleration in religious opinions, par- 
 ticularly with respect to the Roman Catholics 
 of Ireland ; and above all, who should sup- 
 port such a reform as would ensure to the 
 countr\', a full, fair, and free representation of 
 the people in parliament. 
 
 The Hon. Mr. Ward supported the right 
 of the House to advise the crown as by no 
 means contrary to precedent. As to another 
 point, weakness in the administration^ it 
 would, no doubt, be a disagreeable task to 
 go from man to man — from office to office — 
 pointing out in what that weakness consisted. 
 This was a task, therefore, which he should 
 spare himself, for it was one of almost uni^ 
 versal feeling. He was suq>rized, indeed, 
 that gentlemen should allege that there could 
 
300 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 be a doubt on this head, after the loss of Mr. 
 Perceval. They \vere lately told, 'such were 
 the talents, such was the popularity of Mr.. 
 Perceval, that he was sufficient to make up 
 for every other deficiency. That being the 
 case, he thought it was rather an ill compli- 
 ment paid by gentlemen on the other side to 
 their departed friend, who had been judged, 
 and justly so, the head of their administration, 
 and the man of most talent among them, 
 that they could venture to go on without any 
 person to make up his loss, and to persevere 
 in the same principles, with means so little 
 adequate to give effect to them. He had 
 been told of an attempt having been made to 
 bring over a gentleman of great talent and 
 eloquence, and also a Noble Marquis (Mar- 
 quis Wcllesley), a member of the other 
 House, to accept of situations in the 
 cabinet: — an attempt, in his opinion, more 
 absurd and more insincere on the part 
 of the present cabinet, v»^hich would have 
 bolS^nore disgraceful to the Right Honour- 
 able Gentleman and Noble Marquis had they 
 accepted of it, than an attempt of a similai' 
 nature made in February last ! The Noble 
 Marquis and Right Honourable Gentleman 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 301 
 
 had been invited to surrender their principles, 
 character^ and the pledges they had come 
 under ; and to subscribe to principles di- 
 rectly hostile to those which they had de- 
 clared some months ago. 
 
 Mr. Ryder thought that in agreeing to the 
 present motion, the House would be acting 
 against one of the most undoubted prero- 
 gati^'es of the cro\Mi. After paying Lord 
 Liverpool, the Noble Lord now at the head 
 of the administration, a high compliment, 
 Mr. Ryder said, he was not now a member 
 of the administration, not being a member of 
 the new cabinet. Here, Avith the view of 
 censuring Mr. Canning, he added, that 
 having said so he must declare, that the offers 
 made to his Right Honourable Friend (Can- 
 ning) were made with the \\ish and hope 
 that they would be accepted. He should 
 not now enter into the grounds of the propo- 
 sition, but he must say, that it was made with 
 perfect sincerity : and as to the motion of 
 which he (Mr. Canning) had given notice, 
 the necessity of it must immediately have 
 ceased on his comhig into office, as it would 
 then have become his duty to call the atten- 
 tion of his colleagues to that measure. That 
 
 Dd 
 
302 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 motion, therefore, would not of itself have 
 been sufficient to have prevented him from 
 acceding to the proposition. He was aware 
 that his Right Honourable Friend (Canning) 
 had expressed a recent opinion, that the Ca- 
 tholic question ought to be brought forward 
 as a ministerial measure. If he retained and 
 insisted on that opinion, that indeed would 
 have proved a bar to his Right Honourable 
 Friend's admission into the present ministry. 
 If his Right Hon. Friend would or would 
 not have pressed his newly entertained opi- 
 nion, he (Mr. Ryder) did not know ; but 
 this he did know, that the proposition made 
 to his Right Hon. Friend was made sin- 
 cerely ; and that the government felt extreme 
 regret, on finding that he could not be 
 brought to strengthen their administration. 
 As to the efficiency of the Noble Lord now 
 at the head of the administration, he should 
 only say that it had been declared by Mr. 
 Pitt, some time previous to his death, that 
 there was not a man in the ranks of opposi- 
 tion better qualified for the management of 
 public affairs than that Noble Lord in point 
 of talents, integrity, or character, with the 
 exception only of Mr. Fox. As to the 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 303 
 
 motion now made by his Honourable Friend 
 (Mr. Wortley), he (Mr. Ryder) could not 
 conceive how his Honourable Friend could 
 reconcile it to the votes he had been accus- 
 tomed to give. 
 
 Here Mr. Canning, in reply to Mr Ryder 
 and Wilberforce, drew such a picture of the 
 cabinet as could scarcely fail reminding a 
 reader of Shakspeai-e, of betraying 
 
 " The secrets of the prison house." 
 
 In allusion to a member who, in the early 
 part of the debate, moved that the other or- 
 ders of the day be read, 
 
 " I wish," said Mr. Canning, " previously to 
 say a word or two upon the nature of his amend- 
 ment. — What, Sir, are we come to this T How is 
 an unprecedented motion, shaking the veiy foun- 
 dations of the throne — aiming a deadly blow at tho 
 prerogative of the crown, inverting the march of 
 the constituent pov/ers of the state, met by the 
 administration ? By an amendment, proposing 
 the reading of the other orders of the day — 
 {Hear^ Hear!) They do not come forward 
 boldly maintaining the principles of the constitu- 
 tion, demanding that such an unheard-of motion 
 shall be deliberately investigated with closed 
 doors, and exclaiming, ' Down with the auda- 
 
304 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 cious innovator !' — but they content themselves 
 with vQvy simply moving the orders of the day ! 
 This too, be it never forgotten, by a government 
 ^vhich calls upon the House and the country to 
 declare that they are strong, efficient, and fully 
 competent to conduct the arduous duties of the 
 state in these most arduous times — ( Hear^ 
 Hear!) This specimen, I think, will be allow- 
 ed to be a fair indication of what we may here- 
 after expect from their boasted ability and vigour. 
 The allusion which I noticed as being liable to 
 misconstruction was made in the early part of 
 the speech of the mover of this celebrated amend- 
 ment, where he stated that I had demanded some 
 concessions of principle as the price of my accep- 
 tance of office. 
 
 " To refute this assertion, I beg leave to refer 
 liim and the House to my recorded opinion. I 
 merely inquired of Lord Liverpool, as a matter 
 of information, whether the policy and sentiments 
 of his colleagues continued the same, and I was 
 answered by my Noble Friend with thfe candour 
 that has distinguished him in every part of these 
 transactions, as well as through life, that his own 
 opinions upon this grand topic remained un- 
 changed, and he was not aware that those of his 
 colleagues had undergone any alteration. I here 
 once more protest, and protest complainingly, that 
 I have thus been dragged into a reconsideration 
 of the subject, and I hope the House will not 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 305 
 
 forget that I have been far from seeking the occa- 
 sion. — {Heary hear !) — When I was thus nvfontied 
 of the settled and confirmed opinions of the head 
 of the Government, honoured with the chief 
 confidence of the Sovereign, and possessing all 
 the influence and authority which that ostensible 
 situation affords, could I doubt for an instant their 
 efficacy with other Members of the Cabinet ? Could 
 I hesitate as to their operation upon any attempt 
 at a practical proceeding ? My Right Honourable 
 Friend (Ryder) tells me, that if I would have con- 
 sented to have formed a part of the Administration 
 to be established, the motion of which I have 
 given notice would have been wholly unnecessary. 
 I would ask any rational being what would be the 
 result ? I should have moved it in the Cabinet to 
 be beaten there, instead of moving in the Com- 
 mons to be beaten here ; I should consider myself 
 bound rather to move it here, and to be beaten 
 here (Jiear /), and for this obvious reason, tliat it 
 might appear to the public that the pledge I had 
 given had not been forfeited, and that I had used 
 my best exeitions to carry my object into execu- 
 tion. I have never stated an opinion, nor do I 
 hold it, that concessions to the Catholics, unre- 
 stricted and unguarded, were either politic or 
 just. — Other honourable men may entertain con- 
 scientiously different sentiments, but i am bound 
 only by my own, and those have always been ut- 
 tered in one direction. 
 
 D d 2 
 
306 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 " When my Right Honourable Friend spoke ai' 
 opinions that I had recently adopted, I apprehend 
 he cannot mean to state that they are such as I have 
 not long held, and such as he has known that I 
 have long held. He says they are recently adopted. 
 I say 1 have not recently adopted them — I have 
 ever entertained them, but I have often avowed 
 in this House, that on a fair comparison of con- 
 flicting duties, while the third branch of the Con- 
 stitution was hostile to the measure, I thought it 
 better for the country, better for the cause, better 
 for Ireland, and better for the Catholics themselves, 
 that I should raise my feeble shield between the 
 Crown and the question. I felt it my duty at that 
 period not to hazard the peace of the Empire, 
 and the peace of mind of a venerable Sovereign. 
 1 maintain then, that the Right Honourable Gen- 
 tleman has no right to say that these opinions with 
 me are of recent adoption {hear^ hear!) It is, 
 however, a little too much to expect, that because 
 I then yielded to the conscience of a Sovereign, I 
 sho'ild now yield to the convenience of a Minis- 
 ter (Jiear^ hear^ hear /) For my conduct on this 
 subject I have long laboured under misconstruc- 
 tion and obloquy, and I protest that I would have 
 suffered under it with patience to the last hour of 
 ray life, rather than have sown with thorns the pil- 
 low of my Sovereign. It is, however, rather an 
 unreasoiKtble ex[jectation, that I should approve 
 of the policy of a Minister because I had sub- 
 
THE RIGHT HON. 9. PERCEVAL. 307 
 
 mitted to the irremovable conscience of a King. I 
 should not have been less scrupulous with regard 
 to the sentiments of my late much lamented friend, 
 and shall I now submit to the prejudices of an in- 
 dividual who has succeeded him at the head of af- 
 fairs, and whose opinions nearly, though not per- 
 haps entirely, coincide with those of the Right Ho- 
 nourable Gentleman now no more ? Personal ob- 
 jections to the Noble Lord, I declare I have none ; 
 I am actuated by no feeling of rivalry, and with this 
 particular question excepted, I could have no earthly 
 hesitation either in acting with, or under him ; but 
 I cannot allow, that the predominance of his opi- 
 nion shall stifle mine. — (^Heor^ hear J)--^! cannot 
 enter the Cabinet, pretending not to know, that 
 the influence of the Noble Lord will be such as to 
 parallze all my feeble efforts there. 
 
 ** But do I therefore demand concessions to my 
 opinions ? None ! all I ask is, that the subject shall 
 be fairly and deliberately considered, with a view 
 to the arrival at some practicable conclusion, and 
 that it should be investigated where alone it can 
 be done, with the hope of a favourable result, in 
 the Cabinet. My desire was, not to obtain con* 
 cessions, but to asccriain to what extent conscien- 
 tious men in the discharge of a public trust would 
 go ; it was to this consummation that my anxiety 
 was directed : I required only that the important 
 topic should be considered — the question demands 
 it — you ought to give it — and I will add, that ere 
 
308 LIFE AI^TD ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 long you must give it. — (^Hear^ hear /, — As 'an- 
 other opportunity wil: shortly be afforded me of 
 more minute explanation, I have not now at- 
 tempted more than to free myself from the misre- 
 presentations of which the Honourable Mover, I 
 am certain, and my Right Honourable Friend, I 
 hope, were unintentionally guilty. My Right Ho- 
 nourable Friend (Mr. Ryder} has put to me a most 
 unfair question, but since it has been proposed I 
 will answer it. He inquires whether I have not 
 seen a statement of the opinions entertained by 
 the Cabinet upon the subject of the Catholic 
 Claims ? I have seen it. ^ I do not like to speak in 
 disrespectful terms of any paper evidently the pro- 
 duction of great labour and study, but I am con- 
 pelled to notice it ; for here, again, I would en- 
 treat the House to bear in mind thai I have not 
 courted this discussion. I would admit that the 
 abolition of the Jesuits completely exonerates 
 that order, but such a satisfactory pledge of 
 what a Cabinet intended to do, I never saw. 
 Not one of the Members agreed in opinion, 
 and I thought that it would be little consola- 
 t;jon that another individual should enttr the Ca- 
 binet with yet another shade of differenc^. {Hear^ 
 hear /) I imagined, before I obtained a sight of the 
 document referred to, that it comprized all the 
 philosophical principles combined, that all the 
 light of abstract reasoning on the question were 
 there concentrated to a point, but, after perusing 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 309 
 
 it with the utmost attention, I returned it with a 
 note, written in perfect good humour, stating, that 
 as far as I could judge, it appeared to me to be of 
 a controversial nature. — (//tr/r, licar^ and langii .') 
 — Such was the answer, which, in perfect simpli- 
 city of heart, I returned yesterday — but to what 
 did it amount ? Practically to this, as far as I could 
 comprehend it ; but, indeed, it is unfair to impute 
 to the Cabinet any opinion, because, collectively, 
 it has none, and the retrospective influence upon 
 my mind (for I did not see this curious production 
 until after the negociation had been closed), was, 
 that if I had joined this hortus siccus of dissent, as 
 Mr. Burke once termed it, we should have formed 
 as beautiful a variety as was ever assembled in so 
 small a collection. — (Hear, and laughter!') — But 
 amidst such unprecedented diiferences, on which 
 side is the influence and authority of Government 
 enlisted ? That is the main question ; this man 
 may hold a blue opinion, another a white, a third 
 a green, a fourth a yellow, and a fifth a red, but 
 with which of these shades does the sentiment of 
 (government most nearly accord ? Undoubtedly 
 this point ^ill be decided by the individual, who, 
 holding the principal office, pre-eminently enjoys 
 the confidence of the occupant of the Throne, and 
 the additional weight he would add to the scale 
 must overbalance the remainder. I could not, 
 therefore, feel that I entered the Cabinet with ho- 
 nour, if I consented to give there a mere barren 
 
310 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 solitary vote. I trust, although not very fairly put 
 upon my trial, that my conduct is completely justi- 
 fied in the eyes of the House and of the country. — 
 (^Hear^ hear !^ 
 
 " To all that has been said regarding the mode 
 in which the overtures were made, I most heartily 
 subscribe ; and no man can pronounce a panegyric 
 upon the demeanor of my Noble Friend, which I 
 will not cheerfully second : I have known him for 
 nearly twenty years, and during that period the 
 warmth of my friendship has progressively aug- 
 mented, I cast no slur upon the motives that in- 
 fluenced him or his colleagues : I believe, nay, I 
 am convinced, that they conscientiously entertain 
 different sentiments. Here I beg, once for all, to 
 state that the point on which we differ is this— ^not, 
 as has been constantly and studiously misrepre- 
 sented, whether we shall instantly concede, but 
 whether this be a question which, in the present 
 temper of the times, in the present state of Europe, 
 in the present convulsions of the world ; at a pe- 
 riod when the public mind is in a ferment, when 
 you cannot dispose of the subject with a wish, or 
 strangle it with a hair, and when you are not able 
 to set it at rest by the strong arm of power, the 
 Government should not do that which is best in my 
 opinion, and next best in the opinion of the pre- 
 sent Servants of the Crown, allow it to come be- 
 fore the Cabinet for decision. Thus would the 
 public anxiety be allayed, and those repeated an- 
 nual discussions, fruitless of any thing but evil, 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 311 
 
 be once for all concluded. In affirming that the 
 Roman Catholic Claims should not now be agi- 
 tated, Ministers beg the whole question. I do not 
 say that immediate concessions should be made: 
 all I claim is, that this body of people should be 
 sheltered under the protecting wing of the Legisla- 
 ture : that their case should be placed in the hands, 
 or in the portfolio of the Executive Government. 
 By those means, and those only, can you ensure to 
 Ireland a happy and peaceful summer, and to the 
 Empire, confiding and lasting tranquillity — (Jiear^ 
 hear^ hear.) 
 
 When my Honourable Friend opposite (Mr. 
 Wilberforce) asserts that measures and not men, 
 were to be the main topics of consideration and 
 animadversion, he seems to have forgotten that I, 
 one of the principal actors in the scene which has 
 lately been displayed, have been imperiously called 
 upon for a justification of my conduct ; he does not 
 recollect that even my reputation is at stake. He, 
 of all others, is the one who would pay most atten- 
 tion to individual character ; he will not say that 
 if you deprive the present race of pigmy men of 
 reputation, you destroy almost every claim they 
 possess to the gratitude of the nation, and make 
 them unworthy of the country in which they were 
 born. On my part I can assert with the most 
 perfect sincerity, that no disposition has been 
 shewn to decline sustaining my share of the bur- 
 den of the state in these perilous times. My 
 anxiety has been to make them Jess perilous, but 
 
312 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 upon this great question I have seen not only no 
 desire to grant any thing to the Catholics, but not 
 even a disposition that an enquiry should be insti- 
 tuted." 
 
 Mr. Ryder explained, and Lord Castlereagh re- 
 plied, that no pledge had been given to the Catho- 
 lics ; for this Sir John Newport charged him with 
 duplicity towards them, in not fulfilling implied en- 
 gagements, and for pledges unredeemed. His dirty 
 trafficking for seats in Parliament was mentioned, as 
 also his depriving Ireland of her's. 
 
 Mr. Martin, of Galway, supported the motion, 
 and hoped the result of it would be an arrange- 
 ment that should comprehend other talents and 
 character than were to be met with in the docu- 
 ments that day published, (according to which Mr. 
 Vansittart was to have been Chancellor of the Ex- 
 chequer, &c.) 
 
 Mr. Wortle}^, in reply, said, he had seldom 
 heard in that House, a speech containing so many 
 unconstitutional assertions as that of Mr. Wilber- 
 force. For himself he had taken care not to pledge 
 himself to oppose or support this or that govern- 
 ment. He thought the Noble Lord Castlereagh 
 had failed to prove that all had been done which 
 ought to have been done, to for?n an ejfficient admi- 
 nistratiofu The House then divided. 
 
 For the previous question - - - 170 
 Against it -------- 174 
 
 Majority against Ministers - 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 313 
 
 The motion of Mr. Wortley was then proposed 
 and carried without a division. 
 
 Thus fell the last supporters of the Perce - 
 valian Administration ; for though it was 
 apprehended they would endeavour to rally 
 in the House the next evening, it was not 
 thought prudent so to do. On the contrar}^, 
 the Ministers acknowledged themselves vir- 
 tually displaced, and signified that an ad- 
 journment would be proper only till a new 
 Administration was formed. 
 
 'X/XA'WX 'VX/WW 
 
 PROBABLE CONSEQUENCES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 DEMISE 
 
 OF 
 
 MR. PERCEVAL, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 OVERTHROW OF HIS ADMINISTRATION. 
 
 These are few and obvious. If the eman^ 
 cipation of the Catholics should take place, 
 the discontent of the people at large will be 
 loud and deep ; because, from the low state 
 of real religion among us at this period, the 
 nation at large is not prepared for such a 
 E e 
 
314 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATJON OF 
 
 concession. If emancipation should be de- 
 nied, this will still furai^sh complaint to a 
 large party, and deprive government of that 
 assistance they might otherwise derive from 
 great and eminent talents. If the Orders in 
 Council should be rescinded, it is probable 
 this measure will not now produce the har- 
 vest expected ; nor will any reasoning on the 
 subject satisfy the xlamour which will keep 
 pace with their continuance, because in- 
 terested men are seldom open to convic- 
 tion. 
 
 If the war in the Peninsula, according to 
 the favourite views of a Noble Marquis, 
 should be carried on with new and increased 
 vigour, it is evident some other department 
 must be starved. The grand result there- 
 fore may be, that the successors of Mr. Per- 
 ceval, persuading themselves they can con- 
 duct the vessel of the state with safety through 
 the stormy ocean which still surrounds us, 
 after a trial in the same course, will be com- 
 pelled to acknowledge their inability to steer 
 with more judgment than he did: for, grant- 
 ing the captain and pilot can regulate all on 
 board, unless they can likewise command the 
 elements, and sai/ to the proud waves, be stilly 
 
THE UIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 315 
 
 whatever opinion they may form of their own 
 skill and abilities, they must wait the return 
 of a calm before they can exert them to ad- 
 vantage. Peace only is that calm which can 
 insure our safety ; but unhappily as yet, 
 there are none of the would-be pilots, that 
 appear able and willing to steer the vessel of 
 the state into that wished -for haven. The 
 question then is, how much longer can we 
 abide the pelting of that pitiless storm which 
 has torn up the deepest foundations, and over- 
 turned the most ancient establishments in 
 Europe ? Yet, as unanimity among the crew 
 is the best pledge of success, it is hoped that, 
 notwithstanding the difference of their sen- 
 timents, we may still be preserved; though 
 this, it should be remembered, is always the 
 most difficult when the exigencies or mis- 
 takes of the voyage render it necessary for 
 too great a portion of the crew to be kept 
 upon sJwrt allowance^ or w'hen too much se- 
 verity is used to keep the rest in obedience. 
 If these conclusions be not admitted, then 
 the Quern Deus vult perdere prius dementaty 
 written upon our foreheads, may be read by 
 our posterity with more regret than asto- 
 nishment. 
 
316 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 DEVELOPEMENT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 DELICATE INVESTIGATION. 
 
 Few indeed have been the 'ministers who 
 Have distinguished themselves by their lite- 
 rary productions, or whose names have been 
 handed down to posterity by any other me- 
 dium than their measures in the Cabinet. 
 But this does not appear to have been the 
 fate of the late Chancellor of the Exchequer. 
 One at least of his performances in the closet, 
 equally with those in the Cabinet or the 
 Grand Council of the nation, it seems, will 
 be in a great measure known to future ages 
 by means of A MOST MYSTERIOUS 
 BOOK. This book, the real contents of 
 which have indeed been seen by very few, 
 has been the cause of several attempts to 
 impose sor^iething else upon the public, as 
 bein.o; " THE SPIRIT OF THE BOOK,'' 
 and the History of certain transactions be- 
 tween some exalted personages, &c. &c. but 
 
THE niGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 317 
 
 without any ground whatever beyond con- 
 jecture founded upon the general knowledge 
 of a disagreement between the parties, &c. 
 We shall now trace these rumours to their 
 source, and, aided by the clue of probability, 
 explore a labyrinth of error and perplexity, 
 till we arrive at a more evident degree of cer- 
 tainty upon the subject, than has hitherto been 
 obtained. 
 
 In the year 1806, during the existence of 
 the Talent Administration, it for the first 
 time transpired, that very serious disputes ex- 
 isted between the Prince and his Royal 
 Consort, and that his Majesty corresponded 
 with the Princess upon the subject, and fi- 
 nally issued his command, that an Investi- 
 gation should take place, and which was 
 accordingly undertaken by a special com- 
 mittee chosen from a certain number of no- 
 blemen. 
 
 On the part of one of these eminent per- 
 sonages, the whole of this business was con- 
 ducted by Mr. Perceval, and, when con- 
 cluded, it was Mr. Perceval that caused the 
 whole proceedings to be thrown into the form, 
 of a Book, and two large impressions of them 
 to be printed, notwithstanding every bidi- 
 E e 2 
 
318 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 vidual person engaged in this business was 
 sworn to observe the most inviolable se- 
 cresy ! ! ! 
 
 That it was the object of Mr. Perceval in 
 his proceedings relative to the Book, from 
 its first composition, to secure to himself the 
 high oifice he filled, can no longer be 
 doubted. In vain was the anxiety of per- 
 sons expressed for its publication ; for from 
 the moment it suited Mr. Perceval's puqx)se 
 to conceal it, it was determined the public 
 should not be gratified. One or two copies 
 for his Royal Master, as far as Mr. Perce- 
 val knew, were sufficient for his purpose. 
 The Book was the stepping stone to the 
 height of the late Minister's ambition, and 
 he saw and availed himself of the moment 
 when any thing he chose to ask could not 
 be denied. The contents of the Book were 
 concealed as a sacred deposit, and Mr. Per- 
 ceval kept the key ; and thus for a while 
 seemed to consider himself a King of 
 Kings ! 
 
 On this high ground, feeling himself 
 without a rival, which Mr. Perceval could 
 brook as little as any man in power, he went 
 on nearly three years before he attended to 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 319 
 
 the whispers that some copies of the MYS- 
 TERIOUS BOOK were in the hands of 
 several persons. This rising uneasiness, it 
 is supposed, produced the following adver- 
 tisement. 
 
 '' THE BOOK."— Any person having in their 
 possession a Certain Book, printed by Mr. Ed- 
 wards, in 1807, but never published^ with W. 
 Lindsell's name as ihe seller of the same on the 
 tide page, and will bring it to W. Lindseil, book- 
 seller, Wimpole street, will receive a handsome 
 gratuity." — Times Paper ^ 27th March^ 1809. 
 
 Mr. Perceval's feai's on this head were 
 not groundless ; for several persons, encou- 
 raged by the large sums asked by a few 
 holders of the book, came forward ; some 
 received five hundred, some eight, and one 
 person fifteen hundred guineas for a copy. 
 In fact, it is supposed, that not less than 
 twenty thousand pounds were expended in 
 buying up and concealing Mr. Perceval's 
 MYSTERIOUS BOOK from the public 
 eye. 
 
 But in spite of all these precautions, it 
 was Mr. Perceval's fate to be again visited 
 with dreadful forebodings, in relation to the 
 
320 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 Book, only a short time before his decease, 
 when the Bill for making provision for the 
 Princesses was before the Commons. He 
 then sent for every person whom he knew 
 was acquainted with the Book, and ex- 
 pressed his apprehensions that its contents 
 had been improperly divulged. As it might 
 be expected on such an occasion, these per- 
 sons attested their innocence, and Mr. Per- 
 ceval either was, or pretended to be, satis- 
 fied. 
 
 All this, upon which the public may rely, 
 ought to convince them likewise of the little 
 reliance that should be placed upon what has 
 been called " The Spirit of the Book," or 
 any other publication which has pretended 
 to narrate a histor}^ of the difference between 
 two exalted personages. 
 
 Relative to what has been said in Parlia- 
 ment with respect to this MYSTERIOUS 
 BOOK, we shall refer to what was said re- 
 specting die Prince Regent's Message, de- 
 livered on Wednesday, March 20th, relative 
 to provision for the Princesses, when refer- 
 ring to the speech of Mr. Bennett, the Chan- 
 ceUor of the Exchequer said, that 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 321 
 
 '* with regard to the separation of the Royal Per- 
 sons alluded to, he should say nothing. He might 
 and did lament it as much as any one could, but 
 neither as a Minister, nor in any other character, 
 did he feel himself called upon to say any thing on 
 the subject. — {HeaVy hear^ hear!) As to what 
 had been said respecting the grant of the 10,0001. 
 additional to the Queen, the committee must be 
 aware, that it was entirely of a different nature 
 from that now under consideration. Its object was 
 to enable the Queen to meet expences which she 
 would be likely to incur unconnected in any man- 
 ner with the Princesses. There was no increase 
 in the Civil List of the Prince of Wales above 
 that of the King, on the contrary, there was a dimi- 
 nution. 
 
 " Mr. Whitbread defended his Hon. Friend 
 (Mr. Bennett), from the charge of inconsistency, 
 and thought it most natural, that he should wish 
 to see the Princess of Wales placed in that situa- 
 tion in which he believed every person in the 
 country wished to see her. It was rather alarming 
 to understand from the Right Honourable Gentle- 
 man, that if a reconciliation should take place in a 
 quarter where every one must desire it, the Right 
 Honourable Gentleman would have to come down 
 to the House to ask a new grant. There was no 
 impropriety in inquiring as to the situation of the 
 Princess of Wales. The Right Hon. Gentleman 
 bad said, that he would state nothing as Ministei 
 
322 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OP 
 
 on the subject ; but the time was, when the Right 
 Hon. Gentleman was not only willing to give in- 
 formation to every subject in the country, but had 
 a hook ready^ which was to have gone not only 
 through the Public of this Country, but through 
 all Europe. This hooky the Right Hon. Gentleman 
 had since purchased up and suppressed^ for what 
 reason he knew not. Undoubtedly, as counsel to 
 her Royal Highness, he was in a situation the most 
 natural to be called upon for information, though 
 it was possible he might now remain mute, when 
 he intended to have had ten thousand tongues be- 
 fore. But the Princess of Wales was not only 
 inferior to the Queen in point of real income, but 
 the Queen had the advantage of being also on the 
 establishment with her Husband. The Princess 
 of Wales, on the contrary, was living in retirement, 
 at Blackheath, for as to separation, though he 
 and others had used the word, the public knew 
 nothing more than that she lived in retirement ; 
 and now they knew, that if ever matters came on a 
 better footing, a fresh grant of money would be 
 demanded. It had been said, that they might go 
 into the Inquiry on the Civil List after the grant 
 was made ; but making the grant under such cir- 
 cur.^.stances, was parting with an advantage to v.hich 
 he could not consent. He should concur with his 
 Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Ponsonby), in voting 
 against the Resolution." 
 
 Being further pressed on the subject by 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 323 
 
 Mr. Tiemey, the Chancellor of the Exche- 
 quer said, that 
 
 " as to what he was bouud to do as far as it affected 
 his own character and conduct, he should always 
 judge for himself. (Hear, hear!) He did not 
 know with what view the Right Hon. Gentleman 
 now came forward, but he had no objection to 
 state, that neither in his character as Counsel to 
 her Royal Highness, in which he had important 
 duties to perform, nor as Minister, nor in any other 
 capacity, did he see any means of bringing a charge 
 against her Royal Highness, nor did he entertain 
 any opinion calculated to throw the slightest re- 
 flection upon her, and further than this he should 
 not state. As to the situation of her Royal High- 
 ness, he had no instruction to propose any addition- 
 al grant j but if the Right Hon. Gentleman, who 
 now, for the first time, suggested it, could induce 
 Parliament to think favourably of such a measure, 
 he should be inclined, for one, to give that disposi- 
 tion its full effect." 
 
 " Mr. Whitbread thought it extraordinary, that 
 the Right Hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the 
 Exchequer ) should recommend parliament to 
 send a message to the Prince. He had stated, 
 that he received no instruction to propose a grant 
 to the Princess of Wales, that was, in other words, 
 he had given no advice to that effect. They had 
 heard the Right Hon. Gentleman state, but a few 
 minutes ago, that no imputation could attach to 
 
324 LIFE AND ADMINISTRATION OF 
 
 her Royal Highness, but he should not forget that 
 she did at one time stand stigmatized, that he was 
 once about to publish in her defence, but that she 
 still remained unvindicated. 
 
 " The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, what he 
 had stated with respect to the Princess of Wales, 
 was, that neither in his situation as Counsel to her 
 Royal Highness, nor in any other character, was he 
 conscious that there existed a ground of charge* 
 He should always be prepared to make the same, 
 
 Upon this important debate it was ob- 
 served at tlie time, that " Mr. Perceval; 
 the pious Mr. Perceval, had been the Coun- 
 sellor and friend of this illustrious, and, we 
 belie^^e, deeply injured personage — he had 
 been the champion of her cause, and the- 
 Public Accuser of those suspected of having 
 aimed a blow against her reputation and her' 
 happiness — he proclaimed her innocence, and 
 defied her enemies to substantiate a single ^ 
 charge derogatory to her honour — yet the 
 rnoment he had it in his power to serve her, 
 and prove the sincerity of his former profes- 
 sions, the religious, the pious^ the moral Mr. : 
 Perceval, passes by his Client with marked 
 neglect — he abandons his friend — the ' illus- 
 trious and injured Stranger' is forgotten; 
 
THE RIGHT HON. S. PERCEVAL. 325 
 
 and in the intended arrangements for the 
 comfort and dignity of the Princess of 
 England, the Wife of his Royal Master — 
 the Princess Regent, the future Queen of the 
 British Empire, is not noticed ! not even 
 once alluded to in the message from the 
 Throne, though that message was drawn 
 up and presented to the Legislature under 
 the direction of her late Counsellor and 
 friend ! — The tear may fall upon the cheek 
 of injured beauty, but the pious Mr. Perceval 
 w ill not stretch forth his hand to cheer the 
 sufferer, lest he should lose his balance, 
 and totter from the seat of power!! In the 
 course of this debate, the reported Separation, 
 the Delicate Liqiiiry, and the suppression of 
 The Book^ were all touched upon. At last, 
 Mr. Perceval — the pious, — the tolerant Mr. 
 Perceval rose, with, apparently, great re- 
 luctance, and coldly declared, ' he could not 
 recollect any thing which it was possible to 
 bri?ig as a charge against the Princess of 
 JFales,^ — Now, this we conceive the impcr* 
 tant point; for a total separation has been 
 much spoken of; and it has been roundly 
 and very generally asserted, that the intended 
 measure of separation was closely connected 
 
 Ff 
 
326 LIFE AND ADMINISTOATIOIS^ OT 
 
 ^vith Mr. PerGeval's continuance in office; Ijut 
 as tlie Minister cannot bring a charge of cri- 
 minality, THERE CAN BE NO GROUND FOR 
 
 THE SEPARATION — and this may ii Itimately 
 }>reserve England from much distraction and 
 calamity. 
 
 This discussion, it was 'fondly imagined, 
 would have been the means of bringing be- 
 fore the public the whole of that History 
 which the thi^e great Counsellors of her 
 Hoyal Highness, an illustrious Duke, the 
 present Lord Chancellor, and the late Chan- 
 cellor of the Exchequei% thought fit at the 
 time (1805) to print, as the means of her 
 iustiiication. — That the materials which Mr. 
 Ferceval printed, were considered as suffici- 
 ent for her justiiication, were beyond all 
 doubt. 
 
 As to her Royal Highness's debts, it was 
 perhaps in this respect rather illiberal to refer 
 to the fetes and the parties at Blackheath to 
 all the Percevals, and all the friends and fa- 
 ^.^ourites of the Percevals, including tlie 
 Wilsons, &c. ; her Royal Highness' s libe- 
 rality in christening presents to the little Per- 
 cevals, and all their maids, and all their w:et- 
 ilurses, and all their drv -nurses. It is admit- 
 
THE UIGHT HON. S, PERCEVAL. 327 
 
 ted that at Blackheath her Royal Highness 
 became >f 50,000 in debt. If, ii]X)n an enquiry 
 into the items of that account, it will be 
 found that the fomily of Mr. Perceval, then 
 her hero, advocate, and champion, helixid 
 her to spend it, how does it become him to 
 say that he has no provision to offer for her, 
 and reproach those who consult her rights 
 and the dignity of the Throne with an inter- 
 ested interference, merely because they never 
 partook of her boimt}? 
 
 Mr. Perceval, who knows right ^^•ell the 
 author of the mysterious book ; Mr. Perceval, 
 the ci-devant champion of the Princess of 
 Wales, ^^'cll ac(juainted with all the Delicate 
 ln^•cstigation ; Mr. Perceval, the Prince's 
 favourite, and the Prime Minister of Eng- 
 land, admitted in his place in the House of 
 Commons, that her Royal Highness has come 
 pure and untouched out of the fiery ordeal. 
 Wh}-, then, is she not admitted to enjoy, at 
 least, the cold formalities of Court etiquettCy 
 and the other exterior advantages of her ex- 
 alted rank? This Court etiquette may, no 
 doubt, have no charms for her, but it would 
 infuse life, and health, and spirit, into thou- 
 stmds. Every tradesman in London has felt 
 
328 LIFE, ADMINISTRATION, &C. 
 
 the beneficial effects of a Birth- day Ball, or 
 a Drawing-room at St. James's, even at the 
 close of a reign, uniformly remarkable for 
 patriarchal simplicity in the Sovereign. 
 
 Then, what a stimulus might be given to 
 the declining trade of this great metropolis 
 by a brilliant Court, amply supplied as it 
 is by the public, under the auspices of a Prin- 
 cess (now pronounced injured) amiable and 
 blameless, and a Prince, always celebrated 
 for taste, magnificence, and splendour. 
 
 THE EJJ"D..