The Press.
London, England, 1856-05-31 00:00:00

impressed with a sons* of his own superiority, awl urged
col oy a oonv►otion of his increasing influence with the
Prince Regent, his desire took the form of a determina-
tion.

The Marquis had not sagacity equal to his
brilliant accomplishments. He overlooked
the statesman who under an unpretending
exterior hid the most commanding and deter-
mined intellect in the political world—Lord
Castlereagh. To him was reserved the task
of baffling all the adverse combinations which
threatened the Government, and the glory of
bringing the war to a triumphant conclusion.

Early in February, 1812, Lord Wel!este)
believed that the time had come for giving a
death-blow to the Perceval Ministry. As the re-
strictions on the exercise of the royal authority
by the Regent were on the point of expiring,
the Marquis took advantage of that circum-
stance to intimate his views to the Prince, and
to declare that many personal considerations
rendered it imoossible for him to serve under
Mr. Perceval any longer than it suited the
Prince's wishes. The Prince thought the time
favorable for forming an Administration ou
broad basis. He wrote a letter to the Duke of
York very creditable to his good sense and
honest intentions (1. 225.7). He had waived
his personal sentiments from respect to the
King, whose recovery he should he the last
person in the kingdom to despair of; he did
justice to the policy and acts of the Govern-
ment; he was determined to vigorously pro-
secute the war in the Peninsula ; be had no
predilections to indulge, no resentments to
grstify ; he should feel greatly gratified if
some of those persons with whom the early
habits of his political life were formed would
strengthen his hands and constitute a part of
his Government. He desired that this letter
might be communicated to Lords Grey and
Grenville. The latter, writing to his brother,
said, " Our answer will be 'No,' as nearly as
" possible ;" and "No " was returned to the
Duke, on the ground that Lords Grey and
Grenville would find it impossible to unite
with the existing Government. On this
Wellesley resigned, and Castlereagh suc-
ceeded him in the administration of foreign
affairs. The Ministry steadied from this time,
but few thought it could hold together, and
the hopes of the Opposition rose high. The
Common Council, the Lumber Troop of politi
clam+, had a field day, and called on the Regent
to dismiss his Ministry. o.her allies of the
Whigs were more mischievous. There were
riots in the manufacturing districts, and mob
orators took advantage of the alarming state
of the country to inflame the mind of the
country against the Government. The assassi-
nation of Mr. Perceval (May 11, 1812), ren-
dered some change necessary. and the ques-
tion was plainly put to members of the Cabinet
whether they conceived it possible to carry on
affairs without the assistance of either section
of the Opposition. The answers returned were
so characteristic that we quote them, though
they are not now printed fur the first time :
Are you of opinion that G. sad G. [Grey and Grenville')
out, and W. and C. [Wellesley and Canning] out, you can
carry on the Government?
it elgrave
eldmouth

: No
[ : bonbtfol.

Camden : Very doubtful, not desperate.
Castlereegia: Doubtful, to say the least, without a pro-
position.
Bathurst: Dangerona to P[rince] and country.
Ryder: Extremely difficult.
Eldon : It might.
Melville : Very improbable.
Liverpool : Doubtful, not desperate.
Castlereagh's answer implied, not without a
proposition to some members of the Opposi-
tion, to show that no effort has been left
untried to strengthen the Cabinet. His hint
was acted on. Wellesley was again applied to.
He agreed with Canning that the leading
principles of an Administration should be-
1. Concet,sion of Roman Catholic claims ;
2. Prosecution of Peninsular war. He applied
to Dads Grey and Grenville—would they join
an Admin.stration on those terms ? The par-
ticulars of the negotiation are given here. The
most important point is that the Whig Lords
hesitated as to the policy of confirming the
contest in the Peninsula :
Tim present UM of their opinions di:l not Incline them
to think that it would be found practicsl,o to ingrease the
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