The National Register.
London, England, 1812-03-22 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER:

eased solely with himself, and not from the suggestion of any men or
env set of men either in that House or out of it. It arose solely from his
firm conviction of the necessity to avert the alarming and extensive dan-
gers with which the country was surrounded, involving caltintities, in
Li, apprehension, of no less magnitude than an immediate separation cf
Cie two Aster countries, and consequently, so far, a dismemberMent of
the Empire. The Noble Lord then went into a history of events fur
the last eighteen months—the commencement of his Majesty's illness—
the a 'option of a restricted Regency—the expiration of those Restric-
nesi, and the consequent anxiety of the country on the occasion;_ and,
co ins to the perioe when his Royal Highness the Prince Regent
OA:heed his wishes that a Government should he formed on a firm and
h: oral basis. He dated the distressing situation of our internal affairs
to the failure of the- negotiation which took place in consequence. Ile
ti.en animadverted on the intolerant principles held towards the Catho-
Les by the present Ministers, and to the attempts of sestain of the
Clergy to repeat the cry of " No Popery," and was sorry to say that the
benevolent and enlightened intentions heretofore expressed on'this sub-
jsct by his Royal Highness the Prince Regent were wholly frestrated by
his present advisers.—His Lordship then alluded to the resignation of
the Marquis Wellesley, of whose abilities he spoke in the highest terms,
sod earnestly entreated Ministers not to oppose the Address which he
i::tended to move, but to allow it to take its course with his Royal High-
rtes. If they did oppose it, he was at a loss to know on what ground i
they could do it, when, on the 15th of February, the Prince himself
heed expressed an anxious wish for a liberal and extended Administration,
isel thereby showed his opinion of the necessity for the formation of
such an one. They themselves (Ministers) could not deny that their.
Alministration was formed on the most nairow and incomplete basis.
Ile had not framed his motion, because it would be for one party, and
against another, but solely in the name and for the benefit of the Coon- I
t:y. He then moved that the following humble Address should be pre-
setted to his Royal Higlinses the Prince Regent
" 'l'llat,whilst we most deeply deplore the unhappy continuance of hie
N;ajesty's indisposition, we entirely rely upon his Royal Highness's !
wisdom and Princely virtues for the vigorous and beneferent exercise
h: tiwse littreArictril powers with which iv- is now invested ; and that ,
his Royal Hie,:ness may depend upon our affectionate attachment, and !
our constant and zealous support in all his measures for the maintenance
Gr.. the honour of the nation abroad, and of its happiness and tranquillity
at home.
'I hat, for the attainment of these objects, It appears to vs to be,
tee:tele: that the Administration to which his Royal Highness mny
racit)lsly pleased to commit the management of his affairs, should he i
e.oineosed as to unite, afar as possible, the confidence anti goodwill '
at ail classes of his Majesty's subjects.
`• Teat in the present state of Ireland, it is, in our opinion, impossible
tint such gsneral confidence and goodwill should he enjoyed by any j
eernieistration, the characteristic principle of whose domestic
wed as the bond of whose conneeion in office, is, not only not to re-
syramend, bet to resist a fair and dispassionate consideration of those
civil disalaiiities under which his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects
in that part of the United Kingdom still labour, and of which they
tomplain as must 'grievous and oppressive.
That we, therefore, humbly express oer anxious hope that his
Royal Highness may yet be enabled to form an Administration, whieh,
by conciliating the affections of all descriptions of the eoimmtnity, may
eset Oft:cue:ly call forth the entire resources of floes United Kingdom,
sed may atierd to his Royal Highness additiorial means of conducting
to a successful termination a war in which are involved the safety,
itt:reJur, and prosperity of this country."
Lord Gitlm-,T. ON hoped the House would pause before it enterteined
11:s motion, for which, he contended, there was no necessity; the
teesee Aelivinie ration possess:ny the entire confidence of the nation,
u. consequence of the many successes and advantages which we had
acv aired over the enemy in the short period of the Regency. He con-
less-led, that those letters ought never to have been brought before the 11
ri,,ultat:; as, in his view , they were mere private corteopondence, al- !I
t
suen relating to a public matter. Besides, in the way in which those 1
'wee , !eel been publicly handled, his Royal Highness had suffered no
lime caltintny._lltre the Noble Lord was called to Oteler by Lord
l'atidt•rd..le, who s,tid Oa the Noble Mover of the Address had 3t-
tarard liLtnte only to the legal advisers ;f his Royal Highness.—rat
vcre),
I ' ouiin return, called Earl Lauder dale to Order, and a warn;
aitercstioe arose between the Lord Chiescellor, Earl Grey, and tellers,
%
vi•ic!, ended in Lord Gilintton's resuming his speech, and des taring
thst in his opinion the present Administration had proved themselves !
eVsl to the tel eacies of the tjmes, and were all that any Noble
Lied or the country could wish for. He therefore proposed as an
stncethnent—
" That their I.ordships should present an Address to his Royal High-
expressive of their sense of the great prudence and wisdom with
tlich his Royal Highness had
exercised the Royal Prerogatiy.e, and i
that they should congratulate him on the success of his Majesty s arms
that period, and express their reliance on his Royal Highness's
efforts for the happy result of the contest in which we were engaged."
Lord Deeett ex opposed the amendment. When they considered 1
Vit. di ttr..,s.4'o,
*SA the the county and and that we were nearly involved in a wer
POWe; it} the wstri4 c.th who'll we had been at peace, by ,
Aurntrustntion, the 1i,Q114, !Mg wwkiistr whine the Noble Lord

called on them to pass a vote of such unqualified eulogium on the very
men who had brought the country into its present dreadful situation.
He would assert that those who bad advisedo,be Prince Regent to
write the letter, now the subkct of debate, had acted in hostility to
the great interests of the empire, and were responsible for the conse-
quences. His Lordship was here about to read a paragraph from the
Prince's letter, when he was called to Order by Lord Liverpool, who
said the Noble I.ord had no right to quote a document which had not
been regularly brought before the House; and much tumultuous alter-
cation again enured, which was ended in Lord Darnley resuming his
speech, and declaring his determination to favour
fur the address.
Lord ERSKIN t spoke at some length in favour of the address. He
rejoiced that his Noble Friends had rejected ere overture that w
made to them ; for in so doing they had bmeiited the country, and
shewn the
_people that all public men were pot lost to a sense of con-
sistency. He trusted the time was not far distant, when there should
be an union of men of talents, mutually esteeming each other 4 and
agreed on all the great points of the poiicy of the country.

I The Loan CUANCELLOR said, that whatever some Noble tiords might
think of the present Ministers, he believed the people were still so foolish
as to give them snore confidence than they supposed they possessed ; and
he even believed that the present Ministers possessed the affections of
the people. With respect to the claims of the Catholics, he contended;
that it was contrary to the principles laid dawn at the Revoiuthise, to
grant the Catholics the privileges they demanded. The Catholics mere
said to be ready to give securities for the political rights they dos
mended •, but no Minister was ever able to tell what those securities
i-asfere. Let the Noble I who opened the debate, produce an aqu-
i Mitt sufficient to convince him that the Catholic claims ought to be
1 allowed, and then he would agree with the motion.
laird GREY had no hesitation in declaring it as his opinion, that the
Addless mov -A by his Honourable Friered had for its object a change of
Actitinistration, and that as such, he would support it. Until that
nthht it had never Leto denied that the Meuse had a right to address the
Sovereign to remove his Ministers, on the ground of incompetency.
For his part, be contended, that the Administration did flQt pones; cha.:
racter or prlncipks consonant to the feelings of the nation.—Tneir prin-
ciples %ery oot the principles of the Revolution. because those prtncl-
pies had :.c,t Leen inimical to Catholic Clahns. He reprobated tile con-
duct of :he p;:esent .-N•dministratioo ter their bigoted hostility to the Cos
tholies ; in who-acing and encouraging cycry kind of abuse against them
coming sermons to be preached
_trims the pulpit against Catholics;
I and in appointing one of these preachers to he private Chaplain to the
Prioce Regent, for the services which he had perfprnied in the, pulpit.
After all these facts, he asked, If such Mn Administration could possess
the confidence of the people. As to the proposition for forming au Ad ti-
nist ration on a broad and liberal basis, lie must say, that he could conceive
I nothing so injuriot;s to the nation? as that o!' briinginglogettier inflows
i of discordant opini,:ns and principles. The present Servants off the
!. Regent, however, sought to extcnti their Administration elsewhere
and, if report :Tole true, ha wider stood they were to receive an acces-
sion of strength from two Noble Lords (13ucki4hant andiSidnionth)
o were decidedly hostile to every principle of religious lite rty. )(any
one rrteislite was at this time necessary, it was conciliatory to all sects ;
and he denied that the principle of any religions exclusion wag any thing
like the tluidamenral princiilc of the Revolution. The ,Ntaible 1;arl thsii
dwelt upon the 4opes that Ii 'I been held out to tire Catholics durioi the
last twenty years, and observsti, that the Act of Union had been carried
in consequence c,,` ;In opinicti impressed upOts the Catholics, that these-
hopes would be reaiised. With respect to the Letter which lie wrote
to the Duke cf lirtok, in cuniuretionwith his Noble Friend (Lord
Grenville), they both felt that it was impossible -for them to accept o
any office is participation with persons whose political and
were
diamettically orrosier to their own. Any one md that letter
might Ste 01::t it cut off all possibility of a junction ‘sitivsuch Ministers.
Did the Noble Lord opposite expect that, when he advised the Pringei
Regent to write the fetter, which every body bad seen, it would be post
Lsible tq have the support of himself and his Noble Friend f Was it pos-
sible that he and his Noble Friend would accept of Office on any other
terms than that of glanting emancipation to the Catholics, The I%Toble
.' Earl afterwards adverted to the foreign relations of the country. On
tho whine of America, he declared, that he would never sacrifice tie
Nation .1 Honour, er the Naval glory, of this Country, to any rteiion
in the world.--hie next condemned the paper system, and resew,. eh-,
eulaing medium of England. With respect to the war in the Pviit-
sula. he was toot for suddenly. drawing away our army from tbent.e ;
but he wished the war there might be carriest.on with economy. After
various other observations, he concluded, by giving his decided apt rtit-

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bation to the address.
Lord Mui.oanys thought that Noble Lords haying concurred day
after day in the measures of the present Ministers, their conduct hay.
ing been so frequently sarctioned by Parliamunt, it would in hi; opi-
nion he a contradiction not at all creditable to the House if they were
now, after so lor.g a .:,oncurrence in the principles of the present Admia?
istratioti, to entertah the present question. 'The Noble L.grcf gpposite
had stared that the unqualified exclusion of tl!e Catholics was one of
the principles Which guided and was in future to guide thi: cone uct of
the present Nlit4stets, but this at the prellit time: was *together
question of expediency, and whatever euncessions it might have been
judged
psafe and actvisabie to nr:.4e 1.7, the prate of affairs was sifige