The National Register.
London, England, 1812-05-24 00:00:00

MAY 24.

our annals, it would be that during which Mr. PEItCEVAL
and his friends were intrusted with the helm of Govern-
ment. Even the Ministry of the first Statesman which
this land has produced, the late Mr. PITT, although re-
markable for great events and super-eminent abilities, does
not present so luminous a point as that of Mr. PVICEVAL.
130t11 acted on the same principles, and extended their
views to the same object. The former moved through the
difficult paths of office, surrounded and supported by
the chief political talents of the land. His plans were
vast, his means adequate, his firmness was unshaken, his
activity indefatigable. Yet fortune seemed to sport with
his wisdom, and his exertions to liberate the Continent,
although powerful and unremitting, were constantly de-
feated and ultimately left it a prey to still deeper slavery.
Mr. ?mu:kw'', opposed by some of the first-rate abili-
ties once marshalled in the train of his great predecessor,
a3sisted by men of good information, but not of superior
genius, adopted his designs and carried them into ex-
ecution. Under his care they fl iurished ; and Freedom,
which had been expelled Irons the Continent, resnmed her
stand in the Peninsula, supported by tha British be-
ro;sm, which she creates and feeds. We shall be tempted
to pursue this parallel anotLer time. This day we have
only room to state the circumstances attending the resig-
nation of Ministers. Deprived of their tower of strength
by the atrocious murder of Mr. PErccEvAL, they had at-
tempted to recruit ; and had made liberal offers to Mr.
CANNING and Marquis WELLESLEY, who both refused to
join in the service of their country, unless they should be
placed at the head of its Councils. On the failure of this
negociation, Mr. VANSITTART was appointed Chancellor
of the Exchequer, and Lord LIVERPOOL First Lord of the
Treasury. Mr. RYDER at the same time resigned his si-
tuation, but his successor was not named. In this state
of incomplete arrangement, the new Ministry had, on
Thursday night, to encounter all the fury of an opposi.
tion, animated with hopes of success, and ,4 eager for the
The consequences were such as might have been
expected. Mr. Worm.Ey's motion, to present an Address
to the PRINCE REGENT, for the formation of a strong, vi-
gorcus, and efficient Administration, was carried by a
majority of four, and ordered to bo presented by the
Mover and the Seconder, Mr. WORTLEY and Lord
MILTON.

The Address was accordingly prlesented to the RE-
GENT last Friday, and his Royal Highness returned for
answer,—that et he would take it into his serious and
Immediate consideration." The Mini,ters, in the mean
time, had held a Cabinet Council at the Foreign-Oliice,
and upon its breaking up, proceeded to Carlton-house,
where, we understand, they declared to his Royal High-
ness that they felt it due to the gracious manlier in which
they had invariably been treated by him to tender their
resignations if it should be his Royal Highness's pleasure
to form new arrangements, holding the seals of their re-
spective ('Mces until such new arrangements should be
completed. At the same time, if it should be his Royal

TiqVT

815

Highness's commands to them to retain their setuations,
they were prepared to obey them. His Royal Highness
was sufficiently aware that in conformity with
orders, which orders were in perfect unison with their
feelings and wishes, they had made every effort to streng-
then the Administration, which efforts, made with the
utmost sincerity, had, however, been ulsuccessful. They
begged his Royal Highness most respectfully to be as-
sured, thut they should offer no ob.lacles or embarrass.
ments—that they thought it due to themselves in With-
drawing from the acim.histration of public affairs, to de-
clare, that they did not withdraw from any consciousness
of having advised or adopted a single measure that was
contrary to the dignity of the Crown, or the true interest;
and glory of the country. Prepared to obey his Royal
Highness's commands, whatever they might. be, they yet
humbly presumed to request his Royal Highness to per-
mit them to tender their resignations.
Such is reported to be the substance of their represen-
tation to his Royal Highness. And Ministers may be con-
sidered as having in fact resigned, c_mtinuing, however,
tab hold the seals, and discharge the duties of their respec-
tive offices until a new Ministry is arranged.

The task of fmning the New Administration is entrust-
ed to the Marqnis WELLESLEY and Mr. CANNING, who
arc not authorised, nor we believe, disposed to make any
overtures to Lords GRENVILLE or GREY. It is expected
that Lord's MoinA, HOLLAND, and the l',Tarotiis of LANS..
DOWSE, whose opinions do not much difror f orn those of
the Noble Marquis on the Rolnan Catholic qnes.ion; and
the War in the Peninsula, will be requested to firm part
of the New Admiuistration. Mr. WELLESLEY PoLL's fa-
mily connexion roots him too deep to allow of his being
displaced. The Duke of RICHMOND, who does not pos-
sess the same claims to office, as well as all the other mem-
b,Ts of the old Government, hcwever great their abilities
or services, are to be swept away, because they du not
think with the Noble Marquis that the Country can sup-
port an e x pence of thirty millions per annum in the Per.insula,
instead of the twenty which the war, en its present extensive
scale, costs us. flow the Opp,;sition Peers, who have for
these five years predicted a national bankruptcy frrm the
supposed exhaustion of our means : who have insisted on
the necessity of instantly repealing our Orders in Council
to conciliate America, and who require the immediate
Emancipation of the Catholics, will make up their minds
to a system of enlarged warfare and expense, to continue
those Orders, which Lord WELLESLEY contends are
founded on the soundest policy and the stricte-t justice,
and to put off the consideration of the Catholic Claims to
a fitter time, we are at a loss to conceive. These sire
seeds of dissention, and of consequent weakness existing
in the proposed Cabinet even previous to its formation.
The example of the talents alarms use. Coalitions of
men of different principles have proved as vain and un-
fortunate amongst us, as those of nations on the Continent.
The abilities both of Mr. CANNING and Marquis WELLES.
LEY are too great, not to have rendered the late Admi-

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