The Sun.
London, England, 1812-06-20 00:00:00

MR. SHERIDAN AND THE HOUSEHOLD.

Mr. FITZGERALD, after congratulating Mr.
Sheridan on his recovery, expressed to the House
in the name of a Noble Loid (Lord Yarmouth),'
wile was absent from indisposition, the regret
which he felt at not being able to attend the
llouse. It was not probable,that any thing re-
quiring his presence would take place that day;
but he felt anxious to assure them, that nothing
but positive disability could have prevented him,
from attending. It might appear extraordinary
that he (Mr. W. Fitzgerald) who was not con-
cerned in the transaction, should have been the
bearer of this message; but as he happened to be
present at a conversation between the Right Hon.
Gentleman (Mr. Sheridan) and the Noble Lord,
the Noble Lord was desirous that he should make
this statement.

Mr. SHERIDAN said, that the fact was precisely
as stated by his Honourable Friend. Before he
came down.to the House, he had felt it his duty
to call on the Noble Lord, and found him in such
a state as Must render his attendance ithpossible„
He had also stated to the Noble Lord; that on
that pait of the question, in which he (Lord Yar-
mouth) Was concerned, he had so little further
to sav,..as rendered his presence unnecessary*. It
was but a mere marginal part, 'an episode from
the leading matter, and was rendered still more
unimportant from the circumstance of there being
no difference between them on' that part of the
calumnies which applied to either. He should.
now proceed to submit his reasons for concluding
with a motion, as he intended, and they would.
probably allow him a feW words more. From a
circumstance which had - just -come to his .know-
ledge, be understood,-that in another place which'
it was not regular to mention, persons were ex-
cluded from the expected- discussion; and thus
ont-, of the usual channels closed to,the informa-
tion of the public. He should first. proceed to an
allusion to the speech of a Right Honourable
Friend of his (Mr. Tierney t ) who sat on hie right,
hand. He had stated that he (Mr. Tierney) hav-
ing asked hith. (Mr. Sheridan) whether the:House-
hold would resign, he (Mr. Sheridan) expressed
opinion that it would not, and after some
questiOns to the same effect, offered a bet' of five
hundre..d guineas to him- [here Mr.' Tierney ex-
pressed his dissent], or to any• one, or to every
one, that nO such thing was in .consideration:—
. Upon the face of the story, it was improbable,
for be was not very likely to offer a wager of five
hundred guineas to any one;or to, every one, who
never was in the habit of wagering a single half-
penny. He wished 'his Right Honourable Friend
had added that lie had staked the money, for that
would have discredited the whole story (a laugh).
However, he should not quarrel with kilo QD. this

tioint ; be should have the Ave hundred guineas
—he did not mean the poney. (An universal
lauglo But, what Would_lie the consequence .he
would Icave it to their good sense to decide, if
every loose answer was to be brought down to
the House of Commons in serious times like these
when minutes and memorandums were becoming
such necessary concomitants in. all conversations.
For the future, if any one meeting li at St .1 ames 's-
street should ask how he did, he would take care
how he committed hiuiself. He would revolve
upon the danger of the- answer he was about to
give, and perhaps in his anxiety, would be induced
to look round fota witness who could prove that
he did nothing morethan barely answer the clues:-
tion but he would give up the point. What
then was the case ? His Right Hon. Friend had'
said the Household had resigned,• for that Lord
Robert Seythour had said so, and he (Mr. Sheri-
dan) had said in return, that he did not believe
it, because he knew that it was contingent upon
circumstances which were more reanite at present
than at foriner periods. He would ask his Right
Hon. Friend, did he not express to him the same
day his surprise thatsany matter should have•oc-
curred to break off the negotiation .between the
Earl of Moira and the two Noble Lords ? He
(Mr. S.) had asked him the reason, to which he
answered, that they reqUired of Loid Moira 'an
express authority-from the Prince Regent to con-
cert a new Administration. He. should now state
the result :—Lord Moira'S letter of the 3d of
Julie, offering a renewal of the negociation, was
forwarded to the Noble Loris. On that very
evening, he was addressed by Mr. Ponsonby, in
the peesence of the Duke of Bedford,. Who -said,
"We hear, Sheridan, that you consider Lord
Maira's letter as, a renewal of the negociation."
He said, perhaps it might be negligently-written 5.
but -there was one thing which. they could not dis-
pute with him; he, knew. -the intention 'of the
writer. Lord MOira sent the lett( e offering the
tenewal : the next day but one, an answer was
sent bAk, through the Duke of Bedford, declin-
ing an- unauthorised discussion. Lord Moira
thought that answer a conelusivebreaking off of the
negociation; he (Mrs Sheridan) differed from hith
in opinion, and spoke7to him on the subject.—
He afterwards sent for his, I-lon. Friend, the Mem-
ber for Bedford, and a meeting took place at •
Lord Erskine's. Lord .Erskine' wished that the
negociation should not: be considered as broken
off. His Noble Friend the Member for Bedford,
after reading the letterthrough, gave his opinion
that it Was not conclusive ; upon which Lord
Moira conceded, and at the very instant wrote to
, the Prince for further powers. The powers were
granted, and a letter was immediately written:to
Lords Grey and Grenville, stating that he had the
powers, and that he was authorised to address
hiMself particularly to the, Noble Lords. By this
statement it would appear from first to last,
he .had been favourable to .the Noble Lords,
and never had omitted an opportunity of exerting
hiMself in their favour ; and it was with the tit-
Moat 'regret he found the Negotiation was broken
off on the sine qua non of the dis' missarof the
Household. He had not heard that it was •hroken
off until the next day; when be was. told it by the
Hon. Gentleman, who stated 'at the same time,
that Lord Castlereagh and Lord Liverpool were
appointed. He had said on the preceding night,
in a manner which, perhaps, required some ex-
planation, that if he had the power, not one of
the Ministers then in place should hold their pre-
sent 'situations. He did not mean any disrespect
towards them personally ;—on the contrary, he
had a general respect for them - all; neither was
:he influenced by -the decision of the House, by
which they were supposed generally .to have been
cashiered He had said it in the same seeise as
he had said of Mr, Perceval, when it fell to his
lot to announce his death in the TosVn Hall at
Stafford, where he was glad to say it was 'received
in a very different and much_more generous man-
ner than it had been in other places ; be said it in
the same sense as he had then said of Me. Per-
ceval, that had he lived, he could scarcely
expect to expect to give him a vote ; he said it
upon the ground that they were hostile to the
measure which above all others he was attached
to, the Catholic question. He, would -not sup-
port any Administration acting on such a princi-
ple, 'and keep a ftirlough for that question 5 he
could not support them merely upon' the under-
standing thatit was to be taken into considera-
tion,- fOr it ,might be taken into consideration
with no other view than that of proving it not
to be' the way to benefit Ireland... He wished to.
Fee e%neessions made on both sides---.eon the part
of the Catholics, as well as .of the Government,
that they might make their cause popular in this
country, ~and remove all alarm and discontent
from the minds of those who, under such int-
pressions, 'Would deny them substantial advan-
tages. A 'negOciation for this purpose could not
be carried on by those whose hearts were against
their Claims; He thought the cause of Ireland
was paramount ;
~ife these were. to be the last
words he should ever utter in that. House, lie
would say, " Be just to Ireland, as you value
your own honour; be just to. Ireland as you
value your own peace." He would address the
Administration, and particularly the Noble Lord
who had reserved to himself on coining .into •
the Administration more than a liberty on that
subject. Ile Would conjure them, when die
saW them gracefully giving up the Barracks, when
he saw them giving up the Orders in Council ; for
given up they were, although: in-a sloping, ' con-
fused, and unintelligible rhanner ; lie, would con-
jure them to go one step farther, and give up the
Catholic:Question—a question to which they
were not more pledged than those which they had
• already conceded. , If the Gentlemen opposite,
who were men Of-business, would be contented to
undertake the journey-work of the State, and to
apply with their usefhl talents the principles of
those who 'opposed them, he could not conceive a
better coalition, for .the good of the country—
(A laugh).—lt would- indeed be a most broad-
bottomed Administration, not liable -to the ob-
jections with which such Administrations are
mostly chargeable. Without a perfect union of
'mind in the Cabinet, little could be expected. He
did not believe that the public mind had recovered
the effects of the coalition of Mr. Fox and Lord
North. Another coalition was proposed; and
which he thought would have been of incite

chief also, and which he used his best efforts to
prevent. At the same time he thought it but
austiee to observe) that he found in that indivi-
dual (Lord Sidniouth) such estimable private qua-
lities, and such good public intentions, that he
gave his administration all the support be- could.
He was surprised at thesneering of• a Right Ho-
nourable Gentleman, A vhen an allusiOn was made
t;) the strength which the present Ministers would
derive from an alliance . with Lord S. He could
not forget, that, when that :Noble Lord was io'
office, he had promoted the most successful mili-
tary measures, 'adhered to the Constitution, and
permitteihtbe laws of- the country to revive.--'
- He did- not exactly know what those sneers meant
which he perceimed. Instead of indulging inthese,
he wonld be glad if any Honourable Membef
would get up and answer 'MM. `That' i.,, the
'course which he had purSued in giving his bum'
Me support tt. that Administration (the tS chid.:
nistration of Lord Sidmouth), he was actuated
by no personal or selfish motives, was 0540;11
from one simple fact. 'Whfle that Administration
- was in power, a very valuable situation hod
been offered to hiM through a Noble Earl (1.1:1 '
St-Vincent) for his' son: This-, /though ofletel
more than once, his
,son had refused, and refused
on-the ground that his 'accepting it utiglit se&
to cast atatain on the support which he (Mr. S.)
bad been in the habit of givilg the Government.. '
For the correctness of flit statement be could ar
peal to the Noble. Lord hinfself, but above allelic'
T could appeal to his Right Han. Friend near ghee'
Now, as to :the present Ministers, it hail been
seen that the House on a certain
.day came to a
vote which went to imply that they. were unlit
to hold the reins of Government, which on'
carried by a- majority of 2, and that on a sub
quent 'day they had voted them fit for their situa;
tion by a Majority of 125. What was the cause (3' ..
'
.this ? How vas it to be accounted for? Those
who formed the Government had since the for'
mer vote been strengthened by, no new accession 1
of talent. They hail' gained. no new influence;
and therefore it should seem the change cold'
only have arisen from the House and theCountri
being against those who were concerned in tl'e
late negdciations. If this were the:case, it Nv"s .
a melancholy fact, as he knew not how the,couti'
try could be hi:might to think that a Gover:vont
preferred under such circumstances possessed thr[t
i
strength which was wanting 'in a Government, 1;-,
the present situation of the 'conntrv. After wira"
they had seen, it appeared possible that the last,
vote of the House might be negatived like tn':t
which had preceded it, and going on thusn'll'e
negative of that House on an A ali
dministration gn t
soon be considered as merely a nominal censure'
• The result, however, of the motion of a Noble
Friend of his, he trusted, would be a resolution,
not that the present Government had made ant .
acquisition to recommend them to the public, bi':
that the conduct of those principally concerned le
the late negociations had, set, Parliament and th
Country against them. He had wished that an;- t;
tempt might be made to save the country, a.t% ,
what they had seen, without applying either, ti i
g.
that party which had'rejected power, or to-u"' '
which bad accepted or retained it-, by Orin
forward a party new to the public, of WhOnl "
public could appro6 3 for he conic( never end,nt
that such a libel should be, cast on the preseri'd
state of society, on Ahe nobility, gentry, Int
commoners of the country, that there was Su'O i„
dearth of talent in the land; that this great u'',
try must be suffered to go drooping to peril:6-°.!,",
because there were none but those two parqj
competent to direct its energies. AII he e°,l
say of those papers which n had been printy,
and which he held in his hand, was, that bs
could ' not look upon theM but with feel
ie"d
of sincere regret, that such ;changes as .be 1:,-t
lived 'to witness should takelslace. ' He thonse,,
the publication of the proceedings. of 3 ' ,
gociation was most injurious.
.He could rein'',
;0
ber the time when two honourable men couidda,
into a room to confer on the formation of a ,e,
vernment without deeming such a precaution sris,
cessary as appeared of late to lie thought in(a...
pensable. What was the consequence of the frat, , '!
mature publication of the negociation ? 1/.1 ir:. ,1
but to set all classes to the discussion of the''je,-.-
every private and public house; and by snob re ,
cussions to divide those who ought to bennt
:firmly united, and thus increase'our diflienities ~..
home, while our divisions encouraged the Or,
mies of the country abroad. He wished an ,-cr'e
• bargo could be enforced which would 'keep -tlle.,
things from going abroad; -to let the nat''',:a
of Europe know, that while we ought to be a
concord and harmony- among ourselves, Gull
divisions existed among us.. He concluded
movinhag ' gir
‘•"f t an humble Addres,3 be presented to his Roya•lili
„„'clf
ness the Prince Regent., praying, that. he would be graci"-;of
-pleased to give'directions, to he laid before this 'louse' tlid
documeots addressed to his Ro-,,-til Itighoess, relative to
se,
late ncgeeiations for forming all Adininistration, int: 0
• quence of the. Address of this House, on the 21st of N4k,iiii
far as. his Royal Highnesv might think such docutuents c'
with propriety be csmOmunicated to Parlianient."
Lord R. SEYMOUR spoke, but could not WTI;
.tinctly heard in the gallery. We understood 11,1
to say he was extreusely glad that the.Lortis 4
the Household, in the event of a certain chant
takingplace, had not only determined to resiYr,
. but had taken great pains to publish that detilig
minationsto the country.' He wished to eater Inc
strong protest tii::ainst that practice in which .5.90
Gentlemen indulged, that of quoting the oPui„,ai
.of Members, l.aaselygiven in common cOnv%n.
Linn, in that sort of way which had become' e‘46,
mon of late. No one could feel greater satis.'" IA
tion at hearing' the speeches of a certain -Vigo
Hon. 6a:title:nail than he did ; -but if he i 05,,,,
hear the opinions of two brothers (Of whiehraf,
Lord R.S. was one), so quoted on the condui,,T,
a third, he could not' fOr the future listen to L. "4
with the same safalaction, as to him such conJa`
did not appear to, he Correct, : 110,
Mr. TIERNEVYRS not conscious that b-a ,
,n 4
in. the slightest dee % s, transgressed that courteLr',
which was due from one Gentleman to alotanc.
with respect to private' conversation. It was • h
•
cessary for him to remind thellonse of the 1.:eC.-
111,
of the Noble Vice-Chamberlain on a former ''l3- ct
which had certainly produced a considerable eYA
in the 'House. He would ask, whether it. 1115
not been hailed by a party. try, as 'that- 3,rs.
went to overthroW those claims to public `sue)`
of Lis Noble Friends (Lords Grey and Grelly'

Which he 'was anxious 'never 'lose /t
was from its being insisted upon, that the conduct
Of the two ',•: able Lords, in. insisting thattlie House-
hold should be dismisSeil, was intended to humi-
! Late the Prince, 'as they must have known that
was the intention of the Household Officers to
- resign, as that determination on their part had
been communicated to the Right Honourable
Gentleman near him. He (Mr. T.) was not per-
sonally concerned himself, but feeling at he did
for the honour of the two Noble Lords; he
thought he should act unworthily.by their,' hav-
• ing, as he believed, the Means of refutiu what
had been advanced, if he had'not Made the state-
lnent he -had offered to the lionse, whiCh had
.brought him in contact with the Right Hon.-Gen-
.iireman (Mr. Sheridan). 'He (Mr. T) then pro-
keeded to expl.uin the circumstances in Which the
Noble :3r others were concerned, and-for Which
• be had been called to an account. He being anxious
Or information on 'the Subject had applied to his
eight Hon. Friend (Mr. He had
• -Ic!Plogised to him for so doing, and said he felt
conSiderahly embarrassed What to believe; for he
understood that one brother to the Noble Mar-
tinis (he did not understand it from, that brother
himself, and that brother was 'not the Noble
Lord opposite), had stated that his' brother
resigAti-. Being anxious to know if this
N.vas the fact, he (Mr. T.) had inquired of a
'third person if it was true, when lie was answer-
It-May be so ;, but from 'a conversation I
h,'lve had -with the other brother, should,
tilink that it is not." In repeating this; he had
intended to cast no imputation on any one, and
was not conscious tha he had been guilty of any
breach of private- confidence..l,he question he
• bail put on Friday, the sth inst. was, whether or
not he (Mr. S.) could tell if those resignations had
taken place, which Ere was anxious tis ascertain ?
The Right ilon. Gentleman (Mr. S.) had. said
Dtany things on the subject of staking 'money,
I"tif he (Mr. T.) had understood him (Mr. S.) to
sit," I will bet 500 guineas there is no such
th:ng in consideratiem," (as the resignation of the
dousehold). The Right Hon!Gentleman denied
LaVino: said so, and therefore, according to the
'praCtice of that, House, he must supposehimself
, to be wrong. He- bad not understood him seri-
. Ously to propose a bet of 500 guineas; it would
indeed have"been absurd to have proposed a bet
of such 'magnitude to him (Mr. T.) ; but he had
understood the Right HonoUrable Gentleman to
• '.,4Y in a cot-ninon way, "1 will bet 500 guineas
tnere is no'suck thing. in. consideration,." If he
(Mr. S., did not so, he (Mr. T.) 'had totally
misunderstood him, and had therefore to apolo-
gize to several persons; but if he did' not say he
Would bet five hundred guineas, -speaking of the
ziOusehold, he Wished to knoW to what the pro-
used bet did refer, for that he had will he would
et' 500 s, was adMittel. He was reminded of
, the statement he had made respecting the sittia-
ton offered to him (Mr. S.) for his son. He (Mr.
T.) Was certainlyready to bear witness that a most
i'te'rative situation had been offered to hint, which
Ur. T. Sheridan had very honourably decline
,-,ceepting, however convenient such an appoii•
Pi:at would have been, without coosulting his
ther, and the situation was refuse,;. lie had
been drawn oW frimi what he was saying. It ~.p
Pe're d his Right Hon. Friend had brought thi,
..lootion forward, Tor th,e purpose of most,listinet-
1Y Inarkip.., his disapprobation 'of the conduct of
the two Nboble Lords (Lords Grenville and Grey),
xn letting the late negociations go off, with respect
to the dismissal of the Household., He (Mt. T.)
Would say, that if the negociations should come
Over again, that, knowing
,no more on the
Roble
than what had been known by the
Lords, they would not be justified if they
Were not to act as they had dime on the late oc-
casion. Ile denied that they could have consist-
ently acted otherwise. The t*o Noble LordS
Could not with justice to those whom they repre-
Sented, have accepted of power, without insisting
on that power over t ol for which they
lad contended, 'as itwas; their anxious wish that
he who formed the Administration should have
the pOwel- of .discharging the Household; and
therefore it was but frankness and fair play, to in-
, silt upon their being given up—and it was equally
frank on the part of Lard Moira to reply as he
'did, that on public grotinds he would not con-
.dent to their being dismissed.
PONSONBY stated the conversation which
bad been alluded to to have arisen in a room, in
:which he with many others was, when a rumour
• ,was brought that a proposition from Lord Moira
liad that morning beep rejected by Lord Gren-
rre, and that this came from his Right Him.
iend. He had said this could not be--7-and on
seeing him, bad asked him if he had said that it
was so ? The answer of the Right Hon. Gentle-
nrau was that he bad not said so. He (Mr. P.)
'told him that he had not, because what they had
tie
Rio was not a fact ;, and he was coufident the
*Light Hon. Gentleman would not state that to be
Gentleman
which was not. The Right Honourable
ventleman then went on to speak of some 'letters
U'llich had been read on the subject the night bc-,,
'f're, among which he observed, Lord Moira
luought his letter should have been read. Tie
• (`'lr P.) said he had not known that that was the
Wish of the Noble Lord; but if he had known,
that he did hot think that it would have been pro-
• per to read it with those which had been read, as
Lt had been his wish to mention nothing but what
has (Aida', to those to whom they we're read, and
the letter of the Noble Lord coming, ,as it did at
that time, from an unauthorised individual, offer-
lug e:,:..lanation, did not come under than descrip-
j°n• That letter not coming with authority from
' same high qUarter as the othejs, he (Mr. PO
with not have felt himself justined•in putting it
vith them. The Right Honourable Gentleman
uhad,said that letter was a part of the. negotiation.
Are, (Mr. P.)• had said it might be so, but if his,
I. "le Friend wished the negotiation to be cim-
Intlecl, he bad done well to write it. In this
°Pillion the Right Honourable .Gentleman , had
.:7ented to agree. It had been said by a Noble
that the intention of, the Household to re-
_ '..gtt was so well known to a Right Honourable
‘4 entlemaa of their party (the Opposition), that it
_ , Peared impossible they should not know of it.
(Mr. P.) could say that he never heard, and
ix at ti-,e Right Hon: Gentleman had never pom-
4.nicated it to Likil and he would say, that if

the Noble Loras had cone poWtt. -*/;thont
having the point conceded, he (Mr. P.) could not
have concurred with them.

1.1!;. MARTIN (of Cirnlway) contended', that Ca-
tholic Emancipation from the present Administra:-
tion w0t.14 be as well received by the Catholics,
as if it came from any other; and it was his opi-
nion, that if it were conceded, it. would tend :more
to tranquiliie the Empire at large; coming from
this, than if it came from any other Government.
He deprecated the conduct of the two Noble Lords
in insisting on the discharge of the Hoitsehold, as
in itself-it was an affront, and persisted in, mark-
ed a disposition to comeintO power, by gaiuing
a victory over the Prince.
Mr. WHITAREAD had only to say, that while in
the country he h ad'received a letter from the Right
Honourable Gentleman (Mr. S.), Stating,that his
presence in town mil.-;ht do some good. He
.(Mr.
W.) had in consequence come to town, and then,
for the firSt time in his life, he lnid an interview
with Lord Moira, at his house. His Right Hon.
Friend was there, and. Lord Erskine. He, had
much admired the .condUcl of Lord Moira towards
Lords' Grenville and Grey, Noblemen whom he
so much honoured and admired, that the greatest
pleasure and' happiness of his life was the very
near and dear connection he had the felicity,
to boast' with one or them. Lord Grey had
communicated to him the substance of the
negociations which' were. pending; in short,
while he was in the country, Lord. Moira laid
the papers before him which were now before the
country. He (Mr. W.) observed, that the laSt
letter from Lords Grenville, and 'Grey, was by
no means a refusal to continue the negociations;
andhe farther stated, that heothought they were
right in declining any Personal communication
which was not authorised. His Lorishipothough
he differed from him (Mr. Whitbread), had done
him the honour, in deference to his opinion, to
send to Carlton-house for authority. The House-
hold, nor the _persons composing it, were not
mentioned when he was at Lord Moira's. .On
the communication which he had mentioned be-.
ing made to the Prir;ce, he (Mn,. W.) left town
to Complete* that duty which had called him to
the. country. *He. told Lord Moira tha‘i he should
communicate what had passed to Lord Grey. It
was then too late to go to Lord Grey's house, he
therefore Wrote a short note to let him know
what had occurred. While be (Mr, W.) was at
Lord Moira's, the Right,' Hon. Gentleman' had
appeared Most anxious to ,see Lords Grey and
Grenville in power, and: filling the principal places
in the Administration. had heard that his
conduct was the same while lie (Mr. \V.) was in
the country. He_ (Mr. W.) left town, as he had,
stated, and on the Sunday 'following he received
the news of the rupture of the negociation. On
the subject of that rupture, he was,not called
upon to give an. opinion—he should be silent.
MT. SHERIDAN replied to the observations
which had' been made in the course of the debate.
The House, no doubt, would duly appreciate
the honourable testimony which his -Hon. Friend
(Mr. Whitbread)' had just borne to the WhOle of
his conduct ; Which conduot had, As. Mr. W.
stated,. been authorised by the Earl of Moira. _lt
would be seen from what, had passed, that his cha,
ratter was not that of an intriguing man, endea-
vouring to keep certalupersons from the .k.citiii-
nistration, but that, on the contrary, he had
thought the negotiators acted a consistent part 5
that part had been an cater and anxious effort to
the utmost of their power to produce that extend-
ed and efficient Adminisdation which the.eountry
. was desirous of havini. Ile could not avoid ex-
pressing his indignation at the attempts which bad
been made to injure his fame and reputation in
the country,. by the &rat/Ali:in of repolkts as infa-
mous as they were false ; and he bad taken the
earliest opportunity of coming down to the House
to move for those papers which would effectually
remove allinjurio is imprcisions against.hirri. The
first intimation which lle had of the charges, was,
on Thursday, and on FridaY he intended to
move for the papers, but there being no House,
came down on the Saturday; and gave notice of
his intention. His Right "lon. Friend must have
known that his real motive in making the, obserVa-
tions which he had made to him was the vindica-
tion of his .own honour and character, and not
with any view of maligning the characters of the
two Noble Lords. His motives, therefore, must
have been misunderstood. , His Right Hcaour-
able Friend, surely, did not set. so little value
upon character as not to be anxious, if his cha-
racter had been grossly attacked,'-to vindicate it
from any foul aspersions which might be cast
upon it. Was it then c.)ltraokalinary that he should
be alive.to the value of characterthat he should
not be extremely anxious not to suffer any stigma
to remain ? Surely his, Right Hon. Friend did not
hold public character so Cheap, as
.not to be
aware that it became necessary to disavow any
improper or insidious interference on the, instant
the knowledge of .suell hupotations. was conveyed
to him—(hear, hear !) Instead. of his object be-
ing to traduce and malign the chariicters- of the
two Noble Lords, lie had only in
:view the Vindi-
cation of his own. He had, never said, nor did
he believe, that their conduct had" net been-.the
most honourable-4e kid given them hill .credit
for the pnrity of their Motives—be felt the
cessity which urged-one of the Noble Lords to
redeem, by-his ansSfers, that pledge whioh be
had ,given in another ; but the adherence
to that pledge he at that time thought woihld
lose him the esteem of the -country. With. re-
spect to the conversation which had passed be-
tween his Right Honourable Friend
.and him, a
great part. of the,House must have imagined, that
after the declaration made by the Noble Lord
(Lord Yarmouth) on Monday ,(whose illness
and absence he night regretted), no con-
: -versationdiad actually taken place. What he had
stated to his. _Right Hon. Friend, as to the resig-
nation of the Household, was, as he had already
informed the House, recollecting that theirgoing
out of office depended on 'a contingency, and so
he had told his Right Hon. Friend, the communi-
cation was made to him (Mr. S.), not as the
channel which ,was•to convey the intelligence to
the. Noble Lords, for the Noble Lord (Lord Yar-
mouth) knew that he (M 9 &) was one of the
last persons to whom the authority for making
such a communication would have been given.—
The Noble Lord knew that he was not in the ha.

bit of having acointnnuication with. Lord7:-.
Grey, much less with LOrtl Grenville. A mes-
sage of the nature -he would not have taken, for
such 'a message would iri effect have. arnounted,to
a mendce, or, in other words, it was converting
the Household Officers into a Cabinet upon the
oceiGion. • 'Was it afi, office proper that his Noble
Friend Earl Moira' and himself should fill ? Was
it right that the Noble T.;07:1 (Lord Yarthouth)
should ask and expect that the Noble Earl 'and
himself 'should stand for ten minutes at the plea.-
sure ofthe Household Lords, as a species of cen,-
tinels, watching the precise point of time ,when
the ten minutes 'should expire, to carry the intel-
ligence to the two Noble Lords who were to form
the new Cabinet ? The Right Hon. Gentleman
trusted he had proved, in what he had stated, that
it was an Unmanly and ungrateful mode 'of pro-
ceeding, to attempt to injure hiM in the estima-
tion of the country, by representing him in the
Journal over which, his friends had the controul,
as a person who was 'Playing an insidous game—
as a person who; in order to 'obtain some private
end, was 'endeavouring to prevent the accession
to office of some of -his 'nearest and oldest con-
nections. Such conduct was' furthest . from his
view—such conduct was alien to his heart ; in all
his public -life, he had never sacrificed either his
private or public feelings, to nn worthy objects.,
The House Would do him justice, in believing, that
no base motive influenced his conduct; he had no
interested vitr: Men who played a double part
had some object to gain' What had he-gained ?
Where could any man point at the places he- had
obtained for his friends; the pensions be had bur=
thened the country with, 'or the sinecures 'he had
secured fo'rhimSelf ? Under these considerations,
he hoped the House Would set-that it .7as neces-
sary he should vindicate, hiS'honourand -character,
and that 'he had done' 50. Nothing could, have
given him more satithetion than to have united
his friends in the service of the country, so that
in the moment Of• danger they might have pre-
sented a bold and fair front against the .coinm,on
enemy.
Lord CAWLEREAGII apprehended, :that as the
Right ROB. Gentleman' nid mate the)notion with'
a view to give-an explanation to some parts of his'
conduct, and that explanation having been afford-
ed, he would not 'press it 'to a division. lie
thought there had h,een quite enough of discuSSion
upon it. . . 'rite Noble Lord 'observed, 'that he
should have been divosed to accede to the. ma
tion, if any, thing could thereby have been fur-
nished to lead to 'any practical benefit the
Right HOn. Gentleman's character. disposa
lag of tote motion; therefore, by a direct nega-
tive„ be was -anxious the House. should express.
their opinion on the manner of bringing questions
Of this iLiture before Parliament. Confidential'
connnunicatiOn in respect to the formation of an
Administration were not fit subjects for. discussion
in Parliament, and, he booed, Would not receive
its sanction. The present sUbject had gone the
length of discussion, which', if tolerated on future
occasions, might threaten the existence of the best
interests of the country.
.• Mr: SIMI:MAN was not dispostA to press tlis
mbtiOn. It conveyed the strongest censure upon
the charges against -him which it was possible to
convey, for it Went to call for official documents,
when, in fact, there were none to lay before the
House. •

• Sir .FRANCIS BURDETT rose, merely to observe
with satisfaction, which he
,hadno doubt would
be felt by the country, that every thing had been
done by his Royal Highness the 'rinse Regent to
carry into effect the wishes expressed in the Ad-'
dress of the' Ist of May.. As to. those wishes, he
was conyinced, that a change of nien, Mirithout a
change •of measuks,,-*Citild not lead- to any ben&
ficial result ; at. the 'same time, he thought the
House. would not 'he doing 'amisS', if-they returned
thanks to .his Royal Highness for his' conduct
upon the trying occasion. , •
Mr. hurcnmsoN was of opinion With the
I-Ton. Bart. that, it Was a matter-of perfect indif
ference into. whose hands the Administration was
confided. Thus much he knew, that the expres-
sion of this House. on the Ist of May was not an. 7
swered by those now in power: He thought that
bad ;faith, in some quarter, or oth4r, where he
could not discover; had been kept towards the
two Noble, Lozds. They had not been `treated
fairly.
The Motion was then put and negatived.
On the motion'. of Lord BINNING, the Report
of the Mail Coach, Exemption Bill was postponed
till Tuesday.