The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-03 00:00:00

G, MAY 3, 1827.

ship was affected almost to tears during the delivery
of this speech.

The Duke of. WELLINGTON rose amid loud
cries of " Hear, hcaz." He did not offer himself to
their Lordships' attention for the purpose of express-
ing his sentiments on the petition just presented,
but he was induced to rise that he might give
an explanation as to the grounds of his being
no longer in his Majesty's political service. He
felt the great impropriety of entering into such a
discussion there. He was bound, as their Lord-
ships must be aware, not to reveal any thing that
had passed between his Majesty and himself, or
that had occurred in his Majesty's Councils. He
felt that the House had no right to inquire
into the causes of the recent changes of Adminis-
tration ; but I also, said his Grace, (with consider-
able emphasis) feel that I have been most unjustly
and calumniously treated.—(Loud cheers.)—l have
been charged with crimes of the grossest nature ; I
have been abused day after day by the Press.—(Loud
cheers.)—skPrees which I rather believe to bounder
the influence of Government.—(Continued cheers.)
When lam thus grossly calumniated, must not I
possess more than the feelings of a man if I sate
still without vindicating myself ? Ido so the more
readily because whilst defending myself I shall have
no occasion to reveal any thing of a private or con-
fidential
nature. His Grace then proceeded to read
a letter which he had received from Mr. Canning
on the 10th of April, which was nearly to the follow-
ing effect :
" My dear Wellington—The King, in an au-
dience from , which I have just returned, has
been graciously pleased to direct that I should
lay before him, with as little delay as pos-
sible, a plan for the reconstruction of an admi-
nistration. It is his Majesty's wish, and my own,
that we should adhere to the principles of Lord Li-
verpool.”—This letter, continued his Grace, con-
tianed not one word of explanation as to the per-
sons of whom the Cabinet was to be formed. He
was not desired by the Right Hon. Gentleman to
come to him and receive any explanation respecting
that evident omission. Neither did the Right Hon.
Gentleman come or send to him ; but his Grace
had since understood, upon authority not to be
questioned, that those explanations which were
denied to him had been given to the remainder
of his colleagues.—(Loud cheers.)—All his col-
leagues had been invited to go to the Right Hon.
Gentleman, to receive all necessary explanations,
or else the Right Hon. Gentleman himself went
to give them. In some instances his personal
friends had been sent for for that purpose ; but
to me, said his Grace, no explanation was
given, nor was I referred to any other person
for the purpose of getting it. Having been for a
considerable length of time upon the most friendly
terms with the Right Hon. Gent. his Grace was ra-
ther astonished that in this instance, he should depart
from the observance of those forms of intimacy which
had hitherto regulated their intercourse. He was,
however, determined that nothing should Prevent
him from communicating in the most friendly and
open manner with the Right Hon. Gentleman,
and therefore he wrote to him on the 11th of April
a letter, dictated by these sentiments. His Grace
then proceeded to read the letter in question, in
which before his Grace could give a final answer he
wished 'to know from Mr. Canning whO th'e -in-
dividual was whom he intended to propose to his
Majesty as fit to be at the head of the
Government. In answer to this letter- his grace
received another from Mr. Canning, in which the
Right Honourable Gentleman said that it was
generally understood that his Majesty entrusted
the formation of an Administration to that indivi-
dual who was to be placed at its head, and he had
no reason to believe his Majesty intended in his case
to depart from the usual practice. This letter (ob-
served his Grace) does not express a very serious wish
that I should continue in the Government.—(Loud
cheirs.)—His Grace, on the same day, wrote a
letter to Mr. Canning, in which he stated that he
had previously understood from Mr. C. that a diffe-
rent arrangement was contemplated. His Grace was
not aware that the practice to which Mr. C. alluded
was so invariable, that he should gather from his
communication that the Right Hon. Gentleman
himself was to be at the head of the Government.
After looking, but in vain, for a probability that the
new Administration could be conducted on the princi-
ples with that of Lord Liverpool, or, that it could be
conducted with satisfaction to the country, he express-
ed his regret that he was obliged to withdraw from it.
Again, with regard to his resignation, his Grace was accused
of having abandoned his station. He considered the
prerogativb of choosing those Ministers on whom he could
rely for advice, &lel for conducting the policy of the coun-
try, the most valuable that his Majesty is intrusted
with by the Constitution. While under this conviction,
his Grace begged the House to judge his conduct. He
would suppose that if a Minister might unfortunately differ
from his Majesty on any important subject, it must then be
evident that that Minister could not give that cordial assist-
ance which he would, give, if of the same opinion with his
Sovereign. Now, let this principle be applied to his
Grace's case. He differed from his Majesty's Prime Mi-
nister on a moat important subject, and he felt that
lie could not, when called upon, give that cordial
support which the Prime Minister was well entitled
to ask and expect. Then what could his Grace
do in a Cabinet which was composed on principles dia-
metrically opposed to his ? It was no answer to say that
the present Administration was coe.ducted on the same
principle as that of Lord Liverpool. He would say that
they materially differed, and the difference was that
Lord Liverpool's Administration was founded on the
principle of supporting the present laws, as they arc,
while that of Mr. Canning is founded on the principle of
subverting those laws. It was well known that Lord
Liverpool was opposed to the Catholic cause, while Mr.
Canning was the most zealous partizan in that cause. His
Grace would then ask, did be abandon his Majesty in re-
signing, when he could not conscientiously support Mr.
Canning? His Grace was also accused of dictating to his
Sovereign. Those who said so, did not know his Majesty.
--(Loud cheering.)—lt had been also said, that he had
withdrawn from his Majesty's service because he wanted
to be Prime Minister himself. But he could never forget
that profession in which his whole life had been passed ;
nor could he forget that he had raised himself by that pro-
fession to some honour—he said, raise himself, not from
forgetting the emine-at services of many of those Noble
Friends he saw around—not from forgetting the exertions
of the gallant officers and soldiers whom he had the honour
to command—not even from forgetting that his Majesty':
gracious favour had conferred on him more than he me-
rited ; but recollecting that favour, and the great exer-
tions of his brother officers and soldiers ; he said he had
raised himself, because his Majesty would not have placed
him in the situation be had lately held, and would
not have conferred such favours on him, if he had
not rendered him and the country some services of
which he approved. Would any man believe that he was
anxious to give up a situation which placed him again in
conntiand of that army with which be had been so long
connected ; which gave him an opportunity of bringing
forward those who had served with him, or of recommen-
ding them to his Majesty : that he should he willing to
give up this high and honourable station, which he held
with pride, to take a situation which lie felt he could not
fill with honour and satisfaction, for lie could not address
their Lordships on the numerous subjects lie would then
have had to bring under their consideration in the manner
in which they ought to he addressed.—(Hear.) He had
stated his views as to the formation of a new Ministry ;
but as to. time charge of conspiracy, or whatever else Gen-
tlemen might please to call it, he was totally ignorant of
and unconnected with it.—(Hear, hear.) If any person
whatever presumed to say that he had communicated no-
tions or opinions as to the new Administration, or
his intentions upon the subject to his colleagues who had
left office with him, previous to his resignation, he called
upon him to come boldly forward and state that fact. He