Star.
London, England, 1827-05-02 00:00:00

lion, and the connection of the ss.
Secretary with that of Prime Minister, to.
dilficolties that inteelered with my retention ..
and that if these could be obviated, I vies read)
willing to remain; but that, finding myself in the situ:.
Akin I had described, I had felt from first to last I could
not possibly acquiesce in my Right Honourable Fi iend's
proposition for becoming a Member of the new Admi-
nistration. Those were the grounds for my conduct,
and I t est that, in carrying my determination into
tffeot, it will be seen I acted in the most c redid m ono e.
I adopted this course without consulting or communing
with any other Member of the late Administration—
(Hear)—but although I so acted without concert with
any one else, let me repel the shameful and scan-
dalous imputation, that they ought to be looked upon
as having acted in the spirit of a cabal, and with an
intention to dictate to their Sovereign—(Cheers) Let
me also repel the idea that I wish my case or my situa•
tion shall be distinguished or made different Irnm theirs
--(Cheers.) I am ready now to meet tire charges of cons-
lunation brought against my Noble Friends, and am
prepared to vindicate them, and to shew, that, in the
course pursued by them, they were not only perfectly
justifiable, but that their views, and their conduct, were
psecisely those that ought to be held up as examples to
others—(Cheers). Their conduct, instead of being cen-
surable, was worthy the imitation of all other public
men—(Continued cheering). The assertion, that their
resignations have been the result of cabal, is not only.
not the truth, bat is directly the se of it. If there
was an appearance of concert in their conduct, ihwas
purely accidental--for if they could be base enough to
cabal against their Sovereign, they would have had the
cunning to conceal it—(Hear). I admit, that if such had,
been the conduct of my Noble Friends mid Colleagues,
it would have been inexcusable. Acting in conformity
with the principles which always influence me, I declar-
ed that if the Government could be reconstituted with my
former Colleagues, I might be induced again to accept
office; and that, even were I not to participM in the
Administration, I would give them my support"' Until
the 9th of April, the very day before that on which his
Majesty laid his commands on my Right Hon. Friend
to form an Administration, I never spoke td my Noble
Fs lend, the Lord Chancellor, on the subject ; the charge
of concert in that instance, therefore, is untrue; and,
upon my honour,l believe the same with respect to every
other of my Noble Friends and Colleagues--(Cheers.)
I do not believe that one man of them knew or was in-
fluenced by the intentior of the other-.-(Hear.) The
charge of dictating to his Majesty is as untrue as the
charge of cabal; there was no such intention on the
part of any Member of the late Administration—
I am convinced, therefore, that not only with respect
to myself, but with respect to the Lord Chancellor,
and with respect also to the illustrious individual whose
1
name will be stamped for ever upon the annals of his
country—that individual who has not been more remark-
able for the brilliancy of his career than for the simpli-
city and singleness of his character and conduct, which
are only comparable in extent with the respect which he
bears to the kingly office, and above all, the sincerity et
his devotion and attachment to the sacred person of his
Majesty-1 am thus convinced, I say, that, with respect
to them and myself, I have proved that this charge is as
unfounded as it is base. When I see that illustrious
man attacked, I see something so extraordinary in the
ingratitude, as well as in the fal,elroed, of such a charge,
that I can scarcely trust myself to speak of it. (Cheers.)
I abstain from going further into detait, because another
opportunity for doing so will be afforded me. I trust
that the House will feel, that I was called upon to offer
myself to their attention, and I feel deeply the indul-
gence with which 1 have been treated. I hope I shall
be allowed, on a • matter involving considerations of
great public importance, with those of strong, private,
and personal, to add a few observations. mote.—
(Loud cheers.) My separation from my Right Hon.
Ft iend,with whom I had acted with so much cordiality,
has been to me a source of great regret—a regret,
however, which is much mitigated by the recollection,
that I have done every thing in my power to prevent it.
—(Cheers). I retire from the service of the country with
regret, certainly increased, perhaps, by the reflection,
that I shall not have the same opportuuities for effecting
those alterations in our criminal laws—to complete
which was the only distinction--the only solace—the
only reward—l was ever solicitous to derive from the
performance of my duty—(Cheers). I own, that in
another instance I have great satisfaction in reflecting,
that every incident, civil or political, connected with,
my office, that has occurred during the five years thee
I held it, bas been subjected to the severest scrutiny,
and that I have endeavoured to act in the manner best
calculated for the public service. I have, further, the
satisfaction to reflect, that every law which I found
on the Statute Book, that trenched upon the liberty
of the subject, has been either allowed to expire,.or
has been mitigated—(Loud and continued cheering).
I may be a Tory, or an illiberal—but, Tory as I am,
there is not a law standing pn the Statute Book, con-
nected with my name, that had not for its object the
amelioration of our criminal code, or to simplify and
promote the impartial administration of justice.—
(Cheers.)—I have also the satisfaction to recollect, that
during the severe trials to which the manufacturing
interests of the country have been exposed for the last
two years, and during the local popular movements
growing out of them, and during the whole of which 1
was officially charged with the preservation of the in-
ternal tranquillity of the country, I did not apply to
this House for any measure of extraordinary power.—
(Loud cheers.)—I have ever sought, and most actively,
to maintain the civil rights of the subject, while I also
supported the just prerogatives of the Crown, to main-
tain inviolate all the anc ent institutions of the country,
and have been guided throughout solely by a desire that
that moral support which they derived from long pre-
scription and ancient custom should not be subjected to
decrease, still I have been equally desirous, when it
could be clearly seen, to terminate prescriptive abuse—
(Hear, hear.) in the performance of that which I
deemed my duty, I have had but one object in view,
and in retiring from office I am supported by the con-
sciousness, and the only reward I solicit is the belief,
that all my efforts have been directed for the public
benefit.—[The Right Honourable Gentleman here sat
down amid loud and long-continued cheering.]
Mr. W. DUNCOMBE (of York) was quite aware that
In offering himself to the attention of the House, on
that important occasion, be laboured under great dir
advantages, but he was anxious to take the earliest op-
portuuity to state that which, be was sure, was the
feeling of the great majority of his constituents respect-
ing the retirement from office of the- Right Honourable
Gentleman who had just sat down. So obvious, so well
known, and so well appreciated, had been the merits of
the Ili& Hon. Gentleman, that he thought it 'a is