Star.
London, England, 1810-12-24 00:00:00

PARLIA,

rENTARr PROCEEDINGS.

11.0 We were unwillingly obligel, on Saturday, to compress oste
report of Mr. MILEY ADZINGTON'i Speech. As ais imps:.
tant his sentiments should be krown, we now give is at length.
After Mr. ELLIOT sat down,
I,lr. ADDINGTON said,that he had risen at the
same time as the last speaker, under the impression of
an irresistible impulse to notice some of the observa-
tions made by the Member who had immediately
preceded him. The Right Hon. Baronet (Sir John
Newport) had begun by stating the difference between
the present period and the year 1788—that we were
then in a state of profound peace, and now in a state
of ruinous war—that our taxes and the burthens of
the country were at the former period not one ball
what they were at the present—and from such a
change of circumstances had argued, that a measure
of such a description as that now discussing, might
have been proper then, but was on account of that
diference improper now. This very mode of argu-
ment confirmed him in the propriety and necessity of
adhering to that precedent then laid down : a prece-
dent which he for one would not venture to unseal ;
as by that means a door would be opened to poste-
rity, for whom we were legislating no less than for
ourselves, to measure their conduct and regulate their
proceedings, on similar . mergers -ies, by every change
of circumstances ; wili. h wouli be attended with
no less danger than er barrassmmt. The worthy
Baronet had noticed, tl at since the year 1788, his
Majesty's age had erten ased 22 ysars, but had not
pointed that remark so as to make the object of it
quite intelligible. It, however, produced one natural
observation from him, viz. that such an encrease had
given the worthy Baronet and the rest of the commu-
nity 22 years more experience of the blessings of his
Majesty's mild and paternal reign, and so far cause
for accumulated attachment and gratitude. But if
it was meant to apply at all to the question before
them, he would beg to rewind the House, that it was
unanimously the opinion of the physicians,' that such
encreased age did not at all diminish the prospect of
his Majesty's recovery. The worthy Baronet had
also commented with severity on the pathetic descrip-
tion of the effect produced on his Majesty's mind
from the Princess's illness, by a learned Gentleman
who had spoken early in the (rebate (Mr. Stephens).
Mr. A. thought that address to the feelings of the
House perfectly legitimate, because it was necessarily
connected with the important testimony of all the phy-
sicians, that such was the real assignable cause of his
Majesty's illness, quite demonstrated by Sir H. Hal-
ford ; andthatthere were on that account better hopes of
course.--The Hon. Gentleman who had immediately
preceded him had manfully declared, that he pre-
ferred the course by Address, because it would be re-
pealing the precedent of 1788. At that period he had
been inParliament t and, having supported that mea-
sure, was partly responsible for it. He had been pre-
sent at all the debates—had heard all the arguments
in support of it ; and, amongst the rest, those of a
Noble Person, then Speaker of that House, which
were unanswered ; and, he believed, unanswerable.
But, though he had then so voted, it was not for the
sake of consistency only, but from conviction, con-
firmed by reflection, that he should vote for similar
proceedings now, as being the most wise and the
most constitutional. If it was possible to suppose
that, from so great a calamity, any one advantage
would arise, it was this—that it afforded the occasion,
in times of comparative quiet, and under the auspices
,of the greatest talents that this country had ever wit-
nessed, to establish the' precedent which we were now
called on to abandon, and which was to be the guide
and beacon to future generations, under similar emer-
gency. His Right. Hon. Friead (Mr. Perceval) had
been last night taunted for having relied exclusively
on this precedent—a taunt to which he should also
expose himself, thinking a reference to preceding ones
unnecessary. In fact, none of them were in point—
those of Henry the Sixth were the nearest—that of
the Revolution {of which he had heard so much)
hardly at all. The only point of resemblance be-
tween that and the present was, that then, on account
of a great emergency, the two Houses were obliged
to act for themselves. The Throne was then vacant—
it was now full, and the King's political capacity
entire. He had sincere deference for the opinions of
many Gentlemen on his side of the House, and they
would have at least as much for that which he was
about to quote ; it was of no less a person than Mr.
Fox himself, whose brilliant career at their head was
fresh in their memories, and who had, in a memorable
speech in 1789, declared, that the case of Revolution
had no resemblance whatever to that then discussing.
This he (Mr. A.) had heard expressed, and his own
recollection was confirmed by existing Reports, which
any one might refer to.—Mr. Addington said, there
were two pints never to be lost sight of in this dis-
cussion :—Ope, that the object of our proceedings
was professedly temporary; the other, that the illus-
trious individual proposed to supply the present defi-
ciency was to be no more than a Deputy—a Substi-
tute, a Delegate, a Trustee. For his own part, le•
would gladly (gladly was not a proper term on so
afflicting an occasion)—he would readily and con-
fidently consent to devolve that trust on his Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales, as on. all accounts the
most proper person for it. If a Regency was in itself
as evil, which no one would deny, that evil would
happily be greatly qualified by a consideration of the
great and amiable qualities of the illustrious person
who would have to execute ithlaties. If prudence
should suggest the propriety of any guards being put
on this authority to be so given for a short time, it
did not, it could not, proceed from any doubt or
jealousy of the individual. But, let our confidence
be what it may, we were not to act on personal con-
fidence, but on public principles.
He would say but little on the subject of the pro.
posed restrictions, as other and fitter opportunities
would occur of discussing them. But Gentlemen
• ought to bear in their minds what all might not know,
that there was not one solitary instance in the annals
of Great Britain, of an individual being appointed
Regent without limitations of- some sort—not one.
It was true that full executive power had been given
to Regents, who had been saddled with a permanent
Council; but that might be considered as a sort of
restriction, arcing from the possible opposi-
. majority of that Council to any of the Re-
measures, and was ther ire infinitely more
,ble even tc• him. He the few limitations
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