Star.
London, England, 1810-12-21 00:00:00

have been In their comae towards the loss of public'
confidence, the rapid strides of corruption of late years
were beyond comparisons With respect to the mode
of constituting the Regent as proposed by the Right
Hon. Gentleman, it could fairly, be said, that he was
pursuing the same course with the faction of 1788,
that was to say, with a due regard to the places and
emoluments of himself and his colleagues. Were it
proposed to appeal to the kingdom upon the expel
diericy of the plan to be followed, it would be imme-
diately answered, that it was intended to introduce
Jacobins and demagogues. He could only say that
he knew no other Yacobinical opinioas upon the sub-
ject than Judges Blackstone and Coke. The latter,
in his Lex et Constatudo Parliawnti clearly pointed out
the right of the people to judge in all cases where
their own interests were concerned. In the novel de-

vices adopted by modern statesmen, however, it was
not deemed fair to pay any attention to public consi-
deration. Judge Blackstone dwelt on the danger
which would arise from the Peers having the power
to tax the people ; and, in another part of his work,
adverted to the great advantages derived by the people
from their being protected by the choice of their own
representatives. The learned Judge, in describing
the Constitution, compared it to a machine wrought
by three weights, the equilibrium of Which took the
right direction towards the freedom of the subject.
If this was the case, the Executive Power being ab-
sent, and the House of Commons assuming kgreater
power than it really possessed; in how dangerous a
situation was the Constitution placed ? Although the
Prince of Wales could have no more right than any
other individual in the country to become Regent,
how much less right the House of Commons to
appoint a person to that office. Nothing could be
more reasonable than placing the power which was
deficient in the State, in the hands of him to whom it
would go by legal course, and to render that power
effectual, it should be given without any of these re-
strictions, the imposition of which would only give
rise to difficulties wnich would prevent its due exer-
cise. If the King had too much power, it should be
reduced; but if no more power existed thanwas neces-
sary, itwould be as improper totake itfrom the Regent
as from the King. With respect to the character of the
latter-mentioned individual, no person could cast the
slightest imputation against him. When nothing was
heard from the Right Honourable Gentleman, how.
ever, bin the highest panegyrics which were uor the
panegyrics of his Majesty, but of his Ministers—( Hort
hear !)—a succession of' the worst Ministers, sad
the most unfortunate the country ever saw ; it was,
impossible to pass the subject without an expression of
disgust.—(Near, hear.)—When the melancholy situa.
ton of the country was considered, and when the
causes of that situation were so evident, it was more
than could be endured with common patience, to hear
the very instruments of that country's destruction,
trumpeting forth their own praises, in
,language as
fulsome as undeserved. The Right Hon. Gentleman
had passed but cursorily over the-Report of the Exa-
mination of the Physicians; with a remark, that the
deduction to be drawn from it, the incapacity of the
King, was so evident, that it required no comment.
—There was one important fact, however, which had
been passed over very slightly, and which did not
seem to haveettracted the attention of the Learned
Gentleman ; and that was, that from the whole re-
port, no fair conclusion could be drawn. That from
the period of 1188, his Majesty had any real and
substantial remission of his disorder, relapses had been
heard of, and in fact, the public had been deceived.
—The Right Honourable Gentleman had said, that
the House was not called upon to make a King—He
(Sir Francis Burdett) was not of opinion that they
were ; but the Learned Gentleman wanted to make
a King which he might carry about in his pocket,
regardless of the consequences which must result to
a nation already weighed down by afflictions drawn
on its devoted head by the imbecility of that Right
Honourable Gentleman and his compeers. He
(Si. Francis Burdett) would ask, whether it was
safe that the Government should be vascillating be-
tween the Crown and the Ministers ? If the Re-
gency was given to his Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales, he knew no man more likely to gain the
confidence of the people ; nor did he believe there
was one snore competent to discharge the important
duties which would devolve upon him: But if he was
appointed, it was indispensable that he should be pos-
lessed of full powers to act as the interests of the coun-
try might require, without any of those inj uriousrestric-
tions whic% must only involve him in the greatest dif-
ficulties. In reverting again to the Report of the physi-
cians, he perceived that their opinions varied as to the
time at which the King became unfit to perform the
functions of his office ; and, in fact, after a close pe-
leusal of the whole detail, he conceived if a Regency
took place at all, it ought to be permanent. This
opinion he formed from the physicians having ascri-
bed many of his Majesty's relapses to political sub-
jects. At a period like the present, therefore, when
every succeeding day afforded some new and extra-
ordinary, if not calamitous incidents, it did not appear
likely that so firm and well establishment of his
Majesty's faculties could take place, a would war-
rant him in taking upon himself as'
difficult task
of Government ;—and to suffer the Government
to remain exposed longer to the weakness of the pre-
sent Ministers, would- be treason to the Country.—
The only alternative, therefore, was the Regency,
which he sincerely hoped would be adopted under such
an aspect as would afford some prospectof rescuing the
United Kingdom from the black clouds of adversity,
which seemed on all sides to envelope it. He should
most strenuously object to the House supplying the
deficiency, convinced as he was, that they had, not
that right, although they had acted as .if they had.
He could not sit down without noticing the delay of
five or six weeks, occasioned by the usual impolicy of
the Right Hon. Gentleman. What was then to be
done might have been done upon the first day of the
meeting of Parliament. He thought the whole a mi.
serable sham calculated to stab the vital interests of
the country ; to patch up an oligarchy, and to varnish
with form, that, which, if it appeared in its true co-
lours, would be spurned with contempt. With these
sentiments, he should protest against all the proceed-
ings of the Right Hon. Gentleman, and give his vote
against all the Resolutions.
The second question was then put and carried, and
the third was read.
Mr. PONSONBY. concurred with the Right Ho-
nonrable Gentleman Opposite, in thinking that there
wag not a heart hit the House, or is the nati9p. that
•