The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-05-23 00:00:00


base been aw. e of the introduction of such a elated
into the Bill. The Noble sod learned Lord (book
big head at this, but surely the Noble and Learned
Lord, who at thst period filled the office of Solicitor.
General, and with high eminence at the Bar, mast
base been consulted in the preparation of that Bill,
and, therefore, mast have been aware of the intro.
duction of this clause. The Noble and Leaded
Lord was one of the few survivors of those who had
taken part in tbe discussion of that measure, sod
tenes%no doubt, be aware of all the bearings of this
discession. Looking, however, only to the lest Re-
-gency Act, let it be recollected that seven long years
had elapsed since that. Act had passed, and that no
necessity bail, (luring that time. been discovered fee
any measure like the present, though it was alms.
&tale evident that the intim must have been under
consideration ; for not only was there she dismissio'
le 1811, but also in the neitydva when the sallalt-
tions canoed. The question, therefore, mar have bee%
at winos times under consideration, and how imppee.
ed it, !bat it had never been dinovered till now that
there was any incoavanience likely to result fres &
forthwith meeting of Pa rii-ment. Daring the parilig
that had elapsed since the King's unhappy meltdy,
the prerogative of the Crown had neon repeatedly es.
ercised in the prorogation of the Parliament, and there
bad been one dissolution. How happened it, that
during all this period no discovery of loonnveidence
had been made? Where then was the necessity now ?
It might be that a dissolution was looked to: bet
where was the neces.ity for it ? This Parliament hod
still a wards of a 'edit of legal Atimtelle• to look
until September or October twelooloonth, end whet
reason was theca that this measure might net with.
pea 'yr port. come ..•.01er leliberaie discussion
in the nest Session, than new on tiniest.• of a prem.
gelid. ould it not be a gross inconsistency, tnist
-tier the long period in which she I.rovision in the
Regency Act had bees permitted to matinee, for the
forthwith meetinz of Parliament, le the event of the
demise o 1 the Queen, and that provision lotrodeced
and enacted after, be must assume, a mature sod 46.
! berate discussion --;would it not be a gross Woo.
sisteocy now to repeal it I The reason of the pro.
vision evident:lr was, that the high and important
trust of the care of the King's Person should, on its
cessation in the Queen, immediately become a sub-
ject for the deliberation uf Parliament. He admitted
that this was a case ilifetior in (levee of importance
to that of the Prince Regent ; but he could nut admit
that it was of en little importanci, as not to
immediate attention of P tliament• to provide foe
ober:steer the King's person. Yet what would Parlia.
moist now be doing if this measure were agreed to,
but absolutely annulling those precautions which,
after the most deliberate contidenition...it had been
agreed Wit were necessary to Onvii.:a for one floe
care of the King's person in the event of the demise of
the Queen ? lie was solicitous, upon this °cask',
to avoid every thing that could be construed into in-
delicacy ; and perhaps in what he was going to say,
be might be charged with departing frets his own
principle; but if this were the case, the whole force
of the accusation must rest with those who had
brought this measure toren id. lie vroul.i. !to ever,
pot a case hypotheoca;iy :--SupinAr •he ieen was
not only so much indis.wed as to reut;;,... her resi.
deuce in town, or the attendance of physicians, but
her general state of health such es to give rise to the
most dried apprehensions for her valuable life—
would there not an that case, be the greatest indeli-
cacy in bringing forward such a measure as the pre-
sent ? Watt there not, also, the grossest inconsie.
laity in bringing forward such a measure now, to do
away all that Parliament had done with a view to the
`contingency in question, and with no reason assigned
that could operate now iu preference to any other
period ? Doting the long period that had elapsed
since the eclipse of the Royal mind, they had been
reposed to the occurrence of the contingencies of the
demise of the Crowe, the demise of the Prince Re-
gent, the demise of the Queen, or the King's reco-
very, yet no measure bad been hitherto thought noe
cessary to make any further provision (bats Well
enacted in the Regency Act. And now, with no
manna stated, no motive assigned, no moss shown,
was a Wesere of this nature introduced without any
previous notice, and on the eve of a prorogation, to
*noel what bad been deliberately proposed and en-
acted, sod so long with a full knowledge of the sub.
ject acquiesced in by Parliament. In saying what he
had, be did not mean to state that there might not be
a necessity from the lapse of time and alteration of
circumstances, of revising the Regency Act, bet in
that case, let it be a revision of all the provisions of
the Act, let a Committee be appointed in the nest
&micas to consider its previsions, cud ascertain *oat
alteration it might be necessary to make. And with
reference to this question, he most recur to what he
said ens former evening with regard to the Windsor
Establishment, and again say. that from unheppily
the durations of the King's malady, there could sot
be any necessity for a cootineasion of *be heavy "s-
-pend of that establishment. Shield that mince
take place, be could see no reason with regard to the
Regency, why provision should not be made for
resting it, its the event of the demise of-the Prince
Regent, in the nest heir to tkeThrene, respecting
whom, from his age and character, he was confident
there ceeld be bet two opinions, either in Parliament •
or the country, as to his fitness for ell else duties of
that station. With reward also to the event of She
Qeeen's demise, he thought it would be infinitely pre.
(treble to vest, its coats of that eyelet, the are of the
King's person in the Prins* Regent, towelated that
the patronage attending that bighead important tress, •
would be mesh better vested Jo.. fire beads of the
Prince Regent,- than in a separate esiablisinneot,
patronage of which might be mode de otie apposi-
tion to the Executive Government. In this vise ef

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