The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-06-13

bly, increafed by the caule to which that change
has been aicribed, it being the opinion of this
hosfe that it is the firf duty of the refponfbIe
: minitters of the crown to refrain themfelves
by any pledge, exprefled or implied, from Civ.
ing any advice to his Maiefty, which to the
bet OF their judgment, the courfe of circum-
| frances may think neceifary, for the honor Of
! bis Majefy's crown and the fecurity of his do
| minions."
Lord Aberdeen rofe in rcplyto the Noble
Marquis. The queftion now ftarted appeared
To him to involve very ferrous Inconvenience,
inalmuch as IL intimately connected itielf with
the perfonaI conduct of the foveregn. That
was unavoidable, however nudious Noble
Lords might be to avoid it. For though it ap-
peared general and abHraf plopofticn, it was
calculated, at the fame time, TO ferve as juf-
tfcaiion of the conduit of the late miUifters !;
and by jufifying them to intimate blame in
fcme other quarter. He could not but conf
der The queition as embracing two parties; the
late administration, and the prerogatve of the
crown. 1t went to exculpate the crown, to
which no blame could attach. Indeed it was
very difficult, from the infu,ting manner in
which the quefion was brought forward-nay
It was iInpof1be to dfcufs it without recurring
to other circumstances, which it did not pur-
pole to comprehend. Whenethc late minlfers
confented to withdraw bill which they deem
to be lndifpenfably nscelfary to the fafety of
the country, they limited that, in future, they
might be under the necef1ity, not only of re.
lproducing the fame meafure, but perhaps
iome further meafures OF limilar nature. How
could it DC imagined his Majefy could inen TO
| fnch pfopofals, when it was known-perfeGtly
well known-that the opinions of the fove-
reign upon thofc points were immutsble. 1t
might naturally occur to his Majeay, that the
lame meafure might be again propoied to him
at time when, perhaps, it might not be equal
| ly in his power to refit it. How natural then
was it for him to demand an aGurance from his
minieers, that they would no longer think OK
any tilch meaiure but that 10 far they would
allow his feelings and his confidence TO remain
uDdiiturbed. That aiIurance the late minifters
refufed TO grant, and their refufal made It ne
cetfary for his Maeity to Gfifmifs them. Much
had been fsid about fecret adyifers on this oe
Gallon, and it was contended that the fovereign
could do nothing without refpcniibe adyifers.
| This might be the cafe; but it WAS impoilible
to gake that true which was falfe, or give ex.
exftence to what no where enifted. Would it
be attempted to make the niniRers refponR
bic for meafures that were taken before they
came into Office? Bat if the neafure for
which it was wiilled TO fix Responsibility upon
them referred to the late change of Adminiftra.
ton, he srited the prefent minifter would not
drink from IL; for it was the only line of con-
dua which the Sovereign could, under fach
| circumftanccs, adopt, confident with bis cafe
and dignity. Outheie grouads he flouId move
the previous queition. ~
The Earl of Hsrdwcke followed; he felt the
queitiou before the houle an embassatiiDe one,
and he accordingly had paid much attention to
lit. The noble Earl who. fpoke lalt divided il
into two parts. To the ilrit he thought there
could BE no objection, for that our domeitic
ftuation, and our foreign relations, were of
rsrin,,a dara.;..,
deny, and therefore il NUT be a matter of re-
grei taat any fuch change lhouid have taken
place at 70 critical moment. The fort of ad.
minifration which the prefent pofture Of things
required, was well deicribed lin the words Of
the motion, it ihould be &c firm and Fable ad,
minifration :" but thcle, he feared, were quail.
ties that could not be truly afcrbed to the min
iary that mad jHt been formed--this obieryation
he felt hinfef in iultice hound to make, with
oat thereby meaning any thing direfpedfuI to
any individual member, for many of whom he
entertained very fincere regard f; their appoint
meDti ,e conidersd to be as contrary to their
own intereft, as IL was hottie TO the iatsrens OF
the country. The late minifers had, in his
opinion, been very i'll treated, and the motive
that Influenced their conduct had been mot an
fairly reprefcnted. The noble Earl then went
into an examination OF the itatement made in.
his place by noble Lord (Greuville) OF the
WDOlt Oh the tTdiildCtlOnS winch IeO TO the
movaI of him and his colleagues. That fate
| rnent appeared to him highly satisfactory and
however followed the circumstances that pro.
duced and recommended the bill brought into
the other heufe, NUT be thoroughly perfuaded
| that it could never be the intention of its franz
era TO minead or deceive the Sovereign refpeet-
ing its preciion and indeed it was impoiIihe
to impute any thing like intentional deception
to characters of fuch acknowledged honour and
! integrity. There was nothing more nnground-
ed OF mifcbievous than the alarm which, on ac.
count of the Introduction of that bill has been
too induitrouGy fpread Throughout the country /;
! There could be no danger here froin il to the
church eitabliihmcnt It was equally fure there
was no danger in Ireland and upon reflection
1t mu(l be felt to be highly criminal to have pro-
! pagated fucb an alarm in the latter country.
| Much as he refpected the prcfent lniniaers, he
did not think them equal TO the prefent crifA
! He was anxious, for the couutry's fax, that
the affars of the country lhould, at fuch mo-
ment, 'e in different hands; and upon thele,
and many other grounds, he was dfpoled to
concur in the motion of the noble Marquis.
| Lord Erfkine made very animated and ar
leumentative fpeech in fuPpon Of the motion.
All honorable men mult agree In condemuing
the manner in which the late Administration
had been removed. twas pitifu, conternp.
tibie triumph, which could have TO flability.
a noble earl (Hardwcke) bad anticipated much
of what he bad intended TO offer to the houfe,
and gorled with that noble earl, in contemplate
ing the long M ofpenal latutes which were