The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-01-26
FOR TIE ENQUIRER.
REGENCY.

rs ti's' Is point, which may draw, per
maps the public attention it is as well
go oacK to the similar case, which took
place In 80. The history of those times
! shows US the course which was then pur
| sued.
Inc present king was then aft cted, as he
, rs at present-he was literally mad--and
dlsquahhed from serving even as the puppet
OF his ministers. Parliament met-and, as
they nave done lately, adjourned for II
oays-and letters were dispatched by both
houses, caliins on the absent members 10 at
tend The day before Parliament Re assem-
Dicd MS NaJesty's physicians were examin-
ed by the Privil Council-and they concur
red IN the opinion, thatthe king was unable
to attend 10 public business but that his cur.
was probable event. They were too. af.
forwards examined by Committees of both
houses of Parliament
| he ground beng thus far explored the
next step was to supply the defect. Mr.
fltt moved tor committee, to collect pre
c. dents on me case. This gave rise 10 much
debate, and opened a great diversity of
| ideas.
| Mr.. Fox commended, from the PRINCIPLES
O pracuce OF the Constitution, that when
yer the KING was unable to SWAY the sceDtre
me helr apparent if OF full age and caDacity.
| mad as strong claim to step into his shoes
OF course with all its rights and appurtenan
ces, as IN he case of the natural demise or
t"e k'ng-Mi. Piti, on the other hand. said
.here was no such case as this precisely on
record, but that history showed. that what
ever disabilities had occurred in the execn-
1--WE branch, had been supplied by parliament
VINO SO mt to provide the remedy as he
people, from whom all power originated >,
| (strange that Mr.. Pit should use his do
trineD that therefore the Prince of Wales
haa no more right to the post, than any other
suoJectof The realm--that it was for Parlia
ment t. say, who should be the regent, & zyhat
should be tn, range ofhis powers.
In the House OF Peers, l. ri Loughbo-
rough supported the posi- ion of MIR Fox
but WI n this addition, that the Heir cnuld
not exercise he right, uatil the incapacity f
the sovereign had been declared by Pari1
"ent'-ht subsequent meeting, MIR. Fox
adopted the same provision.
Mr.. FIT, whilst he confessed, that it was
eXpedient TO appoint the Prince, again deni
ed that he had any sort Of right to SWAY
the royal power--and that it was tor the
Hu.us AUG commons 10 supply the detect
In Pursuance OF this ground, he laid three
resolutions before the II. of Commops-,he
! 49, .na' MS majesty was for the time unti; 10
uisCnafge the roy al functions; the I'd. that
II was Tie right and the duty of Parliament
60 supply the defect in such a svay as the ex.
ieehcy might seem 10 req lire and tine 81
that they determine on some means where
oy the royal assent may be gwen in ParlIa
M M TO such bill ashley might pass, respect.
ing the exercise OF the powers of the crown
IN c name and behalf OF he .nq-Mnch
ciasmng appeared, in the cour e OF the de-
Date. The riends OF the resolu. ,ons were
Tor restraining the powers of the Regent -
why give ali the powers of the crown when
the occasion might only be tcupory one
why give more than was necessary to.na
Die The regent TO act as the executive magis-
Iate; curing the Illness ot the SOVEREIGN
Nllght not the heir be unwilling to step from
the throne In case of the Kings GONZALES
cence vast right 20 entr nch him here
b, vesting him with unqualified D ,wersp
The opponents OF the Resolutions nrote...I
against the restric ion & shac 1ling orthe Re-.
gents will.
ihey were however. adopted by the
Nommons-and afterwards BY the Peers.
though not without strong protest from
the Royal Brothers, ne Dukes of Yorl- and
Cumberland, and forty-six other Peers.
Mr. Ptt then, befor he opened his P5an
.V regency before parliament, submitted
ITS outlines in aletter to the prince. If VIC
stated to him to be the best plan which h;s
majesty'S confidential servants could form
lis great features were. that he was to exer
cIse me royal power in the name of "his
majesty, during his ilne.s-under Certain
limitations. The Prince, in reply, protested
against all such limitations, and stated 80
reasons against each of them-~it was a DIan
for intro lucing we ,kness into every branch
OF the administration for dividing the row
al family from each other; for saddIino ITO
Prince with all the invidious duties oF 60
Vernment, without the means of s,,te,in,,
them by any one act of grace or benignitvo
but IN consideration of the many evils, which
would spring from the then debilitated s,a,e
OF affairs, he consented to dndert Ike rho
painful trust imposed upon him.-These ma
pers are worthy of inspection, as curious
monuments of state trick and grasn aF,er
power They are to be met with in the En-
glish State Papers of Dec. so, '88. and Ian
1, 80. @"0 '""'
Mr.. PIT developed his plan to the Con,
mons, on the 10th Jan. 'S9--the restrictions
which 1t embraced, we're the same as had
been exhibited to the Prince--they were re
ducble to 4 heads: 1st, that he sbould he
stow no Peerage, except TO his maiesty's is
sue above twenty one years of are: 81
that he was not to grant any pension or
place icr lite, or in reversion, exceut sucb
as are by law held for life or during pond no
havicr; Sd, he was not to dispo-e Of either
real or personal property of the King: md
9Th that the care of the sovereign nsr n
and OF his whole house hold, was to be pr
ven to he Queen, who was to be advised
but no controlled, BY a special cou,cil-
But setting ASIDE these restricticns, he was