=Source.=--Molesworthy's _History of the Reform Bill_, London,
1866, p. 185.
Under these circumstances, ministers acted with promptitude and
decision. Their defeat had occurred on the morning of the 22nd of
April; on the same day summonses were issued, calling a Cabinet
Council at St. James's Palace. So short was the notice, that
the ministers were unable to attend, as was customary on such
occasions, in their court dresses.
At this council it was unanimously resolved that Parliament should
be prorogued the same day, with a view to its speedy dissolution,
and the royal speech, which had been prepared for the occasion,
was considered and adopted. All necessary arrangements having been
made, in order to take away from the King all pretext for delay,
Earl Grey and Lord Brougham were deputed to wait on the King, and
communicate to him the advice of the Cabinet. From what has been
already said, the reader will be prepared to anticipate that this
advice was far from palatable. The unusual haste with which it
was proposed to carry out that measure, naturally increased the
King's known objections to the proposed step, and furnished him
with a good excuse for refusing his assent to it. Earl Grey, the
pink and pattern of loyalty and chivalrous courtesy, shrunk from
the disagreeable errand, and requested his bolder and less courtly
colleague to introduce the subject, begging him at the same time to
manage the susceptibility of the King as much as possible.
The Chancellor accordingly approached the subject very carefully,
prefacing the disagreeable message with which he was charged, with
a compliment on the King's desire to promote the welfare of his
people. He then proceeded to communicate the advice of the Cabinet,
adding, that they were unanimous in offering it.
"What!" exclaimed the King, "would you have me dismiss in this
summary manner a Parliament which has granted me so splendid a
civil list, and given my Queen so liberal an annuity in case she
survives me?"
"No doubt, sire," Lord Brougham replied, "in these respects they
have acted wisely and honourably, but your Majesty's advisers are
all of opinion, that in the present state of affairs, every hour
that this Parliament continues to sit is pregnant with danger to
the peace and security of your kingdom, and they humbly beseech
your Majesty to go down this very day and prorogue it. If you do
not, they cannot be answerable for the consequences."
The King was greatly embarrassed; he evidently entertained the
strongest objection to the proposed measure, but he also felt the
danger which would result from the resignation of his ministers at
the present crisis. He therefore shifted his ground, and asked:
"Who is to carry the sword of state and the cap of maintenance?"
"Sire, knowing the urgency of the crisis and the imminent peril in
which the country at this moment stands, we have ventured to tell
those whose duty it is to perform these and other similar offices,
to hold themselves in readiness."
"But the troops, the life guards, I have given no orders for them
to be called out, and now it is too late."
This was indeed a serious objection, for to call out the guards was
the special prerogative of the monarch himself, and no minister
had any right to order their attendance without his express command.
"Sire," replied the Chancellor, with some hesitation, "we must
throw ourselves on your indulgence. Deeply feeling the gravity of
the crisis, and knowing your love for your people, we have taken
a liberty which nothing but the most imperious necessity could
warrant; we have ordered out the troops, and we humbly throw
ourselves on your Majesty's indulgence."
The King's eye flashed and his cheeks became crimson. He was
evidently on the point of dismissing the ministry in an explosion
of anger. "Why, my lords," he exclaimed, "this is treason! _high_
treason, and you, my Lord Chancellor, ought to know that it is."
"Yes, sire, I do know it, and nothing but the strongest conviction
that your Majesty's crown and the interests of the nation are at
stake, could have induced us to take such a step, or to tender the
advice we are now giving."
This submissive reply had the desired effect, the King cooled,
his prudence and better genius prevailed, and having once made
up his mind to yield with a good grace, he accepted, without any
objection, the speech which had been prepared for him, and which
the two ministers had brought with them, he gave orders respecting
the details of the approaching ceremonial, and having completely
recovered his habitual serenity and good humour, he dismissed the
two lords with a jocose threat of impeachment.
At half-past two o'clock the King entered his state carriage. It
was remarked that the guards on this occasion rode wide of it,
as if they attended as a matter of state and ceremony, and not
as being needed for the King's protection. Persons wishing to
make a more open demonstration of their feelings, were allowed
to pass between the soldiers and approach the royal carriage.
One of these, a rough sailor-like person, pulled off his hat,
and waving it around his head, shouted lustily, "Turn out the
rogues, your Majesty." Notwithstanding the suddenness with which
the resolution to dissolve had been taken, the news had already
spread through the metropolis, an immense crowd was assembled, and
the King was greeted throughout his whole progress with the most
enthusiastic shouts. He was exceedingly fond of popularity, and
these acclamations helped to reconcile him to the step he had been
compelled to take, and to efface the unpleasant impression which
the scene which had so recently occurred could not fail to leave
behind it.
Meanwhile, another scene of a far more violent kind was taking
place in the House of Lords. The Chancellor on leaving the King
went down to the House to hear appeals. Having gone through the
cause list he retired, in the hope that he should thereby prevent
Lord Wharncliffe from bringing forward his motion. But the
opposition lords had mustered in great force, and the House was
full in all parts. It is usual on the occasion of a prorogation
by the sovereign, for the peers to appear in their robes, and
most of those present wore theirs, but owing to the precipitation
with which the dissolution had been decided on, several peers,
especially on the opposition side of the House, were without them.
A large number of peeresses in full dress, and of members of the
House of Commons were also present. And now a struggle commenced
between the two parties into which the House was divided. The
object of the opposition was to press Lord Wharncliffe's motion
before the King's arrival; the supporters of the ministry wished to
prevent it from being passed. The firing of the park guns announced
that the King was already on his way down to the House, and told
the opposition they had no time to lose. On the motion of Lord
Mansfield, the Earl of Shaftesbury presided, in the absence of the
Lord Chancellor.
The Duke of Richmond, in order to baffle the opposition, moved
that the standing order which required their lordships to take
their places should be enforced. The opposition saw at once
that this motion was made for the sake of delay, and angrily
protested against it; whereupon the duke threatened to call for
the enforcement of two other standing orders which prohibited the
use of intemperate and threatening language in the House. Lord
Londonderry, furious with indignation, broke out into a vehement
tirade against the conduct of the ministry, and thus effectually
played the game of his opponents. So violent was the excitement
which prevailed at this time in the House, that the ladies present
were terrified, thinking that the peers would actually come to
blows. At length Lord Londonderry was persuaded to sit down, and
Lord Wharncliffe obtained a hearing. But it was too late to press
his motion, and he contented himself with reading it, in order that
it might be entered on the journals of the House.
At this conjuncture, the Lord Chancellor returned, and the moment
the reading of the address was concluded, he exclaimed in a
vehement and emphatic tone:
"My lords, I have never yet heard it doubted that the King
possessed the prerogative of dissolving Parliament at pleasure,
still less have I ever known a doubt to exist on the subject at
a moment when the lower House have thought fit to refuse the
supplies." Scarcely had he uttered these words when he was summoned
to meet the King, who had just arrived and was in the robing room;
he at once quitted the House which resounded on all sides with
cries of "hear" and "the King."
The tumult having in some degree subsided, Lord Mansfield addressed
the House, regretting the scene which had just occurred, and
condemning the dissolution, which he qualified as an act by which
the ministers were making the sovereign the instrument of his own
destruction.
He was interrupted by another storm of violence and confusion,
which was at length appeased by the announcement that the King was
at hand. When he entered, the assembly had recovered its usual calm
and decorous tranquillity. The members of the House of Commons
having been summoned to the bar, the King, in a loud and firm
voice, pronounced his speech, which commenced with the following
words:
"My lords and gentlemen,
"I have come to meet you for the purpose of proroguing this
Parliament, with a view to its immediate dissolution.
"I have been induced to resort to this measure for the purpose
of ascertaining the sense of my people, in the way in which it
can be most constitutionally and authentically expressed, on
the expediency of making such changes in the representation as
circumstances may appear to require, and which, founded on the
acknowledged principles of the constitution, may tend at once to
uphold the just rights and prerogatives of the crown, and to give
security to the liberties of the people."