King’s illness is such that a Regency must be resorted to immediately;
consequently yesterday Mr. Perceval proposed 3 resolutions the same
as those in 1788. 1st, that on account of H. M. indisposition he was
unable to discharge the duties of the kingly office. 2ndly, that it was
the duty of the House to see that the kingly office be properly filled.
3rdly, that it was necessary to provide for the proper discharge of the
same by way of a Bill to pass through both Houses of Parlt. Sheridan,
Ponsonby, and Adam have thrown down the gauntlet and taken the field;
the Prince’s household will vote. There is a Call of the House, and now
the Prince takes a part there will be a very good division. Some of
the most sanguine go the length of expecting a majority; there is no
doubt but many shabby ones will desert the Ministers. The usual supply
of those upon these occasions from the City will fail on acct. of the
report of the Bullion Committee, as they will prefer taking their
chance of keeping Perceval Chancellor of the Exchequer to making the
Bank pay in specie.[376]
It was not with any satisfaction I heard of a few additional votes
by the accession of Mr. Canning and his friends upon this question.
Majorities, even if helped by a faithless associate, are mere ropes
of sand. Faithless and unprincipled are the leading traits in that
gentleman’s character. It is said that he complains of having met with
so little warmth from the Opposition, with whom he would have acted
long ago had he been encouraged. The greediness for numbers makes me
dread his reception; all who dislike Whitbread, and that is a huge
majority, and all who feel the incapacity of _Snouch_, are inclined to
hearken to his overtures. Ld. Castlereagh, though labouring under many
heavy charges for his conduct towards the Irish Catholics, has still
maintained a sort of integrity of reputation for private honour; he
also has the advantage of being a person whom the Prince would prefer
if any junction were to be made with new men, and his ambition is of a
limited nature, as he would confine himself to his department and only
promote persons either from goodwill towards them, or for the general
advantage of the Administration to which he belonged. He makes no high
professions of exalted principle, but as a gentleman and man of honour
he might be trusted. In the late curious quarrel between him and Mr.
Canning, his conduct was much admired, and his bitterest enemies said
how infamously must he have been treated by his colleague, when even in
Ireland he is considered as the injured party.
Several questions in the Committee were expunged. In that of the Lords
the word _mind_ was employed, when Ld. Westmorland, with an air of the
greatest feeling and pathos, implored that it might be erased, as it
was too shocking to have on record: this great delicacy _from him_, who
is at this moment dictating evidence to enable him to confine his own
wife, in order to avoid the expense of a separate maintenance. Sheridan
laughed at the conduct in the examination of the physicians, where he
said they questioned the physicians about the mental malady and the mad
doctor upon the bodily disease. It appeared that the Chancellor was
introduced to the K. by way of a _medical expedient_ by Vaughan, who
had observed that in his presence the King had more _self command_. In
consequence of this transpiring, the Chancellor, in their Committee,
conceived himself bound to go the whole length of the business to
acquit himself of seeking the interview with the King.
MacMahon says the Regency is to be accepted on any conditions by the
Prince, who will return the same letter by way of answer, as that he
sent in ’88 (said letter, Mr. Adam says, was written by Lord Minto,
materials from Mr. Fox); that he may probably tell these Ministers that
it is his intention to keep them for decency sake, but that he has no
confidence whatever in them, and cannot feel that he is fulfilling his
duty. In short, if they do not, which he expects they will, resign
upon this intimation, he will keep them a month to give the King a
chance of recovery, and then dismiss them. The Queen will have the
custody and control of the King’s person and household, and to set off
with, she can appoint the Chamberlain, now vacant by the death of Lord
Dartmouth.[377]
[Sidenote: THE KING OF SWEDEN]
The King of Sweden[378] lives chiefly with the French Princes, and now
occupies the apartment vacant by the death of the Queen of France. He
is _très in-amusable_, very much absorbed in his own thoughts, and
indifferent to all that is going on around him. He has very little
money, but will not accept of any from the English; 500_l._ and jewels
estimated at 30,000_l._ on the Continent are all he is worth. When
lodged at the hotel, he asked for an inferior apartment to that which
was prepared for his reception, and accused the master of imposing
upon him by charging for a whole bottle of wine, when he had only
drunk about half of it and returned the remainder. He does not speak
of the Swedes with any irritation, allows they were in the right for
dismissing him as he did not suit them, resolves not to attempt to be
restored, and only hopes his moderation may induce them hereafter to
consider his son. This is not madness certainly, but nevertheless he is
reckoned to be in a state of melancholy madness. Lucien Bonaparte is
arrived,[379] but he is not to be allowed to come to London; Ludlow is
named as his place of residence.
_24th Dec._--On Thursday, the day of the debate in the H. of Commons
upon the resolutions, the Prince received a letter from Mr. Perceval
informing him of the intentions of the Ministry. To this the Princes
wrote what they call a solemn protest of the male branches of the Royal
family, disapproving of the limitations and restrictions. Prince also
wrote a good reply, which was the composition of himself and Sheridan.
War between Perceval and the Prince being openly declared, all the
household, &c., of Carlton House voted. This, however, produced no
great accession of _rats_, only the Seymours and Mr. Monkton. The
Grenvilles being disunited upon the subject may acct. for the badness
of the division. Mr. Horner made an admirable speech, full of sound
argument upon constitutional doctrines, and illustrated with most
accurate learning. Tierney says he gave the House for two hours two
quarts of Allen’s milk without their making a wry face; alluding to S.
Smith’s joke that Mr. A. is quite a milch cow to the politicians, whom
he furnishes with matter and argument, and has in this business done so
abundantly to those who are studying the subject. Mr. Canning made but
a bad attempt at pleasantry. Ld. Castlereagh, speaking of the conduct
of Addington’s Administration during the K.’s illness, said he believed
that Governt. _did not practise any concealments towards him_, or
something to that effect. The House immediately applied it as a slap to
Mr. Canning. Others say it was a mere slip of the tongue. Wm. Lamb on
the following day distinguished himself very greatly; he is certainly
one of the most rising men in public. The great feature of that night’s
proceeding was Perceval’s indiscreet avowal of his principles of delay
and Ministerial Regency (without limitations), from which Tom Grenville
remarks that as Perceval has now declared himself King, Lords, and
Commons upon his own _responsibility_, the whole question is shortened
and made much less complicated.
[Sidenote: DUKE OF QUEENSBERRY’S DEATH]
The D. of Queensberry died to-day without a struggle at three o’clock;
his will has not yet been opened.[380] His heirs-at-law are the D. of
Buccleugh, Sr. Chas. Douglas, Lord Wemyss.[381] He expressed a wish of
altering his will yesterday, but was too rambling. He said he had been
a fool in leaving legacies, for in fact all belonged to Bonaparte, and
any distribution was idle. He has always said and believed in this.
On Sunday, 6th Jan., the Prince sent to see Ld. Grenville, who
accordingly waited upon him at Carlton House; the communication was
made through Mr. Adam. Prince, when he came, desired this might be
considered as a joint application to him, as well as to Ld. Grey, who
unfortunately was not arrived in town. The immediate object of the
interview was to have advice how to frame the answer to the deputation
which was coming from the two Houses, to offer the Regency. He then
told Ld. G. that he felt his situation very embarrassing, that it would
be difficult to act in any way to please people, or make a strong
Government. That he heard from those who were in the H. of C. that the
great difficulties rested there, that he wished Ld. G. to understand
that he was against exclusions, and if it were judged expedient to
resort to additional strength, meaning Canning, he had, whatever
his own opinions respecting him individually were, no objections to
the experiment. He said there was also another topic which he had
at heart, the restoring his brother to be Commander-inChief.[382]
Ld. G. replied that he should bear in mind all H.R.H. had said, and
consult with his friends upon the subject, but that he thought it an
act of duty without any hesitation to state that the obstacles to the
restoration of the D. of York were insurmountable; that they existed
amongst those most attached to the Whig Party; that he himself deplored
the injustice of persons upon that subject, and, if he might venture
to use such an expression, to so exalted a character. He added that he
felt the greatest _compassion_ for the Duke, who had been so cruelly
misrepresented and slandered. The Prince bid him communicate with Ld.
Moira and his other friends. Adam told this on the day of the interview.
Ld. Grenville made a formal communication to politicians at his own
house on the following Tuesday. Ld. H. had a private conversation with
him in which he stated his own opinions upon the necessity, if they
formed a Governt., of considering maturely the question of Spain and
Portugal with regard to withdrawing the troops, &c.; also of the state
of the press, which was under Ld. Ellenboro’ greatly harassed.
[Sidenote: QUESTION OF REGENCY]
On Wednesday night Ld. Grey arrived in town; he came here in evening,
appointed on the ensuing day to go to Carlton House. Prince very
gracious, cordial, and more communicative than with Ld. Grenville. Upon
mention of additional strength in House of Commons, Grey remonstrated
upon the fallacy of strength being obtained by the accession alluded
to (Canning), where sturdy old friends would be lost entirely. Prince
observed the clamour excited by Grenville’s resistance as Auditor
to the issuing money from the Exchequer, conceived it fatal to his
being attached to the Treasury; folly of his letter to Perceval. They
separated most amicably. Ld. Grey went directly to frame a reply for
P. to the deputation which was next day to offer, from the two Houses,
the Regency. Informed the Prince, if their paper did not meet his
wishes, that he dined at Ld. Holland’s in Pall Mall, where he should
remain to receive H.R.H. commands. We had only Ld. Thanet and Tierney,
Ld. H. confined by the gout. At twelve at night, Adam, accompanied by
Sheridan, came from C. H., bearing a message from the P., which in
plain language was a total rejection of the paper drawn up by Lds.
Grey and Grenville, and sending them another, the joint composition
of himself and S. Ld. Grey with great moderation and temper declined
giving any opinion upon the subject, his own being rejected; said they
could not be responsible for sentiments they had not written. Sheridan,
who had thrust himself into the whole transaction, protested against
their responsibility, alleging that the Prince was not himself in a
condition to invest persons with responsibility, that he had drawn a
paper, and Ld. Moira had done the same. After Ld. Grey went away, such
a scene of duplicity and jealousy was exhibited by S. beyond all belief
or description; it required all Adam’s forbearance and good temper to
prevent great asperity in the discussion. Ld. H. contended for the
responsibility, considering the sending for these Lords as an open act
similar to that of a King upon his accession employing a certain set
of persons to answer the address from the Privy Council, as his future
Ministers.
They went off to C. H. at two o’clock. By Adam’s report, S.’s
description of what had passed here was a most gross misrepresentation,
and a malicious interpretation of every word uttered. They all parted
in wrath; the P. determining to keep what S. made him believe was his
own, whereas in fact it was S.’s. This is one of his artifices by
which he ensnares the P., first suggesting ideas and words, which he
dexterously contrives to make the P. believe are his own. (He avowed
this to us some months ago.[383]) Some of Sheridan’s phrases were
very bad. The Prince was to say in a taunting manner that he hoped
the authority he was to be invested with would be as _brief_ as it
was _restricted_, showing a silly soreness towards the Parliament.
On Friday the deputation came; and the paper composed by S. and the
Prince was delivered. Grey and Grenville upon the rejection of their
paper drew up a remonstrance glancing at secret advisers, which they
delivered to Adam to give to the Prince. In the meantime the P.
expressed a wish to explain to Ld. H. the whole transaction, and fixed
calling upon him on Saturday. By a mistake of Ld. Moira’s, Ld. H.
waited for him, as he ought to have told him that the P. could not come
till this day, Sunday, 13th Jan., 1811, Pall Mall.
The interview was long; only Mr. Adam present. Authorised an
explanation to the two Lords, that he did not conceive his application
to them could as _yet_ be considered as official. Consequently they
were not in any responsible situation; that they proceeded upon a
misconception.
[Sidenote: GRENVILLE’S AUDITORSHIP]
_Sunday, 20th._--A very _stormy_ week, but down to this evening the
political horizon brightens. When the two Lords began to discuss
arrangements the difficulties seemed insurmountable. Ld. Grey reminded
Lord Grenville of the conversation they had formerly had together upon
the subject of the impossibility of his holding his place of Auditor of
the Exchequer with that of the First Ld. of the Treasury. Ld. Grenville
alleged _poverty_, proposed that Tom,[384] who _par parenthèse_, has
been voluntarily out of Parlt. these three years, should have the
Admiralty and the first peerage. Upon the obstacle of the Auditorship
being strongly re-argued, a singular paper was delivered in to Grey,
in which statements were made of the condition of the First Lords for
the preceding 40 years, all of whom had enjoyed large places with the
Treasury; stating his own difficulties of undertaking such an expensive
station with the mere addition of 1000_l._ pr. ann.; that he should
be overwhelmed with debt. That he could not consent to take the Home
Department without an express and distinct understanding that _all_ the
Patronage of _Church_ and _State_ which had hitherto gone through the
First Ld. of Treasury, should be annexed to the Home Department. That
the Minutes of Cabinet should be drawn up by Ld. G. and laid before the
Regent or King; that he could not yield his pre-eminence; and rather
an arrogant and flourishing termination. The whole composition evinced
a sordid and low mind. Scarcely had it been sent, before Ld. Auckland
was dispatched to recover it. Ld. Grey hesitated, because if a rupture
became inevitable, it was such a complete acquittal of himself.
By-the-bye, I forgot to mention that the _first_ hitch arose from a
proposal on the part of Lord Grenville that, from the state of the H.
of Commons they ought to look about them for _strength_, that the lists
were not satisfactory, and that they could not be sure of majorities.
The plain English of this was that they wanted an organ of their own,
Canning for instance, as a barrier against the popular principles of
the Whigs and the unpopular and odious manners of Whitbread, whom
unfortunately all parties concur in hating, however they may respect
him as a public character. Ld. Grey replied that upon consulting his
own friends, he was satisfied that the numbers were such as to enable a
Govt, to go on well, that by taking Mr. C. weight would be lost, not
gained; for the gain would be 10 votes, and the loss of three times
that number of real, staunch friends. That upon the mere report of
such a junction already Mr. Coke declared his first vote under the new
Governt. should be against them, if Mr. C. composed one of the Govt.;
also that Messrs. Byng, Brand, &c., were of the same opinion, Ld. J.
Cavendish, and most of the old Foxites.
[Sidenote: WHIG DISUNION]
Ld. Grenville seemed thunderstruck at Grey’s urging that if a motion
was made by the enemy against the union of the offices of Treasurer
and Auditor, it would be impossible to prevent many of their own
friends from voting against them. In the evening Ld. G. wrote to Grey
to say that the point in discussion could not be canvassed by them in
conversation. Proposed by Grey that Ld. Spencer should be First Lord
of Treasury; Grenvilles all eager to declare that he had entirely
withdrawn from public life. Various other modes suggested, such as
Ld. Grenville’s placing the Auditorship in trust and not receiving
the salary whilst he enjoyed the Treasury. On the 16th matters seemed
in a state of complete disunion, and the differences between the
two Lords began to be talked of in public. In stating the friends
with whom Ld. Grenville said he should consult before he came to a
final determination, he mentioned Lords Stafford and Carrington. He
now talked of giving up all idea of forming an Administration, and
recommending the Prince to keep the present Ministers; but Ld. Grey
will not agree, as in his opinion it is a scandalous desertion of the
Prince. Tom Grenville has begged Grey not to be offended at any dryness
and formality in the style of Ld. Grenville’s letters, as official
habits early in life make all he writes upon topics of business seem
as dry as a chip. In conversation it had been thrown out that the
Treasury stripped and degraded would not be fit for Ld. Grey to accept,
but that George Ponsonby or Lord Lansdowne might do the duties of it;
but this was not listened to, it being impossible, notwithstanding all
Lord Grenville said of the present salary, patronage, and influence
of the Treasury being a usurpation upon the patronage of the Home
Department, to consent to such a glaring alteration as to reduce that
which had been hitherto considered as the first office in the State
to as low a condition even as a mere Lord of the Treasury. From Lord
Temple’s language, which is violent and indiscreet, and from Tom’s,
which tho’ milder and more guarded betrays much soreness, it is clear
that it is not the numbers of the H. of Commons which induced them to
urge a junction with Mr. Canning, but that they felt they had no man of
their _own_, and could not submit to be represented by such persons as
Whitbread, &c.
However, at present (21st) all stands well again. On 18th Ld. Grenville
with great good humour has given up his schemes of advancement (?),
and is content to take the Treasury, yielding all the other offices to
Ld. Grey’s nomination, excepting the Secretary at War for Ld. Temple,
and the Board of Control, with a seat in Cabinet!! for Ld. Auckland;
and with respect to the Auditorship, he offered to put it into trust,
but could not afford to give up the salary, and all he required was
that Whitbread should acquiesce in the arrangement and defend it, were
it to be attacked in Parlt. This proposal was submitted to Whitbread,
and strongly urged by Lds. Grey and Holland, but he could not be
brought to agree, tho’ he acknowledged that in principle he had no
objection to the Auditorship being vested in trust whilst Ld. G. held
the Treasury. He admitted that so far from thinking that 4000_l._ a
year was too great an addition to the present salary of the Treasury,
that he was ready to propose in the House of Commons that the salary
of that and of every high office should be raised to 10,000_l._ pr.
ann., but he could not defend his holding the two offices. He grounds
his objection upon a foolish piece of personal vanity, having last year
demanded, in an imperative tone, of Perceval whether Yorke received his
salary of Teller of Exchequer during his enjoyment of the emoluments
of First Lord of Admiralty, and having, as he thought, intimidated
them from it as he was answered in the negative, he could not bring
himself to defend what he had by his tone reprobated in public. He
was very obstinate in his manner, and gave a specimen of his want of
conciliating disposition for hereafter, tho’ in this instance he was
not so much in the wrong, as he had been assured in the beginning of
the arrangements that Ld. G. would give it up. Whitbread continued
inflexible, and on the 19th Ld. Grey wrote a very handsome letter to
Lord Grenville’s proposal, in which he stated Whitbread’s unwillingness
to defend the measure, expressing his own sincere regret at W.’s
resolution, adding that he could not bring himself to act with Mr.
Canning, and therefore nothing remained for him but to abandon all
thoughts of taking part in the Govt., leaving Ld. G. at liberty to
form whatever Administration he chose, which he was ready to engage he
should not oppose, tho’ he could not assist. Ld. Grenville was hurt at
Whitbread’s conduct. On 20th, in morning, Ld. Grenville consented to
give up the salary of Auditor during his being at the head of Treasury.
They were to go on the following day to the Prince, which is the day
appointed for their answer.
_21st Jan._--The paper they delivered to the Prince was to inform him
that they were ready to undertake the Govt., but advising him before he
undertakes the Regency to institute an examination of physicians as to
the state of the King’s health, and if the result should be that it is
probable that the King would be so far recovered within any limited
time so as to be able to resume the exercise of the royal functions,
in that case they advise him not to change the Ministers, giving them
such an explanation of his motives for retaining them as would prevent
him from being justly considered as approving, much less as adopting,
the system of their policy. The whole was a very vague, loose way of
expressing themselves.
[Sidenote: THE QUEEN’S LETTER]
On Tuesday the Prince sent for them again, and showed a letter he had
received from the Queen (Mr. Adam would not allow me to take a copy).
‘My dearest son, you will be, I am sure, highly gratified to hear
that the King is considerably improved in health; he had an interview
this morning with Mr. Perceval, who was much satisfied with his whole
appearance. He held a very reasonable conversation, and inquired with
great interest all that had been done, and expressed himself with
kindness towards you, and said he was pleased with yr. conduct _pending
this business_. I send my own servant that there may be no delay in yr.
receiving this agreeable information. (Signed) Charlotte,’
The Prince ridiculed the artifice, which was too gross to escape
detection. What woman, he said, ever used the Westminster Hall term
of _pending the business_? They thought him shook and little disposed
to encounter the clamour of a change. He showed them a letter from
Perceval in which he represented the state of public business as
pressing. The Prince begged them to write the answer, which was done
offhand.