1807. Minister's conduct Catholics. a special audience of his Majesty at Windsor. The bill was given up or abandoned by Lord Howick, but the ministers were forced to resign; and inasmuch as the consequent change in his Majesty's councils was the triumph of the system and the empire is now groaning under their rule, it is of the last consequence to the welfare of Ireland, that the particulars of the expulsion of their predecessors and their introduction into the uncontrouled powers of the state should be faithfully placed before her eyes, as a denouement of the piece of deception so long played upon her. The new men, who had served in several capaagainst the cities under Mr. Pitt, and now he had been dead for some time, assumed a confidence and consequence, which upon his immediate, demise they had not arrogated, but had unanimously declared their incompetency to wield the machine of state. They were rouzed into courage by the secret advisers of the crown to assume the awful charge in the strength of the court influence, and armed with all the antiquated weapons of state intrigue, used during the two last centuries, with the single exception of the cry of the Pretender. Their most devoted newspaper of the 6th March, having given a list of the new arrangements, said, "Such is the "Protestant administration, which his Majesty lived they had a friend, and a friend to the constitution. I now move, That a petition be presented to both Houses of the Imperial Parliament, praying them to maintain the constitution in Church and State, by refusing the present demands of the Ro man Catholics of Ireland," 3 " firmly attached to those principles, which seated "his family on the throne, has appointed to replace a ministry, that would have put the power ད "of the sword into the hands of Catholics, and "have made Catholics the generals of our armies " and the admirals of our fleets." Mr. Pitt and his co-operators raised the question of Catholic emancipation (certainly for the immediate purposes of deception). They endeavoured to retain the affections of the Catholics by professing a constant attachment to that object. The new men more bold, (perhaps less insincere) put every thing in hazard, by avowing their own systematic hostility to the Catholics, and denouncing all their friends in Parliament, as determined enemies of their King, their country, and their religion. 1807. the secret the crown. If the secret advisers had counselled his Majesty Real conse to dismiss his ministers upon unconstitutional quence of grounds, it is evident, that their immediate suc- advisers of cessors by accepting of their places became responsible for the advice, and must stand or fall by it. Although none of them should have been the actual advisers of the removal of their predecessors, yet was it through them and by their means, that the advice was effectuated. They must therefore give up to Parliament the secret advisers, however exalted their station, or remain responsible for the advice. The sole ground of dismissal was the refusal to give the written pledge never more to recommend under any circumstances whatever, any further Catholic concession. Had his Majesty dismissed them, as some wickedly gave out, be -1807. Result of the secret advisers council. cause they had attempted to impose upon or deceive his Majesty, who was timely warned of it by his trusty servant Lord Viscount Sidmouth, it was out of all probability, that his Majesty should afterwards have offered to retain them in his service upon signing a pledge. What security was a secret or even public pledge against a deceiver and impostor? Once the secret advisers of the crown had so far worked upon the royal mind, as to dismiss the Grenville administration, no chance was to be left to repentance or retractation. Therefore the two most prominent of the presumed advisers Lords Eldon and Hawkesbury, obeyed his Majesty's commands, communicated to them through the Duke of Cumberland, in setting off for Windsor at seven o'clock in the morning of the 19th of March; they remained there till three o'clock in the afternoon, and then returned to London to the Duke of Portland, who was too infirm even to travel to Windsor; with special instructions to advise with his Grace upon the formation of a new administration: directing his Grace at the same time to take for his guidance the advice and opinion of Lord Lowther and Lord Melville. Lord Chatham was also brought up from Harwich and consulted upon the final arrangements. On the 23d of March, Lord Euston presented a petition from the Chancellor, Master and Scholars of the University of Cambridge against the bill for allowing persons of every religious persuasion to enter into the army and navy. The petition was ordered to lie on the table; when Mr. Dickenson rose to oppose it; but = previously called upon Lord Howick toinform the. House, whether he were as yet authorized to com- .' municate his reasons for having postponed the ed reading of the bill. His Lordship answered in the negative. At the same time, he was free to declare, that, although he had then received his Majesty's commands to deliver up his seals, his Majesty had thought proper to send for persons, not employed as his servants, who were then actually engaged in forming arrangements for a new administration. The eclaircissements and minutie of the cabinet tactics forced from the mouths of the parties in this most extraordinary contest for power, furnish more knowledge and evidence of system, than all the historical documents from the reign of Alfred to the establishment of the doubly refined management of the court and senate by Sir Robert Walpole. The Exposè made by Lord Grenville in the Lords, and by Lord Howicke in the Commons on the same day forms a. most instructive and important lesson upon the systematic use lately made of his Majesty's mi-` nisters. After the King had declared his intention of forming a new administration, and had actually appointed some of his new servants on the 26th of March, Lord Hawkesbury proposed an adjournment for some days, in order to complete the new arrangements*, when Lord Grenville rose, and af the * The new ministers were appointed on several days: for the arrangements could not be so hastily settled, as the system was anxious to get rid of the Whig or independent part of the old 1807. 1807. ter having pointed to the particular situation, in which the government of the country then stood, he remarked, that when about six years before he and other servants of his Majesty had retired from office, they did it without explaining their motives: ministry. It was then considered at an end, and the new appointments commenced to be made on the next day, viz. On the 25th of March. Earl of Westmoreland to be Lord Privy April 1. Hon. W. Elliott, Wm. Sturges Bourne, Treasury. Earl Chatham, Master General of the Sir James Pulteney, Secretary at War. Duke of Richmond, Lieut. Gen, and |