one leading and essential circumstance, viz. that let there exist what doubt there might of the Prince of Wales's right to exercise the royal authority, under the present circumstances of the country, there could be none of the propriety of investing him with the sole administration of government, and with the exercise of all the regal functions, powers and prerogatives.-His opinion therefore was, to declare his royal highness REGENT, for the purpose of exercising all the regal powers, in the same manner, and to the same extent, as they might have been exercised by his majesty, had his health been such as to render him capable of continuing to exercise the royal authority."

The spirited and well informed writer from whom we have made the above extract, speaking of the situation of public affairs at this period, observes with his usual force, that

a variety of circumstances concurred to render the agitation of the Prince's right extremely ill-timed for the party with whom Mr. Fox acted. All public bodies are fond of power, and the parliament of Great Britain being told by grave authority that they had a sceptre to bestow; with feelings very natural for a public body in such a predicament, were unwilling to wave so important a privilege. Another consideration was, the unpopularity of the Prince of Wales. His debts had been paid the preceding year to a large amount, and the minister had dexterously contrived that all the odium of that measure should rest with the confidential friends of the Prince. But what perhaps operated most to the disadvantage of the heir apparent, was a ridiculous report which prevailed at this time, and was credulously believed by many, whose situations in life

should have rendered them superior to so gross a calumny, that his royal highness had contracted a marriage, according to the rites of the Romish church, with a catholic lady. It

was in vain that the friends of the Prince declared that the fact not only never could have happened legally, in consequence of the restrictions of the royal marriage act, but never did happen in any way, and had from the beginning been a vile and malignant falsehood. Notwithstanding an explicit declaration to this effect was made in the House of Commons by Mr. Fox, at the time when the Prince of Wales's debts were under consideration, it was far from removing suspicion; and many honest and well meaning members of parliament, who otherwise probably would have voted for the Prince of Wales's absolute right to the regency, under a strong

jealousy of this connection, supported the proposition of the minister. Above all, the peculiar circumstances of popular delusion under which the house of commons was convened, and which gave the minister so powerful an influence in that house, still existed in considerable force, and therefore any proposition proceeding from the distinguished leader of the opposition was certain to be received with the utmost circumspection and reserve."

CHAPTER VII.

RESOLUTION PROPOSED BY THE MINISTERSPEECHES OF MR. BURKE HIS QUESTIONS TO MR. GILL-LETTER OF MR. PITT TO THE PRINCE OF WALES HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'S ANSWERREFLECTIONS ON THESE COMMUNICATIONSMR. PITT'S PROPOSITIONS-OBJECTIONS OF THE OPPOSITION-DEBATES IN THE HOUSE OF PEERS -SPEECH INTENDED TO HAVE BEEN DELIVERED BY THE DUKE OF YORK-RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE TWO HOUSES.

AFTER the committee of the House of Commons had made their report on the subject of precedents, Mr. Pitt, emboldened by the support which his opinion had received in both houses and out of doors, moved two resolutions of a declaratory nature, the first affirming that the personal exercise of the royal authority was interrupted;