vious to the close of it, in calling for Copies of the American Tariff, he prefaced the motion with one of those able speeches with which he was wont to rivet the attention of his hearers, whenever he addressed them on points of financial or commercial interest, and laid down and commented on, the policy which ought to regulate the intercourse of this country with the United States, in his usual luminous and forcible manner.

The following correspondence, which took place after his removal from office, will serve to show the estimation in which he was held among the enlightened manufacturers of the country, and the sense which they entertained of the benefits derived from the measures which he had brought forward and supported.

"SIR:

"Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures,

"July 16th, 1828.

"I have the honour to transmit a Vote of Thanks, from the Directors of this Chamber, expressive of the obligations which they feel that the country is under for the services you have rendered to it, in the important offices of state which you have been successively called upon to fill.

"Of some of the measures of policy brought forward under your sanction, the Board of Directors has before expressed its favourable opinion; and although, with respect to others, its members may occasionally have entertained some degree of doubt, they are desirous, on your retirement from office, of conveying to you their honest be

lief, that the general scope and tendency of those measures, as a whole, have been eminently conducive to the welfare of the community at large, and demand from them the expression of their respect and gratitude.

"I feel particularly happy in being the organ of this communication, and in the opportunity thus afforded me of declaring, individually, my hearty concurrence in the sentiments of my colleagues.

"I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed)

"GEO. WM. WOOD,

"President."

"The Right Hon.

"Wm. Huskisson."

"At a Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Manches ter Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures, held 16th July 1828,

"GEORGE WILLIAM WOOD, Esq. President, in the Chair,

"It was resolved unanimously,

"That the Thanks of this Board be communicated to the Right Hon. William Huskisson, late Secretary of State for the Colonies, for the enlightened, judicious and valuable services which, whilst a Minister of the Crown, he has rendered to the commerce of the country-services which have had for their object the permanent prosperity of the State, and which, it is the sincere and deliberate opinion of this Board, will, in their general character and consequences, materially promote the true and lasting welfare of all classes of his Majesty's subjects.

"GEO. WM. WOOD,

"President."

To this flattering mark of approbation Mr. Hus

kisson returned the following answer:

"STA:

"Eartham, Petworth, "20th July 1828.

"Your letter of the 16th instant, transmitting to me an unanimous resolution of the Board of Directors of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures, was received by me yesterday.

"The unexpected honour conferred upon me by this distinguished mark of their approbation, is to me personally most gratifying.

"Greatly, however, as I value so flattering a reward of my endeavours to promote the interests and prosperity of our country, I should very inadequately convey all that I feel on this occasion, were I to confine myself to the expression of my individual thanks.

"In one sense, indeed, except to myself, it may be matter of little moment, that my labours, as a late servant of the Crown, are viewed so favourably by the Board over which you preside. But, in another sense, looking to that Board as representing the sentiments of the largest manufacturing community in the kingdom, it is, I conceive, highly important, upon public grounds, that the system of Commercial and Colonial Policy, which it has been my official duty to carry into effect, should be stamped with their deliberate sanction and concurrence, as tending, in its "general character and consequences, materially to promote the true and lasting welfare of all classes of his Majesty's subjects."

"In thanking you, Sir, for the very handsome manner in which you have conveyed to me the Resolution of the Board, I have to request that you will take a proper opportunity of tendering to the Directors my grateful acknowledgment of the sense which they have been pleased to express of my public conduct, and the assurance that, as a private member of Parliament, I shall, at all times, be ready to receive from them any suggestions which they

raay consider calculated to assist the Industry, and promote

the Commerce of this country.

"I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed)

" W. HUSKISSON."

"Geo. Wm. Wood, Esq.

&c. &c. &c."

His health, which had never perfectly recovered from the severe attack of the preceding year, had been still further shaken by the almost constant anxiety of mind to which he had been exposed, from the moment he heard of Mr. Canning's alarming illness, and by the laborious duties of his office. His physicians were, therefore, urgent in their recommendations that he should again try the influence of the air of the continent, which he could now enjoy for a longer period; and the recollection of the benefit which he had begun to derive, when his journey was so fatally terminated in the preceding summer, determined him to comply with their advice. Towards the end of July, he and Mrs. Huskisson proceeded to Switzerland. The season proved very unfavourable for the enjoyment of the scenery of that country, and they therefore crossed the Alps, and after spending a week at Venice, were induced to continue their journey to Rome. Mr. Huskisson had wished to travel as privately as possible, and had in consequence again declined to make use of any of the letters of introduction with which he had been furnished; but at Rome, it being intimated to him, that the Pope felt a strong desire to receive

so firm an advocate of the cause of the English and Irish Catholics, he was presented to his Holiness, and met with a most flattering reception. Private business, which demanded his presence in England, determined him to relinquish Naples, and he returned to England early in November.

The following session was principally occupied with the all-engrossing subject of the Catholic Relief Bill. Nothing could have redounded more to the honour of those distinguished persons, who had so long been the zealous and consistent advocates of such a measure, than their conduct during the whole of the discussions. Far from taunting the Ministers who initiated the Bill with their former opinions, they were content to yield to them the glory of this great act of justice, and to see the civic wreath, which they had so long vainly struggled to win, adorn the brows of those who had hitherto thwarted their endeavours. It will be for posterity to decide to whom that wreath is in justice due,-whether to those who, through a long series of years, through good report and evil report-sacrificed to the promotion of the Catholic cause their own hopes of power and prospects of ambition; or to those who, having continued obstinately deaf to the arguments of reason, of equity, and of prudence, yielded at last to the stern mandates of intimidation or necessity, a tardy consent, which a too long denial had robbed of half its grace. On one point alone