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that extract my readers, at any rate, will see that I knew a little more about the matter even than your Lordship yourself appears to have known. After having stated that a dissolution of Parliament was absolutely necessary to carry the Reform Bill, and that it was your duty to carry the dissolution, I proceeded thus

"But, CAN he dissolve the Parlia"ment? He can, if it be true that "the King wishes that this bill should "be passed. To dissolve the Parlia"ment, there must be the consent of the King; and will the King refuse "to give that consent ? This is the

serves the writer as a cover; it is clear
that when he wrote this in his paper of
Monday, he knew all that he said in the
paper of to-day (Wednesday). Now,
my Lord, please to look at the last pa-
ragraph of this article of Wednesday
The writer says that if the course were
clear, there could be no hesitation as to
instantly removing the apprehensions
of the people. This is what I have
always said. You promised us a good
bill;
but you would not tell us what it
was to be; and therefore I would not
express my confidence in you. It is
impossible to read this article of the
Chronicle without perceiving clearly
that this writer is firmly persuaded that"
the King will not consent to give you
the means of carrying the Reform Bill.
It is possible that this may be an error,
but this is clearly the belief of a very
prudent man who has pretty constant
communication with some of your col-
leagues, and who has manfully done his"
duty in communicating that belief to his
readers. In short, this is what he says
in substance, that the King refuses you
the means of carrying the bill, and
that you are kept in office until it
suits those who advised the King to
turn you out of office.

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question; it is, indeed, the only ques"tion at present; and it is perhaps the most important question, a question of "the most fearful magnitude, that one Englishman ever put to another, in any period of the history of our country! But, I may be asked, how I can doubt of the King's readiness to give "his consent to the dissolution of the "Parliament, that being so' obviously necessary to the success of this measure. I may be asked how I can doubt of this, seeing that all the newspapers have assured us, over and over again, that the King was full as To this we are come, then, at last; "much in favour of the thing as his and, now, is it too much for me to ask "Ministers. I should rather disbelieve your Lordship to look back at some "than believe the fact, if we had no passage in the Register, published since" better authority than that; but, the you brought in this bill, and pointing to" Ministers themselves have declared in very result? I am not to suppose "Parliament, that they have brought

this

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that you are a reader of the Register; "forward the measure with the entire but it would not be too much to expect "sanction of the King. This is a great that now, in this second season of your deal; there is no question of their difficulties as a statesman, to ask you "having spoken truth as to this matter; just to read one passage in the Register" there is no question of their having of the 26th of March last. At that" had the complete sanction of the King time, it was doubted whether the King "for the bringing forward of this meawould give his consent to a dissolution sure. But, alas, kings, though kings, of the Parliament. I very much doubt- are still but men; and men can ed whether he would; or, rather, I change their minds, whether they be "firmly believed that he would not; and," kings or shepherds. in order that my readers, at any rate, "It would be curious indeed, if this should not be duped, I published on the very LORD GREY should (which, I subject an address to them, dated at" trust will not be the case) twice in his "Kensington, on the 23rd of March, and "life-time, have had to experience a inserted in the Register of the 26th of " change of this sort in the mind of a March; an extract from which Register" King. By turning to page 419 of I am about to insert here? and from" this present volume of the Register,

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"where will be found No. 3 of the he had given his sanction, but in order History of George IV., the reader to defeat the measure to which he had "will find, in paragraphs from 74 to "given his sanction; he dissolved it, "82 inclusive, the whole history of the" however, when the senseless and hy"change of the mind of George III. in " pocritical cry of no popery had "1807. He will there find that EARL" placed at his back the unreflecting "GREY, then LORD HOWICK, brought" millions of England and Wales and in the Catholic Bill with the King's" Scotland, led on by the parsons and "approbation and sanction; that it was "the corporate bodies. In this latter "brought in and read a first time with- " respect, great indeed is the difierence "out a division; that it was afterwards" in the two cases. Then it was the withdrawn by the Ministers them-millions who wished the measure to "selves, without opposition; and that "be defeated: now it is the millions "the Ministry were turned out there-" who wished the measure not to be 86 upon, and the Parliament dissolved.[“ defeated: now it is the millions who "Upon that occasion LORD GREY de- wish the measure to be carried. Disclared in the House of Commons, that," solution was then necessary to defeat "before he attempted to submit the the measure; dissolution is now ne"'consideration of the measure to thecessary to carry the measure. "House, he laid before his Majesty all With regard to the King having "the particulars with regard to it, and " given his sanction to this measure, "obtained his Majesty's apprcation "there can be no doubt; that must be of it'! so; for, if that had not been the case, "Yet, as I have observed before, the it would at once have been contra"King changed his mind, and turned" dicted in both Houses of Parliament; Out LORD GREY and his colleagues." but, with regard to the King still con"Therefore, though the Ministers have “tinuing in the same mind, we have no "brought forward the present measure "such authority to rest on. And now, "in like manner, with the approbation" let me stop here, just to indulge my "of the King, you see, my friends, that vanity for a moment. PEEL's father "that does not make it amount to a “had a presentiment, you know, and "positive certainty that the King will" why should not I? In talking, many "dissolve the Parliament for the sake" times, with friends, about the way "of carrying a measure to which he that I would go to work in making a had given his sanction. I do not" parliamentary reform, if I were Prime " doubt myself; I do not suspect; I do" Minister, I have, on such occasions, "not fear; but in truth I know nothing always said, that I never would accept "of the matter, except, as I said before," of the office, unless the King would that kings are men, and that all men "first put into my hand, signed by himare liable to change their minds; and" self, a MESSAGE to both Houses of "that Lord GREY'S twenty-four years' " Parliament, recommending them to "exile from that political power of" make a parliamentary reform, and " which nature formed him for always containing some words describing the "having a large share, is a striking in-"great principle of such reform. I "stance of the effects of the change" always said that Put not your trust "in the mind of a King. Upon the" in princes' was a precept that never 'occasion here referred to, the King "should be disobeyed by me; a precept was ready enough to dissolve the Par-" implanted in my mind by that which "liament, and did dissolve it, when it" occurred to LORD GREY in 1807. was only four months old; but, ob-" How much better would it have been serve, he dissolved it to keep in his "if Lord Grey had proceeded by message new Minister, and to keep out the one" in this case.! Then all would have that had brought in the bill; he dis-" been straightforward work; then there "solved it, not for the purpose of caus- would have been no idle rumours, no ing to be carried the measure to which" suspicious among the people, no in

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trigues at court, no cabals of any sort." against the second reading, the King "In short, the measure would have" would not dissolve the Parliament. "been carried long ago; and the nation, "Now, my friends, I do not say that "all the people being in perfect har-" the thing is so because they believed mony and good humour, would have" it to be so; but, at the same time, "been preparing for the election of a "here are three hundred and one men "reformed parliament. "all acting upon this one and same "But to what does all this tend? Do" belief; and there are amongst them a "I suspect that the King has changed" considerable number who know very "his mind? I suspect nothing; but, at" well what is passing at the court and "the same time, I know nothing. I can" amongst all those who are likely to only judge from 66 and cir appearances possess interest with the King. Pray cumstances; and I cannot help put- "observe, too, that in 1807, the King "ting to myself this question: Is it" was defended against his Ministers by possible that the three hundred and" an assertion that, though they had his 66 one men, who voted against the second" sanction to a bill in favour of the Careading of the bill, could believe that" lics, they had not clearly explained to "the King would dissolve the Parlia-" him the full extent of that bill! This "ment unless this bill were carried by was a very ugly assertion, because it "this Parliament? This is the question" did not admit of disproof: there was "which I put to myself; and I beg you," no calling upon the King to give evimy friends, to put the same question"dence in the case: the Ministers, there"to yourselves, in a very serious and "fore, had no defence against this; and, "deliberate manner. If these three" if the King should listen to advice such "hundred and one men believed that" as would prevent his consent to a disso"the Parliament would be dissolved," lution of Parliament, Lord GREY would "and they sent to face the people if" find himself, as far as relates to this they voted against this bill, would" point, just in the situation in which they have voted against it? Would he found himself in 1807. Remark, I "they have voted against it if they had" pray you, that the opposers of the bill "believed that such vote would have" have already laid the ground for this "sent them packing? Look well at the" accusation against him. They have matter, my friends; take time to con- repeatedly said, that the bill, in its "sider, and then answer that question present shape, was not agreed upon "to yourselves. These men are, to be" by the cabinet until the eleventh “sure, neither Solomons nor Solons; "hour: they have repeatedly insinuated "but they are not madmen; they are "that the King's name ought not to so far from being regardless of their" have been mentioned as connected "own interests and safety, that these" with the bill; and you can see that "are objects which always appear to be" they have been constantly endeavouruppermost in their minds. Would" ing to cause it to be believed that the "they, then, have voted thus, purely "King has not been given clearly to "for the pleasure and honour attend-" understand the extent and drift of the ing the publication of their names “bill. This is a very ugly circumstance; throughout the country; they knew" and, though I repeat that these men "to a certainly that, if the King dis-" are neither Solomons nor Solons, they "solved the Parliament after that vote, are not downright fools or idiots. 63 scarcely a man of them would ever "These observations, my friends, "enter the House again. They could" would be useless if they pointed at no "have no hope in out-voting the Mi-" practical result; if they afforded no nistry; because a dissolution of the" lesson to the people to teach them "Parliament would render their vote of" how to act. The question is not, now, no use. It is, therefore, CERTAIN" whether this Reform. Bill ought to be "that these three hundred and one men "carried; but whether the Parliament "believed that, if there were a majority" ought to be dissolved, seeing that,

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"without such dissolution, the Reform " gers, but in some formal document, Bill cannot be carried! This, there- " signed with his name; and thus pre"fore, is now the business of the peo- vent a repetition of the tricks that ple. The King is legally endued with were played him in 1807. Then, ina power of dissolving Parliament at "deed, he was not the PRIME MINISTER; his pleasure; this prerogative, like all "he was merely a member of the Mi❝the rest which he possesses, has been "nistry, and, in fact, he was under the "given him for the good of his people;"GRENVILLES, who, however provoked, the good of his people demand the" had, amongst them, sinecures to the exercise of it at this time; and it is" amount of thirty thousand pounds a "therefore the right as well as the duty year. This was the power that kept of his people earnestly to implore him him quiet under the load of obloquy, him" to exercise that power. Hitherto it" cast on him by the transactions of that "has been sufficient to express grati- " period. He is now Prime Minister tude to him for having given his himself. He is weighed down by no "sanction to this great measure; but" Grenvilles nor by any-body else. The now,' when it is found that it is im-" people know that the bill is his, and "possible to carry this measure with- solely his; and if the King will not > "out a dissolution of the Parliament," let him use the only means by which it duty to themselves as well as to the" can be carried, it will be a duty to King calls upon them to petition him" the country as well as to himself to to dissolve the Parliament. state the fact, in the fullest and most "It is nonsense to talk of waiting to" authentic manner to the nation, quite 4 see what the House will do in the Com-" regardless of whom it may affect. The "mittee. We are apprized beforehand" nation must be told the truth now, "that there will be a great majority "and the whole truth, let the telling of "against the material parts of the bill" it affect what and whom it may." ❝in the committee. To go into the com- There, my Lord! Dr. BLACK now "mittee at all, under such circum- tells your Lordship, to "let it be ❝stances, must be looked upon, in fact, known;"" that the time is arrived when “as an abandonment of the bill on the" there should be no longer any mystery "part of the Ministers. And, to aban- " or mystification on the subject." He "don it in this way would be a disgrace tells you that now; but I told it you on not to be endured by any man with the 26th of March; and thus it is for a "English blood in his veins; and cer- man to have a head upon his shoulders, "tainly not to be endured by Lord GREY, and not to be rendered buffle-headed by "who has passed a whole long life any interests, and not to be shackled by amidst this turmoil of factions, and any communication whatever with any never yet did a mean thing, never persons in power, or having communiabased himself in one single instance. cation with any persons in power: thus "To be in place at all, he can, at his it is for a sound mind to be left to its age and after all that has passed, have free operations. After reading the bloody no possible motive other than that of Times newspaper, and hearing the everthe good of his country; he has pro-lasting backbitings of the contemptible "posed the good, and in the most specific and full and clear manner; and, ya if the King shall not permit him to do "the good, the only thing left for him to do is, to give up his post, and at the same time to declare, in the most full ca and clear manner, THE CAUSE OF HIS RESIGNATION OF THAT "POST! To do this, not in speech in Parliament, which may be disfigured at the pleasure of the boroughinon

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creatures that you have heard gabble about me for the last twenty years, your Lordship was, I dare say, astonished to see a thousand persons in the Court of King's Bench to witness my trial and to hear them cheer the evidence of my Lord RADNOR, and every heavy blow which I gave to your party. I dare say you wondered what devil had raked them altogether; especially as they were well-dressed people, too, who had been,

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many of them, obliged to pay money to and account of the matter which he get admission. You must have been takes in hand. There is no servant that astounded, indeed, when you heard that comes into a house, whether, butler, the anxiety of many of them kept them housekeeper, cook, or in any other cain the Court during the whole of the pacity, who does not take care that the night. But, when you have read the employer shall know the state of the above-quoted extract, and have duly several things put into the charge of the considered the esteem and respect that new comer: This tureen is cracked, innumerable writings, discovering the" Ma'am; here are half a dozen broken same extent of sagacity, penetration, glasses." To be sure: every one and foresight, which innumerable per- takes care not to be loaded with faults sons have read from the same pen; committed by others; but you took to when you duly consider the predictions the concern as if it had been all as it on important subjects, and the invariable ought to be; not a cracked tureen in verification of those predictions; when the whole of the Wedgwood concern you duly reflect on the inevitable im-did you find out. You even boasted of pression of these upon the minds of the state of the finances; talked of naa very large part of the community, you tional faith as boldly as any of your will cease to wonder at the deep interest blundering predecessors, and would have which was felt and demonstrated upon made one believe that barracks, military that occasion, and upon the contemptible and naval academies, pension and sinefigure which not only your great law-cure lists, dead-weight and retired alofficer, but which the whole of you, fmade upon that memorable occasion; nor would you be surprised that the Trial has already been re-published in New York and returned to England, the editor loading his publication with #expressions of admiration of the man whom you thought you could crush with as little ceremony as one of your underlings in office crushes a poor creature charged with something or other against the customs or excise.

The extract which I have just quoted leaves me little to say about the great cause of all your difficulties; namely, the not having obtained a message from the King at the beginning; and, besides that, a written document in the King's own hand-writing, sanctioning the measure; or, at any rate, the measure should have contained some words describing the great principles of the bill. Your next error was, that you did not make and publish in the most authentic manner, by resolutions in Parliament; by an address to the King, or in some authentic shape or other, a full exposition of the state in which you found the country. There is not a man who takes a trusteeship, a stewardship, or who takes to the management of any concern who does not take care to be provided with an inventory or statement

lowances, a thundering standing army, and tithes held by pluralists and devoured by them, were all of them “institutions of the country," which no reform was to shake. In addition to this, which was quite enough of itself, you religiously refrained from any-thing like an attack upon your deadly foes; and, on the contrary, seemed to caress them with more than fraternal affection, and seemed to care about offending nobody except them. Nay, so decided was your preference of them, that you could not even issue the special commissions without having WELLINGTON STURGES BOURNE on the bench with the judges, and without bringing the Duke of NEWCASTLE'S steward from Nottinghamshire to be the official crowr prosecutor in the counties of Hants, Wilts, Dorset, and Berks.

and

Another and most odious error was, your prosecution of the press. Say that the prosecution of CARLILE and TAYLOR was a mere paving of the way for shutting me up for the remainder of my life, their names having been, by the bloody Old Times, and by the speakers in Parliament, constantly coupled with mine; say this; it is but a poor apology; a very good apology to your foes; but a very poor piece of policy; for there is your Attorney-General as odious as any

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