CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XI.

Affairs of France-Weak and Impolitic Conduct of the French

Ministers-Powers of the Parliaments-Defined by Louis

the Sixteenth-Their opposition to the King-Their ille-

gal pretensions-Beneficial plan of the Ministry-Frustrated

by the Parliament of Paris-Bed of justice at Versailles→→

The Nobility and Clergy support the Parliament against

their Sovereign-Domestic Concerns-The King's Illness

-Parliament assemble-Adjourn for a fortnight---General

summons of the members ordered---Examination of the

King's Physicians by the Privy Council---their re-examina-

tion by a Committee of the House of Commons---Mr.

Pitt proposes to appoint a Committee to search for prece-

dents---Opposed by Mr. Fox, who asserts the Prince's

Right to the Regency---The Claim of Right resisted by

Mr. Pitt, who insists on the necessity of a formal decision

on the subject by Parliament---Supported by Mr. Fox---

Debates on the same question in the House of Lords---

Explanatory speech of Mr. Fox---answered by Mr. Pitt,

who states the outline of his proposed plan for the Regency

---Mr. Pitt's Conduct justified---Proceedings in the House

of Lords---Speech of the Duke of York deprecating the

discussion of the question of Right---Debate in the

Commons on the question of Right, and on the plan of

the Regency---Mr. Pitt's Speech on the subject---Asserts

the Right of Parliament to appoint a Regent, and to define

his powers---Controverts the principles advanced by Lord

Loughborough---Moves Three Resolutions---Lord North

moves an Amendment---reprobates the alleged right of

Parliament, as a violation of the Constitution, and refers to

the Revolution for a precedent---Reflections on his

speech, and the applicability of his precedent examined...

Smollet's Comments on the proceedings in 1688.---His

notions of the Constitution proved to be erroneous and

absurd---Plan of proceeding proposed, different from the

plans suggested by either party---Able Speech of Mr. Fox---

defends himself against the charge of Inconsistency---Mr.

Pitt's reply---Lord North's motion negatived by the

House---and Mr. Pitt's Resolutions carried---Farther De-

bates---Mr. Fox examines the applicability of the prece-

dent of the Revolution to the case of the Regency---Is

answered by Mr. Pitt---The Solicitor-General asserts the

Right claimed for the Prince to be illegal---Mr. Fox urges a

strong objection to the proposed plan of Proceeding---

Majority of seventy-three in favour of Mr. Pitt's proposi-

tions---Discussions in the House of Lords ---Resolutions

carried by a large majority---Mr. Pitt communicates his

plan of the Regency to the Prince of Wales, in a letter, in

obedience to the Prince's commands---The Prince's an-

swer---Observations thereon.

CHAPTER XII.

opens

Different opinions of the Physicians relative to the probable

duration of his Majesty's malady-Discussions on the

Regency resumed-Another examination of the King's

Physicians, by a Committee of the House, ordered on

the motion of Mr. Lovedon-Mr. Pitt his proposed

plan of restrictions on the Regent-Examines the grounds

of the opposite opinions entertained by two of the King's

Physicians-Reminds the House that they were not about

to place a King upon the Throne--Distinguishes the

powers of a Regent from those of a King - Urges the

necessity of establishing a constitutional precedent-Re-

flections on the subject-Restrictions justified, not only

on general principles, but on the recorded sentiments and

opinions of the men who were destined to be Ministers of

the Regent-Personal Character of the Regent not a

proper criterion for the regulation of his powers-Mr.

Pitt proposes to prevent the Regent from creating Peers-

His reasons for the proposal-His restrictions respecting

the grant of places and pensions-Respecting the King's

personal property-Proposes to entrust the care of the

King's person, and the management of the Royal House-

hold, to the Queen; and to move a Council of Advice

to assist the Queen in the discharge of her trust-His

resolutions violently opposed by Mr. Powis-Ridiculed by

Mr. Sheridan-Censured by Mr. Fullarton, whose mis-

representation of French History is corrected-Supported

by Lord Belgrave-Able Speech of Mr. William (now

Lord) Grenville, in favour of them-The first four reso-

lutions carried-Debate postponed-Mr. Pitt's Speech in

defence of the fifth resolution-Disclaims all views of

factious opposition to the Regent's Administration-

Violent speech of Lord Maitland; he libels the People of

England-Misstates the ground of the argument-Objects

to trust the King's person to the Queen-Probable motives

of such objection-Objection supported by Mr. Grey-

Resolutions supported by Mr. Dundas and Mr. Pulteney-

Opposed by Mr. Fox-Denies that the King's Political

Character continues to subsist during his natural life—

The state and splendour of the Regent a national concern

-Resolution carried by a majority of fifty-six.-Mr.

Rolle revives the subject of the reported marriage of the

Prince of Wales with Mrs. Fitzherbert-Called to order

by Sir Francis Basset-Necessity of the investigation

affirmed from the penal disqualifications attached to such

marriage if it had really taken place-Resolutions pass in

the Commons-Proceedings in the House of Lords-

Agree to the Resolutions-Mr. Pitt proposes to submit the

Resolutions to the Prince of Wales; and defends himself

against some imputations of disrepect to the Prince,

which had been urged against him by Mr. Burke and Mr.

Grey-Asserts the existence of a Duty to his King and

Country paramount to all considerations of respect to the

Prince-Joint resolutions of the two Houses laid before

the Prince and the Queen-Answer of the Prince and of

the Queen.-Earl Camden proposés a commission, under

the great seal, for giving the Royal assent to the Bill-

A better mode of proceeding suggested-His Lordship

justifies the proposal by precedents from English History

--

The Princes of the Blood desire their names may be

erased from the commission-Mr. Pitt brings in the

Regency Bill-Opposed, on the second reading, by Mr.

Burke His intemperate language-Is called to order by

Mr. Pitt-Mr. Rolle proposes a clause for excluding from

the Regency any person proved to be married, either in

law or in fact, to a Papist, or one of the Roman Catholic

persuasion Clause opposed by Lord Belgrave-Reasons

for an Enquiry into the business-Mr. Wellbore Ellis

contends, that the Act of the present King, which annuls

all marriages of the Royal Family, without the Royal

Assent, decided the question, as that could not be true

in fact which was not good in law-The imputed effect of

this Act denied-Mr. Ellis's inference adopted by Lord

North, Mr. Sheridan, and others-Silence of the Crown

Lawyers on the subject-Inference resisted by Mr. Dundas,

who maintains that the penalties of the Act of Settlement

still subsist-Mr. Rolle proposes to withdraw his motion

-Is ridiculed by Mr. Courtenay-Reviled by Mr. Grey—

Mr. Grey's intemperance censured by Mr. Pitt.-Debates

on the Queen's Council pursued-Mr. Burke is again

called to order-Lord North censures Mr. Pitt for not

introducing the names of the Princes of the Blood, and

moves for the insertion of their names in the list-His

motion resisted by Mr. Pitt, who explains the grounds of

their exclusion-Motion rejected by the House--Mr. Pitt

defends the means proposed by him for making known the

Recovery for the King, and the resumption of the Royal

power-Inconsistency of the Opposition-Extraordinary

Speech of Mr. Burke-Restrictions on the creation of

Peers limited to Three Years--Bill carried to the Lords-

All further proceedings stopped by the King's restoration