Peers, by the title of lord Goderich, represent him as inclined to go and took the seals of the Colonial equally far with themselves in the office, which lord Bathurst had re- application of these principles, if he signed. The duke of Wellington were not tranımelled, as they supwas succeeded as Master-general of posed him to be (though he affirmed the Ordnance by the marquis of the contrary), by his less daring colAnglesea: the office of Commander- leagues. These colleagues he had in-chief remained unoccupied; the now thrown off, and thus paved Board of Admiralty being dissolv- the way to a junction with the ed, the office of lord High Admiral party whose support was become was revived, and bestowed upon essential to his ministerial existthe duke of Clarence, assisted by a ence, and which was not inclined council composed principally of to let slip this opportunity of placthose members of the former board ing itself in some share of auwho had not withdrawn from office. thority. It is true there remained Mr. Plunkett was raised to the many weighty questions, on which peerage, and created lord chief jus- it seemed impossible for the coalestice of the Common Pleas in Ire- cing parties to agree, unless one of land, in place of lord Norbury, them should sacrifice, for the enjoywho had resigned; but that retirement of power, all its public prinment was the result of old age and ciples. Year after year the Whigs infirmity; and Mr. Plunkett's had pressed the necessity of parappointment would, in all proba- liamentary reform, describing it bility, have taken place, although as a

measure which was not the cabinet had remained unbroken. merely expedient, but altogether Lord Manners expressed his de- essential to the safety of the countermination to retire from the try: Mr. Canning, on the other Chancellorship of Ireland, and that hand, wasthe bitter and irreconcileintention was carried into execu- able enemy of this alleged reform in tion before the ensuing Michaelmas all its shapes. Religious freedom term. In Scotland, where there was a watch-word of the opposition, are but few offices dependent on and the Test-act was in their judgpolitical vicissitudes, no changement an intolerant burthen upon took place.

liberty of conscience; but that very But though offices were thus act was one, to the repeal of which, filled, no positive addition was Mr. Canning declared, he would made to the strength of the new never be brought to consent. To ministry. This was sought and the opposition, any thing bearing attained by a coalition with the the appearance of a restraint upon Whigs, and some of the Radicals. the press was an abomination which It has already been mentioned, that they could not tolerate, and all the Whigs had for some time con- the vials of their wrath had been sidered, or affected to consider, Mr. poured out against the ministers, Canning as being, in a great mea- who, in 1820, had imposed some sure, a member of their own body. check upon periodical publications. Their sentiments, they said, coin- Of these ministers, Mr. Canning cided with his own principles, in has not been least exposed to their kind, at least, in so far as foreign obloquy, and these checks still policy and commercial regulation existed. Were the Whigs to become were concerned, and they used to enemies of reform, of toleration, and of the press, or was Mr. Can- They had thus one point of disning to become the reformer, the sension less with the former than corporator, the “chartered liber, with the latter, and in a contest tine?”

for power between the two parties, During the remaining part of the it was their interest to support that session, some of these questions which approached nearest to their were propounded, and the issue own. A negotiation was opened shewed, that those newly enlisted with lord Lansdowne, through on the side of the government were lord Carlisle, who being connected not disposed to endanger its stabili- by birth and marriage with the ty, now that they formed part of it, leading members of the Whig arisby pressing their own views on the tocracy, and by long habits of notice of parliament. But, unless friendly intercourse with Mr. Cane there was a total sacrifice of prin- ning, was in those respects, no less ciple on one side or the other, it than by the moderation and respectwas evident that the admission of ability of his character, fitted to the opposition to the cabinet would perform the office of a mediator, multiply all the evils of a divided For some time, however, the Whigs government. Catholic emancipa- exhibited a feigned, or a real relucttion was the only topic on which ance, to take office. Whether it the members of the former cabinet was that Mr. Canning, foreseeing had openly differed: the new cabinet the danger of such allies becoming was formed expressly on the prin- masters, was reserved in his prociple that that difference should posals, and not sufficiently liberal continue; and to it would be added, in his offers—or that the Whigs by an admixture of Whig members, were unwilling to commit them, all those other topics, which, for selves, till the probable stability of twenty years had furnished them the new minister had been put to with themes of invective, and some- some test, ---the negotiations did not times of personal abuse against lead to the immediate introduction their new master, and the party to of any of them into the cabinet. which he belonged. At bottom, They agreed, however, to give Mr. however, their support of him rested Canning their support: and, as a on a very plain principle. If they pledge and symbol of their coalition, differed from Mr. Canning in these offices of considerable emolument, points, so did they likewise differ though of little direct political from his colleagues who had re- influence, were conferred on some signed, while they were further of their adherents. Mr. Scarlett separated from the latter on the was knighted, and named At

. question of Catholic emancipation, torney-general.

CHAP. IV.

Meeting of Parliament after the Recess—Mr. Peel explains in the

House of Commons the Reasons of his Resignation—Statement of Mr. Canning-Sir Francis Burdett and Mr. Brougham defend their Coalition with the Ministry—Explanations in the House of Lords by Lord Eldon, the Duke of Wellington, Lord Bathurst, Lord Westmor land, and Lord Melville, of the Reasons of their Resignations-Discussions in both Houses on the Formation of the New Ministry Strong Hostility erpressed towards it in the House of LordsSpeech of Earl Grey-Opinions of His Majesty on the Catholic Question—Motions

on the State of Ireland withdrawn_Motion for the Repeal of the Test Acts withdrawn—Motion on the Chancellor's Jurisdiction in Bankruptcy-Motion regarding the Stamp Duty on Cheap Publications—The Marquis of Lansdowne made Secretary of State.

sembled on the 1st of May,* in good and in evil report, and the public eagerness was at its which had accomplished an union height to learn something of the between parties and individuals causes, which had separated men whose contest had generally been a war ad internecionem. The office, were simply these. For benches of the House of Commons eighteen years, from the first displayed a juxta position of mem- moment of his public life, whether bers which St. Stephen's chapel in office or out of office, he had had not witnessed for twenty years, constantly offered an uncomproand which, if it had been predicted mising, but he trusted a temperate, six weeks before, would have ex- fair, and constitutional resistance cited only laughter. Mr, Tierney to the extension of political priviand Mr. Brougham, sir Francis leges to the Roman Catholics. Burdett and sir Robert Wilson, His opposition was founded on were ranged on the ministerial principle. He thought that the side of the House, and were ranged continuance of those bars, which there in support of Mr. Canning. excluded the Catholics from the

On the motion that a new acquisition of political power, was writ should issue for the borough necessary for the maintenance of of Ashburton for the election of the constitution, and the safety of a member in place of Mr. S. the established church. ThereBourne, who had accepted, since fore it was, that he opposed their the adjournment of the House, the removal: and cherishing at this office of one of his majesty's prin- moment the same opinions he had cipal Secretaries of State, Mr. Peel always done, and having taken said, that, as the motion was imme. the active and prominent part in diately connected with the succes- support of these opinions which sion to that office which he had he had always done, as a minister recently held, he trusted the House of the crown, he did not think would allow him the opportunity of that he could, consistently with explaining the grounds on which his honour as a public man, agree he had retired from the situation to an arrangement, which would, of Secretary of State. In the he knew, be beneficial to himself, prospect of this opportunity he but which would, likewise, if he had abstained from resorting to retained office, materially forward any other mode of explaining the the success of a question, to which motives by which his conduct he could never agree, and to which had been guided. During the he had always offered, and always three weeks which had elapsed must offer, the most open and desince his resignation, his silence cided resistance. Therefore he had been made the subject of determined to retire from the many doubts and of much mis- public service, if Mr. Canning construction ; he had submitted to should be placed at the head of the them in the prospect of vindicating Treasury. If his opinion on that his character before that House. question had been changed, he He said--vindicate, for he could would have felt himself bound by not conceive that a public man a sense of public duty to have embarked in the public service, accepted office under his right was entitled, on light or trivial honourable friend's administration, grounds, to withdraw his assist- and to have kept himself free from ance from the servants of the

even the most distant suspicion of crown whose confidence he had being actuated by private or perpreviously obtained. The grounds, sonal feelings. But, as his opinion on, wbich he had retired from remained unchanged, as the duke. of York was no more, and the voice had withdrawn himself from it. of lord Liverpool was silent, hecon. During the whole period, from ceived he had done right in acting 1822 down to the present session, upon his conscientious belief, that on every occasion when a propothe contemplated changes would sition for making concessions to strengthen a vital public question the Catholics had been brought which he had always opposed, and forward, Mr. Canning had given that in these changes, therefore, it his most decided and powerful he ought not to concur. He gave support. He had not only supup office, because he could not hold ported that question when brought it in connection with any adminis. forward by others, but he had tration likely to forward the claims himself originated motions for conof the Catholics. Was it probable, ceding a portion of the Catholic then, that the appointment of Mr. claims, which involved the whole Canning would have this effect? of the principle. In 1822, he had He assuredly thought that it introduced a bill to enable Catholic would. Looking to his consistency peers to sit in the House of Lords, and sincerity, and judging of him which, after passing the Commons, as he would wish to be judged him- had been lost elsewhere. In inself, he believed that it would be his troducing it he used these words : duty, as he believed it was hisinten. “I solemnly declare to the House tion, to press the claims of the Papists, that I would not have brought if not immediately, at least at no this question forward, had I not remote period. It was not merely felt assured that the reparation that his right hon. friend differed which I ask for the Catholic Peers is from him in opinion on this ques in the name of policy as expedient, tion ; but it was that the change as, in the name of humanity it is in the administration would have charitable, and in the name of oceasioned the transfer of all that God, just!" If then, said Mr. influence which belonged (and Peel, it were in the name of most properly belonged) to the policy expedient, if in the name of office of prime minister, to the humanity it were charitable, but, hands of one who would use it for above all, if in the name of God, the purpose of forwarding an it were just, I must believe, object which he had always op- confident as I am in Mr. Canposed. Moreover, it was not ning's sincerity, that he will merely a transfer of that influence again introduce that motion; and from one ordinary man to another what alternative would remain ordinary man, but a transfer from to me if I continued in office ? the most able opponent of the Ca- Mr. Canning, on that occasion, tholic claims to their most able declared that he anticipated (as I and eloquent advocate. He saw, certainly anticipated), that the parthat, after such a transfer had been tial success of the Popish peers, if made, the government could not, completed elsewhere, would lead to in reference to the Catholic ques. the concession of all the claims set tion, le conducted on the principles up by the general body of the ' which had guided it under lord Roman Catholics. Now, I feel no

Liverpool's administration ; and, as desire to acquiesce in, or to be a 'he could not consent that these party in directing, an attack upon principles should be changed, he principles, which I have hitherto