ment was prorogued. The follow- you that his Majesty has given , ing was the speech of the lords directions for a careful revision of commissioners : the Financial State of the Country, “ My Lords, and Gentlemen ; with a view to every diminution “We are commanded by his of expenditure which may be found Majesty to express to you the sa- consistent with the necessary detisfaction which his Majesty feels mands of the Public Service, and in being enabled, by the state of with the permanent interests, good the Public Business, to release you faith, and honour, of the nation. from further attendance in parlia- “ My Lords, and Gentlemen; ment. “ His Majesty is confident that "His Majesty directs us to in- you participate with his Majesty form you, that he continues to in the pleasure which his Majesty receive from all Foreign Powers, derives from the indications of a assurances of their earnest desire gradual revival of employment in to cultivate relations of friendship the manufacturing districts. with his Majesty; and that his “His Majesty trusts, that alMajesty's best efforts, as well as though your deliberations on the his Majesty's communications with Corn Laws have not led, during his Allies, are unceasingly directed the present session, to a permanent to the termination of existing hos- settlement of that important ques. tilities, and to the maintenance of tion, the consideration of it will general peace. be resumed by you early in the « Gentlemen of the House of ensuing session, and that such an Commons; arrangement of it may finally be " His Majesty commands us to adopted as shall satisfy the reasonthank you for the Supplies which able wishes, and reconcile the subyou have granted for the service stantial interests, of all classes of of the present year, and to assure his Majesty's subjects.” CHA P. VII. Death of Mr. Canning - Formation of a New Ministry under Lord Goderich—Changes in the Cabinet—COLONIES-INDIA-FOREIGN RELATIONS. man TH closed, was one in which very more than sufficient to bear the little business had been done, but weight of them all. It was the the events of which had excited unexpected loneliness in which he more hopes and fears, and had given found himself, that irritated, perit a character of more lively and plexed, and exhausted. At the very intense interest, than would have moment when he reached the pinbeen called forth by the usual nacle of his fortunes, he found himroutine of political discussion. It self left almost alone by those whom had borne, in a great degree, a he had hoped to use as coadjutors, personal character; it was and of whom the vulgar abuse by to man, the soldier and his sword.” the rabble rout could not prevent It was destined to be speedily fol- him from knowing, that, when they lowed by an event which stretched left his side, they carried with them that interest to its fullest bent, and much of the confidence, and respect, taught one of the most impressive and attachment, of the country. lessons, that the history of politics At the head of such a ministry as presents, of the vanity and uncer, he had wished to form, his power tainty of ambition. would have been inexpugnable, his The health of Mr. Canning had influence despotic, his situation been in a very delicate state even enviable. As it was, he found himat the commencement of the session, self forced, in some measure, to and the mental anxiety which accept of favour, rather than to followed was but little favourable command-to negociate for the to its restoration. It was not the kind looks of ancient foes, instead mere ordinary contests of politics of moving on, in the proud spirit that now claimed his attention: to of independence, surrounded by these he had been too long and too ancient friends, who in many a consuccessfully habituated, to regard test had battled by his side against them as any thing but scenes of these very men. He saw himself triumph; in that arena, there was driven, as it were, into the arms of a no weapon of which he was not coalition, whose very name excited master, no opponent whom he jealousy and distrust, while the could need to fear. Neither was multifarious differences of its memit the cares of empire, which the bers might call upon him at any triumph of his talents and his moment either to maintain his ambition had now laid upon him, place by compromising his own that depressed his spirits, and consistency, or to leave himself deharassed his feelings; he possessed fenceless, by insisting on the sacri, fice of theirs. His pride could not cessful exertion, join in calling but be deeply wounded, when he forth almost involuntary regrets, found that his power in any degree that one who has just gained a depended upon the good pleasure of splendid, and a hard-earned, prize, those whom it had long been his should be snatched from it for ever, boast and his delight to confound when he has scarcely been allowed by his eloquence, or make the to grasp it. Mr. Canning, too, poslaughing-stock of the country by sessed in his own character, enough his wit: much more must “the to justify the admiration which iron have entered into his soul,” attended him when living, and the when he found that his very fate regrets that followed him to the was placed in their hands. Mr.Can- grave. Europe lost in him the ning, too, was a man of kindly and ablest statesman, and the Commons amiable feelings; and the rupture of England the finest orator of his of old intimacies, and the necessity day. Imbued with the very of conciliating old enmities, where spirit of the classics, he was a no cordial confidence could ever be most accomplished scholar; and reposed, brought with it an irrita- though early introduced into public tion and disappointment a thousand life, and almost constantly occupied, times more annoying and exhaust- from the entrance of his manhood, ing, than, to such a head, the mere in the details of official business, anxieties of government could ever and the bickerings of party politics, have become. His care-worn ap- the practical wisdom which he thus pearance betrayed that the mind treasured up, never impeded the was ill at ease within : mind and felicity with which, on all occasions, bodypanted equally for repose. Soon he brought into play the favourite after the rising of parliament he was subjects of his youthful studies. visited by an attack of illness, which His fancy was elegant and prolifie ; seemed, however, to yield to medi- his taste was exquisite ; and to it, cal treatment, and he went down much more than to strict logic, to the duke of Devonshire's seat at were his orations indebted for their Chiswiek, to seek tranquillity and charms and their effect. He seldom enjoy a purer air. The disease followed closely out any regular returned ; inflammation had com- train of argumentation; he never menced; it proceeded with a vio- trammelled his reasoning in the lence and rapidity which set art at stiff forms of the dialectician; but defiance; and Mr. Canning expired he caught with facility the general at Chiswick (the same house in bearings, and striking relations of which Mr. Fox had breathed his ideas: with never-failing tact he last), on the morning of the 8th of seized those views of his subject August, after having been prime which were sure to tell most imminister for only four months. mediately upon his auditory, and This unexpeeted event produced his opponents; and his thoughts a much more lively sensation in the flowed from him in a stream of uncountry, than the stroke which, in interrupted fluency, in periods of the beginning of the year, had the most sounding and graceful driven lord Liverpool from public declamation. Yet he was never life. All our kindly feelings, all inflated or inane ; it would scarcely our respect for intellectual power, be possible to seleet from his all our admiration of high and suce speeches a single sample of bome bast. Accomplished in the use of There were parts of his public all the arms that the rhetorician life in which his steadiness of purwields, his wit was the most glit- pose and consistency of conduct tering and piercing of his weapons. might be questioned; there were There he had no rival ; that never others in which it might be doubtfailed him : though it excited ed whether perfect good faith to his against him many enmities, he was fellow-labourers had not been indebted to it for as many triumphs. sacrificed to ambition ; and the last He was a matchless debater. As act of his life, that coalition, by a practical statesman, his views which he chose to be first, through were always clear and manly. He the support of former opponents, was the most unyielding opponent rather than to remain second in of all the schemes which, for more name among former friends, was than thirty years, had thrown the more than questionable. Mr. Canworld into confusion under the ning's best and widest fame will name of reform: and he had done always rest, like that of lord his country much good service in Chatham, on what he performed maintaining the integrity of her ex- as a Foreign Secretary. Englishisting institutions. He possessed, men will always remember him as moreover, the high merit of never a public servant, who, in that being seduced, by fondness for any capacity, proudly maintained the set of ideas, into forgetfulness of honour, and asserted the dignity, the necessities and relations of the of the country among the nations ; actual world: rich as he was in and they will remember him as fancy, he seemed to use it only as having done that, than which the the hand-maid to practical wisdom. world presents no nobler exploitas The later acts of his public life, having made himself, by the mere before he became minister, had, in force of talent, Prime Minister of an especial manner, strengthened England. his hold on the admiration and It was not unnatural to expect, favour of the country. The spirit that, on the removal of Mr. Canwith which he broke loose from any ning, whose influence alone seemed suspicious connection with the to have brought, and to have kept Holy Alliance, the recognition of together, the heterogeneous mathe South American republics, and, terials of which the cabinet was above all, the energy and manliness composed, its discordant elements with which, in maintenance of the would again fly asunder. Very national faith, he stretched forth few changes, however, took place, the national arm to the defence of and their effect was, to bring back Portugal, had completely fallen in into office a portion of Mr. Canwith the feelings of the public, and ning's former friends. The duke had identified him, in some mea- of Wellington, who had felt himsure, with the dignity and character self personally slighted by the deof the empire. On the other hand, ceased premier in the formation of it is true, that there were circum- his ministry, almost immediately stances, which prevented a large resumed the command of the army, and influential portion of the but without any seat in the capeople from giving him as much of binet. Lord Goderich took the their confidence as they willingly reins of government, as First Lord gave him of their admiration, of the Treasury, and Mr. Huskisa 1 son succeeded to him as colonial however, that it was not the king Secretary. That portion of the who had recommended Mr. Her-.. Whigs who had made their way ries to lord Goderich, but lord into the cabinet under Mr. Can- Goderich who had recommended ning, wished to strengthen their Mr. Herries to the king, they conparty by bringing in lord Holland; sented to keep their places. Lord but the proposal was immediately Harrowby retired from the Preover-ruled, and they did not think sidency of the council : his place that circumstances called upon was taken by the duke of Portland, them to enforce his reception, or and the earl of Carlisle succeeded risk the return to power of their to his Grace as lord Privy Seal. old opponents, by resigning. The The chancellorship of Ireland, only difficulty that was encounter- likewise, was now filled up. It ed lay in finding a chancellor of was given to sir Anthony Hart ; the Exchequer. The office was and, in his place, Mr. Shadwell declined by Mr. Tierney, Mr. was knighted, and made ViceHuskisson, and Mr. Sturges Bourne; chancellor of England.* and at last was given to Mr. Her- This new ministry—the third ries, who had been Secretary of which the country had seen in the the Treasury under lord Liver- space of seven months stood out pool's administration, and had re- the remainder of the year. Tosigned, with his colleagues, on the wards the end of the year indeed, appointment of Mr. Canning. The it was exhibiting evident sympwhigs of the cabinet were so little toms of an approaching dissolution, pleased at first with this nomina- and the Premier, lord Goderich, tion, that the marquis of Lans- had tendered his resignation As. downe waited upon his majesty to however it did see the year out, in resign the seals of the Home life and in motion, although in a Department. They objected to sickly and ricketty condition, the him both on political grounds, and history of its dissolution, and of as being a nominee of the king; the formation of that by which it for such they said was the light in was succeeded, does not properly which the transaction appeared to fall within the scope of our present them. On its being explained, volume. • The Ministry now stood as follows : First Lord of the Treasury Lord Goderich. Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr. Herries. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs... Lord Dudley and Ward. Secretary of State for the War and Colonial Department Mr. Huskisson. Secretary of State for the Home Department Marquis of Lansdowne. Master-General of the Ordnance.. Marquis of Anglesey. Lord Chancellor... Lord Lyndhurst. President of the Council Duke of Portland. Lord Privy Seal... Earl of Carlisle. President of the Board of Trade and Treasurer of the } Mr. C. Grant. President of the Board of Control Mr. C. W. Wynn. Secretary at War Lord Palmerston. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.. Lord Bexley. Master of the Mint Mr. Tierney. Surveyor of the Woods and Forests Mr. S. Bourne. |