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"First, he was desirous to have the rule and principality in his own hands;
Lastly, he endeavoured to do such actions as might continue his memory,

and leave an impression of his good government to after ages."

"What shadows we are, and what shadows we pursue!"

Bacon.

Burke.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

READER

DA 522 .02 153 1830

MEMOIRS

OF

THE LIFE

OF THE

RIGHT HON. GEORGE CANNING.

CHAPTER V.

From the death of Mr. Pitt to the Dismission of the Grenville administration-Mr. Canning's Satires-Elijah's Mantle-Blue and Buff-His Speeches in Parliament against the Measures of Administration-The death or Mr. Fox-Change of Ministry-Cause of that Change-Constitutional Doctrines-Lampoons on the late Ministers-All the Talents-The New Old Opposition.

WHETHER Catholic emancipation was ever seriously contemplated by Mr. Pitt may well be doubted. His retirement from office, as we have seen, was a temporary expedient, to avoid the fulfilment of his engagement with the catholics of Ireland; and from that time to the period of his death, he abandoned the measure, in the accomplishment of which, his solemn faith and the faith of the nation through him had been pledged. Had he been sincere, and had he really considered catholic emancipation to be founded in policy and justice, would he have accepted office in 1804, to the exclusion of the Grenville party, with whom he had acted with so much cordiality during his former administration, and with whom this question was one of vital importance? It is said, indeed, that in forming the ministry, his own views were sacrificed to the narrow prejudices that existed in a high quarter; that but for these prejudices, an administration would have been formed, embracing the most splendid talents and the most powerful influence in the empire. It was even asserted, that Mr. Pitt had introduced the name of Mr. Fox to his sovereign, at the suggestion of Lord Grenville, who made his admission to office the sine qua non of his own acceptance of power. This, however, it seems, was not a sine qua non with Mr. Pitt. He left the Grenvilles and catholic emancipation to shift for themselves,

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while he summoned to his assistance the Castlereaghs and the Percevals, who scrupulously adhered to his new policy.* On the death

* Of the insincerity of the premier in the principal article of negotiation with the Irish catholics, namely, their emancipation on condition of their accepting the union, we have additional evidence in the admissions of the Antijacobin; the paper from whence the following extract, confirmatory of this suspicion is taken, it is said, was written by Mr. Canning.

"In the mean time, it is sufficient for us to know, and we state the fact with confidence (in order to remove some very false impressions which have been made on the public mind by a mis-statement) that the king never gave his cabinet ministers the smallest reason to believe that the measures in question would have his sanction and support; on the contrary, nearly three years ago, his majesty declared his firm resolution never to give his consent to certain acts, which consent, his sense and his conscience told him, would involve a violation of his coronation oath. To this must be imputed the memorable recall of Earl Fitzwilliam, and to this must be ascribed his firmness in rejecting the propositions, resisting the persuasions of his late ministers. It is, indeed, to us a matter of extreme surprise, that under such circumstances, those ministers should have ventured to give a pledge in the first instance; and afterward, for the purpose of redeeming it, to introduce the subject of it into his majesty's speech. The reception which such a proposition experienced was such as surely they had good reason to expect." Here it is admitted, that Ireland was cajoled into the union; that the ministers knew, prior to the negotiation, the king's determination never to yield the point which they had conceded. Ought men, thus committed to a whole people, to have abandoned their pledge on any ground? Constitutionally, ought they to have stopped short till they had presented to the monarch their decision for his acceptance or refusal; and, in the case of the latter, would it not have been incumbent upon them to retire from office, and never to accept it again but on the express condition of keeping their faith, and retrieving their forfeited honour? But the union with Ireland was a measure of profoundest policy, and essential to the prosperity of both countries. But are men to do evil that good may come? "Fiat justitia, ruat cælum." The thing was done, but the conditions were not fulfilled-what followed? discontent, violent cabals, and finally, rebellion; and after the lapse of six and twenty years, how has the union benefited Ireland? We are not arguing for or against emancipation; we are only contending for good faith between contracting parties. It is a curious speculation, and might be reasoned upon in the abstract, in a constitution like that of Great Britain, having three estates of the realm, how far that estate, which consists of an individual, can be justified in predetermining great questions of policy before they are discussed by the other two, and resolving, when they are discussed and proposed, to reject them from personal considerations, when it is constitutionally placed above all personal responsibility. We hope this country will never witness the practical illustration of this political abstraction, thrown out only for the reflection of the curious.

of its leader the administration was dissolved; they retired to make way for a class of politicians, most of whom were directly opposed to them in nearly all the great questions which it was the business of parliament to discuss and determine. To Lord Grenville his majesty assigned the delicate task of arranging the new administration. The names of the new ministers soou appeared in the gazette; those in the cabinet consisted of Lords Grenville, Erskine, Fitzwilliam, Spencer, Moira, Sidmouth, and Ellenborough; Lord Henry Petty, Mr. Fox. Mr. Wyndham, and Mr. Grey.

Lord Grenville succeeded Mr. Pitt as first lord of the treasury, and Lord Henry Petty (now the Marquis of Lansdown) as chancellor of the exchequer. Earl Fitzwilliam was appointed president of the council in the room of Lord Camden, and Viscount Sidmouth (late Mr. Addington) succeeded the Earl of Westmoreland as lord of the privy seal. Mr. Fox became secretary of the foreign office, vacated by the retirement of Lord Mulgrave. General Fitzpatrick succeeded Mr. William Dundas as secretary of war; and Mr. Wyndham Lord Castlereagh in the department of war and the colonies. In the home department, Lord Hawkesbury gave place to Earl Spencer. Mr. Erskine was made a baron by the title of Lord Erskine, and succeeded Lord Eldon as lord high chancellor of England. Mr. Grey succeeded Lord Barham as first lord of the admiralty. Lord Moira became master of the ordnance. Mr. Sheridan succeeded Mr. Canning as treasurer of the navy; the Duke of Bedford Lord Hardwicke in the government of Ireland. Earl St. Vincent was appointed to the command of the Channel fleet; and Lords Minto and Aukland presided, one over the board of control, the other over the board of trade. This is the administration on which has been lavished so much unmerited abuse. Thrown by their predecessors into circumstances of unparalleled difficulty, some of them labouring under the personal antipathy of the sovereign; their system of politics hated by a tory aristocracy, and exposed to the clamour of the people, because they could not work miracles, and bring, in spite of innumerable obstacles, their system into immediate operation; coldly supported by their friends, and virulently assailed by their enemies, they were not destined long to survive the dissolution of their illustrious head; whose health, when he entered upon office, was visibly declining, and who literally fell a victim to the corroding cares which preyed upon his heart,—the malevolence which fastened upon him its viper fangs,-and the vexatious disappointments which, for want of support from the throne and from the country, his enlightened measures were doomed to encounter.

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