284 THE PARLIAMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. CH. XLI. CHAPTER XLI. FIRST PARLIAMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM-CATHOLIC QUESTIONCHANGE OF MINISTRY-KING'S ILLNESS-ADDINGTON SUCCEEDS PITT -PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT-BATTLE OF ALEXANDRIA-EXPEDITION TO THE BALTIC-PEACE OF AMIENS. THE session of Parliament which terminated on the last day of the eighteenth century, was the last session of the Parliament of Great Britain. The Parliament which was next to assemble was, in consequence of the Act of Union, to be styled "The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.' Corresponding alterations in the royal style, in forms, ceremonies, and heraldic devices, were also rendered necessary by this event. Advantage was taken of the opportunity thus afforded to omit the title of King of France, which the Crown of England had assumed since the time of Edward the Third; and to remove the lilies of France from the royal shield. The French monarchy had been too magnanimous to remonstrate seriously against the continued assumption of a title which had long ceased to have any practical meaning; but the French Republic had thought it worth while to insist on the renunciation of this empty title as an article in a treaty of peace; and as it was improbable that in a future negotiation, this demand would be withdrawn, it was thought more consistent with the dignity of the Crown voluntarily to renounce a pretension, however worthless, than to relinquish it 1801. MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. 285 on the dictation of the French Government, when at the height of military power. The United Parliament was opened by commission on the 22nd of January. A question was First United raised that the Act of Union had put an Parliament. end to the Parliament of Great Britain, as well as the Parliament of Ireland, and that the Parliament of the United Kingdom must be constituted by a general election. Such a doubt was expressed by Lord Eldon and other lawyers. But the better opinion. was, that there was no reason to depart from the precedent of the union with Scotland, and that the Act of Union had not altered the constitution of the Parliament of Great Britain with Ireland, but had provided only for the addition to that Parliament of representatives for the kingdom of Ireland. The composition of the House of Commons, Election of however, was so far changed by the trans- Speaker. fer of the Irish representation, that it was thought fit to proceed to a new election for Speaker, and as the form of the oath was slightly altered, all the members were re-sworn. The business of the session was commenced on the 2nd of February, by a royal speech, which contained no indication of any change in the administration of public affairs. It contained few topics. The Union was referred to in general terms. The confederacy of the Baltic powers to introduce a new code of maritime law hostile to the interests of this country was duly reprobated; and the usual assurance of a desire to terminate the war on grounds consistent with the security and honour of the country was repeated. Yet three days after the speech had been delivered, the great minister, who had ruled with all but absolute power for seventeen years, was forced to yield to the same stubborn will, before which the elder Pitt, and Grenville, and Rockingham, and the Coalition had, in turn, given way. 286 Dundas at the STRONG OPPOSITION OF THE KING TO CH. XLI On the 28th of January, the King held one of his ordinary levees, at which it seems to have happened that Mr. Dundas was the only Cabinet minister present. The King, in the presence of the whole circle, addressed Dundas in these terms: -'What is it that this young lord has brought over that they are going to throw at my head? The most Jacobinical thing I ever heard of.'* And,' he added, according to his former fashion, when he did not approve of any particular policy recommended by his minister-I shall reckon any man my personal enemy who proposes any such measure.' This he repeated so loud as to be heard by the persons standing near. Dundas answered with spirit, Your Majesty will find among those who are friendly to that measure some whom you never supposed to be your enemies.' † The report of this brief dialogue soon flew all over London. It soon became known also what was the measure to which this astounding allusion referred. The measure was the relief of the Roman Catholics from civil disabilities; and Lord Castlereagh had been for some weeks past in London negotiating the progress of this measure with His Majesty's Govern ment. the Cabinet. In a letter from Castlereagh to Pitt, dated the Discussion in 1st of January, the connection of this policy with that of the Legislative Union is fully and clearly recapitulated. In the autumn of 1799, Lord Castlereagh, on the part of the Irish Government, represented to Mr. Pitt that the project of Union could not be carried through the Irish Parliament without the support of the Roman Catholic interest; and that the Catholics could not be conciliated without an assurance that the proposed * Rose's Diaries, vol. i. p. 303. He alluded to Lord Castlereagh. Life of Wilberforce, vol. iii. p. 7. Quoted also by Earl Stan hope.-Life of Pitt, vol. iii. p. 274. Cornwallis Correspondence, vol. iii. p. 326. 1801. CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION. 287 measure would be conducive to the settlement of their claims. In consequence of this communication, a Cabinet was summoned to consider this question, and Lord Castlereagh was invited to assist at its deliberations. The result was 'that the opinion of the Cabinet was favourable to the principle of the measure; that some doubts were entertained as to the possibility of admitting Catholics into some of the higher offices; and that ministers apprehended considerable repugnance to the measure in many quarters, and particularly in the highest; but that, as far as the sentiments of the Cabinet were concerned, the Lord Lieutenant need not hesitate in calling forth the Catholic support in whatever degree he found it practicable to obtain it.' Lord Castlereagh proceeds, "I certainly did not then hear any direct objections stated against the principle of the measure by any one of the ministers then present. You will, I have no doubt, recollect that, so far from any serious hesitation being entertained in respect to the principle, it was even discussed whether an immediate declaration on the subject to the Catholics would not be advisable, and whether an assurance should not be distinctly given them in the event of the Union being accomplished, of their objects being submitted with the countenance of Government, to the United Parliament upon a peace. This idea was laid aside principally upon a consideration that such a declaration might alienate the Protestants in both countries from the Union, in a greater degree than it was calculated to assist the measure through the Catholics; and accordingly, the instructions I was directed to convey to Lord Cornwallis were to the following effect; that His Excellency was fully warranted in soliciting every support the Catholics could afford that it was not thought expedient at that time to give any direct assurance to the Catholics, but that, should circumstances so far alter as to induce 288 BREACH OF LORD CASTLEREAGH'S CH. LI His Excellency to consider such an explanation necessary, he was at liberty to state the grounds on which his opinion was formed for the consideration of the Cabinet. In consequence of this communication, the Irish Government omitted no exertion to call forth the Catholics in favour of the Union. Lord Castlereagh went on to state, that the Lord Lieutenant was thus enabled to remove a difficulty which would have prevented the accomplishment of the Union; and that the leaders of the Catholic body with whom he entered into correspondence, were dissuaded by him from insisting on an express promise, for the reason that it was not fitting to make the removal of civil disabilities, and the accompanying measures of relief, a subject of bargain between the Catholics and the Government, Castlereagh's According to this statement, the correctness of which has never been impeached, a posipromise. tive promise was made for a valuable consideration. Castlereagh himself, who had concluded so many bargains on account of the Union, had never negotiated a contract more plain and binding than this, which was ratified by the immediate authority of the Cabinet. Some supporters of the Union had bartered their votes for titles, some for places, and some for money; but the Catholic community, without whose aid the great measure could not have been carried, and in the face of whose hostility it would not have been attempted, demanded only honourable terms. They asked for an equality of civil rights with the rest of their fellow-subjects. Their terms were granted, and their part of the engagement was punctually fulfilled. It only remained for the Government of the Crown to perform their promise, and, at the same time, to ensure the stability, and complete the noble proportions of the great work they had accomplished. The tools, and sycophants, and hirelings of the Government had been satisfied. |