Meeting of Parliament..... Augmentation of the Civil List..... Bill for Prohibiting the Grant of Offices in Reversion, &c...... Changes in the Ministry, &e...... Attacks upon Ministers..... Assassination of Mr. Perceval..... Administration of Lord Liverpool..... Financial Statements..... Population Returns, &c...... Bill for Preservation of the Peace..... Bill to extend the Privileges of Dissenters..... Prorogation of Parliament, &e...... Capture of Ciudad Rodrigo by the British..... Storm and Capture of Badajoz..... Operations in Spain..... War between France and Russia..... War with America..... Meeting of the New Parliament..... Debates on the War with America..... Financial Statements..... Renewal of the East India Company’s Charter..... The Catholic Question..... Curates’ Bill, &c...... Appointment of Vice-Chancellor..... Delates on the Treaty with Sweden..... Prorogation of Parliament..... Affairs of Spain..... American Campaign..... Meeting of Parliament..... Bill for allowing the Militia to volunteer into the Line.
MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.
A.D. 1812
Parliament re-assembled on the 7th of January, when the speech of the prince-regent was delivered by commission. It dwelt chiefly on the events which had happened in the Peninsula, and on the differences which existed between England and America. The addresses were carried in both houses without a division, though not without debate and censure. In the lords, Grenville and Grey denounced the measures of government in no very soft language as regarded their war and foreign policy, and uttered some predictions of calamities which must follow any new rupture with America. In the commons Sir Francis Burdett proposed instead of an address a strong remonstrance to the regent, containing an elaborate statement of grievances, among which the constitution of the house was one of the most conspicuous. In making this proposal, the right honourable baronet declared that Englishmen for the last eighteen years had been daily losing their liberty; that a detestation of French liberty had produced the present war; that nothing had been done for Spain, and that if its cause was now taken up by the British government it had become hopeless; that the victories won by our armies were useless; and that parliament should be reformed.
AUGMENTATION OF THE CIVIL LIST.
At this time no change had taken place in the indisposition of the king. The general impression on the minds of the people, indeed, was that his recovery was hopeless, that the remainder of his days would be spent in mental debility. This impression was heightened when, in the house of commons, in a committee to consider the question of the king’s household, Mr. Perceval stated that, according to the physicians, the expectation of his majesty’s recovery was diminished. Under these circumstances he laid before the house the measures proposed to be adopted. Several objections were taken to his plan; but the following resolutions were finally agreed to:—“1. That, for making provision for the due arrangement of his majesty’s household, and for the exercise of the royal authority during the continuance of his majesty’s indisposition, and for the purpose of enabling the queen to meet the increased expenses to which, in consequence of such indisposition, her majesty may be exposed, there be granted out of the consolidated fund of Great Britain the yearly sum of £70,000. 2. That it is expedient that provision be made for defraying the expenses incident to the assumption of the personal exercise of the royal authority by his royal highness the prince regent, in the name and on the behalf of his majesty.” The bill framed upon these resolutions encountered some opposition, but they passed triumphantly. A large addition was also subsequently made to the income of the princesses; and it was in vain that some honourable members pleaded internal distress, and urged that such demands were not needed: the courtly zeal of parliament prevailed.