THE PRINCE OF WALES’ CONDUCT
Dec. 6th.—There has been a communication with the Prince; the complection of the business is not very favourable. It seems that in consequence of a trivial expression dropped accidentally in a conversation Ld. Grey held with Mr. Tucker, the latter gentleman conceived it to be sufficiently important to induce him to repeat it to Col. McMahon[374] to report to the Prince. The expression was that affairs were in that state that, ‘if the Prince were to hold up his finger he would have every thing his own way.’
The Prince, who sees Adam frequently, had talked to him frankly enough in general. One day during their conversation the Lord Chancellor solicited an audience: the P. desired he might be admitted, and at the same time begged Adam to wait, as he should soon close his conference with the C. It was, however, of some duration, but when Adam returned, he assured him the visit was merely one of form respecting some circumstances connected with the Pss. Amelia’s will; that he had listened and made no reply beyond a very formal bow. This might, or might not be true; Adam had his doubts. The Prince then began saying (which astonished Adam) that he had received a communication from Ld. Grey, who implied that he had not taken part enough in the business of the K.’s illness. That he might be right or wrong, but that he was resolved upon remaining quiet; that he esteemed both Lords Grenville and Grey, but could not see them; that if they wished to serve him they ought to ask Ministers in Parlt. whether any official notification had been made to the Prince of the condition in which H. Majesty was; also that if he were compelled by circumstances to maintain them, yet if they got into minorities by their mismanagement, he might then be enabled to follow his inclination and call them,—Opposition, to his Council. He desired Adam to communicate this to Lds. Grenville, Grey, and Mr. Ponsonby; Tommy Tyrwhitt also told Ld. Grenville. It was agreed that a respectful answer should be conveyed to the Prince, couched in all the usual proper terms; the substance, however, declining to adopt any line of conduct expressed through a secret understanding, as it would be doing exactly what they had so much deprecated during their own Administration—that of the King ostensibly employing them, but, at the same time, consulting with his secret advisers. Ld. Grenville said that the position of affairs might be such that were the Prince to consult him, he did not know but that he might recommend him to keep the present Ministers; but having done that he must withdraw and act upon his own principles until he was publicly called as an adviser. The expression which put Ld. G. upon the alert was that of the possibility of minorities, which he construed into a determined plan of Prince’s betraying those he openly supported. Ld. Grey was compelled to leave town on acct. of Ly. Grey’s lying-in.
Subsequent to this transaction, Adair, on the pretext of giving the P. some curious anecdotes of his Embassy, solicited an audience, and by dint of solicitation at length obtained one. In the course of the interview, the P. launched out in his eloquent, rhodomontading manner, abused the late Ministry (always excepting Ld. H., whom he professes so much to love), whom he accused of treating him worse than his avowed enemies. Added that he knew they now complained of his not sending for them, but that he would be d—— if he did; they accused him of being timid and nervous, but that by G—— they and the world should see that he was un homme de nerf; that he would not be dictated to by the haughty freaks and caprices of any man; turned frequently to the portrait of Mr. Fox, whose death was to him an irreparable loss, for he really loved him, and in any critical juncture his advice was always that of a sincere friend who was blessed with the soundest head man ever possessed; abused the late Cabinet for their treatment of him in the affair of the Princess, and, in short, spoke with all the vehemence and irritation of an offended and wounded mind.
7th Dec., 1810.—The bulletin yesterday was less favourable, and that of to-day is indifferent; admits that the disorder had returned, but that some hours of sleep had refreshed him. By the private acct. it seems that his bodily indisposition is rather alarming, a recurrence of the stoppage in his bowels; his body is greatly emaciated. Phipps, the expert oculist but very silly man, has been prevented by Willis’s orders from seeing him, as he was detected in talking upon religious matters, future state, dying, &c., &c. The report yesterday was that Ministers, if by the King’s relapsing they should be compelled to resort to some mode of Regency, intended to have that of the Lords Justices. To-day Mr. Grenville told me that the scheme was to make the Queen Regent. All these schemes will perplex and frighten the Prince, and drive him to resort to his friends. Ld. H. saw McMahon, who declares that Ld. Moira and Sheridan, who are affecting to speak the language and sentiments of C. House, on the contrary, have displeased the Prince, whom they do not see and whom they have not had any authority whatever from to act as they do. Whilst the P. is in town he sees no person whatever but Lady Hertford, with whom he spends the whole morning and evening. Mr. Michael Angelo Taylor he sees as a butt, but with him he holds no sort of intercourse respecting his political opinions. They say Govt. has money for 10 days longer.
15th Dec.—On Thursday the Houses met; the K.’s health not being in a state for the physicians to report upon with any hope of immediate recovery, Ministers did not suggest an adjournt., but proposed a Committee for the purpose of examining the physicians. The choice of persons in Commons was very fair, in the Lords less so, as neither Lds. Lauderdale, Holland, or Stanhope are named, which, considering the absence of Ld. Grey, is not so right.[375] Except Ld. Erskine and the D. of Norfolk, there is not a man who will ask a leading question, and these will be overruled. The Prince broke down in Kensington on his way to Windsor. When Ld. Grenville heard of it he affected to be facetious, and wondered the Princess did not offer him a bed; true it was the Prince was excessively afraid of her offering him a carriage, which she certainly would have done had she known of it at the moment. The projects of raising money by the Privy Seal, &c., are dropped.
THE GOVERNMENT RESOLUTIONS
18th Dec.—It appears from the examination of the physicians that the King’s illness is such that a Regency must be resorted to immediately; consequently yesterday Mr. Perceval proposed 3 resolutions the same as those in 1788. 1st, that on account of H. M. indisposition he was unable to discharge the duties of the kingly office. 2ndly, that it was the duty of the House to see that the kingly office be properly filled. 3rdly, that it was necessary to provide for the proper discharge of the same by way of a Bill to pass through both Houses of Parlt. Sheridan, Ponsonby, and Adam have thrown down the gauntlet and taken the field; the Prince’s household will vote. There is a Call of the House, and now the Prince takes a part there will be a very good division. Some of the most sanguine go the length of expecting a majority; there is no doubt but many shabby ones will desert the Ministers. The usual supply of those upon these occasions from the City will fail on acct. of the report of the Bullion Committee, as they will prefer taking their chance of keeping Perceval Chancellor of the Exchequer to making the Bank pay in specie.[376]
It was not with any satisfaction I heard of a few additional votes by the accession of Mr. Canning and his friends upon this question. Majorities, even if helped by a faithless associate, are mere ropes of sand. Faithless and unprincipled are the leading traits in that gentleman’s character. It is said that he complains of having met with so little warmth from the Opposition, with whom he would have acted long ago had he been encouraged. The greediness for numbers makes me dread his reception; all who dislike Whitbread, and that is a huge majority, and all who feel the incapacity of Snouch, are inclined to hearken to his overtures. Ld. Castlereagh, though labouring under many heavy charges for his conduct towards the Irish Catholics, has still maintained a sort of integrity of reputation for private honour; he also has the advantage of being a person whom the Prince would prefer if any junction were to be made with new men, and his ambition is of a limited nature, as he would confine himself to his department and only promote persons either from goodwill towards them, or for the general advantage of the Administration to which he belonged. He makes no high professions of exalted principle, but as a gentleman and man of honour he might be trusted. In the late curious quarrel between him and Mr. Canning, his conduct was much admired, and his bitterest enemies said how infamously must he have been treated by his colleague, when even in Ireland he is considered as the injured party.
Several questions in the Committee were expunged. In that of the Lords the word mind was employed, when Ld. Westmorland, with an air of the greatest feeling and pathos, implored that it might be erased, as it was too shocking to have on record: this great delicacy from him, who is at this moment dictating evidence to enable him to confine his own wife, in order to avoid the expense of a separate maintenance. Sheridan laughed at the conduct in the examination of the physicians, where he said they questioned the physicians about the mental malady and the mad doctor upon the bodily disease. It appeared that the Chancellor was introduced to the K. by way of a medical expedient by Vaughan, who had observed that in his presence the King had more self command. In consequence of this transpiring, the Chancellor, in their Committee, conceived himself bound to go the whole length of the business to acquit himself of seeking the interview with the King.