Part 21

However, at present (21st) all stands well again. On 18th Ld. Grenville with great good humour has given up his schemes of advancement (?), and is content to take the Treasury, yielding all the other offices to Ld. Grey’s nomination, excepting the Secretary at War for Ld. Temple, and the Board of Control, with a seat in Cabinet!! for Ld. Auckland; and with respect to the Auditorship, he offered to put it into trust, but could not afford to give up the salary, and all he required was that Whitbread should acquiesce in the arrangement and defend it, were it to be attacked in Parlt. This proposal was submitted to Whitbread, and strongly urged by Lds. Grey and Holland, but he could not be brought to agree, tho’ he acknowledged that in principle he had no objection to the Auditorship being vested in trust whilst Ld. G. held the Treasury. He admitted that so far from thinking that 4000_l._ a year was too great an addition to the present salary of the Treasury, that he was ready to propose in the House of Commons that the salary of that and of every high office should be raised to 10,000_l._ pr. ann., but he could not defend his holding the two offices. He grounds his objection upon a foolish piece of personal vanity, having last year demanded, in an imperative tone, of Perceval whether Yorke received his salary of Teller of Exchequer during his enjoyment of the emoluments of First Lord of Admiralty, and having, as he thought, intimidated them from it as he was answered in the negative, he could not bring himself to defend what he had by his tone reprobated in public. He was very obstinate in his manner, and gave a specimen of his want of conciliating disposition for hereafter, tho’ in this instance he was not so much in the wrong, as he had been assured in the beginning of the arrangements that Ld. G. would give it up. Whitbread continued inflexible, and on the 19th Ld. Grey wrote a very handsome letter to Lord Grenville’s proposal, in which he stated Whitbread’s unwillingness to defend the measure, expressing his own sincere regret at W.’s resolution, adding that he could not bring himself to act with Mr. Canning, and therefore nothing remained for him but to abandon all thoughts of taking part in the Govt., leaving Ld. G. at liberty to form whatever Administration he chose, which he was ready to engage he should not oppose, tho’ he could not assist. Ld. Grenville was hurt at Whitbread’s conduct. On 20th, in morning, Ld. Grenville consented to give up the salary of Auditor during his being at the head of Treasury. They were to go on the following day to the Prince, which is the day appointed for their answer.

_21st Jan._--The paper they delivered to the Prince was to inform him that they were ready to undertake the Govt., but advising him before he undertakes the Regency to institute an examination of physicians as to the state of the King’s health, and if the result should be that it is probable that the King would be so far recovered within any limited time so as to be able to resume the exercise of the royal functions, in that case they advise him not to change the Ministers, giving them such an explanation of his motives for retaining them as would prevent him from being justly considered as approving, much less as adopting, the system of their policy. The whole was a very vague, loose way of expressing themselves.

[Sidenote: THE QUEEN’S LETTER]

On Tuesday the Prince sent for them again, and showed a letter he had received from the Queen (Mr. Adam would not allow me to take a copy). ‘My dearest son, you will be, I am sure, highly gratified to hear that the King is considerably improved in health; he had an interview this morning with Mr. Perceval, who was much satisfied with his whole appearance. He held a very reasonable conversation, and inquired with great interest all that had been done, and expressed himself with kindness towards you, and said he was pleased with yr. conduct _pending this business_. I send my own servant that there may be no delay in yr. receiving this agreeable information. (Signed) Charlotte,’

The Prince ridiculed the artifice, which was too gross to escape detection. What woman, he said, ever used the Westminster Hall term of _pending the business_? They thought him shook and little disposed to encounter the clamour of a change. He showed them a letter from Perceval in which he represented the state of public business as pressing. The Prince begged them to write the answer, which was done offhand.

On withdrawing they agreed to assemble a meeting of their future Cabinet to take the business into consideration, and on Thursday, 31st Jan., they met both morning and evening. It was agreed that they should, in consequence of the representation in Perceval’s letter of the state of the army and navy and the progress of private Bills (which he artfully had pressed on), communicate to the Prince that it would be subjecting the country to very material injury if he delayed 48 hours longer the bringing his mind to a determination, either of changing the Ministry, or retaining those now in their offices. In the meantime Sr. Henry Halford (Dr. Vaughan), who had been suspected of meddling more with the body politic than with the diseased physical body he was called in to attend, had frequent audiences of the Prince, in which he worked upon his imagination and fears by drawing the picture of the King agitated and thrown into an exa--tion [_sic_] which might end fatally; their removing his confidential servants would inevitably produce that effect. It is also suspected that he added if the King recovered and found things stationary he would not reassume the authority, and that the Prince might continue in power. There are besides a hundred little anecdotes, which by not writing at the time have escaped my memory. There was also a letter from the D. of Cumberland, who said, ‘_Vaughan has behaved nobly to us all_.’

The Prince was very much agitated, and on Friday he saw Adam, Lds. Moira and Hutchinson, to whom he stated the distracted state of his mind, and bid them do justice to his feelings. In the evening he sent Adam and Ld. Hutchinson to Camelford House, by appointment to Lds. G. and G., intimating that in consequence of the report of the physicians as to the probable recovery of the King, he had resolved not to remove the Ministers, hoped they approved, thanked them for their generous conduct, and begged to see them on the following Sunday, and also Ld. Holland, Mr. G. Ponsonby.

[Sidenote: AFFAIRS IN SICILY]

_October, 1811._--Sudden return of Ld. Wm. Bentinck[385] from Sicily for further instructions, after an absence of only a few weeks, has surprised people, and convinced them of his want of capacity and timidity of character. It is understood that his instructions were merely an echo of those given to his predecessor, Lord Amherst, the substance of which was to induce the Court by moderate means to admit the native Sicilians into the Governt., and to diminish the burthens upon the people, and various other points of importance. Ld. Wm. is accused of having very unskilfully in his first paper to Circello betrayed the whole context of his secret instructions; whereupon its not appearing that Ld. Wm. had the power of withholding the subsidy Circello made a most able diplomatic reply, deprecating the interference of any foreign power, however allied, with the internal Governt., and giving it plainly to be understood that _allies_ who acted thus might withdraw their forces. Upon the receipt of this, Ld. Wm., without further discussion, got on board the first vessel, which happened to be Capt. Clifford, of the _Cephalus_, gun brig, and came home. It is said Ministers were astonished, but declared everywhere that they were highly pleased at his conduct. As that is _impossible_, the glossing it over must be out of compliment to the D. of Portland. The report is that the Cabinet have resolved upon vigorous measures, and those who know the Queen believe she will not resist, but in case of her being so disposed, she is to be made to submit, and a retreat into Austria suggested as her best resource. The unfortunate Barons who were imprisoned in consequence of their appeal,[386] are left in severe confinement, and Prince Belmonte, who is in a precarious state of health, will certainly not survive the confinement in one of the worst dungeons, and in the most unwholesome spot in the Island. The idle English, by their silly language in the coffee houses have contributed much towards irritating the Queen. Fredk. Lamb[387] is at last to accompany Ld. Wm.

[Sidenote: COMMISSION TO MEXICO]

The Commissioners to Mexico are to begin their peregrinations in about 3 weeks; it is a trading voyage. Capt. Cockburn,[388] who is one and is to have the rank of Commodore and a flag, goes first to Lisbon to pick up Mr. Stewart; then to Cadiz for the Spaniards; to Jamaica for Mr. Morier; and finally to Vera Cruz. From what is said, the expedition seems to be rather a wild goose chase. It is not certain that the Spanish Governt. will accept the offered mediation. When it was originally proposed, they accepted, annexing the condition that if the colonies did not within 15 months fall into their allegiance to the Mother Country, that in that case the English should assist with military force and compel them to submit by subduing them. This condition has not been acceded to on the part of this Governt., but they send out this Commission, without waiting for the final determination of the Govt. of Cadiz, now they know that they are only to be supported in any pacific measures. The man upon whom much depends is Bardachi, a sort of Secretary of State, who, with some abilities and honesty, is full of prejudice against this country, and of an impracticable temper. B. Hoppner is Sec. to the Commission. Frere, who has been living here upwards of a month, to my astonishment expressed himself surprised and offended that he had been neglected by Ld. Wellesley, saying that from his knowledge of Spain he considered himself as the fittest to be employed; boasted of his influence over Bardachi, who owes his place to him, and various other such _absurdities_. I was petrified, it not being possible to acquiesce in the reasonableness of his complaint, or consider it as an injury the not selecting him.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

The following lines are taken from Lord Holland’s verses ‘To a lady on her Birthday, Florence, March 25, 1795.’[389]

When twice twelve times the rolling earth Brought back the period of her birth, Thus to the Genius of the day A certain Dame was heard to pray: ‘Give me, indulgent Genius, give ’Midst learned cabinets to live, ’Midst curiosities, collections, Specimens, medals, and dissections, With books of every tongue and land All difficult to understand, With instruments of various sorts, Telescopes, air pumps, tubes, retorts, With friends, fair wisdom to pursue, Fontana, Macie, Blagden, Drew.’

* * * * *

Such are thy wishes, but if kind The Gods, and of a mortal’s mind, These sacrifices they will spare, And long preserve you what you are; And when obdurate time besprinkles Your head with grey, your face with wrinkles, When sickness and when age shall come And wither transient beauty’s bloom, Still shall the beauties of your mind, By reading and by time refin’d, Still shall thy wit and polish’d ease In spite of fickle nature please; And then th’ enchanted world shall see Rochefoucauld’s laws belied in thee, See female merit youth outlive, And loveliness thy charms survive. So when old Time’s relentless page At full threescore shall mark thy age, With equal truth but better verse Some Bard thy merits shall rehearse, And like myself be proud to pay A tribute to this happy day.

Thirty-six years afterwards, on March 25, 1831, Lord Holland gave his wife another copy of verses, and the reader will probably be interested in seeing a short selection from them.

I promised you, ’tis long ago, Some six and thirty years or so, Another Bard your praise should sing When you had reached your sixtieth Spring. That sixtieth spring has come--to you, My Dearest Soul, the verse is due. Nor ever thine more fit t’inspire The heart’s delight, the Poet’s fire, Than Charms, unfading Charms, like yours, Than merit which the test endures Of health and sickness, smiles and tears, And all that chequers lengthened years. Nor will you frown, tho’ my prediction In one sole point turn out a fiction, And this so late reviving lay Raised to record your natal day Prove no strange minstrel’s ode or hymn, But the unaltered vows of him, Whose earliest and whose last emotion Has been and must be warm devotion To all the Charms he sees combined In thy dear frame and lovely Mind.

* * * * *

I write not, I, for prize or fame, Nor bays nor triumph is my aim; To you, My Love, my strains belong, To you I dedicate my song: And all my hope and all my due Is one kind happy smile from You. Content if on this blessed day My simple rugged lines convey One truth, which be it verse or prose, From my heart’s heart sincerely flows: ‘I loved you much at twenty-four, I love you better at threescore.’

APPENDIX B

The following letters from Mr. Campbell to Lord Holland, referring to the first meeting of the Cortes at Cadiz, have been considered of sufficient interest for publication.

_Mr. R. Campbell to Lord Holland._

Cadiz, Sept. 26th, 1810.

MY LORD,--I am just returned from the Isle of Leon where I had been to witness the opening of the Cortes, and am favoured with your Lordship’s letter of the 6th inst; the packet has orders to sail immediately upon receiving Mr. Wellesley’s despatches, which I am informed will be ready in less than an hour, so that I have only time to give your Lordship a very short and imperfect account of what has hitherto passed in the Cortes; such, however, as it is, I have no doubt but it will be interesting to your Lordship.

The Cortes met, agreeably to the summons of convocation, in the Isle of Leon, on the 24th inst, and having taken the usual oaths, administered to them in an adjoining church by the Bishop of Orense, President of the Regency, they repaired in a Body to the _Theatre_ which had been fitted up for their reception, as the most convenient for _them_ and the best adapted for the accommodation of the _public_ of any place that could be selected in the Island. They were accompanied by a great concourse of people of all ranks, shouting, ‘Viva España, viva la nacion, y vivan los Padres de la Patria.’ After they were installed, the Regency who had accompanied them gave an account of their administration and made a formal demission of their authority in the hands of the Cortes, and then withdrew.

I was not present during the whole of the sitting, which continued till 5 _o’clock_ in the morning, but the following is, I believe, a pretty correct account of the most important Decrees which were passed, some of which you will allow to be of _great importance indeed_, viz.:--

The _sovereignty_ of the nation, now assembled in Cortes. The legislative power vested in them. The inviolability of the persons of the deputies. All the cessions made in Bayonne declared to be null and void, not only on account of the violence employed in obtaining them, but _chiefly_ for having been made without the consent and contrary to the will of the Spanish nation so strongly pronounced. Ferdinand VII. declared to be King of Spain and the Indies. (The motion was, King and _Sovereign_, but the word _Sovereign_ was rejected.)

The late Regency, for the present (_interinamente_) to exercise the executive power; they and the Ministers to be responsible to the Cortes for their conduct in the administration of public affairs and to grant no offices which were not absolutely and indispensably necessary in the actual circumstances of the nation.

The Regency to take the usual oaths to the Cortes (which they did on the same evening).

The Regency not to remove more than one league from the place where the Cortes shall be sitting.

All officers, civil, military, and judiciary, confirmed in their appointments. The judiciary to confine themselves _strictly_ to their _judicial_ capacities.

Everything was conducted with a greater degree of decorum than could have been expected, all circumstances considered. Your Lordship will be of opinion that it was a spectacle highly interesting to see a body of men thus suddenly assembled and unaccustomed to public business, discussing objects of the greatest magnitude with calmness and dignity and with as much confidence that they were laying the foundations of the independence, liberty, and happiness of their country as if there was not a Frenchman on this side of the Pyrenees, tho’ they were then deliberating with a French army in sight and almost within reach of their batteries.

I have the strongest hopes that the meeting of the Cortes will produce the most favourable effects. It cannot fail to rouse every dormant energy of the nation; _here_ the enthusiasm is universal, and I am not afraid of its running into any of those horrible excesses which disgraced the French Revolution. The elections have fallen upon persons distinguished for talents, probity, and patriotism; this I know to be the case with respect to those deputies which have been chosen here, and I have reason to believe that it is _generally_ so. There is but one Grandee in the Cortes--Villafranca--who was chosen by the _Ayuntamiento_ of Murcia. Infantado would have been chosen by the Emigrants from Madrid here. He had the greatest number of suffrages; but being only one of three, who were balloted for agreeably to the mode of election prescribed by the enclosed paper, the lot fell upon a _Relator_ of the Council of Castile, a very able and upright lawyer.

A commission, or rather committee, was appointed yesterday to draw up a plan of the forms by which their future proceedings were to be regulated. We expect that a decree will be passed in a few days establishing the liberty of the press; the plan of it, I have reason to think, is now preparing. We expect likewise that a journal of the proceedings and debates of the Cortes will be published daily, and this, I hope, will be circulated, in thousands, all over the country occupied by the enemy, by means of the _guerrillas_ which are every day increasing in number, force, and audacity. I saw yesterday a respectable person who was in Madrid when the _Empecinado_ attacked the _Casa de campo_, and when Joseph and his suite fled in confusion and dismay from the playhouse. Very few of the French cabinet couriers escape the vigilance and boldness of the _guerrillas_. Another intercepted mail has just arrived here containing correspondence of a very interesting nature; it will be soon published.

The Cortes will probably remove their sittings in a short time to Cadiz, where they will assemble in the church of St. Phelipe Neri, the place in Cadiz best adapted for the purpose. As it is not a parish church it will be ceded without difficulty by the confraternity to which it belongs. Your Lordship may remember that it is a handsome _rotundo_ of modern architecture, with capacious galleries. Above the altar of the principal chapel there is a celebrated ‘Conception’ of _Murillo_; I mention this circumstance to assist your memory in recollecting the place.

I enclose a very well written address to the deputies of the Cortes which was published here three days before they met; the author, tho’ the initials of the name were not subjoined, your Lordship would readily know to be Quintana. He has not been elected for the Cortes. Capmany is one of the deputies for Catalonia.

The last decree of the _Junta Central_ which you had the goodness to send me was not suppressed by their successors; it was circulated here in manuscript. I read it a few days after it was passed: it was not printed and published, but its not being so did not, in my opinion, arise from any improper motive. The truth is that the _Junta Central_ were and still are held in such universal abhorrence that anything coming from them, were it ever so good in itself, would have been ill received by the public. The only member of that body to whom no public odium has attached is your friend Jovellanos. He has retired to some corner in Asturias; it was reported some weeks ago that he had been named deputy to the Cortes from some parts of that province, and the intelligence gave great and general satisfaction. Garay and a few others are still here, but seldom appear in public. Valdes is in Gibraltar. Tilly and Calvo close prisoners in the Castle of St. Sebastian. Villel in Catalonia, and the rest I know not where. Riquelme, who, to avoid the effects of the popular indignation, had taken refuge on board a Spanish frigate commanded by Dn. Raphael Lobo, was the only person killed by the fire of the French batteries on the Trocadero when the frigate, having been driven from her anchors during a violent storm, grounded within reach of the French batteries and was at last set on fire by red hot shot.

I enclose a number of the _Conciso_ (a new paper published here) which has just come from the press; the account which it gives of the proceedings in the Cortes differs very little from what I have written above.

The assembly of the Cortes, tho’ late, is a most fortunate circumstance; it affords the only hope of saving the nation. The single circumstance of the Regency having been appointed by the _Junta Central_, would for ever have prevented them from obtaining the confidence of the public.

I beg to offer my best respects to Lady Holland and Mr. Allen, and have the honour to be, &c.

R. CAMPBELL.

P.S.--Though the Cortes in a body are to have the _tratamiento of Majesty_, the individual members are to have no _tratamiento_ nor any badge of distinction as members of Cortes. When the Regency took the oaths to the Cortes on the evening of the 24th, the Bishop of Orense did not come, saying he was fatigued and much indisposed, and he has since declined to take the oaths from some _scruple of conscience_, of what nature we do not know. The Cortes were sitting yesterday in a secret committee of the whole, deliberating upon a communication from the Regency.

_Mr. R. Campbell to Lord Holland._

Cadiz, Dec. 10, 1810.