Part 27

When the Grenville Ministry first took office on Mr. Pitt’s death no stipulation was made to the King regarding the Catholic question. The Irish Catholics, seeing Ministers in power most of whom they knew to be favourably inclined to their claims, began at once to agitate for the removal of disadvantages under which they laboured. The greatest anomaly was, that by the Act of 1793 Irish Catholics could become officers in the army there (though still unable to rise to certain staff appointments), but could not hold that rank in England. A promise, however, had been made at the time that matters would be speedily readjusted. This and other points were brought to Mr. Fox’s notice soon after he had taken office, but he advised a postponement of the suggested petition to Parliament, as likely for the present to be of no permanent advantage. He stated, however, that he was quite willing to risk a dissolution of the Ministry on the question, if they so wished it. Better counsels prevailed; but after Mr. Fox’s death the matter again came to the front. Ministers were in a dilemma. On one side they risked the King’s displeasure, on the other they would be obliged to proclaim certain parts of Ireland where agitation was breaking out, on a question with which they themselves sympathised. The former evil was considered the least, and it was decided by a clause in the Mutiny Act to allow Irish Catholics and Dissenters to serve in the English army. To this the King was agreeable; but Ministers desired to go further. It was found easier to bring forward the matter in the form of a Bill, and one was drafted which opened the staff appointments to the Catholics, and also allowed English Dissenters to serve in the army and navy. Lord Howick thought he had received the King’s consent to this, but subsequently the latter flatly refused to confirm it. The Bill was dropped, but the Ministers reserved for themselves the right to bring forward the question again, should circumstances so demand. This the King requested them to withdraw; they refused, and were at once dismissed.

The Correspondence and Minutes of the Cabinet, referred to here and subsequently, are printed in the Appendix to Lord Holland’s _Memoirs of the Whig Party_.

[268] Lieut.-General Whitelocke (1757–1833). He distinguished himself in St. Domingo in 1793–4, but failed signally before Buenos Ayres. In his attack on the town he showed himself incompetent to deal with an unexpectedly determined resistance, and agreed to a convention whereby the English troops were obliged to withdraw. On his return to England he was tried by court martial and cashiered. Lord Holland states in the _Memoirs of the Whig Party_ that this appointment was due to Windham’s dislike of General Whitelocke (who held the post of Inspector-General) and his desire to appoint someone as his successor who would be more willing to carry out his schemes.

[269] Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland in her own right, Lord Granville Leveson-Gower’s sister-in-law, only daughter of William, eighteenth Earl of Sutherland. She was born in 1765, and married, in 1785, George Granville, Earl Gower, who succeeded his father as second Marquess of Stafford in 1803, and was raised to a Dukedom in 1833. The Duchess died in 1839.

[270] This was in accordance with the resolution which Mr. Rose says in his Diary he had taken never to say a word or give a vote on the subject. He disapproved not of the abolition of the Slave Trade itself, but of the methods pursued in putting it down, which he considered were unfair to the colonists.

[271] Arthur James, eighth Earl of Fingall (1759–1836), who succeeded his father in the titles in 1793. He was one of the leaders of the Catholic movement at this time.

[272] John, second Baron Ponsonby, of Imokilly (1770?–1855), son of William Brabazon Ponsonby, first Baron Ponsonby, who died in 1806. He was Ambassador in Constantinople and Vienna and was created a viscount in 1839. His only sister married Lord Howick.

[273] William Elliot, of Wells, the Chief Secretary. He died in 1818.

[274] William Conyngham Plunket (1764–1854), created Baron Plunket in 1827. He was appointed Attorney-General for Ireland in 1805 by Pitt, and retained this office under the Whig Government.

[275] Mr. Charles Kendal Bushe.

[276] See _ante_, ii. 174. Mr. Eden was Secretary to the American Commission and Mr. Allen Assistant-Secretary.

[277] A Committee was appointed on February 10, on the motion of Mr. Biddulph, member for Denbigh Borough, to examine the efficiency of regulations and checks, already introduced, to control public expenditure; to consider what further steps were advisable for the same object, and to diminish ‘the amount of salaries and emoluments without detriment to the public service.’

[278] William Garrow (1760–1840), barrister, who sat in several Parliaments in the Whig interest. He was knighted in 1812; made Attorney-General in 1813, and Baron of the Exchequer 1817–32.

[279] This was the pamphlet drawn up by Perceval, and known as ‘the Book.’ It was never given to the world, for just as the Princess’s friends resolved upon its circulation, the Ministry was dismissed and the Tories returned to power. A few copies escaped from the printers’ hands, and were bought back for large sums by the Government.

[280] Owing to the infraction of treaty obligations in Moldavia and Wallachia by Turkey, largely instigated by Sebastiani the French Ambassador at Constantinople, Russia thought fit to declare war with the Porte late in 1806. Alexander, however, had need of all his forces to meet the French in Central Europe, and he suggested to the English Government that a fleet should be sent to Constantinople to secure their joint interests, and to demand the dismissal of Sebastiani. This was done, and Arbuthnot, the British Minister, was ordered to insist on the latter point, on the pain of instant bombardment. Unfortunately Arbuthnot had to leave owing to ill health, and Sir Thomas Duckworth, the British Admiral, allowed himself to be drawn into fruitless negotiations, and finally withdrew without accomplishing his object.

The force sent to Egypt under General Mackenzie captured Alexandria, but lost a large number of prisoners in an attack on Rosetta. Nothing further was effected, and the troops were removed in the autumn.

[281] John Armstrong (1758–1843), American Minister in France and Spain 1804–10.

[282] The Right Hon. Charles Long (1761–1838), afterwards created Lord Farnborough (1820), Secretary of State for Ireland 1806, and Paymaster of the Forces for many years.

[283] George Rose (1744–1818), a devoted adherent of Pitt. He was for many years Secretary of the Treasury, and held various minor offices under the Tories.

[284] This is amusing and interesting, in light of Lord Malmesbury’s conversation with Canning, which he quotes in his diary as having taken place on March 14. Canning ‘said, what he had told me before, that he had received and rejected overtures from Lord Grenville.... He declared with a threat that he never would sit in the same Cabinet as Addington.’

[285] Sir William Drummond, born about 1770; died in 1828. He was appointed Minister at the Court of Naples in 1801, and again in 1806, and Ambassador to the Porte in 1803.

[286] No action was taken in these matters owing to the fall of the Ministry, and Canning allowed the question to lapse.

[287] Alexander Hamilton, Marquess of Douglas (1767–1852), British Ambassador at St. Petersburg. He succeeded his father as tenth Duke of Hamilton in 1819.

[288] He stated in a letter to Lord Holland, dated April 27, that he wished to attach himself completely to the Prince.

[289] Right Hon. Charles Bragge, who married Lord Sidmouth’s sister, and took the additional surname of Bathurst in 1804. He sat in the House of Commons 1790–1823, and died in 1831.

[290] Philip, third Earl of Hardwicke (1757–1834), son of the Right Hon. Charles Yorke. He succeeded his uncle in 1790, and was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland from 1801 to 1806.

[291] Lord Hardwicke’s half-brother, Charles Philip Yorke (1764–1834). He was Secretary at War, 1801–3; Home Secretary, 1803–4; and First Lord of the Admiralty, 1810–11.

[292] March 18.

[293] Charles Manners-Sutton (1755–1828), raised to the See of Canterbury in 1805, and father of Viscount Canterbury (for many years Speaker of the House of Commons).

[294] Lord Auckland was President of the Board of Trade. His letter is printed in _Lord Auckland’s Journal and Correspondence_, iv. 300.

[295] Charles William, Viscount Milton (1786–1857), only son of William, fourth Earl Fitzwilliam, on whose death in 1833 Lord Milton succeeded to the titles. He remained member for Yorkshire until 1831.

[296] The figures were: Wilberforce 11,806, Milton 11,177, Lascelles 10,989, the two first being therefore returned. Wilberforce’s expenses, after many of his supporters had paid their own, amounted to 28,600_l._, while those of his opponents were reckoned to be 200,000_l._ (_Dictionary of Nat. Biog._).

[297] Mary Elizabeth, born in 1806. She married, in 1830, Thomas Atherton, third Baron Lilford, and died in 1891.

[298] Peter Leopold Louis Francis Nassau, fifth Earl Cowper (1778–1837), who succeeded his brother in 1799. He married, in 1805, Amelia, daughter of Peniston, first Viscount Melbourne. After Lord Cowper’s death she married Lord Palmerston in 1839.

[299] The Hon. Sir Arthur Paget (1771–1840), second son of Henry, first Earl of Uxbridge. He held various diplomatic posts, and was appointed, in 1807, Ambassador to the Porte. He retired from the service two years later.

[300] David Richard Morier (1784–1877), son of Isaac Morier, Consul-General of the Levant Company at Constantinople. Commencing at the age of twenty, he held various diplomatic posts in the East, was secretary to Lord Castlereagh at Châtillon, &c., and was for many years Minister at Berne.

[301] Mr. Adam brought a motion in the House of Commons on July 2, 1807, in defence of the warrant for a pension to the Scotch Judge, Lord Cullen, of 400_l._ a year, with a reversion of 200_l._ for life to his wife. He argued that it was fair, if a judge was not sufficiently well off to keep up his position. Lord Cullen was devoting two-thirds of his income to pay his father’s debts.

[302] It was burnt in 1831 by the mob, on account of the opposition of its owner to the Reform Act.

[303] ‘Conversation’ Sharp.

[304] The _History of Brazil_ was the only part published.

[305] George William, sixth Duke of Argyll (1766–1839), who succeeded his father in 1806. He married, in 1810, Caroline Elizabeth, daughter of George, fourth Earl of Jersey, and previously wife of the Earl of Uxbridge (afterwards Marquess of Anglesey), whom she divorced.

[306] Lord John Russell.

[307] Lewis, describing this visit in a letter to his mother, says, ‘I happened to wake about six o’clock, and hearing the billiard balls in motion, I put on my dressing-gown and went into the gallery, from whence looking down into the great hall, I descried Tom Sheridan and Mr. Chester (who had not been to bed all night) playing with great eagerness. Fortunately, Tom was in the act of making a stroke on which the fate of the whole game depended; when I shouted to him over the balustrade, “Shame! Shame! A married man!” on which he started back in a fright, missed his stroke, and lost the game’ (_Life and Correspondence of M. G. Lewis_, ii. 5).

[308] Hon. Henry Edward Fox (1802–59), afterwards fourth Lord Holland; always a weakly child from birth. He was afflicted with a form of hip disease, which gave him much trouble all his life.

[309] Lord Holland says in the _Memoirs of the Whig Party_: ‘Mr. Ponsonby was brought into Parliament at the beginning of the session for the purpose of assuming an ascendency over a large, intelligent, and independent body of gentlemen with scarcely twenty of whom he was personally acquainted. A preposterous scheme!’

[310] William Belsham (1752–1827), author of a series of works, which he combined to form a _History of Great Britain to the Conclusion of the Peace of Amiens_.

[311] Napoleon’s insistence on one of the secret articles of the Treaty of Tilsit, requiring Russia to close her ports against English vessels, was the actual reason for the Czar’s declaration of war against England. Lord Granville Leveson left St. Petersburg early in November 1807.

[312] Prince Stahremberg was Austrian Minister in London. Lord Holland states that he did not consider his information reliable except where it was substantiated by documents. Metternich was Austrian Ambassador at Paris. The declaration of war of both Austria and Prussia was entirely due to Napoleon’s instigation, as one step in his campaign against British commerce. Both countries had the sense to give no reason for their action.

[313] These letters, Mr. Fox asserted in a speech in the House of Commons, were the origin of the rupture of the peace of Amiens. Certainly they were the means of rousing Napoleon’s ire, for Coleridge had to leave Rome in 1806 in all haste, after a friendly warning that the Emperor intended his arrest. He was Secretary to the Governor of Malta, Sir Alexander Ball, 1804–5, a post which was rather the result of a chance visit to the island than an official appointment. He wrote for the _Courier_ for several years at this period of his life.

[314] George, second Lord Kenyon (1776–1855), who succeeded his father in 1802. Lord Kenyon seconded the Address, but his speech was delivered in so low a tone as to be inaudible below the bar (_Hansard_).

[315] The British expedition to Copenhagen in September 1807, which resulted in the seizure of the Danish fleet and the bombardment of that city. Canning had private information of the secret clauses of the Treaty between Napoleon and Alexander at Tilsit. His refusal to produce papers which would incidentally have brought his secret agent to light, coupled with what they considered his shabby behaviour in joining the Tory Government, caused him much odium amongst the Whigs.

[316] Milnes?

[317] Mr. R. Campbell came over in the _Revenge_, man-of-war, with the deputies who had arrived to ask for English assistance against the French. Napoleon invaded Spain late in 1807, and set up his brother Joseph on the throne. This was too much for the _amour propre_ of the Spaniards; they rose in arms, and in every town occupied by the invader outbreaks of the most ferocious description took place.

[318] Solano was Governor of Cadiz. The French fleet consisted of five ships of the line and one frigate, which had escaped to that port after Trafalgar, and had lain there ever since. They were forced to surrender a fortnight later to the Spaniards, as they were unable to leave the harbour on account of Lord Collingwood’s fleet, which was waiting for them outside.

[319] Don Gonzalo O’Farrill (1754–1831), Spanish General, who sided with Joseph Bonaparte, and became his War Minister.

[320] At Madrid on May 2 Murat put a large number of people to death without trial for supposed participation in riots which had taken place there that day.

[321] The French General, Count Pierre Dupont, who was in command of the French forces in Andalusia. He was defeated by Castaños at Baylen in July 1808, and forced to lay down his arms with 18,000 men.

[322] The Duke of Infantado was implicated, as Lady Holland relates, in the supposed plot of Ferdinand, Prince of the Asturias, against his father, Charles IV, in October 1807. The whole conspiracy was looked upon in many quarters as a device of Godoy’s to ruin his rival Escoiquiz. The Duke accompanied Ferdinand to Bayonne the following April, and after his master’s deposition offered his services to Joseph Bonaparte. On the first favourable occasion, however, he turned against him and was given a Spanish command.

[323] The picture was painted in 1763, and is now at Mount Stuart, Lord Bute’s residence in the Isle of Bute.

[324] Second daughter of Alexander, Duke of Gordon, and sister of Charlotte, fourth Duchess of Richmond.

[325] At Baylen.

[326] Afterwards better known as Count Torreno. He was a member of the first Cortes at Cadiz, and had to leave Spain at Ferdinand’s return. He lived in Paris until 1820, when he came back to Spain.

[327] Manuel Freyne (1765–1834), general, who served with distinction throughout the war. He refused employment under Ferdinand.

[328] From Spain, where he went as Ambassador early in 1809. He succeeded Canning as Foreign Secretary.

[329] John, second Marquess of Lansdowne, previously referred to in these pages as Lord Wycombe.

[330] By a former family arrangement Lord Lansdowne was enabled, should his brother die childless, to draw up a deed of appointment as to the disposition of the property.

[331] Georgina Anne, who died in 1819.

[332] George, ninth Earl of Winchilsea, and fourth Earl of Nottingham (1752–1826), who succeeded his uncle in 1769.

[333] Joseph Berington (1746–1827), an Englishman educated at the College of St. Omer. He became a priest, and was one of the first of that persuasion to wear black clothes in England, from which others had up to then refrained for fear of persecution. He was the author of a number of works, historical and philosophical.

[334] Canning’s statement was published in the papers on November 28. It took the form of a letter to Lord Camden laying the blame on him for the misunderstanding with Lord Castlereagh.

[335] Lady Elizabeth Foster married William, fifth Duke of Devonshire, on October 19, 1809.

[336] For the Chancellorship of the University, rendered vacant by the death of the Duke of Portland on October 30. Lord Grenville, Lord Eldon, and the Duke of Beaufort were the rival candidates.

[337] Martin Davy (1763–1839). He was elected Master of Caius in 1803, and held that position until his death. He was a staunch Whig, and was given a living near Cambridge in 1827.

[338] A town in Portugal, one of the sights of which is a magnificent cathedral.

[339] Lady Anne Fitzpatrick, and her father, Lord Upper Ossory.

[340] An amendment to the Address was moved in both Houses, deploring the ill-success of the late expeditions, and demanding an inquiry into the reasons of their failure. Creevey says in his journal (_Creevey Papers_, i. 123): ‘Notwithstanding Tierney’s calculations and prophecy that we should be in a majority, we were beat by ninety-six.’

[341] The figures were 144 to 92, against the Amendment.

[342] His motion was, ‘To appoint a Committee to inquire into the policy and conduct of the late expedition to the Scheldt.’

[343] William Frederick Eden, eldest son of William, first Lord Auckland. He was born in 1782, and was, at the time of his death, Deputy-Teller of the Exchequer.

[344] Domingo Antonio de Souza, Marquis de Funchal (1765–1832), Portuguese Ambassador in England.

[345] William Windham died on June 4, 1810, from the effects of a severe operation for a tumour on his hip. About a year before he had sustained an injury from some falling woodwork, when engaged in trying to save from fire a valuable library belonging to his friend the Hon. Frederick North, and on this the disease fastened.

Windham’s father, Colonel Windham, married, after his first wife’s death, Sarah Hicks, widow of Robert Lukin, of Dunmow. To a nephew by this connection, Captain (afterwards Admiral) Lukin, Windham left his property on condition he took the family name.

His diary was published by Mrs. Henry Baring in 1866.

[346] As Chancellor of Oxford University.

[347] Henrietta Elizabeth, eldest daughter of the Hon. Edward Bouverie. She married, in 1790, James St. Clair Erskine, second Earl of Rosslyn.

[348] John Clerk, of Eldin (1728–1812), seventh son of Sir John Clerk, of Penicuik. He lived about six miles from Edinburgh. He was the author of _An Essay on Naval Tactics_, which he claimed had much effect on the warfare of the day.

[349] Queen Mary’s remains were removed to Westminster in 1612.

[350] Holland House.

[351] General Fox was appointed Governor of Portsmouth in 1808, on his return from Sicily, and died there three years later.

[352] General Sir Ronald Craufurd Ferguson (1773–1841), son of William Ferguson, of Raith. He saw much service, and sat for many years as a Whig in the House of Commons. The appointment, which he was obliged to relinquish at Cadiz, was that of second-in-command.

[353] Charles Fox entered the Navy in 1809, but disliked the life so much that he left in 1813, and entered the sister service two years later.

[354] The whole building was restored and remodelled by Street in 1866, and now forms the garrison church.

[355] Captain Graham Moore (1764–1843), afterwards Admiral Sir Graham Moore, G.C.B., third son of Dr. John Moore. He was in command of the English squadron which escorted the Regent of Portugal to Brazil, and was for some years a Lord of the Admiralty.

[356] James Moore (1763–1834), second son of Dr. John Moore. He was a surgeon, and wrote two books on his brother’s life and campaign.

[357] Dom John was appointed Regent of Portugal in 1799, on account of his mother Queen Maria I.’s insanity. In conformance with Napoleon’s orders he proclaimed in November 1807, that he was about to detain all British subjects and property in Lisbon, upon which the British Minister, Lord Strangford, at once went on board the fleet, and broke off diplomatic relations. On consideration, however, the Regent preferred to remain friendly with the English and move the Court to Brazil; consequently Lord Strangford returned, but not till after the Portuguese royal family had already embarked. This is the point here insisted upon, for Lord Strangford was accused of inferring in his despatch that the departure of the Court was chiefly due to his own representations.

[358] Mariano Luis Urquijo (1768–1817), Spanish statesman, who acted in opposition to the Prince of the Peace and was imprisoned by him for two years. After the detention of the Royal family, he gave up hope for Spain, and sided with Joseph, with whom he fled to France.

[359] Admiral Lord Amelius Beauclerk, G.C.B. (1771–1846), third son of Aubrey, fifth Duke of St. Albans, and Catherine, daughter of William, Earl of Bessborough.

[360] Admiral Sir Roger Curtis, Bart. (1746–1816), naval commander-in-chief at Portsmouth.

[361] Ferdinand of Naples withdrew to Sicily in 1805, and there established himself with his Court under British protection.

[362] Lord Amherst was Commander-in-Chief in Sicily.

[363] Attorney-General in Lord Grenville’s Administration.

[364] The French army of 72,000 men under Masséna invaded Portugal early in September. Wellington had only 50,000 men at his disposal; half of whom were Portuguese. He retreated before the invaders, but was able to deliver a severe check to their advance, at Busaco, on September 27, with but little loss to his own force.

[365] The critical state of the King’s mind was adversely affected by the illness of Princess Amelia. After her death, on November 2, he became permanently insane.

[366] Yet Masséna represented to Napoleon some weeks later that the frontal attack on the British position was only a feint, which had developed from over-keenness into a general engagement. His dispatches, however, captured after the action, made no mention of this fact (Sir Herbert Maxwell’s _Life of Wellington_).

[367] Afterwards Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, and Black Rod.

[368] George Ponsonby.

[369] It is impossible to trace so extended an interpretation in the report of the speech given in _Hansard_, though a veiled meaning is possible in some of his carefully worded allusions to the royal power.