Imatges de pàgina
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LX.

1820.

CHAP. ings of indignation thence excited were cherished by the Carbonari, a species of freemasons, whose ancient fraternity was converted into a political association, for the restoration of Italian freedom. The example of the Spanish people, between whom and the Italians a political union of ages had produced much corresponding sentiment, gave a sudden impulse to the exertions of this confederacy, by whose influence the Neapolitan army was gained to the cause; and the alarming spectacle was soon exhibited, of a military power prescribing to the monarch a constitution formed after a foreign model. The ramifications of the Carbonari, in a country so central, as well as so politically situated, as Italy, rendered it necessary for the holy allies, either to remain quiet spectators of a general insurrection and probable extension of institutions adverse to the purposes of their confederacy, or to anticipate these movements by force of arms: accordingly, the sovereigns of Russia, Austria, and Prussia met personally in congress at Troppau, where they formally announced their resolution to crush the Neapolitan revolution, and overthrow a constitution, which it was declared had been forced on the sovereign by violence their next step was to send a joint letter, inviting the king of Naples to meet them in a new congress at Laybach, on the frontiers of Italy; with an assurance, that his presence would best assist their anxious views for the welfare of himself as well as of his subjects, and promote a conciliatory adjustment between them to this insidious proposal, although Austria was already pouring her troops into Lombardy, the Neapolitan parliament had the folly to consent; and Ferdinand embarked on board a British man-of-war for Leghorn, leaving a solemn declaration of his determination to adhere to the fundamental principles of the constitution, which he had sworn to maintain. The presence of a British fleet, for some time past, in the bay of Naples, tended to corroborate what was formerly acknowleged; that, although by the constitution of this

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1820.

country, the sovereign could not openly profess CHAP. himself a member of the holy alliance, he fully ap proved of its principles and purposes: the great mass, however, of the British nation, though they could not fail observing much to lament and condemn in many rash proceedings of the constitutionalists, yet sympathised strongly in the general justice of their cause, and reprobated the declared resolutions of the holy confederates.

The Neapolitan revolution was followed by sanguinary commotions among the Sicilians, who naturally wished to detach their country from its degrading dependence on Naples, and to reform a system of government, which probably causes a larger sum of human misery, in proportion to the realm, than any other in the known world. The Ottoman Porte also attacked its rebellious pasha of Joannina this year; at the close of which, that atrocious tyrant was closely blockaded in his fortress of Litaritza. France, though not subject to political convulsions, was strongly agitated by the deplorable assassination of the duc de Berri, youngest nephew of Louis XVIII., and the only member of his family who promised to continue his line of heirs to the throne. An important alteration was made in the law of elections, by which it was intended to give greater stability to the constitution, by neutralising a portion of the democratic principle: while 258 members of the chamber, as originally constituted, were returned by the electoral colleges, 172 additional deputies were to be chosen by departmental colleges, composed of one fourth part of the electors, being such as paid the largest contributions to the public service.

CHAP.
LXI.

1821.

CHAPTER LXI.

GEORGE IV. (CONTINUED.)-1821.

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Meeting of parliament-Contest between the queen's friends and ministers-Queen's annuity bill-End of the contestExtinction of the queen's popularity-Feeling in England against the principles of the holy alliance-Committee voted on the catholic claims, &c.-Motions for parliamentary reform-Disfranchisement of Grampound-Report of the agricultural committee, &c.-Measures to alter the navigation laws, and in favor of free trade-Mr. Hume — Supplies, &c.-Prorogation of parliament-Death of Napoleon-Preparations for the coronation, &c.-Claim preferred by the queen, and rejected-Her attempts to be present at the coronation repulsed-Ceremony of the coronation, &c.—Death of the queen-King's visit to Ireland-Queen's funeralKing's return-State of Irish government and of the country-Recall of the lord lieutenant-King's visit to Hanover -Foundation of the Royal Society of Literature-State of Europe, particularly of Greece-Opening of parliament in 1822-Lord Wellesley governor of Ireland; state of the country, enactments of the legislature, &c.-Ravages of famine and disease in Ireland, &c.-Conduct of various classes— Agricultural distress in England-Admission of the Grenville party into the cabinet-Mr. Peel made secretary of state Mr. Canning designated as governor-general of India -His motion to restore Roman catholic peers to their seats in parliament Agricultural distress, and appointment of a committee-Bills founded on its report-Financial bills-State of parties-Acts for the reduction of expenditure forced on ministers, &c.-Mr. Western's motion on the currency-Relaxation of Peel's bill-Statistical affairs-Reduction in the salt tax and in that on malt, &c.--Relaxation in the navigation and trade laws-Lord J. Russell's plan for parliamentary reform-Greek cause introduced into the house of commonsFavored by the people-Prorogation of parliament-The king's visit to Scotland-Death of lord Londonderry, &c.Prevalence of bad principles--Trials of Carlile, &c. for blas

-Affairs

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phemous publications-Appointment of Mr. Canning as secre- CHAP. tary of state-Congress of Verona, &c.-Greek causeof Spain-Liberal views of Mr. Canning-Changes in the cabinet-Caledonian canal-Grant to publish the early histories of Britain.

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1821.

PARLIAMENT, having assembled on the twenty- Meeting of third of January, was opened by his majesty in parliament. son, with a speech characterised by a crest-fallen moderation: in his references to domestic concerns, he expressed satisfaction at decreasing evils; and, in noticing foreign commotions, he stated, that his great object would be to preserve the blessings of peace to his people: he mentioned the queen, merely to suggest the settlement of a provision for her, in lieu of that, which, as princess of Wales, she lost at the demise of George III.

Notwithstanding these pacific demonstrations, the opposition in both houses prepared all their strength for a vigorous attempt to eject the ministers; who, it was imagined, had declined greatly in public favor by the line of conduct which they had adopted toward the queen: in pursuance of this scheme, the whigs did not disdain to co-operate with the radical party, her majesty's avowed adherents; and one of the results of this alliance was the presentation of numerous petitions, reprobating the late bill of pains and penalties, praying for the restoration of the queen's name to the liturgy, and requesting the house to exert its utmost influence with the king to dismiss from his service those, whose pernicious advice had endangered the dignity of the crown, and disturbed the tranquillity of the nation: the opposition leaders, however, had not taken into consideration that alarm which had been produced among the supporters of established order in the upper and middle classes, as soon as it was seen that the queen had suffered her cause to be identified with that of revolutionists; nor had they sufficiently estimated the sensible diminution of popular enthusiasm in her favor when therefore they commenced offensive operations, they found themselves encountered and

CHAP. defeated by large majorities. The experiment was LXI. made in the lower house, on the twenty-sixth of 1821. January, by lord Archibald Hamilton, in a motion of censure on ministers for the omission of her majesty's name in the liturgy, being seconded by Mr. Hobhouse, one of the members for Westminster; while the legality, no less than the justice of such an omission, was disputed by those eminent lawyers, Sir James Mackintosh, Mr. Scarlett, and Mr. Wetherell, who fortified their arguments with much historical and antiquarian research. In reply, the attorney and solicitor-general contended for the point of necessity, and also declared that it was not illegal; the former observing, that the act of uniformity gave a power to omit as well as to alter or change; as was evident from the fact, that the liturgy annexed to that act contains a blank in the place of the name of queen; which, without such vested power of addition or omission, could never have been supplied. The conduct of administration was strenuously defended by lord Castlereagh, as an act of imperative duty he regretted that the law on this point was not more clear; but as the case stood, if they had at first inserted her majesty's name in the liturgy, while such heavy charges lay against her, and had been afterwards compelled to erase it on account of the confirmation of those charges, they would have been overwhelmed by the moral indignation of the country. But it was said,' continued his lordship, that the queen was proved innocent, and that her name should now be inserted as a matter of course the opinion of gentlemen opposite on that point has not much weight with me, and I will tell them why; because their conviction was as strong before the evidence was given, as after. I will grant she was technically acquitted, and may claim the possession of those privileges to which she has strictly a legal right: but the insertion of her name in the liturgy is not a matter of right; and when her character has been so

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