nature temporary and fluctuating, and in many cases known only to persons in official stations, by the engagements of the country, the prospect of ultimate success, the extent of the exertions necessary for its attainment; and the means of supporting those efforts without too great a pressure on the finances and internal prosperity of the country.

On such questions, therefore, no public men, either in or out of office, can undertake for more than deliberate and dispassionate consideration, according to the circumstances of the case as it may appear, and to such means of information as may then be within their reach.

But we cannot in sincerity conceal from Lord Wellesley, that in the present state of the finances we entertain the strongest doubts of the practicability of an increase in any branch of the public ex. penditure.

No. 9.

Lord Wellesley to Lord Grey, dated May 27th, communicating the termination of Lord Wellesley's Commission.

Aspley House, May 27th, 1812, 1 o'clock, p. m. My lord, I take the earliest opportunity of communicating the enclosed papers to your lordship. The paper enclosed (No. 11) has not reached me until within this hour. It appeared to me to be important, that the intelligence which it contains should be conveyed to your lordship, to Lord Grenville, and to your respective friends, as soon as may be practicable.

Park Lane, May 26th, 1812. Lord Melville having stated to Mr. Canning that the ministers, his colleagues, were considering, under the special command of his royal highness the Prince Regent, how far they could advance to meet the first of the two propositions laid down as the basis of the administration, proposed to be formed by Lord Wellesley; Mr. Canning feels it necessary before he offers any observation on that statement, to inquire in what situ. ation Lord Melville's colleagues consider themselves as standing at the present moment.

1st. Do they consider Lord Wellesley's commission at an end, and the former administration as re-established?

2d. Are the discussions, which are now going on among them, directed to the ascertaining the possibility of the individual members of that administration, or any of them, acceding to an administration to be formed by Lord

Wel

Wellesley; or to some proposal to be made by them as a government to Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning?

If Lord Wellesley's commission is considered as at an end, it is essential to Lord Wellesley's honour that the fact should be pubPicly known. He has entered upon communications which he could not terminate at the point to which

end; but that he (Mr. Canning) doubted it.

This was a mistake. What Mr. Canning stated was, that Lord Wellesley was in doubt as to the Prince Regent's intention; and that he (Mr. Canning) had no means of forming any opinion upon it.

No. 12.

If what is now in contemplation is some new proposal to be made to Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning, from the former administration revived, then the revival of that administration ought to be made matter of notoriety: and the proposal itself must be distinctly stated, before Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning can form any judgment upon it.

No. 11.

Lord Melville's Communication to Mr. Canning, enclosed in No. 9.

Glocester Lodge, May 27, 1812.

10 a. m.

Lord Melville called upon Mr. Canning, and informned him, in answer to the questions which Mr. Canning put to Lord Melville yesterday.

1st. That Lord Wellesley's commission is considered by the Prince Regent as at an end.

2d. That the persons now holding offices, hold them only until their successors shall be appointed.

Lord Melville had understood Mr. Canning yesterday to say, that Lord Wellesley was of opinion that his commission was at an

My Lord.

lesley.

Portman Square,

May 27, 1812.

I have the honour of returning the papers which your lordship was so good as to put into my hands this morning.

I observe a material difference between the terms in which the two principles, proposed as the basis of a new administration, are stated in Mr. Canning's minute, and in that sent to Lord Grenville and me by your lordship. I think it necessary to call your lordship's attention to this circumstance, because if these discussions should proceed further, it may become of the utmost importance.

I am, with the highest regard, My Lord, your lordship's very faithful and humble servant (Signed) GREY.

The Marquis Wellesley.

No. 13. Letter of Lord Wellesley to Lord Grey.

Apsley House,

May 25, 1812

My Lord. I should have returned an earlier acknowledgement of the honour of your lordship's

letter

The variance in point of phrase in the two propositions as stated by Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning in their minutes of conference arises from this circumstance, that Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning went to their respective conferences without having thought it necessary previously to reduce into a written form the communications which they were to make, being in full possession of each other's sentiments upon the subject of them.

The two minutes were written by then as containing the substance of their respective communications; that of Mr. Canning in Lord Liverpool's presence; that of Lord Wellesley immediately after his return from Lord Grey.

There does not appear to Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning to be any substantial variance in the first proposition.

The word "early" in Mr. Canning's minute might be exchanged for the word "immediate," used by Lord Wellesley, without in any degree altering the sense : as, with a motion actually pending in the house of commons, which, (but for the events that have recently taken place) would have come on this very day, the object of which was to compel the executive government to take the subject of the Catholic question into consideration, it cannot be neCessary to say that Mr. Canning has no wish to defer that consideration. On the other hand, consideration by the executive government is the object which it is Lord Wellesley's intention to recommend: nor does he conceive any further parliamentary proceeding to be necessary or practicable this session than, such as might be sufficient to insure, either by compulsion upon a hostile administration, or by pledge from a friendly one, the consideration of the question during the recess with a view to its being brought before parlia ment, by the recommendation of the crown, early in the ensuing session.

A committee to inquire into the state of the laws has been already negatived in both houses this session.

A conciliatory adjustment" of the claims of the Irish Catholics is the object which Lord Wellesley and Mr. Canning have equally at heart and it enters equally into both their views, that to be

"con

"conciliatory" that adjustment must be so framed as to embrace the interests and opinions of the English Catholics, also to obtain the enlightened and deliberate consent of the Protestants of both countries. They would think any adjustment very imperfect which, instead of extinguishing discentent, only transferred it from the Catholic to the Protestant.

But they concur in entertaining a confident belief, that the great purpose of securing the peace of the empire may be answered, not by giving a triumph to any cne party, but by reconciling all.

In the substance of the second

able to pronounce an opinion, whether the exertions of those two years have or have not been below the proper scale, or have been well or ill administered; nor how far they may now admit of being extended or more judiciously applied.

He concurs, however, entirely with Lord Wellesley, in wishing to extend them to the utmost power of the country; and to apply them in the manner best caiculated to answer their end. (Signed) WELLESLEY.

GEORGE CANNING.

No. 15.

to any practical and prospective purpose, though undoubtedly there is, and it is natural there should be, some as to the past, arising from the difference of Mr. Canning's and Lord Wellesley's respective situations.

When Mr. Canning says, that the Peninsular war is to be carried on" with the best means of the country," he intends the greatest scale of exertion which the means of the country may be found capable of sustaining.

If Lord Wellesley's expression, "a scale of adequate vigour," may be construed to imply the proposition, that the late exertions of this country have not been proportioned to the great object of the war, or have not been duly distributed or apportioned; this proposition Mr. Canning certainly does not intend either to affirm, or to deny; simply because, not baving been in the government during the last two years, he has not sufficient information to be

Wellesley.

Portman Square,

May 29, 1912.

My Lord, I had last night the honour of receiving your lordship's letter, enclosing a paper explanatury of the difference which I had remarked between your lordship's minute and Mr. Canning's, together with a copy of the latter.

I beg your lordship to be assured that in the observation to which I had thought it necessary to call your lordship's attention, I could have no object but that of preventing the possibility of any fature misunderstanding. We had not entered into any explanation, which, under the circumstances of the moment, would perhaps have been premature, of the details of conduct necessary to give effect to the first of the propositions, offered by your lordship as the basis of a new administration. From the difference of the terms used by Mr. Canning in stating that proposition,

I was

I was apprehensive that it might be his opinion, in concurrence with your lordship's, that no parliamentary proceeding with reference to the claims of the Catholics, should take place during the present session. To such an opinion I could not have assented, and I felt it to be due both to your lordship and Mr. Canning, immedjately to draw your attention to a point, on which it was so desirable that there should be a clear understanding between us.

I hope it is unnecessary for me to state, that I can look at the situations of the Catholics (both Irish and English) with no other view than that of the public interest; and that nothing can be further from my disposition, or my intention, in a matter of such preeminent importance, than to give to any one party a triumph at the expense of another. But I do not conceive, that the repeal of the disabilities of which the Catholics complain, can give any just cause for discontent to their Protestant fellow-subjects; and I am strongly of opinion, that the efficacy of that measure must in a great degree depend on its being carried into effect with the least possible delay, and with the clearest demonstrations of a conciliatory and confiding spirit. Under this impression I should very reluctantly abandon the hope of passing a bill for such repeal, even during the present session; but if this cannot be done, I hold it to be indispensable, that the most distinct and authentic pledge should be given of the intention, both of the executive government and of parliament, to take this matter up as one of the first measures of the next. To a proceeding of this na

ture, from the paper signed by your lordship and Mr. Canning, I am led to hope, that you would not be adverse.

As to the second proposition, the difference which I had observed was much less important. It is impossible to reduce a question of this nature to any fixed principle. Whatever we can say with our present means of information, must necessarily be general and inconclusive, the whole subject being left open to future consideration and decision. I can have no hesitation in subscribing to the proposition, that, if it shall be fourd expedient to continue the exertions we are now making in the Peninsula, they should be conducted iu the manner best calculated to answer their end.

I have, I fear, troubled your lordship much more than is necessary under the circumstances of our present situation; and I will only add, that if we should be called upon to pursue these considerations in their practical details, it will be my most anxious wish, that no difference of opinion may be found to exist between us, respecting the conduct to be adopted by a government equally solicitous for the internal peace and harmony of the empire, and for the prosecution of military operations in such a mode as may appear most conducive to our ultimate security. Lord Grenville, to whom I have communicated your lordship's letter, and its enclosures, desires me to express his cordial concurrence in this wish.

I have the honour to be, with the highest regard, my lord, your lordship's very faithful humble servant, (Signed) GREY. No.