in the account of his time for increase of pay, or for a pension when discharged; the subaltern officers the same; and it was also enacted that henceforward the pensions granted for wounds should rise with the rank to which the officer attained. At the suggestion also of Mr. Williams Wynn, a medal of the same material for officers and men-was given to each survivor, as had been done after the battle of the Nile.

It is unnecessary to do more than mention the events which followed. Bonaparte brought to Paris the news of his defeat, and scarcely any sympathized with him in his deserved reverses. Those who had not committed themselves irretrievably, hastened to make their peace with the Bourbons, and an attempt to prop up the fallen power, by the nomination of "Napoleon II." failed, and the Emperor abdicated. The rest of his story is well known; he had ample space afforded him for meditation at St. Helena, where his tortured and restless spirit at length quitted the body, after seven years of confinement, or rather of inspected residence. The wreck of his army, under Grouchy, effected their retreat to Paris, where Davoust took the command. The allies followed close in pursuit-Paris was invested; but Wellington and Blucher, anxious to spare the capital, in terms of a military convention allowed the French army to march out, with their material, artillery, and baggage, and retire beyond the Loire. Political matters were left absolutely at the disposal of the restored monarch, who entered Paris the day after the allied troops had taken possession of it. The easy temper of Louis XVIII., and indeed the necessity of circumstances, induced him to take into favour such of the chief military and political authorities as had for

the most part remained neutral since his expulsion; only a few, among whom was Ney, received the reward of their treachery: but the French had their feelings much mortified, when compelled to give up many of the treasures of art, of which they had spoiled other countries in the course of the

war.

CHAPTER XV.

Sketch of the Duke of Wellington's Political Life-MasterGeneral of the Ordnance-Mr. Canning's Ministry-Lord Goderich's Wellington Prime Minister-Prospects of the Government-Test and Corporation Acts repealed-Catholic Emancipation-Defeat and Resignation of the Ministry-Accession of the Whigs to office-Reform Bill -Wellington called upon by the King to form a Ministry -His failure-William IV. dismisses the remnant of the Reform Administration-Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Peel take Office-Their various defeats and Resignation-Dinner to the Duke of Wellington at Dover-Estimate of his Grace's Character.

IN briefly noticing the political career of the Duke of Wellington, it seems necessary to do little more than recall a few dates and facts to the memory of our readers. The events which took place during his premiership are still too near, and too much involved in the mist of party politics, to permit a perfectly cool and impartial judgment being passed upon them. In that brief space scarcely any statesman had greater difficulties to contend with; none, it may be safely said, served the crown more zealously and disinterestedly, to the best of his judgment; none, by the straight-forward honesty and manliness of his character, has deserved or secured

more respect, even from those who differ most widely from him in political opinions,

From the years 1822 to 1827, His Grace held the office of Master-General of the Ordnance. On the accession of Mr. Canning to the premiership, after the demise of Lord Liverpool, he resigned this. If the views with which Mr. Canning assumed the reins of government amounted to a compromise or betrayal of the principles which he before held, it must be acknowledged he paid dearly for the sacrifice. His administration had no other elements of stability than the genius of a character more brilliant than solid. He had frequent conferences with the Duke of Wellington, Mr. Peel, and Lord Eldon, the issue of which was that they, with other distinguished opponents of the Catholic's claims, who had been supporters of Lord Liverpool, declined to take office, and the vacancies were filled up by others, the most distinguished of whom were Mr. Huskisson and Lord Harrowby, who coincided more with the Premier's views. A negociation was opened with several members of the Whig party, who promised their support, and two of whom, Lords Lansdowne and Carlisle, looked forward at the close of the session to seats in the Cabinet. But all calculations were at an end by the death of Mr. Canning, who, worn out by exertion, and chagrined at the louring prospects of his ministry, (for an amendment upon the Corn Bill had been carried by the Duke of Wellington in the House of Lords) expired on the 8th of August, 1827. The 8th of January, 1828, Lord Goderich, who had succeeded him, resigned. The King immediately sent for the Duke of Wellington, and commissioned him to form an administration, with himself at its head. His Grace entered into communication with Mr. Peel, and

others of Lord Liverpool's ministry who had seceded on Mr. Canning's elevation. The arrangements of the Cabinet were as follows: the Duke of Wellington, First Lord of the Treasury; Right Hon. Henry Goulbourn, Chancellor of the Exchequer; Lord Lyndhurst, Lord Chancellor; Lord Bathurst, President of the Council; Lord Ellenborough, Lord Privy Seal; Right Hon. Robert Peel, Secretary of State for the Home Department; Earl Dudley, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; Right Hon. William Huskisson, Secretary of State for the Colonies; Right Hon. John Charles Herries, Master of the Mint; Viscount Melville, Secretary of the Board of Controul; Earl of Aberdeen, Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster; Right Hon. Charles Grant, Treasurer of the Navy and President of the Board of Trade; Viscount Palmerston, Secretary of War; Duke of Clarence, Lord High Admiral.

Such was the Duke of Wellington's Cabinet. Many difficulties were before the Premier; parts of the country were in a discontented and feverish state the opposition was active, and Ireland was shaken by the demands of the Catholic Association, and the agitation of an Emancipation Act. They assumed a threatening attitude, and backed their demands by menaces of violence. The parliamentary session was opened by commission on the 29th of January. The only incidents of consequence noticed in the debate was the allusion to the battle of Navarino, with the exception of some remarks of Mr. Brougham on the phenomenon of a military prime minister, in which he for the first time introduced the celebrated phrase: "A new power," said he, "has arisen. The schoolmaster is abroad, I trust to him and to his primer, and do not fear the soldier with his bayonet."

.

The first step of the Duke of Wellington's ministry, was to appoint a finance committee; the next was the settlement of the corn laws. The bill introduced for this purpose differed materially from that brought in by Mr. Canning in the preceding year. The principle of protecting duties, instead of absolute prohibition, and of an ascending and descending (not fixed) scale, according to the fluctuations of price in the home market, was maintained; but the medium price, which Mr. Canning had taken at 60s., was raised to between 64s. and 65s. The next important incident was the carrying of Lord John Russell's motion for a committee to take into consideration the regulations of the Test and Corporation Acts; the result was a resolution approving of their instant repeal. The measure was taken up by Government; Mr. Peel having declared that after the decision of the House, he was satisfied that the existing laws on the subject were inexpedient, and no longer necessary. The bill then passed the

House of Lords.*

* A remarkable incident connected with the Government deserves notice here. Ministers opposed the disfranchisement of East Retford. Mr. Huskisson having pledged himself to vote for the transfer to Manchester, voted against his colleagues, and on his arrival home from the House of Commons at two in the morning, addressed a letter marked "confidential," and enclosed it in a cabinet-box to the Duke of Wellington, in which he said, that after his vote on the East Retford question, he thought it his duty without loss of time, to offer him (the Duke) an opportunity of placing his (Mr. Huskisson's) office in other hands. The Duke received the letter at ten in the morning, and without loss of time, like Mr. Huskisson, availed himself of the opportunity thus offered. He immediately laid the letter, as a resignation, before the King. Mr. Huskisson was thunderstruck, and declared that he never intended to resign :-his letter was he said, "private." Lord Dudley called upon the Duke of Wellington, and told him, "it was a mistake." The