:

which I cannot hope to any useful pur- quarter from whence these complaints pose to continue in the situation which proceed, and you will find that they I hold. Receiving my noble friend's emanate from those very persons who resignation I felt myself impelled by have been the cause of delay, by occunecessity, there was no alternative left, pying the House of Commons, night but to tender at the same time after night, with motions, the nature of my own resignation. Those resigna- which I will not describe (hear), to tions have been accepted by his Ma- the exclusion of all business. The rejesty, and I now discharge the duties formation of Parliament! has not that of my office only till such time as his pledge been redeemed? We found the Majesty can supply my place. I trust country surrounded by difficulties as to that in this last scene of my political its foreign relations. All these difficullife I shall receive the candid and im- ties have not yet disappeared. Many partial consideration of your lordships. of them, however, have been removed, It is my wish to lay all circumstances and the country is now, comparatively before you without disguise, to submit speaking, in a position of considerable myself to your censure, if in aught I advantage. The noble Marquis (Lonhave been guilty of error, which I can- donderry) shakes his head, but I shall not doubt; to throw myself upon your be most happy to enter fully into the indulgence, if my errors have been such question with him at any time that he as will admit of excuse; to call upon may bring it forward. We leave the your sense of justice, and even appeal peace of Europe, I maintain, with greater to your kind consideration to make probabilities of its duration than have allowance for the difficult circumstances been for a length of time. We have in which I have been placed. (Cheers). reduced the expenses of all the estaMy lords, I call upon you to recollect blishments of the country; we have that I came into power at a season of taken off four millions and a half from great difficulty and peril. I never would, the taxation of the country; and we are under any consideration, have accepted the more entitled to praise for that bemy present situation had I foreseen the cause they succeeded the great meritodifficulties I have had to encounter. I rious reductions made by the noble duke never should have been in this situation if I could have persuaded my noble friend near me (the Marquis of Lansdowne) to accept it. I took it only as a matter of duty, in order to obviate, as I thought I might, the difficulties which to what many of your lordships may threatened the peace and safety of the consider a most inconvenient state; and, country. The duties of my situation I as a minister of the crown, being now. have endeavoured to discharge to the disposed to speak with truth and hobest of my abilities. When I became nesty, my only doubt is whether the the first Minister of the crown, I stated principle has not been carried too far. in this House the principles upon which (Loud cheers). With respect to the I proposed conducting the Government internal state of the country, your lordof the country. I stated that the three ships must recollect in what state it was great objects of the Government would when we succeeded to office. My lords, be the reformation of Parliament, the we now leave it in good circumstances maintenance of peace, and economical in every respect; trade in a sound and reform. I appeal to this House and healthy state, the manufactories genethe country whether these pledges have rally employed, the credit of the country not been redeemed? I know that we are greatly improved, the revenue increastold that we have done nothing, that ing; and all, with the exception of one the whole of the present session has interest, the agricultural interest, and to passed and nothing done. But I wish them the landlords themselves must your lordships would attend to the give relief by a reduction of the rents,

opposite, and former governments, from whom I am not about to abstract an iota of praise. Mylords, places to an enormous amount have been abolished. The patronage of the crown has been diminished

in a generally healthy and greatly-im- | neglected? I appeal confidently to the proved state. My lords, the Political country, now that I am leaving the serand Trades' Unions of which we have vice of his most gracious Majesty, whelately heard so much have disappeared, ther during the time I have served him, and that without Government calling on much has not been done; and the only the legislature for any new or extraor- regret I feel in leaving is, that those dinary powers. Your lordships will re- measures for the amendment of the collect how much we have been re-poor-laws, and the settlement of the proached for a want of energy in not tithes in Ireland, have not been brought introducing new and extraordinary laws to a final conclusion. My lords, the in order to put down the Trades' Unions. latter bill, if suffered to pass, will, I We resisted all those applications; we firmly believe, do more towards the paexerted the law as it stood with a firm cification of Ireland than any other hand; the result has been successful; measure that we have introduced. and in that instance I will most confi- (Cheers). I leave the Government at dently appeal to your lordships and the least with the satisfaction of having done country whether there can be any truth the best in my power for the purpose of in those charges which have been carrying into effect those measures of brought against the Government, of a reform and retrenchment which I have wish or disposition to call for new or considered necessary for the peace of the extraordinary powers to apply to this country. (Hear). I have incurred every country? (Hear). Had such been our species of opposition. (Hear). The wish the opportunity was not wanting. manner in which I have performed my This, then, my lords is the statement I duty is before your lordships and the have to submit to you of the reason of country; and all I ask is an acknowmy resignation, and in my own vindica-ledgment that I have not been idle or tion. I have stated to your lordships remiss in the discharge of the duties of the reasons of my resignation, and I re- my situation, and that I have not wanted view with satisfaction all that I have firmness to do what I thought right. done, and the success that has attended (Hear). I have been attacked for not my endeavours, and the state of the going far enough on the one hand, and country generally. My lords, it has on the other for having gone too far. been said, nay, it has often been repeated, My situation has not been an enviable that nothing has been done. To those one, standing as I did in this House dewho have been in the habit of throwing prived of the natural support which a out such insinuations I would put the minister of the crown has a right to question, was the Reform of Parliament expect. I feel myself that in such a nothing? Did the settlement of that situation the Government has done as difficult question, the slave trade, amount much for the redemption of their to nothing? Was the settlement of the pledges as it was possible for men to East India question and the opening of do; in fact, we have done more in the the trade of that country and its neigh- short space of time that we have held bours to the enterprise of the British the reins of Government than has ever merchant, nothing? Was the settle- been done before in the space of half a ment of the Bank question, nothing century for the improvement of all the Were the various improvements in social institutions, general power, and the law, the merit of all which be- condition of the country. (Cheers). We longed to the noble and learned lord have had to contend with evils which on the woolsack, nothing? Was the have been the growth of ages, and acreform in the Irish church to be quired strength in proportion. It is, called nothing? And, looking at the then, under these circumstances, and last I have mentioned, can it be said, under the pressure of those new diffiwith any degree of truth, that the affairs culties that I have detailed to you, that of Ireland, and the interests of the people it has not been in my power to avoid of that country, have been in any way that which has taken place, viz., the re

signation into his Majesty's hands of the fitness of the person, and to see that that trust with which he was graciously he was in every way qualified for the pleased to honour me. In so doing I discharge of his duties? When he said have acted under the belief that the difficulties of the country, and which I do not disparage, would be increased rather than abated by my continuing in office. I have only one other topic to advert to. It has been urged against me that I, more than any other Minister, have used my patronage as a Minister

that no relatives of his retained anything on his quitting office, he must except one who would still remain on the bench behind (his brother, the Bishop of Hereford). He would appeal, however, to those who knew him best, who observed his conduct, whether he was unworthy of the station ? (Hear, hear).

of the crown for the benefit of my own That appointment, however, was not family. (Hear, hear). The noble Earl his. When taking leave of his Sovehere observed that it was imputed to reign, on quitting office in 1832, his him that many members of his family, Majesty, as a mark of the confidence he even only distant relations, got appoint- had been graciously pleased to repose ments under the Government. Some, in him, desired that his right reverend indeed, did get appointments from other relation should accept the bishopric members of the Government, not from then vacant. It was not for him to rehim. He left office with a moderate fuse what was so graciously offered. To

this was subsequently added a stall in Westminster, a thing not unusual when a bishopric was a small one. The same course was pursued, and for the same reason, with respect to another right reverend prelate behind him (the Bishop of Exeter). With both promotions

ships, however, must see that with respect to the Irish Tithe Bill, and other measures relating to the church, it

fortune, adequate, however, to his wants, and with a large family; but not a shilling of the public money remained in his pocket, or in the pocket of any member of his family. Some of his relatives were placed certainly by him in public situations, but they were not sinecures; they were laborious situations. the income of his right reverend relaThey discharged all the duties attached tive was not more than 4,000l. a year. to them, and he would appeal to their He felt conscious that, in quitting office, lordships whether he was not justified his conduct would stand unimpeachable by circumstances in so acting (hear), both before the House and the public. whether the individuals were not in He should continue in the discharge of every respect qualified for the situa- his public duties as long as circumtions, and might not have been selected stances required it, and while his Majesty to fill them even though unconnected had occasion for his service. Their lordwith him? He would appeal to the country, and he felt confident that, in justice, it would be said the individuals whom he had promoted were not un- would be impossible to proceed with worthy of it, nor had he any occasion to them at present. With respect also to disguise his conduct. Another topic the bill then before them, the Irish Cowhich had been made aground of charge ercion Bill, their lordships must see that / against him was the measures he pro- it would not be advisable to send it up posed in regard to the church, and to the other House of Parliament until which, as far as in him lay, he endea- such time as a new administration was voured to promote. All he should say formed. It was contended in the other was, that they were honestly directed to House that they could not proceed in the security and support of the church the bill without the production of furitself, and to the improvement of the ther documents; and it would not be country. With respect to the manner prudent to enact such powers as this in which his church patronage had been measure gave without knowing into employed, he would appeal to the right whose hands they were to fall. What reverend bench whether, in the disposal he should propose to their lordships of it, his first object was not to ascertain was, to agree to the report at present,

but not to proceed to the third reading|tion of it; for he must say that, consiuntil things were placed in such a state dering the circumstances of the counas might render it likely that it would try, if ever there were men in an absopass the other House of Parliment. He lute necessity of continuing in the serhad no hesitation in taking upon him- vice of their Sovereign, the noble earl self the responsibility of saying that it and his colleagues were in that neceswas necessary in the present state of sity. (Hear, hear). This was one reaIreland. The Poor-Laws Amendment son which induced him to rise upon the Bill was a question of a quite different present occasion, for he could not help nature. It was not a party question, regretting and feeling disappointed that but one which had been forced on the the noble earl had entirely abstained attention of Government by the circum- from any allusion to the resignation of stances of the country, and was recom- his colleagues. Another reason for mended, after diligent inquiry, by a troubling their lordships upon the precommission appointed for the purpose. sent occasion was that the noble earl His intention was to propose the second had referred to a passage in the speech reading of it on Friday next, when he of a right hon. friend of his (Sir R.

would, to the best of his power, urge on their lordships the expediency of adopting its provisions. He said before that this would be the last act of his public life. Errors and failings he did not claim to be exempt from more than other men; but he trusted that those who best knew him would not deny that he endeavoured honestly to act up to his principles and professions, and that his

Peel) in the other House of Parliament. He concurred in the observations made by the noble earl as to the impropriety of calling for the production of private and confidential papers relating to Parliamentary affairs; but he begged of their lordships to call to mind the circumstances that passed in reference to these papers. A right hon. gentleman in the other House of Parliament (Mr. conduct in advancing them did not de- Littleton) in the confidence of the Lordviate from the manly straightforward Lieutenant of Ireland received certain communications from him on the sub

course.

The Duke of WELLINGTON said the ject of a bill about to be introduced

noble earl had explained very clearly those causes which had induced him to tender his resignation of his office; and had not the noble earl adverted in the

into Parliament, and that right hon. gentleman, then in the confidence of the Lord-Lieutenant, made communications to an hon. and learned gentleman,

course of his speech to various other a member of the other House, with topics, not necessarily connected with whom he should have never entered this explanation, he should not have into conference. (Hear, hear). That felt himself called upon to trouble their right hon. gentleman stated, in his place lordships with any observations. If the in the other House, that the Coercion noble earl had not adverted to previous Bill ought to be proposed to Parliament discussions he should have remained without some of the clauses that were silent, and would be happy to have been found in it as it passed in the last sesrelieved from the necessity of saying a sion. The correspondence laid upon word upon the present occasion. The the table proved very clearly to any noble earl stated clearly enough the rea- person who read it that something more sons which led him to resign his situa- must have passed than appeared in that tion into the hands of his Sovereign; correspondence. The right hon. genbut he did not touch at all, he did not even allude to, the causes which induced his colleagues to resign. He must confess he felt somewhat surprised that the noble earl had not thought proper to advert to this very important point, and to give their lordships some explana

tleman to whom he before alluded (Mr. Littleton) said there was some further correspondence which, though it might not bear out the assertion that the LordLieutenant was of opinion that there were other clauses in the Coercion Bill that it would not be necessary to press,

still that such was a natural inference | diately connected with the explanation from the correspondence, and that of the noble Earl; but the noble Earl, though the Lord-Lieutenant had not without any necessity that he could see, drawn the inference, others might do so. having entered into other matters, their Under such circumstances, and when so lordships would allow him to trespass much had been already disclosed, Par- for a few minutes longer upon their liament had a right to know what were attention. The noble Earl adverted to the opinions actually given, and not the circumstances of the country at the have the communications left in such time he entered upon office in the year a state as must render them unsatisfac- 1830, and the difficulties in which the tory and unintelligible. Was it allow-country was then placed; but the noble able that Ministers should enter into Earl said nothing about the revolution discussions on public affairs in the way which took place at that period in France of private correspondence, and then and in Brussels. The noble Earl never come forward and say to Parliament, had the grace to state in justice to those "You may have part of this correspond- whom he succeeded why this country "ence, but not so much as will enable was then in such a state of difficulty. you to understand clearly what the He must remind their Lordships and "bearing of it is"? It was in such a the noble Earl that this country was not state of circumstances that his right in a satisfactory state even late in the hon. Friend (Sir R. Peel) required the last spring. Had they not then large production of further information, and bodies of men marching in regular array he contended that he was perfectly jus- through the metropolis, at different tified in doing so. From what the times, to the great inconvenience and noble Earl stated upon the present oc- alarm of the peaceable inhabitants? çasion it turned out that the correspond- (Hear, from Lord Holland). He venence was, in point of fact, what he sus-tured to say that more blood had been pected it to have been, and that the shed in England, more of the blood of Lord-Lieutenant merely said, "If such his Majesty's subjects, during the three "and such should be the case, if such years and a half since the noble Earl

"should be the circumstances in Eng"land, I will endeavour to do without "these clauses in the Coercion Bill." They who objected to this bill, however, had a right to be informed of the peculiar circumstances which drew from the Lord-Lieutenant the expression of any such opinion. It was only fair that Parliament should have the whole cor

and his colleagues came into office, than in any period of equal duration (as we understood) from 1780 up to the present time. The noble Earl said that one of their pledges on entering office was to preserve the peace of Europe, and that this pledge had been redeemed, that the peace of Europe was preserved. However the noble Earl might take

respondence before them when one credit to himself for his exertions to right hon. Gentleman referred to it in preserve peace, he would not hesitate defence of his own conduct, and another to say, that after all he had done, or hon. Gentleman in support of the views attempted to do, the peace of Europe he took in opposition to the measure. was not a bit more secure at the present Up to this moment the matter was left moment than it was on the day the noin an unsatisfactory state. He repeated ble Earl entered upon office. There it, and would say again with confidence, was another promise made by the noble that Ministers had hitherto stated no Earl when he took office, which the reasons that could justify his Majesty's noble Earl upon this occasion seemed servants in their resignation of office. to have entirely forgotten. Upon that He should have felt happy if the course occasion the noble Earl said that, with of observation pursued by the noble respect to other nations, the principle Earl had been such as would have on which the Government was deterfreed him from the necessity of entering mined to act was a principle of noninto any discussion of points not imme- intervention. Of this the noble Earl