reluctance of Lord Grenville, and still more of Lord Grey, to sit in the same cabinet with Mr. Canning. The Earl of Moira, who was intimately connected with both these lords, and was the personal friend of the Regent, took up the negociations which the Marquis had abandoned, when a new and insuperable difficulty arose. Lords Grey and Grenville, having publicly denounced the secret influence of the Hertford family, insisted on the power of dismissing the officers of the Regent's household. Lord Moira rejected the demand, as harsh, illiberal, and unwise; the negociations broke off abruptly, leaving a strong impression on the public mind, that the real causes of failure had been studiously concealed; an opinion much strengthened by the subsequent explanations, which only served to involve the whole matter in deeper obscurity. It was manifest, that, from this time, Earl Grey's opposition began to manifest some tinge of personal hostility to the Regent, and that he and Mr. Canning regarded each other with feelings of the most bitter animosity.

Lord Liverpool thus succeeded, as if by necessity, to Mr. Percival, as Premier; the inefficient Lord Bathurst taking his place in the important offices of Secretary of State for the Colonies, and Secretary at War. Lord Sidmouth was called from his retirement, to preside at the Home Office, and Mr. Vansittart became Chancellor of the Exchequer. In Ireland, the Duke of Richmond continued Lord-Lieutenant, and Lord Manners, Lord High Chancellor; but Mr. Robert Peel was appointed Chief Secretary, in place of Mr. W. Wellesley Pole.

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CHAPTER V.

STATE OF IRELAND, WHEN MR. PEEL BECAME IRISH SECRETARY.

IRELAND has ever been the principal difficulty of the late Premier; it was a difficulty he encountered at the very threshold of his official career, and had not solved at its close. The office of Secretary for Ireland was generally regarded as a kind of apprenticeship, by which a young statesman might qualify himself for a scat in the British cabinet; and it was the misfortune of Mr. Peel, that he held the office during a period of great party excitement, and under a ministry resolved, at all hazards, to maintain the Protestant ascendancy. To appreciate his position, it will be necessary to take a brief survey of the condition of Ireland, and the state of public feeling on the Catholic question, at the commencement of Lord Liverpool's administration.

It is generally known, that Mr. Pitt intended to make Catholic Emancipation an immediate result of the Union,that he promised the Catholics to support their cause, if they abstained from resisting that measure,—and that he resigned office when George III. refused him the power of redeeming his pledge. On the resignation of Mr. Addington, Pitt returned to office, without making any stipulation in favour of the Catholics; he believed that any discussion of the subject would strengthen the prejudices in the royal breast; and his opinion was shared by Mr. Canning, whose sincerity in his advocacy of the Catholic claims cannot be questioned. The Irish themselves seemed disposed to acquiesce in delay, but they were roused from their apathy by the imprudence of

Lord Redesdale, the Irish Chancellor, who, on granting, in 1803, the commission of the peace to Lord Fingal, had sent with it a most intolerant and offensive letter, injurious to the character of the Catholics as loyal subjects, and offensive to their faith as Christians. This produced a spirited and able reply from Lord Fingal; several letters passed on both sides; and poor Lord Redesdale had reason to lament the controversy so unwisely provoked. His conduct hastened the fall of the Addington administration, for his letters were severely reprobated in parliament, by Mr. Fox and Mr. Canning, while even Mr. Percival hardly ventured to say a word in their defence.

When Pitt returned to office, in 1804, he engaged never to bring the subject of emancipation under the consideration of his Majesty; and finding himself embarrassed by his Union pledges, he directed Lord Hawkesbury, afterwards Earl of Liverpool, to write to Lord Hardwicke, then Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, that the discussion of the Catholic claims would greatly embarrass the ministry, and do no service to the cause. Lord Hardwicke and his secretary, Sir Evan Nepean, had adopted a conciliatory policy, and were on terms of intimacy with several of the Catholic leaders; they communicated the letter to Lord Fingal, and he laid it before the Catholic committee. Counsellor Bellew, and others, were disposed to comply with the ministerial request, but Messrs. O'Connell and Scully so vigorously maintained the propriety of making an effort, that a petition was prepared, and a deputation sent over to London, to procure its presentation. The delegates were Lords Fingal, Shrewsbury, Kenmare, Southwell, and Trimbleston; Sir Edward Bellew, and Messrs. Scully and Ryan. Mr. Pitt refused to present the petition," on account of the obstacles in a certain quarter," but the task was undertaken by Lord Grenville and Mr. Fox. In the discussion that ensued, the chief opponent of the Catholics was