"ciples on which His Majesty had acted, on "this occasion, must have its limits; that it had "been within a few days ascertained to His

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Majesty's entire conviction that there was no "reasonable hope of Lord Liverpool's essential "recovery within a reasonable time; and, that "His Majesty was then occupied in endea

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vouring to supply, as far as possible, the "chasm in His Majesty's Government occa"sioned by Lord Liverpool's irreparable loss."

The announcement that the arrangements for the formation of a new Ministry were in progress, apparently gave so much satisfaction to the House, that Mr. Tierney consented not to press his motion to a division, assuming, however, as a condition of it, that the new Administration was to be "declared" before the adjournment of the House for the holydays. This condition Mr. Canning did not admit; and Mr. Tierney (at the instigation of some persons around him) revoked his determination not to divide, although many members had left the House in consequence of it.

The motion was rejected by a majority of 73; but what passed clearly manifested the necessity of as little time as possible being lost, in making the requisite arrangements.

No further attempt was made either to embarrass, or hasten their completion, with the exception of the notice of a motion by

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Sir Thomas Lethbridge "to represent to His Majesty, the evils of a Government not "united in itself, upon all questions of vital "importance."

The real object which Sir Thomas proposed to effect by this motion was, to force the formation of an exclusively anti-Catholick Government.

This notice was supposed to have been given without concert with any party, and was abandoned on the day on which it was to have been brought forward.

Meanwhile, although between the 31st of March and the 6th of April, Mr. Canning had no communication whatsoever with His Majesty on the subject of the arrangements, yet he had frequent conferences with the Duke of Wellington and Mr. Peel.

Mr. Peel's conduct in all of these interviews was in every respect honourable and consistent; he had made up his mind to resign, if an individual favourable to the Catholicks should be placed at the head of the Government; and as soon as he found that Mr. Canning would not yield this point, he made known what were his intentions. His professions, too," of respect "and regard" for Mr. Canning were unbounded; so much so that Mr. Canning expressed himself as feeling" it quite impossible to do "sufficient justice to his frankness, and straight"forwardness, and to feelings for which he

"owned he had not before given " Mr. Peel "credit, but which," he said, " he hoped he "knew how to value and return."

With the conduct of the Duke of Wellington Mr. Canning at one time thought he had reason to be dissatisfied, and certainly a good deal of misapprehension existed between them. Mr. Canning had heard that His Grace did not disapprove, even if he did not sanction, the conduct of the Duke of Newcastle; and since the language of some of the immediate adherents of the Duke of Wellington was certainly any thing but friendly to Mr. Canning, it was not unnatural to suppose that their sentiments were, in some degree at least, in unison with those of their chief. Mr. Canning's feelings, therefore, towards the Duke, about this period, were not of the most cordial nature; but, on the 2d of April, a common friend called on Mr. Canning: and, with the view to promote a better understanding, proposed that His Grace should have an interview with Mr. Canning on the following day. The Duke accordingly came to the Foreign Office on the 3d of April, and a conversation of two hours took place between them.

At this conference on the part of Mr. Canning "the fullest details were given of what passed "at his audience with His Majesty at Windsor." On the part of the Duke, explanations were offered, which induced Mr. Canning to say

"that every thing that had been in doubt had "been cleared up satisfactorily ;" and that they 'parted," as a mutual friend would have wished, "all being left well."

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No definite" practical result," however, was produced by the meeting, beyond the restoration of personal amity, and reciprocal good

will.

On the following day (April 4.) Mr. Canning again saw the Duke of Wellington for a few minutes, who expressed his wish that Mr. Canning and Mr. Peel should "meet again the following day, before the King's coming to "town. Mr. Canning accordingly wrote to Mr. Peel to propose an interview, stating the Duke of Wellington's wish as his reason for so doing.

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They met accordingly on the 5th, and had a long conversation together, "than which nothing could be more satisfactory as to manner "and feeling. But the practical point as to "Mr. Peel's own decision remained just where "it was."

Mr. Canning likewise again saw the Duke of Wellington for a few minutes.

The effect of these two conferences was, that the belief which Mr. Canning had once entertained that the Duke of Wellington never thought "of himself for the post of Prime Minister was "entirely changed, and that" Mr. Canning's

"belief then was that the Duke, and perhaps "Mr. Peel too, hoped that the explanation be"tween Mr. Canning and the Duke would have "ended in" Mr. Canning's expressing a wish that the Duke "should take the Government."

The desire to be First Minister, which Mr. Canning thought that the Duke entertained, His Grace subsequently disclaimed in the strongest and most unequivocal terms, asserting that he not only did not wish to occupy that post, but had an absolute repugnance to holding ita repugnance, however, which, about sixteen months after, he succeeded in conquering.

On the night of the 5th the King came to town, and Mr. Canning had an interview with His Majesty on the 6th.

On the 9th, by the King's command, Mr. Canning saw Mr. Peel, who came for the purpose of stating to Mr. Canning the name of an “individual whose appointment, as Premier, "Mr. Peel conceived likely to solve all difficul"ties." That individual was the Duke of Wellington. But Mr. Canning was of opinion that the appointment of His Grace would not afford any such solution. This last attempt at excluding Mr. Canning from the Premiership on account of his Catholick sentiments, while he remained in the Government, having failed, the King determined to protract no longer the anxious state of suspense in which the Country