CHAP. VIII. بب CHAP. IX. The Regency appointed. Debate upon it.—Conduct THE HE death of the Prince of Wales filled the oppofition with the greatest con1751. fternation and confufion. Several of them The regency appointed thought of making terms with the minifter -others of feceding and fome were for remaining with the Princess, and taking the chance of events. The first measure of government was the settlement of a regency, which was done upon fair and liberal terms. The Princess Dowager was made Regent, and guardian of the minor, as well as of her other children. Being a female, there was a council of regency appointed, confifting of the great officers of ftate, and the Duke of Cumberland was placed at the head of it. This complimeut to the Duke occafioned fome invidious fpeeches in Parliament, from gentlemen IX. 1751° gentlemen who were not acquainted with CHAP the Duke's real character.-Time has fhewn that the analogies they offered in the way of prophefy had not the leaft foundation in truth. The Duke had, in the judgment of thefe gentlemen, treated the Scots rebels with too much feverity. But this was a juftifiable feverity. And thofe who had latent defigns forgave not the disappointment of them. Debate The debate was upon the claufe refpecting the council. Mr. Pitt defended the bill; upon it. but by fomething he faid concerning the council, Mr. Fox thought he hinted at the Duke of Cumberland, and began defending the Duke; but Mr. Pitt explained in such terms that Mr. Fox went away without dividing. The debate being in a committee, the Speaker (Onflow) made a very able fpeech against the claufe, which he deprecated as fraught with great and probable evils; he dreaded no improper ambition in the Duke; nothing, he was confident, was farther from his Royal Highness's heart; but his apprehenfion was, that the Duke and Princess would not coalefce in measures; and he infinuated, in delicate terms, his anxiety 0 4 IX. $751. CHAP. anxiety upon the misunderstanding which fubfifted between the Princess Dowager and the Princess Amelia; and the warm affection between the latter Princefs and her brother, This speech gave Mr. Pelham a great deal of uneafinefs, and he often mentioned it. of the King. The Regent was not impeded in her just authority by any harsh conditions; nor were there any limitations of her power introduced that implied the leaft fufpicion of her integrity or rectitude. The King Conduct himself treated her with every mark of refpect, attention, and affection. He fre quently visited her; 12,500l. were immedi ately paid her; and notwithstanding the war which quickly followed demanded greater fupplies than the war of any former period, yet her money was conftantly paid. And when the Prince of Wales (George III.) arrived at the age of eighteen, the King ordered him a feparate allowance (over and above what was given to the Princess) of 40,000l. per annum from his civil lift. The party which had arranged themselves under the late Prince of Wales, being now without head or cement, the Pelhams faw they 217 IX. 1751, fords out. they had an opportunity of increafing the CHAR number of their fupporters, by embracing the fugitives, and turning out the Duke of Bedford and his friends, who had never acted cordially with them, not even during the war. In June 1751, the Duke of Bed- The Bed ford was difmiffed from the office of fecretary turned of state, and Lord Sandwich from the post of first lord of the admiralty, Lord Trentham (fince created Marquis of Stafford}, from the fame board, and fome others of his Grace's friends from other offices. Thefe noblemen and gentlemen being joined by thofe of the late Prince's party, who had not united with the Pelhams, they formed a fresh oppofition; and though they were not confiderable in number, they were supposed to be privately countenanced by the Duke of Cumberland, and to have a fecret communication with Mr. Fox. Lord Holderneffe fucceeded the Duke of Bedford, and Lord Anfon was placed at the admiralty. The feffion clofed in June, and nothing material happened during the fummer. Parliament met again on the 14th of Noyember 1751, but there were no debates; and 1X. $752. CHAP. and the feffion closed on the 25th of March 1752. Five days after the Parliament rose the King went to Hanover. During his Majefty's abfence, there was a great deal of intriguing and negotiating amongst all parties. But in every one of these negotiations Mr. Pitt and the Grenvilles were totally omitted; however, the increafing weight and confequence of Mr. Pitt in the House of Commons, excited the jealoufy of the principal perfons in office, as well as of thofe in oppofition. He was not He was not ignorant of the clandeftine projects of both parties; but he defpifed them. In one conference he had with the Duke of Newcastle, he treated that Mr. Pitt's nobleman in fuch a manner, that if he had not dreaded him he would have difmiffed Newcastle. him; for he ftill held the post of Paymaster. treatment of the Duke of The fubject of the conference was the meafures which the King was taking in Germany, to fecure the election of a King of the Romans. In this conference Mr. Pitt told his Grace that he engaged for fubfidies without knowing the extent of the fums, and for alliances without knowing the terms. The Duke complained of Mr. Pitt's hauteur to his confidential friend Mr. Stone, who advised his Grace to overlook it, faying it would be most prudent, |