22 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1801. 



to soothe his mind on tho refusal. 

 AVhcn so much stress was laid on 

 example, he must conceive that there 

 was no example, which could bo of 

 greater service than that of the heir 

 apparent of the crown, coming for- 

 ward to share the exertions and the 

 dangers of others, who stand for- 

 ward to defend the country. While 

 all his brothers had high commands 

 in the army, it was no situation for 

 a prince of Wales to be merely co- 

 lonel of a regiment of dragoons.* lie 

 concluded by lioping that justice 

 would be done to the public spirit, 

 zeal, and bravery of the people. 



TheChancellor of the Exchequer, 

 (Mr. Addington) said, that- of the 

 two opinions which had been offer- 

 ed respecting the volunteers, that 

 of Mr. Windham, who was averse 

 to their having the appearance of 

 soldiers ; and, that of Mr. Pitt^ 

 who M'ished them to receive as high 

 military discipline as possible, he 

 was much inclined to adhere to the 

 opinion of the latter gentleman. lie 

 thouglit the efficiency of the volun- 

 teers was much under rated, when 

 they were supposed only fit to de- 

 fend villages, convey provisions, &c. 

 However highly he might value the 

 opinions of the honourable gentle- 

 men who advanced them, still, on 

 a military subjeft, he had a greater 

 value for the opinions of lord Moira, 

 and lord Cathcart, who said they 

 could confidentlj'lead the volunteers 

 of the districts tliey commanded, 

 against any enemy. As to the mi- 

 litary council that was suggested, he 

 disapproved of it, as interfering 

 with that station, of which the duke 

 of York held the so'e responsibility. 

 With respect to the prince of Wales's 

 offer, the subject vvas of such ex- 

 treme delicacy, that nothing but his 

 majesty's express commands, or the 



* J''ide Correspondence on this subject 



united authority of that house, 

 should induce him to say a single 

 word upon the sul)je6t. As to tiic 

 removal of general Fox from the 

 situation of commander in chief of 

 Ireland, it was no imputation on his 

 professional charfter, as he was im- 

 mediately appointed to another im- 

 portant command. 



3Mr. Fox wished Mr. Addington 

 had preserved the same impenetrahle 

 silence about general Fox, as he had 

 resolved to do about the prince of 

 M'^ales : his saying, that " he saw 

 no complaint against that general," 

 was not saying that the lord lieute- 

 nant of Ireland had not c> pressed a 

 wish for his recall, v.hich certainly 

 was au implied censure on his con- 

 due^t. If the rising was so serious, 

 as to require the re-ena6tment of 

 martial law, blame must attach some- 

 where. 



Mr. secretary Yorke considered, 

 that the character of his noble rela- 

 tion, (lord Hardwicke) had been 

 wantonly aspersed by Mr. Fox, 

 and he felt ready to defend the Irish 

 government against any charge 

 which could be made against it upon 

 this ground. The fa^t was, that 

 government had not notice of an 

 approaching insurredlion, until the 

 explosion of the powder-mill, on 

 the 1 8th of July. Information was 

 then sent to the commander in chief, 

 who received- it on the 20th. On 

 the 23d, the day the insurrection 

 did take place, the lord lieutenant 

 took the commander in chief, in 

 his carriage, to the castle, where 

 they both heard the different re- 

 ports, which made it probable, that 

 the insurrection would take place 

 that night. As the commander in 

 chief Mas equally in possession of 

 the iiiformntion, respecting the re- 

 bellion, with the lord lieutenant, it 



rather 

 in the Annual Register for 1803, p. 564. 



