HISTORY 
jation; on the ground, that the 
matter was one solely for the de- 
cision of a cgurt of law, and not 
for that of Parliainent. However 
this opinion might be combated ; 
and it was carried by a very smal] 
majority ; the inference was ob- 
vious. In consequence, his royal 
highness had prepared a petition 
of right, which was submitted to 
the lord chancellor, and his claims 
were ready to be finally deter- 
mined by the issue of a solemn 
adjudication, when now, adminis- 
tration as if fearful of the result 
of such an inquiry, and desirous 
of quashing all farther proceedings 5 
came forward with a specific pro- 
position, (or rather compromise) 
for increasing his royal highness’s 
income, by an annuity of £60,Q00 
er annum, for three years; spe- 
cifically, however, premising, that 
this sum was given, in order to 
restore him to the stateand splendor 
belonging to his rank; which it was 
well known he had for eight years 
yoluntarily foregone,by the diminu- 
tion of his establishment, more thin 
one half, in order that his credi- 
tors might be finally satisfied. In 
the same spirit of acquiescence to 
the king’s government, which had 
already distinguished in the course 
of this business, the whole of his con- 
duct, and now, as then, equally a- 
verse from the indelicacy of a suit 
with the crown, the prince cheerfully 
announced his acceptation of the 
proposed sum, with eagerness and 
with gratitude ; and waved for ever 
an investigation, which, jt was the 
decided conviction of himself, and 
his great law officers, would have 
placed him in the Uesirable situa- 
tion of appearing, what he really 
was, the creditor, not the debtor, 
OF EUROPE. 
83. 
of the public. But, in the accep- 
tance of this increase of income, 
his royal highness wished it ex- 
pressly to be understood, that ia 
consequence of the reduction he 
had submitted to for more than 
cight years, some incumbrances 
had gradually increased upon him, 
which, superadded to the payment 
of those debts not provided for by 
the arrangement of 1795, but which 
he found himself bound in honor to 
discharge, would yet farther delay 
the re-assumption of the state and 
dignity of the heir apparent to the 
imperial crown of these realms 5 
unless parliament should enquire 
intothose embarassments, and adopt 
the most effectual means of relieving 
them, as speedily as possible, and 
that therefore the sum, which he 
took in the same spirit in which it 
was given, namely, as a satisfac- 
tion for the foregoing the farther 
prosecution of his claims, was still 
insufficient for the purposes, for 
which it was alleged to be granted. 
For this purpose the motion was 
made, which gave ris@ to the 
debate we have just detailed, and 
which was supported by all the 
talents, wit, and ingenuity, in the 
house.—Mr. Addington, however, 
brought the usual strength of the 
ministerial numbers, to beay on 
the subject, and it was lost, there 
bejng 328 members in the house, 
by the slender majority of forty-five! 
—Nor did the minister retire from 
the contest with any increase of 
credit or reputation; it was not 
forgotten, that after driving the 
prince of Wales to the necessity, 
(which he actually deprecated, in 
the face of the nation, by his mi- 
nister’s declaration in the former 
session) of a suit at law with his 
Soe royal 
