144] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



bread both spoke in explanation. 

 Mr. Methuen declared, in justice 

 to the Princess, that he had had no 

 communication with her ; and 

 that he would be the last man to 

 propose an increase of her income, 

 were its consequence to be the 

 resignation of any of her rights. 

 Several other members spoke on 

 the occasion ; but it seems unne- 

 cessary to repeat the substance of a 

 debate which was little more than 

 a recapitulation of facts and argu- 

 ments already laid before the 

 house. 



Lord Castlereagh having inti- 

 mated that there would be no dif- 

 liculty in obtaining the consent of 

 the Prince Regent to an increase 

 of the Princess's income, and it 

 appearing to be the wish of the 

 house that such a measure should 

 take place as coming from the 

 crown, Mr. Methuen asked his 

 lordship what was his intention in 

 this respect : and Lord C. signify- 

 ing his assent, Mr. M. withdrew 

 his motion. 



On July 4th, the Chancellor of 

 the Exchequer moved the order of 

 the day for the House of Com- 

 mons to go into a committee on 

 the documents on the table re- 

 specting the Princess of Wales. A 

 debate ensued on a point of form, 

 during which Mr. Whitbread af- 

 firmed that no cause for the mo- 

 tion had arisen from the Princess 

 herself, who had made such eco- 

 nomical arrangements, that at this 

 moment she was not indebted a 

 shilling, and had given no autho- 

 rity for any application for the in- 

 crease of her income. 



The committee being at length 

 gone into, Lord Castlereagh rose, 

 and began with a statement de- 

 signed to correct some misappre- 

 hensions respecting the income of 



the Princess, and to prove the libe- 

 rality of the Prince Regent in this 

 matter. He then entered upon 

 the consideration of such an in- 

 crease to the Princess's income as 

 would enable her to maintain an 

 establishment more suited to her 

 station in this country ; and he 

 thought the most desirable mea- 

 sure would be to raise it to that 

 point to which it would be raised 

 in the event of the death of the 

 Prince Regent ; and his proposal 

 was, that the nett annual sum of. 

 50,000/. should be granted to the 

 Princess of Wales, and that the 

 5,000/. and the 17,000/. per ann. 

 which she at present enjoys, should 

 be withheld from the Prince Re- 

 gent's income. 



A conversation followed, in 

 which Lord Castlereagh having 

 hinted that the increase of the 

 Princess's allowance had been the 

 object of her friends, Mr. Whit- 

 bread rose again to disclaim any 

 such motive as applying to himself. 

 In conclusion he said, " As to the • 

 provision which is to be made by. 

 this vote, it is large, much larger 

 than any of the friends of her 

 Royal Highness could have con- 

 templated, if such an idea had en- 

 tered their minds. It is for her 

 Royal Highness to consider whe- 

 ther she shall think proper to ac- 

 cept the whole of it. I have no 

 doubt that she will act with dig- 

 nity and propriety ; and if she 

 calls m advisers on the subject, I 

 hope she will call in such as will 

 support her in her own honourable 

 ideas." 



The resolution proposed by 

 Lord Castlereagh was agreed to 

 unanimously. 



On July 8th, the report of the 

 committee being brought up. 

 Lord Castlereagh called the atten- 



