GENERAL HISTORY. 



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CHAPTER II. 



Bills relative to the King's Household, and Debates thereon. 



ON January 16, the House of 

 Commons having resolved 

 itself into a committee to consider 

 of that part of the regent's speech 

 which relates to his majesty's 

 household, the chancellor of the 

 exchequer rose to submit to the 

 committee the measures which it 

 might be proper to adopt under the 

 existing circumstances. He began 

 with stating the difference which 

 prevailed with respect to the ex- 

 pectations of his majesty's recove- 

 ry, between the present period and 

 the last session of parliament; and 

 having adverted to the opinions of 

 the physicians lately laid before 

 them as to the improbability of a re- 

 covery, he took as his standard that 

 of the most sanguine among them, 

 Dr. Simmons, who had stated the 

 proportion of recoveries in persons 

 beyond the age of 70, as one in 

 five. He then proceeded to lay 

 before the committee what he 

 conceived to be the principal ob- 

 jects they had to keep in view. The 

 exercise of the royal authority in 

 the person of the king being sus- 

 pended, it was first necessary to 

 consider how it was to be supplied ; 

 and in the second place they were 

 to take into consideration the na- 

 ture of the provision requisite for 

 the maintenance and comfort of the 

 king during his illness. The first 

 object was already provided for by 

 that clause which gave to the 

 regent the full powers of royalty 



at the expiration of six weeks from 

 the commencement of the present 

 session ; but with the sovereign 

 authority, the civil list would also 

 devolve upon him, unless parha- 

 ment were to make some arrange- 

 ment for his majesty's household. 

 In discussing this topic, two con- 

 siderations naturally suggested 

 themselves— from what sources 

 were the provision and attendants to 

 be drawn ? and what was the nature 

 and extent of the provision to be 

 made ? With respect to the first, 

 he had no hesitation to say that his 

 majesty's present civil list, and his 

 present officers and servants, were 

 the source to be looked to. In 

 considering the second point, it 

 was the duty of the committee to 

 contemplate, not only the probabi- 

 lity and improbability of a reco- 

 very, but a kind of middle state, 

 which, though it would not render 

 his majesty capable of resuming 

 the reins of government, might 

 afford him the means of tasting 

 more comfort and enjoyment than 

 he could partake in at present. In 

 such an event, it must be supposed 

 that on awaking to a sense of his 

 situation, his feelings would be less 

 hurt to find not merely the same 

 individuals about him who had 

 formerly attended him, but the 

 same officers to whom he had been 

 accustomed. In this view of the 

 subject, no one could thiuk that 

 the double establishment requisite 



for 



