GENERAL HISTORY. 



[St 



tnotion did not go to prescribe to 

 the prince whom he should choose, 

 but to recommend a strong admi- 

 nistration ; but it was fair to 

 corahine the motion with the 

 speech by which it was intro- 

 duced. Witli respect to the ques- 

 tion of parliamentary reform, he 

 had always been favourable to it, 

 but he did not see how such re- 

 form could materially diminish the 

 difficulties of the country. 



The hon. J. W. Ward would 

 not admit that the interference 

 proposed was unconstitutional, 

 though he allowed that it should 

 not be resorted to but on impor- 

 tant occasions ; but what, he 

 asked, could be more important 

 than the present ? There were two 

 grounds for the adoption of the 

 motion; the danger of the coun- 

 try, and the acknowledged weak- 

 ness of the present administration. 

 The first was admitted on all 

 sides. With respect to the second, 

 he should spare himself the dis- 

 agreeable task of naming individu- 

 als, but he might appeal to the 

 public feeling, manifested in some 

 degree even before the death of 

 Mr. Perceval, though his ability 

 was thought by many to compen- 

 sate for the inefficiency of his col- 

 leagues. Such persons, however, 

 would pay a poor compliment to 

 his memory if they continued to 

 place the same confidence in the 

 administration which had lost his 

 support. The honourable mem- 

 ber then proceeded to allude to 

 the alleged attempt for procur- 

 ing an addition of strength, by 

 bringing over a gentleman of great 

 talents and eloquence (Mr. Can- 

 ning), and a noble Marquis 

 (Wellesley), the sincerity of which 

 be called in question ; and he par- 

 . . Vol. LIV. 



ticularly adverted to the anti-i 

 catholic principle which was fun- 

 damental lo the existing ministry. 



Mr. Ryder repeated some of 

 the arguments already adduced to 

 prove that the motion was uncon- 

 stitutional, and pointed out the 

 difference between the case which 

 had been alluded to, respecting 

 Mr. Pitt, and the present. He 

 then found it necessary to touch 

 upon some facts pretty generally 

 known, premising that he could 

 not be suspected ol' any private 

 motive, since he was no longer a 

 member of the administration. He 

 believed his right hon. friend (Mr. 

 Canning) would not say that the 

 offers had not been made in per- 

 fect sincerity, and in the hope that 

 they would be accepted. He did 

 not mean to impute their rejec- 

 tion as a fault to him, but he 

 knew it had excited extreme 

 concern on the part of govern- 

 ment. With respect to the opi" 

 nions held on the principal topics 

 at issue, he had papers which fully 

 explained them, but which at this 

 time, he did not think himself au- 

 thorised to produce. He could 

 see no ground for supposing in- 

 ability in the noble lord at the 

 head of government (Lord Liver- 

 pool) who, ten or eleven years ago, 

 had been characterised as the man 

 most fit to succeed to the highest 

 place with the sole exception of 

 Mr. Fox. In conclusion, he asked 

 whether the members, who for 

 four years had supported by their 

 majorities the measures of adminis- 

 tration, would act a part agreeable 

 to their constituents by adopting 

 amotion intended to subvert a go- 

 vernment which had received the 

 highest approbation throughout the 

 country ? 



[G] Mr. 



