330 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



of the powers with which I am in- 

 vested, I think it right to commu- 

 nicate to you those sentiments 

 which I was withheld from ex- 

 pressing at an earlier period of 

 the session, by my earnest desire, 

 that the expected motion on the 

 affairs of Ireland might undergo 

 the deliberate discussion of parlia- 

 ment, unmixed with any other 

 consideration. 



I think it hardly necessary to call 

 your recollection to the recent cir- 

 cumstances under which I assumed 

 the authority delegated to me i)y 

 parliament. At a moment of un- 

 exampled difficulty and danger, I 

 was called upon to make a selection 

 of persons to whom I should en- 

 trust the functions of the executive 

 government. 



My sense of duty to our royal 

 father solely decided that choice ; 

 and every private feeling gave way 

 to considerations which admitted of 

 no doubt or hesitation. I trust I 

 acted in that respect as the genuine 

 representative of the august person 

 whose functions I was appointed 

 to discharge ; and I have the satis- 

 faction of knowing, that such was 

 the opinion of persons, for whose 

 judgment and honourable princi- 

 ples I entertain the highest respect. 



In various instances, as you well 

 know, where the law of the last 

 session left me at full liberty, I 

 waved any personal gratification, 

 in order that his Majesty might 

 resume, on his restoration to health, 

 every power and prerogative be- 

 longing to his crown. I certainly 

 am the last person in the kingdom 

 to whom it can be permitted to de- 

 spair of our royal father's recovery. 



A new jera is now arrived, and 

 1 cannot but reflect with satisfac- 

 tion, on the events which have 



disti nguished the short period of my 

 restricted regency. Instead of suf- 

 fering in the loss of any of her pos- 

 sessions, by the gigantic force 

 which has been employed against 

 them, Great Britain has added most 

 important acquisitions to her em- 

 pire. The national faith has been 

 preserved inviolate towards our 

 allies ; and if character is strength, 

 as applied to a nation, theincreased 

 and increasing reputation of his 

 Majesty's arms will shew to the 

 nations of the continent how much 

 they may still achieve when ani- 

 mated by a glorious sjjirit of re- 

 sistance to a foreign yoke. In the 

 critical situation of the war in the 

 Peninsula, I shall be most anxious 

 to avoid any measure which can 

 lead my allies to suppose that I 

 mean to depart from the present 

 system. Perseverance alone can 

 achieve the great object in ques- 

 tion ; and I cannot withhold my 

 approbation from those who have 

 honourably distinguished them- 

 selves in the support of it. I have 

 no predilections to indulge — no 

 resentments to gratify — no objects 

 to attain, but such as are common 

 to the whole empire. If such is the 

 leading principle of ray conduct — 

 and I can appeal to the past in evi- 

 dence of what the future will be — 

 I flatter myself I shall meet with 

 the support of parliament, and of 

 a candid and enlightened nation. 



Having- made this communica- 

 tion of my sentiments in this new 

 and extraordinary crisis of our 

 affairs, I cannot conclude without 

 expressingthegratifi cation I should 

 feel, if some of those persons with 

 whom tlie early habits of my public 

 life were formed, would strengthen 

 my hands, and constitute a part of 

 my government. With such sup- 

 port. 



