560 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S12. 



of our permanent arrangements 

 both in Portugal and Spain, which, 

 in my judgment, must be correct- 

 ed and extended, not only with a 

 view to the advantageous use of 

 such means as we now possess in 

 the Peninsula, but even of such 

 adventitious and extraneous means 

 as events in other quarters may 

 place at our disposal. Believe me, 

 my dear Lord, always your's most 

 sincerely, 



(Signed) Wellesley. 



The Earl of Liverpool, &c. 



Papers relative to the Negociations 

 of t fie Marquis Wellesley and the 

 Earl of Moira, for forming a 

 New Administration, 



No. 1. 

 Minute of Mr. Caiming's Commu- 

 nication to the Earl of Liverpool, 

 May 23d. 



Fife House, May 2Srd, 1812. 



The Prince Regent having laid 

 his commands on Lord Wellesley 

 to form a plan of an administra- 

 tion, to be submitted for his Royal 

 Highness's approbation, Mr. Can- 

 ning was requested by Lord Wel- 

 lesley ; (as the channel of commu- 

 nication thought likely to be most 

 agreeable to Lord Liverpool), to 

 inquire of Lord Liverpool, whether 

 there would be a disposition on the 

 part of Lord Liverpool, and of his 

 colleagues, or of any of them, to 

 entertain any proposal which 

 should be made to them for 

 forming part of such an adminis- 

 tration. 



The principles upon which the 

 administration was intended to be 

 formed, were stated to be. 



1st. The taking into the eai^y 

 and serious consideration of the 

 executive government the state of 

 the laws affecting the Roman Ca- 

 tholics, with a sincere and ear- 

 nest desire to bring that important 

 question to a final and satisfactory 

 settlement. 



2dly. The prosecution of the 

 war in the Peninsula, with the 

 best means of the country. 



It was stated that there would 

 be the strongest wish to compre- 

 hend in the arrangement, without 

 any individual or party exclusion 

 whatever, as many as possible of 

 such persons as might be able to 

 agree in giving their public service 

 to the country on these two prin- 

 ciples. 



With respect to the distribution 

 of offices, it was stated, that nothing 

 of an}' sort was decided, or sti- 

 pulated ; but that every thing 

 would be open to be arranged to 

 the honour and satisfaction of all 

 parties. 



No. 2. 



Lord Liverpool's Letter to Mr. 



Canning, May 23rd. 



Fife House, May 23rd, 1812. 

 My dear Canning, — I have com- 

 municated to my colleagues the 

 memorandum which I received 

 from you this afternoon. 



They do not think it necessary 

 to enter into any discussion of 

 the principles stated in that me- 

 morandum, because they all feel 

 themselves bound, particularly af- 

 ter what has recently passed, to 

 decline the proposal of becoming 

 members of an administration to 

 be formed by Lord Wellesley. 

 Believe me, &c. &c. 



Liverpool. 

 No. 3. 



I 



