20 RECALL OF [1812. 



remarkable, and gave our friends great hopes of a 

 surrender being in contemplation. I spoke at great 

 but not unnecessary length, going into the whole case, 

 and attacking all the abuses of the licence system 

 which had grown up under the Orders, and both in 

 their moral and commercial effects had created addi- 

 tional and inevitable mischief. Kose, as head of the 

 Board of Trade, followed in defence of the system, and 

 then Baring in my support, when Castlereagh on the 

 part of the Government said the motion need not be 

 pressed to a division, as the Crown had been advised 

 immediately to recall the Orders. The conduct of the 

 Government was inexplicable, unless on the supposition 

 that they had not finally taken this resolution until 

 they saw the appearance of the House. The absence 

 of Stephen seemed to indicate that the recall had been 

 decided before the debate. Then why suffer a debate 

 almost entirely on one side ? It is barely possible 

 that the disposition to recall was so strong as to make 

 Stephen sure that such would be the fate of his system; 

 but yet that it was only a determination so to proceed, 

 unless the appearance of the House showed some 

 chance of a majority for ministers. Stephen adhered 

 to the Government, as the remains of Perceval's, and 

 evidently declined to attend, on being convinced of 

 what would happen, and unwilling to express the 

 contempt which he professed to feel for their conduct. 

 But that conduct was unavoidable, except in the delay 

 of the announcement ; for there could be no manner 

 of doubt that they would have been left in a minority 

 had we gone to a division. They therefore preferred 

 having a damaging debate without a damaging 

 division, though Canning and their other ill-wishers 



