JET. 41.] THE WHIGS AND THE RADICALS. 343 



too probably produce the same result. It lias some- 

 times occurred to me that we ought to try once more 

 whether, by placing ourselves on the middle ground, 

 condemning the conduct of Hunt and his associates, 

 but strenuously resisting the attempt that is making to 

 attack through them the safeguards of the constitu- 

 tion, we could not rally to our standard all moderate 

 and reasonable men (and a great portion of the pro- 

 perty of the country), to whom the people might again 

 be brought to look as their natural leaders and pro- 

 tectors. But as often as I cast my eye back on the 

 events of the last thirty years, and consider the present 

 state and condition of the country, that hope fails me. 

 The result, therefore, of the consideration which hitherto 

 I have been able to give to this subject is, that we must 

 wait till the meeting of Parliament, unless sooner called 

 forth by some strong manifestation of public feeling 

 to take the part which, upon a full review of all the 

 circumstances, our principles and our duty may dictate. 

 " I am in a great measure ignorant of the circum- 

 stances of the Doctor's refusal to present the petitions 

 to the Prince. There certainly ought to be no im- 

 proper difficulties thrown in the way of such petitions, 

 any more than of petitions to Parliament. But with 

 respect to the latter, a member feels himself bound, 

 before he presents one, to see that it is couched in lan- 

 guage which does not violate the rules of decency. Is 

 there any greater objection to the observance of this 

 principle in presenting a petition to the Prince than 

 to either House of Parliament ? The question, I think, 

 will be, whether the language of the petitions was 

 really improper and insulting. If it was not, there 

 can be no doubt that the conduct of a Secretary of 



