376 DEFENCE OF QUEEN CAROLINE. [1820. 



and causing her to countermand what she had been 

 induced to do. More than once I have been obliged 

 to say, that unless the step intended was abandoned 

 I must resign my place in her service. Among other 

 occasions of this threat being required, one was on the 

 eve of Wilberforce's motion, when he found she had sent 

 a message to the House of Commons, and went to wait 

 upon her that it might be stopped. He saw her, and 

 was evidently struck with her dignified demeanour and 

 her acuteness ; but returned to town, having failed. 

 I had then to apply the stronger pressure, and of 

 course succeeded. 



When the address of the House of Commons went 

 up, Wilberforce, the mover, and Wortley (afterwards 

 Lord Wharncliffe), the seconder, presented it, as I have 

 before stated; and her counsel were all in attendance.""" 

 We had resolved to give no advice whatever, but to 

 leave her the entire option of agreeing or refusing. 

 Tliis was, on every account, the necessary course to 

 take, because, if she had been acting under our advice, 

 it would have entirely destroyed the effect of her reso- 

 lution ; and we felt quite certain that if we advised 

 her to comply with the desire of the Commons and to 

 leave the country, we should have been proclaimed by 

 her violent and secret advisers as the cause of her 

 going ; and it would have been affirmed that she was 

 herself desirous of remaining and meeting the charges. 

 Indeed, I doubt if we should have escaped the fury of 

 the multitude. She anxiously pressed us to give our 

 opinion, one after another, and we all declined, stating 

 that it was for her to decide, and not us, who were only 



* See debate on Mr Wilberforce' s motion ' : for adjusting the difYer- 

 ences existing in the lloyal Family," 22d June 1820. Hansard, 1213. 



