378 DEFENCE OF QUEEN CAROLINE. [1820. 



ceived it respectfully, but expressed their regret. 

 When it was announced to the immense multitude 

 assembled round the House that she had refused, the 

 cheering was very great and hearty. But it was with 

 difficulty that the deputation escaped maltreatment, the 

 hissing and screams against them being excessive. It 

 was carefully announced to the people by some of her 

 unprofessional friends that her refusal was entirely her 

 own act, and this occasioned a renewal of applause. It 

 was clear that the secret advisers had put about all man- 

 ner of suspicions of the known, or especially of the profes- 

 sional, advisers of the Queen. Of this we had constant 

 indications, and it was only after the proceedings had 

 begun that we escaped the censures of the multitude. 

 Certainly we then had an abundant share of popular 

 favour in every way. The disappointment of the 

 Government at the refusal was great far greater than 

 the King's, who was bent upon proceeding, because 

 not satisfied with such a result as would only expel the 

 Queen from England. He desired the bill beyond 

 everything, Leach and his other secret advisers never 

 allowing him to doubt that it must pass ; but he 

 required a divorce clause to be inserted, and this was 

 only withdrawn, in the course of the proceeding, by 

 the resistance of Lord Lonsdale, whose son (Lord 

 Lowther) was a devoted adherent of Carlton House, 

 and would on no account have thwarted the King in 

 this particular. The ministers, on the contrary, were 

 only desirous to have the whole proceeding put an end 

 to, and Canning more than any of them. 



When the message of the 5th of June was brought 

 down to the Commons the beginning of the whole 

 proceeding I resolved upon the course which we 



