Speech of the Right Honourable Viscount Howick, in the House of Commons, on Thursday, March 26th, 1807 : stating the circumstances which led to the change of administration.

  • Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Date:
1807
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Speech of the Right Honourable Viscount Howick, in the House of Commons, on Thursday, March 26th, 1807 : stating the circumstances which led to the change of administration. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    *3 that I have had the honour of holding a situation under His Majesty, I and my noble colleague have, in the same man- ner, brought forward successfully the measure of the Aboli- tion of the Slave Trade, to which I shall look with satisfac- tion for the remainder of my days. But, Sir, where a measure arising out of various causes which have engaged the attention of His Majesty’s confidential servants, is to be brought forward with the authority of Government, the measure itself, as well as the case to which it applies, ought, undoubtedly, to be first submitted to His Majesty. I cer- tainly feel that I ought not to have introduced a measure of this description without the sanction of that authority ; and I should think myself reprehensible in the highest degree, and deserving all the censure that is endeavoured to be cast upon me, if I had proposed this Bill to Parliament without believing that I had His Majesty’s consent. Sir, I have stated that a doubt arose as to the under- standing of the extent of this Bill; it was, therefore, de- termined (Lord Spencer at that time being absent on account of his health) that I should write a dispatch to the Lord Lieutenant enclosing the clauses intended to be introduced into the Mutiny Bill, stating distinctly that they were in conformity with the general words of the dispatch which had been sent on the 12th of February last, marking expressly that the Catholics were to be ad- mitted to hold any commission or appointment whatever; and observing that a confirmation was thus given of Mr. Elliot’s answer to the Catholic deputies. This dispatch so expressed, for the purpose of removing all doubts, and en- closing, as I have already stated, the intended clauses, was sent down by me on Monday night the 2d of March to His Majesty. 'This dispatch having been perused by His Majesty, came back from Windsor on the following morning, without a word of comment or objection; and with this sanction I acted, as in the course of my official business X had been
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