§ MADAM—As lord Cholmondeley informs me that you wish I would define in writing the terms upon which we are to live, I shall endeavour to explain my self upon that head with as much clearness and as much propriety as the nature of the subject will admit. Our inclinations are not in our power, nor should either of us be held answerable to the other, because nature has not made us suitable to each other. Tranquil and comfortable society is, however, in our power.—Let our intercourse, therefore, be restricted to that; and I will distinctly subscribe to the condition which you required through lady Cholmondeley, that even in the event of any accident happening to my daughter, which I trust Providence in its mercy will avert, I shall not infringe the terms of the restriction, by proposing at any period a connection of a more particular nature. I shall now finally close this disagreeable correspondence, trusting that, as we have completely explained ourselves to each other, the rest of our lives will be passed in uninterrupted
1124§ He would not decide on the propriety of the motion for clearing the gallery on this occasion, but this he would say, that it was one of those privileges which must be maintained without any qualification, or it would lose its essence altogether. He considered the present
§ tranquillity—I am, Madam, with great truth, very sincerely yours,
§ (Signed) GEORGE, P.
§ Windsor Castle, April 30, 1796.
§ The PRINCESS OF WALES'S Answer.
§ The avowal of your conversation with lord Cholmondeley, neither surprizes nor offends me. It merely confirmed what you have tacitly insinuated for this twelvemonth. But after this, it would be a want of delicacy, or rather an unworthy meanness in me, were I to complain of those conditions which you impose upon yourself.
§ I should have returned no answer to your letter, if it had not been conceived in terms to make it doubtful whether this arrangement proceeds from you or from me; and you are aware that the credit of it belongs to you alone.
§ The letter which you announce to me as the last, obliges me to communicate to the King, as to my sovereign and my father, both your avowal and my answer. You will find inclosed the copy of my letter to the King. I apprize you of it, that I may not incur the slightest reproach of duplicity from you. As I have at this moment no protector but his Majesty, I refer myself solely to him upon this subject; and if my conduct meets his approbation, I shall be, in some degree at least, consoled. I retain every sentiment of gratitude for the situation in which I find myself, as Princess of Wales, enabled by your means to indulge in the free exercise of a virtue dear to my heart—I mean charity.
§ It will be my duty likewise to act upon another motive—that of giving an example of patience and resignation under every trial.
§ Do me the justice to believe that I shall never cease to pray for your happiness, and to be—Your much devoted
§ May 6, 1796. CAROLINE.
§
The indisposition of the Princess Charlotte commenced previous to the fete at Carlton-house, and afterwards increasing, her Royal Highness was necessarily obliged to defer her return to Windsor. In
§ motion for adjournment as impolitic, though it was a right which he had often exercised to the manifest impediment of the public business, considering it to be the only arms of a minority against an overwhelming majority. Any attempt to limit the power of clearing the gallery would destroy their independence with the public, and any attempt on the other hand to enter into a disquisition upon the motives or discretion of members, would
§ consequence of this, the Princess of Wales, on the 8th of February, addressed herself to lord Liverpool, desiring that he would communicate to the Prince Regent her Royal Highness's intention to visit the Princess Charlotte at Warwick-house, not anticipating the possibility of a prevention on the part of the Prince Regent, under the circumstances of the Princess Charlotte's confinement from illness. Lord Liverpool replied, that he was happy to announce the Princess Charlotte so much better, that her Royal Highness would be able to visit the Princess of Wales at Kensington-palace on the following Thursday, 11th February. On that morning, however, at the moment of the Princess of Wales stepping into her carriage, she received information that Princess Charlotte was refused coming.
§ Upon this, the Princess of Wales again addressed lord Liverpool to know the reason, none having been assigned, for the Princess Charlotte's being thus suddenly prohibited from giving the meeting to her royal mother, and when and how soon her Royal Highness might expect to see the Princess Charlotte. To this enquiry the Princess of Wales received the following reply from lord Liverpool:
§ Fife House, Feb. 14, 1813.
§ Lord Liverpool has the honour to inform your Royal Highness, that in consequence of the publication in The Morning Chronicle of the 10th instant, of a Letter addressed by your Royal Highness to the Prince Regent, his Royal Highness thought fit, by the advice of his confidential servants, to signify his commands that the intended visit of the Princess Charlotte to your Royal Highness on the following day, should not take place.
§ Lord Liverpool is not enabled to make any further communication to your Royal Highness on the subject of your Royal Highness's note.
1126§ destroy their independence within themselves.
§ Mr. Stewart Wortleyexplained his motive in moving an adjournment on a former occasion not to be a wish to have an audience hear his speech.
Lord Castlereaghtrusted that the House would never be called upon to deliberate on the right of moving the question of adjournment. The mode, however, in which that right had now been exercised, was
§ To this Letter the Princess of Wales commanded lady Anne Hamilton, her lady in waiting, to reply as follows to lord Liverpool:—.
§ Montague House, Blackheath, Feb. 15, 1813.
§ Lady Anne Hamilton is commanded by her royal highness the Princess of Wales to represent to lord Liverpool, that the insidious insinuation, respecting the publication of the letter addressed by the Princess of Wales, on the 14th of January, to the Prince Regent, conveyed in his lordship's reply to her Royal Highness, is as void of foundation, and as false as all the former accusations of the traducers of her Royal Highness's honour in the year 1806.
§ Lady A. Hamilton is further commanded to say, that dignified silence would have been the line of conduct the Princess would have preserved upon such insinuation (more than unbecoming lord Liverpool), did not the effect arising from it operate to deprive her Royal Highness of the sole real happiness she can possess in this world—that of seeing her only child. And the confidential servants of the Prince Regent ought to feel ashamed of their conduct towards the Princess in avowing to her Royal Highness their advice to the Prince Regent, that upon unauthorized and unfounded suppositions a mother and daughter should be prevented from meeting—a prohibition positively against the law of nature.—Lady Anne Hamilton is commanded further to desire lord Liverpool, to lay this paper before the Prince Regent, that his Royal Highness may be aware into what error his confidential servants are leading him, and will involve him, by counselling and signifying such commands.
§ Here ended the correspondence.
§ The cabinet meetings and proceedings succeeded almost immediately; but touching the nature, the form, and the object of
1127§ different from any on the records of parliament; and he put it to the candour of the hon. gentleman, whether it was proper to press it any further?
Captain Vyseobserved, that any gentleman who involved the House in this unpleasant dilemma, took the responsibility upon himself. The hon. mover (Mr. C. Johnstone) had withdrawn his motion expressly
§
those proceedings, the Princess of Wales being left to conjecture, her Royal Highness, on the 27th of February, addressed the subjoined letter to the earl of Harrowby:—
Copy of a LETTER addressed by the Princess of Wales to the Earl of Harrowby.
§ Feb. 27, 1813.
§ The Princess of Wales has received reports from various quarters of certain proceedings lately held by his Majesty's privy council, respecting her Royal Highness; and the Princess has felt persuaded that these reports must be unfounded, because she could not believe it possible that any resolution should be taken by that most honourable body in any respect affecting her Royal Highness, upon statements which she has had no opportunity of answering, explaining, or even seeing.
§ The Princess still trusts, that there is no truth in these rumours; but she feels it clue to herself to lose no time in protesting against any resolution affecting her Royal Highness which may be so adopted.
§ The noble and right hon. persons who are said to have been selected for these proceedings, are too just to decide any thing touching her Royal Highness, without affording her an opportunity of laying her case before them. The Princess has not had any power to choose the judges before whom any enquiry may be carried on; but she is perfectly willing to have her whole conduct enquired into by any persons who may be selected by her accusers. The Princess only demands that she may be heard in defence or in explanation of her conduct, if it is attacked; and that she should either be treated as innocent, or proved to be guilty.
§ Lord Harrowby replied to the effect, that a copy of the Ministers Report, laid before the Prince Regent, had been transmitted that same evening to the Princess of Wales, by the viscount Sidmouth.
1128§ because the gallery was cleared, and, therefore, he was himself determined that the gallery should be in that state whenever he brought forward his motion.
Mr. Bennetrose to inquire whether if he withdrew his motion for an adjournment, the motion for clearing the gallery would be also withdrawn?
§ Mr. Osbornesaid, that the hon. member had better move at once that the standing order should be rescinded.
§ Mr. Whitbreadthought the enforcement of the standing order, in this instance, unseasonable, though he considered that order essential to the independence of the House. It had happened to him to have the gallery cleared in consequence of something that fell from him in debate, but he had not thought it necessary to declare—immediately to declare, that he would speak no more. He would therefore recommend the same line to the hon. gentleman, and either to renew his motion at once, or to move that the Report which he had read should be laid on the table.
§ Mr. Cochrane Johnstonefelt anxious to comply with the wishes of the House, and therefore gave notice that he should bring forward his motion to-morrow.
§ Mr. Cochrane Johnstonehaving thus refused, under the circumstances in which the House was placed, to bring on his motion, and lord Castlereagh having declined to give any explanation, unless some motion was before the House, or to originate any proceeding himself, the House of course adjourned, there being nothing to occupy its attention.