§ The order of the day for taking into consideration the Prince Regents Message on the above subject being read:
The Earl of Liverpoolrose for the purpose of moving an Address to his Royal Highness, on the occasion. He observed, that in a case such as that before their lordships, he felt it would be unnecessary to call their attention but very generally to it. He felt confident it must be the intention of parliament to enable his Royal Highness to make a due and suitable provision for the illustrious personages adverted to in the Message. The more so 105 when the present peculiar situation of those illustrious ladies, and their exemplary conduct upon every occasion, were considered by parliament and by the country. Under ail the circumstances of the case, he felt assured there must exist an anxious desire that such a provision should be made for them as was deemed suitable and adequate for the occasion. The Address, which he should move for the concurrence of their lordships, would not go to pledge the House to any specific grant; yet he was aware it might be desirable on this occasion, that he should, for the information of noble lords, state the nature of the grant which it was proposed to bring under the consideration of parliament. Their lordships were aware, from the communication of his Royal Highness, that as the law now stood, the sum of 30,000l. per annum was appropriated for the purpose in question, but this was not to take place until the demise of his Majesty. From the circumstances of the case, a new arrangement and farther provision became necessary. What it was proposed now to do would take place immediately, and in addition to the sum he had mentioned. According to the pending arrangement, that sum divided between the four Princesses would yield an annuity of between 7 and 8,000l. to each, and in case of a reduction in the number of those illustrious personages to be provided for, that income would be so divided, that if three remained, each Princess would have 10,000l a year; and the same sum to each, if reduced to two; but in case only one should remain, then the annuity to such remaining princess would be only 12,000l. It was now proposed, forthwith, to increase this pending annuity of between seven and 8,000l. to 9,000l. a year each, subject still to the advantages of survivorship, by extending it to the sum of 10,000l. in case of reduction to three or to two; but in case one only should remain, then the annuity not to exceed 12,000l. The operation of the measure would be to render the pending arrangement immediate, and to increase the respective amounts from between 7 and 8,000l. per annum to 9,000l. This was the general outline of what was proposed. And as it was not competent to that House to originate a measure of the kind, the Address he should move would be of a general nature, not pledging the House to any specific sum. The noble Secretary concluded by moving an Address to that effect, and assuring his Royal 106 Highness of the cheerful concurrence of their lordships in measures to enable him to make the desired provision.
Earl Grosvenorcertainly did not mean to oppose the grant. He only wished to know out of what fund it was to be paid.
§ The Earl of Essexexpressed his wish to be informed, whether in the Bill which it was intended to introduce on the occasion, it was proposed to make any arrangement with respect to the provision of her royal highness the Princess of Wales?
The Earl of Liverpoolobserved, that he had received no commands from his Royal Highness on the occasion, and that the Message before their lordships had merely reference to the establishment of their royal highnesses the Princesses.
§ The question was then put, and the Address agreed to nem. dis.