History of the Peninsular War, Volume 4 (of 6)Southey, Robert
History
History of the Peninsular War, Volume 4 (of 6)
Southey, Robert
Peninsular War, 1807-1814
Lord Grenville, who was in Cornwall, replied, he should lose no time in
repairing to town, and begged leave to defer all observations upon the
business till his arrival. The day after his arrival he sent an answer
conformable to that of Earl Grey, declining the proposed communication,
because it could not be productive of any public advantage. “I trust,”
he added, “I need not say that this opinion is neither founded in any
sentiment of personal hostility, nor in a desire of unnecessarily
prolonging political differences. To compose, not to inflame, the
divisions of the empire, has always been my anxious wish, and is now
more than ever the duty of every loyal subject; but my accession to
the existing administration could not in any respect contribute to
this object, nor could it be considered in any other light than as a
dereliction of public principle. This answer, which I must have given
to any such proposal, if made while the government was yet entire,
cannot be varied by the retreat of some of its members. My objections
are not personal, they apply to the principle of the government itself,
and to the circumstances which attended its appointment.”
Nothing but extreme necessity could have induced the remaining
ministers to make these overtures; and when their advances were thus
rejected, great hopes were entertained by the adverse party, that
they would not be able to keep their ground as an administration. It
was even affirmed and believed that some of the highest offices were
offered to different persons, and that none could be found to accept
them. The only hope of the ministry rested upon Marquis Wellesley;
hints were thrown out that he would not join any arrangement in which
Mr. Canning was not included; this opinion, however, proved erroneous,
the Marquis accepted the office which Mr. Canning vacated, the Earl
of Liverpool was transferred from the home to the war department,
and the situation which he had vacated was filled by Mr. Ryder. Lord
Palmerstone was made secretary at war in the room of Sir James
Pulteney, and Mr. Perceval took the place of the Duke of Portland,
... thus uniting in himself, as Mr. Pitt and Mr. Addington had done
before him, the offices of first lord of the treasury and chancellor
of the exchequer. The loss of the Duke was only that of a name; that
of Mr. Canning was greatly regretted, as was also the secession of Mr.
Huskisson, who resigned his seat at the treasury at the same time;
but though the ministry was weakened by their departure, it was well
understood that the opposition would derive no aid from them; and, on
the whole, government was thought to have gained by these changes more
than it had lost, in consequence of the high reputation of Marquis
Wellesley, and the almost general desire of the nation to see him in
administration. His brother, Mr. Henry Wellesley, was appointed to
succeed him as ambassador to Spain.
♦DISPOSITION OF THE FRENCH AND SPANISH ARMIES.♦
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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