“In the meanwhile, however, Perceval, wholly unknown to the Whigs, had got the book actually _printed_, and bound up _ready for publication_, and it is clear that it was intended to be published on the Monday named in the Princess’s letter; namely, on the _9th of March_, unless prevented by the King’s _yielding to the wishes of Perceval_. He did yield, that is to say, he resolved _to change his ministers_! A _ground_ for doing this was however a difficulty to be got over. To allege and promulgate the _true_ ground would never do; for then the public would have cried aloud for the publication, which contained matter so deeply scandalous to the King and all the Royal family. Therefore _another ground_ was alleged; and herein we are going to behold another and another important consequence, and other national calamities proceeding from this dispute between the Prince and his wife. This other ground that was chosen was the Catholic Bill. The Whigs stood pledged to grant a bill for the further relief of the Catholics. They had in September, 1806, _dissolved the parliament_, though it was only _four years_ old, for the purpose of securing a majority in the House of Commons; and into this new house, which had met on the 19th of December, 1806, they had introduced the Catholic Bill, by the hands of Mr. Grey (now become Lord Howick,) with the _great and general approbation of the House_, and with a clear understanding, that, notwithstanding all the cant and hypocrisy that the foes of the Catholics had, at different times, played off about the _conscientious scruples_ of the King, the King had now explicitly and cheerfully _given his consent_ to the bringing in of this bill. “The new ministry had nominally at its head _the late Duke of Portland_; but Perceval, who was _Chancellor of the Exchequer_, was, in fact, the master of the whole affair, co-operating, however, cordially with Eldon, who now again became Chancellor. The moment the dismission of the Whigs was resolved on, the other party set up the cry of “No Popery.” The walls and houses, not only of London, but of the country towns and villages, were covered with these words, sometimes in chalk and sometimes in print; the clergy and corporations were all in motion, even the cottages on the skirts of the commons, and the forests heard fervent _blessings_ poured out on the head of the _good old King_ for preserving the nation from a rekindling of the “_fires in Smithfield_!” Never was delusion equal to this! Never a people so deceived; never public credulity so great; never hypocrisy so profound and so detestably malignant as that of the deceivers! The mind shrinks back at the thought of an eternity of suffering, even as the lot of the deliberate murderer; but if the thought were to be endured, it would be as applicable to that awful sentence awarded to hypocrisy like this.” _Extract 3._