Memoirs of the Court of George IV. 1820-1830 (Vol 1): From the Original Family DocumentsBuckingham and Chandos, Richard Plantagenet Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos Grenville, Duke of
History
Memoirs of the Court of George IV. 1820-1830 (Vol 1): From the Original Family Documents
Buckingham and Chandos, Richard Plantagenet Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos Grenville, Duke of
Great Britain -- History -- George IV, 1820-1830
Alarming as might be considered the aspect of domestic affairs, the
Government, so far from betraying apprehension, carried on the business
of the country with untiring vigilance and decision. Hunt and five of
his associates, after a long trial, were on the 23rd of March, at York,
found guilty of unlawfully assembling and inciting to hatred of the
Government. On the same day, Sir Francis Burdett was found guilty of
uttering a seditious libel. On the 10th of April, Sir Charles Wolseley
and Mr. Joseph Harrison were also found guilty of sedition. The most
guilty of the Cato Street heroes made their last public appearance at
the Old Bailey on the 1st of May; the remainder were expatriated to New
South Wales. Thus the supremacy of the law was vindicated; but there
still existed in the more populous districts feelings inimical to the
authorities, that might be restrained by coercive demonstrations, but
which only waited a favourable season for bursting through all control:
and as, on the 20th of April, Mr. Denman and Mr. Brougham had been
acknowledged by the Lord Chancellor, from his seat in the Court of
Chancery, the Queen's Solicitor and Attorney-General, the discontented
took heart, and saw in this admission of the Queen's position, a
prognostication of the struggle that was to create for them the
opportunity for which they were waiting.
The Court of the Monarch did not appear more apprehensive than his
Ministers. A day was fixed for the Coronation; and among those who
would have to assist in the ceremonial, no one ventured to hint on the
possibility of the Queen having any position in it. On the 3rd of May,
the King received addresses at Carlton House; and on the 10th, his
Majesty held his first Levee since his accession to the throne, at
which nearly 1800 persons of distinction were present, who testified
their attachment to his person in a manner that must have left him
little to desire. It was known that his consort intended to agitate the
empire from end to end, and her arrival was looked for in a few weeks;
but the families of the great political party that formed and supported
the Government, betrayed no uneasiness--indeed, the most influential
regarded, or affected to regard, the coming struggle with a quiet
disdain, that evinced their confidence in the loyalty and good sense of
the nation. "His Majesty's Opposition," however, talked and looked very
differently;--the Democratic party were vehement in their denunciations
of the Queen's wrongs, and the leading Whigs began to come forward
prominently as champions of her rights. This is about the date of the
following communications:--
RIGHT HON. THOS. GRENVILLE TO THE MARQUIS OF BUCKINGHAM.
Cleveland Square, May 4, 1820.
MY DEAR LORD B----,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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