The Constitutional History of England from 1760 to 1860Yonge, Charles Duke
History
The Constitutional History of England from 1760 to 1860
Yonge, Charles Duke
Constitutional history -- Great Britain; Great Britain -- History -- 19th century; Great Britain -- History -- George III, 1760-1820
for violations of the Game-law, and could by no stretch of ingenuity be
connected with any question of taxation.
Notes:
[Footnote 16: A motion was, indeed, made (but the "Parliamentary
History," xvi., 55, omits to state by whom) that the House should
"humbly entreat his Majesty, out of his tender and paternal regard for
his people, that he would be graciously pleased to name the person or
persons whom, in his royal wisdom, he shall think fit to propose to the
consideration of Parliament for the execution of those high trusts, this
House apprehending it not warranted by precedent nor agreeable to the
principles of this free constitution to vest in any person or persons
not particularly named and approved of in Parliament the important
offices of Regent of these kingdoms and guardian of the royal offspring
heirs to the crown." But "it passed in the negative," probably, if we
may judge by other divisions on motions made by the same party, by an
overwhelming majority.]
[Footnote 17: No one doubted that this choice had been made under the
influence of Lord Bute, and was designed for the preservation of that
influence.--Lord Stanhope, _History of England_, v., 41.]
[Footnote 18: In his speech in the House of Lords on the Regency Bill of
1840, the Duke of Sussex stated that George III. had nominated the Queen
as Regent in the first instance, and, in the event of her death, the
Princess Dowager.]
[Footnote 19: "Lives of the Chancellors," c. cxli.]
[Footnote 20: It appears from these dates that it was not yet understood
that Parliament could not be prorogued for a longer period than forty
days.]
[Footnote 21: These words occur in a speech attributed to Lord
Mansfield. There is no detailed account of the debates on this subject
in either House. All that exists in the "Parliamentary History" is a
very brief abstract of the discussion in the Commons, and a document
occupying above sixty pages of the same work (pp. 251-314), entitled "A
Speech on behalf of the Constitution against the Suspending and
Dispensing Prerogative," etc., with a foot-note explaining that "this
speech was supposed to be penned by Lord Mansfield, but was, in fact,
written by Mr. Macintosh, assisted by Lord Temple and Lord Lyttleton."
It certainly seems to contain internal evidence that it was not written
by any lawyer, from the sneers at and denunciations of lawyers which it
contains, as a class of men who "have often appeared to be the worst
guardians of the constitution, and too frequently the wickedest enemies
to, and most treacherous betrayers of, the liberties of their country."
But, by whomsoever it was "penned" and published, the arguments which it
contains against the dispensing power were, probably, those which had
been urged by the great Chief-justice, and as such I have ventured to
cite them here.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account