The journal of Elizabeth Lady Holland (1791-1811) Volume 2 (of 2)Holland, Elizabeth Vassall Fox, Lady
History
The journal of Elizabeth Lady Holland (1791-1811) Volume 2 (of 2)
Holland, Elizabeth Vassall Fox, Lady
Holland, Elizabeth Vassall Fox, Lady, 1770-1845 -- Diaries
_14th March._--Before it is decided whether Ministers are to go out,
or accommodate their present differences with the K., I shall try and
collect as well as I can, all the important particulars which have
led things to the present vexatious state. It was the intention of Ld.
Grenville, not only to extend the provisions of the Irish Act of 1793
to the whole British Army, but also to open Staff appointments to the
Catholics, but this dispatch to the King was expressed with some degree
of ambiguity, so that it might be construed to mean that he intended
only to extend the provisions of the Irish Act to this country. It
was so understood by the King, Lds. Sidmouth, and Howick; and when
transmitted to Ireland and read by Mr. Elliot to the Catholics, it
appeared so ambiguous, that when they demanded an explanation of this
point, Mr. E. wrote to Ld. Spencer for instructions how to answer them.
This letter was sent to Lord Grenville, and answered by him without any
consultation with his colleagues. In his answer he expressed surprise
that Mr. Elliot should have had any difficulty upon the subject, and
authorised him to inform the Catholics that it was the intention of
Governt. to remove all disabilities whatever in the army attaching to
members of their Church.
When Ld. Sidmouth understood the misconception under which he had
laboured with regard to the meaning of the proposed clause, he appeared
to be extremely distressed, and expressed himself very doubtful
whether he should not enter into an explanation with the King, in
order to explain his own conduct in the whole affair. But at length he
determined that, if no communication was made on the subject by the
Cabinet, he should take no notice whatever of it; as it was uncertain
in what light the dispatch might have been viewed by the King, and
whether he had understood by it that the new clauses were to be exactly
the same as those of the Irish Act in 1793, or to apply also to the
Staff appointments. It was judged proper by the Cabinet to say nothing
of this difficulty and contrariety of opinions to the King, but to
send to him the proposed clauses, which it was found afterwards more
convenient to be made into a separate Bill, and to leave him to object
to them if they were different from what he was prepared for.
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