tions should serve only to hold us out as the objects of harsh suspiciou at home, or of daring attempts upon our allegiance from abroad. May we, then, with hearts deeply interested in the fate of this our humble supplication, presume to appeal to the wisdom and benignity of your Royal Highness on behalf of a very numerous, industrious, affectionate, and faithful body of people, the Roman Catholics of Ireland.

And to pray, that your Royal Highness may be pleased to take into your valuable consideration the whole of our condition; our numbers, our services, our merits, and our sufferings.

And, as we are conscious of the purity of our motives and the integrity of our principles, we therefore humbly pray to be restored to the rights and privileges of the Constitution of our country; to be freed from all penal and disabling laws in force against us on account of our religious faith; and that we may thereby become more worthy, as well as more capable, of promoting the service of the Crown, and the substantial interests of this great Empire, now committed to the unrestricted wisdom of your Royal Highness.

Minute of Conversation between Mr. Canning and Lord Liverpool, dated 17th May, 1812.

Gloucester Lodge, Sunday,
May 17, 1812.

Lord Liverpool stated to me, that be was commanded by his Royal Highness the Prince Regent to make me the following communication:

That upon the melancholy event of Mr. Perceval's death, his Royal Highness being desirous of continuing his administration upon its present basis, was desirous also of strengthening it as much as possible, by associating to it such per

Family.

The Prince Regent, deeply impressed with the severe loss his Royal Highness and the country have sustained in consequence of the murder of the Right Honourable Spencer Perceval, and being desirous of marking his sense of the public and private virtues of

nearly and generally in the principles upon which public affairs had been conducted.

That with this view his Royal Highness naturally looked to Lord Wellesley and to me.

That he (Lord Liverpool) was authorised to express the disposition of all his colleagues to act with Lord Wellesley and me, under an arrangement

arrangement which might be at once consistent with their own honour and duty, and honourable and satisfactory to us.

That with respect to Lord Castlereagh, it was fair that it should be distinctly understood, that the situation in which he stands both in this government, and in the House of Commons, was to be preserved to him.

That with respect to official arrangements, he (Lord L.) would not have been the bearer of any proposition to me, but one which was understood as comprising my friends. In answer to a question put by me, Lord L. stated, that his colleagues were desirous, that he should be appointed to the office of First Lord of the Treasury; and that this desire was known to the Prince Regent, when his Royal Highness commanded Lord Liverpool to undertake this communication.

Lord Liverpool added, that he was ready to answer any other inquiry that I might wish to make; or to clear up any thing that he might have imperfectly explained, I said, that I thought it better to receive his communication just as he gave it to me; and to defer making any remark, or giving any answer whatever, until I should have communicated it to my friends; Lord Liverpool himself undertaking to see Lord Wellesley.

I wou'd only, therefore, askWhether I was to consider the opinion and policy of the government as remaining altogether unchanged upon the question relating to the laws affecting the Roman Catholics?

Lord Liverpool answered, that his own opinions upon this subject remained unchanged; and that he

was not aware that those of his colleagues had undergone anys change.

I then wrote this minute in Lord Liverpool's presence; which he read over, and suggested such corrections as appeared to him necessary for making it perfectly ac curate.

(Signed) GEORGE CANNING,

No. 2. Minute of conversation between Lord Wellesley and Lord Liverpool, 17th May, 1812.

Apsley-House, 17th May, 1812, past 5 p. m.

Lord Liverpool came to me immediately after his visit to Mr. Canning, and remained with me for about half an hour. Soon after Lord Liverpool's departure, I received the annexed paper from Mr. Canning.

Lord Liverpool's conversation with me was substantially the same as that which is described to have passed with Mr. Canning. Any difference which appeared, arose necessarily from my questions and observations, which were made without knowledge of what passed between Lord Liverpool and Mr. Canning. After receiving Lord Liverpool's verbal communication, nearly in the terms stated by Mr. Canning, I inquired, (1st.) what was to be the policy of the government with relation to the Roman Catholics? To this question Lord Liverpool returned the same. answer stated in Mr. Canning's paper to have been returned to a similar question.

2dly, I observed to Lord Liverpool, that he was apprised of my opinion, that our efforts in the Peninsula

Peninsula had been conducted on an inadequate and imperfect scale, which could not be expected to accomplish the ultimate objects of the war in that quarter: that I had for a long time considered an extension of our system in the Peninsula to be indispensably necessary, and easily practicable: that I was aware of the impropriety (in my present situation) of urging any detailed questions to Lord Liverpool on this point; but, that I mentioned it now, because it must form a principal consideration in my answer to the proposition which he had brought to me.

Lord Liverpool said, that he did not agree in my opinion respecting the scale of the efforts which we had hitherto made in the Peninsula, which he thought as great as it had been possible to make; that there never had been any limit to our exertions in that quarter, but what arose out of the question of practicability (that is, the means of increasing and supplying our armies); and that he had never heard any specific plan by which those means might have been carried further, though the subject had been often most anxiously considered in my presence that circumstances had occurred since my resignation, which did not then exist, and into the particulars of which it would not be proper for him to enter at this time, which might enable government to extend, to a certain degree, the military operations in the Peninsula; and the system of himself and his colleagues would be, as he contended they always had been, to make the greatest efforts in the cause of the Peninsula which the resources of the country rendered possible.

3dly, I inquired whether all the general constituent parts of the present cabinet were to remain ? He informed me that they were in general to remain. He believed it was known to me, that some of the members of the cabinet had been long desirous of retiring, and would be ready, therefore, now to afford facilities to any new arrangement.

In answer to a question put by me respecting Lord Sidmouth and his friends, he said they were to remain.

4thly, I stated to Lord Liverpool, that I made no inquiry respecting the proposed distribution and allocation of offices; because that circumstance would not constitute the basis of my decision upon the proposition which he had brought to me.

Lord Liverpool observed, that the distribution of offices was a matter open to future adjustment, to be regulated for the honour of all parties.

5thly, When Lord Liverpool informed me, that the leading in the House of Commons was to be preserved to Lord Castlereagh, I remarked, that in any situation which I might ever hold in any administration, I should feel great obligation to any member of the government who would undertake that charge, which was called the leading in the House of Parliament in which I sat; although I was fully aware of the great importance which that charge necessarily conveyed to the person who exercised it, and of the great influence which it must give to him in the general administration and patronage of the government.

6thly, I desired to know, whether all those persons now designated be

the

the name of the "Opposition," were to be excluded from the proposed scheme of administration?

Lord Liverpool answered, that no principle of exclusion was intended; but that he was not authorised to make any proposal to any persons of the description which I had mentioned.

7thly, Considering the course which Lord Liverpool had observed in making this communication, I asked him, whether he applied to me by command of the Prince Regent, as a part of Mr. Canning's suite?-I reminded Lord Liverpool of the constant and unabated exertions which I had made to open every avenue for the return of Mr. Canning to the public service; remarking at the same time, that I never had attempted to press that point beyond the honour and feel ings of Mr. Perceval's administration. I stated, that I could not consider any administration to be constituted on a foundation of justice towards individual talents and services, or towards the interests of the country, in which Mr. Canning should not hold a high efficient station. But I added, that Mr. Canning was under no engagement to me which could preclude his acceptance of any office which might be offered to him; that, on the other hand, Mr. Canning would certainly make the same declaration with regard to my perfect freedom. Lord Liverpool said, that he had pursued this course of communication, being convinced, that under the present circumstances, I would not accept office, unless a fair proposal was made to Mr. Canning. I declared to Lord Liverpool, that he was correct in this view of my sentiments towards Mr. Can

ning; repeating, however, that Mr. Canning and I were perfectly free to act as each might think fit, and that our agreement in many great public principles could not affect questions of mere official arrangement.

Sthly, I expressed my wish to receive this communication in writing; to answer it in writing; and also to submit my sentiments upon the whole transaction in an audience of the Prince Regent.

Lord Liverpool informed me, that Mr. Canning would transmit to me a copy of the minute of Lord Liverpool's conversation taken in his presence, and Lord Liverpool desired me to consider that paper as the written communication which I wished to receive. I agreed to Lord Liverpool's propo sal on this point. I then informed Lord Liverpool, that I would return my answer in writing to that paper. Whatever might be the tenour of my answer, with regard to the great public considerations ou which it must be founded, I expressed my hope, that Lord Liverpool would be assured of my sincere personal respect and esteem. I now transmit this minute to Lord Liverpool, requesting him to insert any correction which he may think requisite.

(Signed)

May 18, 1812.

WELLESLEY,

Corrected by Lord Liverpool, and returned to me.

(Signed) WELLESLEY.

No. 3. Note from Mr. Canning to Lord Wellesley, enclosing a Letter to Mr. Canning from Lord Li, verpool, relative to Lord Castle, reagh.

(Copy.)

Fife-house, May 17, 1812. My dear Canning, I think, upon reflection, it is due to Lord Castlereagh to state, in writing, what I mentioned to you, verbally, that from motives of delicacy, he absented himself from the cabinet, on the occasions on which the subject in your memorandum was determined.

I did not, however, make the communication to you without having reason to know that he would be no obstacle in the way of an arrangement, founded on the principles in the memorandum.

I will beg of you to communicate this letter to any persons to whom you may communicate the memorandum.

(Signed) LIVERPOOL.

Lord Wellesley's reply to Lord Liverpool's proposition.

Apsley-house, May 18.

From the communication receiv ed through Lord Liverpool, I understand, that his Royal Highness the Prince Regent has been graci ously pleased to signify his desire of strengthening his administration upon its present basis, by asso ciating me with it, as one of those persons who agree most nearly and generally in the principles upon which public affairs have been conducted.

From the same communication I also derive the gratifying intelli gence, that all Lord Liverpool's colleagues have authorised him to express a disposition to act with me, under an arrangement, consistent with their own honour and duty, and honourable and satisfactory to