The life of the Rt. Hon. Spencer Perceval, including his correspondence with numerous distinguished persons

Front matter

COOMES'S

EQENT LIBRARY,

FOR TOWN & COUNTRY SUBSCRIBERS.

Chapter I. The Break-up Op The Portland Administration

Lamentable Consequences of the Duke of Portland's Secrecy — Conduct of Canning — Opinion of his Contemporaries — Perceval Prime Minister — Meeting of the Cabinet — Minute to the King — Interview with His Majesty — Canning's Conversation — Levee — Negotiations for the Formation of a Government — King's Answer to the Cabinet Minute — Failure of Negotiations for a Combined Government — Difficulties of the Situation — Lord Eldon — Meeting of Cabinet at Perceval's Residence Page 1

CHAPTER II. THE FORMATION OF PERCEVAL's GOVERNMENT

Difficulty of forming a Cabinet — Dundas — Lord Sidmouth and Lord Wellesley — Extraordinary Proceedings of Canning — The Foreign Office offered to Lord Wellesley — Lord Wellesley's Reply — Political Influence of Lord Sidmouth and his Followers — Hopes and Fears of the Ministry — Bragge-Bathurst, and Vansittart — Robert Milnes and Lord Palmerston — Palmerston Secretary -at -War — George Rose — A Lecture on Finance — Chancellorship of the Exchequer a-begging — The Cabinet ......... 38

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Chapter III. The Session Op 1810. 1810

Completion of Negotiations — The New Ministry — Palmerston and Peel — The King and the Ministry — The Battle of Talavera — Meeting of Parliament — Debate on the Address — Disinterestedness of Perceval — Inquiry into the Walcheren Expedition — Lord Chatham's Report — Whitbread's Victory in the House of Commons — Resignation of Lord Chatham — Unusual Conflict in Parliament — Case of Gale Jones — Sir Francis Burdett's Address to his Constituents — His Committal to the Tower — London in a State of Siege — Sir F. Burdett's Actions against the Speaker and Serjeant-at-Law — Arbitrary Policy of the Speaker — Budget of the Year — Prosperity of the Country — Sinecures — Parliamentary Reform — Catholic Emancipation Page 66

Chapter IV. The War In Spain

The Peninsular War — Difficulties of the English Government^ Perceval's Consistent Opposition to French Domination — Inconvenience resulting from the Want of Bullion — Trade with Spanish Colonies — Loan solicited by Spain — Negotiations with the Spanish Government — Perceval's Correspondence with Lord Wellesley — Difficulty of providing for the Army in Spain — Letter from Lord Wellington . . . . . Ill

Chapter V

Critical Position of Government — Lord Sidmouth and Canning — Lord Wellesley — Propositions made to Canning and Castlereagh — Correspondence of Canning, Castlereagh, and Perceval — Death of the Princess Amelia — Illness of the King —

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Meeting of Privy Council — Medical Examination of the King — Regency proposed — Limitations of the Regency — Protest of the Prince of Wales — Growing Reputation of Perceval — Difficulties of his Position — Painful Situation of Lord Grenville , Page 135

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Perceval's Increasing Reputation — Health of the King — Speoula.- tions on a Change of Government — State of Parties — Retention of Tories in Office — The Regency Bill — Sentiments of the Opposition — Extraordinary Change in the Opinions of the Prince of Wales — Letter from the Prince Regent, and Mr. Perceval's Reply — Meeting of Parliament — War in Spain — Great Effi3rts of England — Commercial Paralysis — Discussions on the Currency — Debate on Horner's Bullion Report — Vansittart's Resolutions — The Gold Coin Bill — Debate on the Grant to W. Palmer 181

Chapter VII. 1811-1812

How Perceval achieved Success — Seeds of Schism in the Administration — Lord Wellesley — Expiration of the Regency Restrictions — Debts of the Prince Regent — The Regent's Establishment — Correspondence of Lord Wellesley and Perceval — Meeting of Parliament — The Regent's Speech — Wellesley Pole's Change of Opinions — State of Ireland — Lord Wellesley's Resignation — Perceval's Conduct of the War in the Peninsula — Letter from Lord Wellington — The Catholic Question — Wellesley Pole's Memorandum — Resignation of Charles Yorke — Overture to Lords Grey and Grenville — Official Rearrangements — Defence of Sinecures . . . 219

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