he Tories (S479), who
were still in power, led to the "Cato Street Conspiracy." Shortly
after the accession of George IV a few desperate men banded together,
and meeting in a stable in Cato Street, London, formed a plot to
murder Lord Liverpool and his entire cabinet at dinner at which all
the ministers were to be present.

The plot was discovered, and the conspirators were speedily disposed
of by the gallows or transportation, but nothing was done to relieve
the suffering which had provoked the intended crime. No new
conspiracy was attempted, but in the course of the next ten years a
silent revolution took place, which, as we shall see later, obtained
for the people that fuller representation in Parliament which they had
hitherto vainly attempted to get (S582).

572. Queen Caroline.

While he was Prince of Wales, George IV had, contrary to law,
privately married Mrs. Fitzherbert (1785),[1] a Roman Catholic lady of
excellent character, and possessed of great beauty. Ten years later,
partly through royal compulsion and partly to get money to pay off
some of his numerous debts, the Prince married his cousin, the
Princess Caroline of Brunswick. The union proved a source of
unhappiness to both. The Princess lacked both discretion and
delicacy, and her husband, who disliked her from the first, was
reckless and brutal toward her.

[1] By the Royal Marriage Act of 1772, no descendant of George II
could make a legal marriage without the consent of the reigning
sovereign, unless twenty-five years of age, and unless the marriage
was not objected to by Parliament.

He separated from her in a year's time, and as soon as she could, she
withdrew to the Continent. When he became King he excluded Queen
Caroline's name from the Prayer Book, and next applied to Parliament
for a divorce on the ground of the Queen's unfaithfulness to her
marriage vows.

Henry Brougham, afterwards Lord Brougham, acted as the Queen's
counsel. No sufficient evidence was brought against her, and the
ministry declined to take further action. It was decided, however,
that she could not claim the honor of coronation, to which, as Queen
Consort, she had a right sanctioned by custom but not secured by law.
When the King was crowned (1821), no place was provided for her. By
the advice of her counsel, she presented herself at the entrance of
Westminster Abbey as the coronation ceremony was about to begin; but,
by order of her husband, admission was r