Wellesley had given up the idea of forming a ministry. And though Lord
Grey in his reply (p. 272) expresses his conviction that Lord Moira's
letter was not "an authorized communication," but only "a private
communication," it is clear that it could not have been written without
the privity of the Regent.]

[Footnote 168: "Life of Sheridan," ii., 425.]

[Footnote 169: Pearce's "Life of Lord Wellesley," iii., 276. All the
letters which passed between Lord Grey, Lord Grenville, Lord Moira, and
Lord Wellesley himself are given at full length by Mr. Pearce in that
chapter.]

[Footnote 170: Stapleton's "George Canning and his Times," p. 202.]

[Footnote 171: Mr. Stapleton affirms that his Royal Highness actually
did adopt this plan on this occasion: "His Royal Highness adopted the
unprecedented course of commanding his servants to elect the
First-minister. Their choice fell on Lord Liverpool."--_George Canning
and his Times_, p. 208. Mr. Stapleton, however, gives no authority for
this assertion, and he was probably mistaken, since Lord Liverpool's
papers afford no corroboration of it, but rather tend to disprove it.]

CHAPTER VII.

The Toleration Act.--Impropriety of making Catholic Emancipation (or any
other Important Matter) an Open Question.--Joint Responsibility of all
the Ministers.--Detention of Napoleon at St. Helena.--Question whether
the Regent could Give Evidence in a Court of Law in a Civil
Action.--Agitation for Reform.--Public Meetings.--The Manchester
Meeting.--The Seditious Meetings Prevention Bill.--Lord Sidmouth's Six
Acts.

The war was daily becoming of more exciting interest, and, so far as our
armies were concerned, was rapidly assuming greater proportions. While
the Duke of Portland was still at the head of affairs, Napoleon, by his
unprovoked attacks on both the Peninsular kingdoms, had at last opened a
field of action to our armies, in which even the most sanguine of those
who placed a loyal confidence in the old invincibility of English
prowess could not have anticipated the unbroken series of glories which
were to reward their efforts. For four years Lord Wellington had
contended against all the most renowned marshals of the Empire,[172]
driving them back from impregnable lines of defence, defeating them in
pitched battles, storming their strongest fortresses, without ever
giving them room to boast of even the most momentary advantage obtained
over himself; and he was now on the ev