r of
the exchequer whether he intended to bring forward any proposition, for
extricating the Prince of Wales from his embarrassing situation; and
having received a reply in the negative, he gave notice of his intention
to bring the subject before the house on the 4th of May. On a
subsequent evening, Pitt requested the alderman to inform the house more
particularly of the nature of the motion he intended to make; at the
same time holding out a threat, apparently with the object of preventing
it being brought forward. Nothing daunted, however, on the 27th of
April, Alderman Newnham stated, that the motion he intended to make
would be to this effect:--"That an humble address be presented to his
majesty, praying him to take into consideration the present embarrassed
state of the affairs of the Prince of Wales, and to grant him such
relief as his royal wisdom should think fit, and that the house
would make good the same." An interesting conversation followed this
announcement, in which Alderman Newnham was entreated to withdraw
his motion, as being pregnant with inconvenience and mischief. Pitt
observed, that by his perseverance he should be driven to the disclosure
of circumstances which he should have otherwise thought it his duty
to conceal; and Mr. Rolle, member for Devonshire, asserted that the
investigation of the question involved matter by which the constitution
both in church and state might be essentially affected. Fox, Sheridan,
and other members in the confidence of the prince, declared that he
wished for a full and impartial investigation of his conduct, and Mr.
Rolle was called upon to explain the extraordinary language he had used.
Rolle was silent on this occasion; and on the 30th of the month, when
Alderman Newnham again brought the subject before the house, by stating
that his royal highness wished him to persevere in his design, Fox
called the attention of the members to his mysterious declaration.
Looking Rolle full in the face, he said that he wished he had spoken
more explicitly; but he supposed he alluded to a certain low and
malicious rumour, a supposed marriage; a thing which not only had not
happened, but which was even impossible. Rolle acknowledged that his
allusions had reference to this rumour, and Fox then contradicted the
report in the most unqualified language: the fact, he said, not only
never could have happened legally, but never did happen in any way
whatsoever, and had, from the beginning