of the trust proposed to her by parliament, together with
the council to aid her in the discharge of an office with which was
connected, not only her own happiness, but also the happiness of a
great, loyal, and affectionate people. The answers received from the
Prince of Wales and the queen were read in the house of lords on the
31st; and after they were ordered to be printed, Lord Camden moved, in
a committee of the house on the state of the nation, that letters patent
should be issued, under the great seal, empowering certain commissioners
to open and hold the king's parliament at Westminister. Among the
commissioners proposed by ministers were the names of the Prince of
Wales, his brother, the Duke of York, and his uncles, the Dukes of
Cumberland and Gloucester. The duke of York, however, whose views
entirely coincided with those of opposition, rose and said, that from
want of knowledge, he had been unable to take any steps to prevent his
nomination; and that, as he could not sanction such unconstitutional and
illegal proceedings with his name, he desired that it might be omitted:
he added, "and I am requested to make the same request on the part of my
brother, the Prince of Wales." The Duke of Cumberland, also, on the same
grounds, desired that his own name, and the name of his brother, the
Duke of Gloucester, should be struck out of the commission. A debate
took place on the proper mode of withdrawing the names of these four
personages, so as to convey no disrespect either to the house or to
their royal highnesses; but it was finally settled that the names should
still stand on the transcript, and that when the resolution was reported
to the house, an amendment should be moved, to make it appear on the
journals, that it was at the express desire of the several princes
that their names were omitted. Camden's motion was now passed without
a division; and the resolution being communicated to the commons, at
a conference on the 2nd of February, Pitt moved the concurrence of the
house therein. Another stormy debate took place, in which Lord North
and Burke strongly insisted on the right of the Prince of Wales to
the regency, and in which Pitt as strongly denied that right; but no
division took place, and the resolution of the lords was therefore
carried. The session was now opened on the 3rd of February, and the bill
founded on the propositions already agreed upon was brought in, and by
the 13th of February passed the hou