or to open parliament. Under these circumstances an
adjournment for fifteen days was proposed in both houses, and agreed to,
and successive adjournments took place until the 13th of December,
when they finally met for the transaction of business. In the meantime
committees had been appointed to examine the attendant physicians
respecting his majesty's health. From them it appeared that there were
very slight hopes of his recovery, at least for a considerable period;
and, besides, the chancellor of the exchequer had by this time took
measures for the appointment of a regency. He brought forward three
propositions: one, declaring the king's incapacity for the performance
of the functions of royalty; a second, asserting the right of the two
houses to supply this defect in the executive power; and a third, that
means should be devised for giving the royal assent to a bill on the
exercise of the regal authority during his majesty's indisposition. The
two former of these propositions were assented to without a division,
though not without some opposition from Sir Francis Burdett, who
declared his solemn protest against the whole proceedings, as aiming
a mortal blow against the constitution. Against the third proposition
several exceptions were taken. Mr. Ponsonby, indeed, denied that the
houses had a right to command the chancellor to apply the king's seal to
an act which was thence to be considered as having the royal sanction,
and he moved for an address to the Prince of Wales, praying him to take
the regal functions on him during his majesty's illness. Sir Samuel
Romilly thought the resolutions inconsistent with each other. He
remarked:--"In one, the right of the lords and commons to fill up the
vacancy is asserted; and yet that vacancy being acknowledged, the royal
assent to a bill is to be procured, to which his majesty can give no
assent: the will of the lords and common: can in nowise be construed
into the king's will; nor can they by any means legislate for the
nation. As well might a set of men in common life make a contract for an
insane person, and then employ an individual as his solicitor to affix
his seal and signature to the deed: in fact, the personal presence of
the king, or of a commission signed by him, was essential to every act
of legislation; and if the house could dispense with this in one case,
they might in others; they might make war or peace, and say such was the
king's pleasure." Mr. Ponsonby's moti