te to the places which had become vacant, and signified to the
members of government that he desired to retain their services.

CONTINUATION

OF

THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND,

By E. H. Nolan

[Illustration: 466.jpg WILLIAM IV.]

CHAPTER XL. (Continued)

{WILLIAM IV. 1830--1831}

_Royal Message to Parliament..... Rupture between the
Ministers and the Whigs..... Debates on the Question of
Regency..... Prorogation and Dissolution of Parliament.....
Formation of Earl Grey's Administration..... Death of Mr.
Huskisson..... State of foreign Nations._

ROYAL MESSAGE TO PARLIAMENT--RUPTURE BETWEEN THE MINISTERS AND
WHIGS-DEBATES ON THE QUESTION OF THE REGENCY.

On the 29th of June the new king sent down a message to parliament,
in which he paid a tribute of respect to his deceased brother, and
requested the commons to make temporary provision for the public service
preparatory to the dissolution of parliament, which would speedily take
place according to constitutional usage. An address, in answer to that
part of the message relating to the death of the late monarch, was
immediately moved by the Duke of Wellington in the upper, and by Sir
Robert Peel in the lower house, in the terms of which all parties
expressed their hearty concurrence. This harmony, however, did not long
prevail. The Whigs had become uneasy because the session had passed
away without bringing them into closer contact with ministers; and this
uneasiness increased when they saw a new reign commencing, and a new
parliament about to be chosen, without any invitation given, or hope
held out to them. The time, they conceived, had arrived, when it became
necessary, if they hoped to participate in the sweets of office, again
to try their strength. They did this on the following day, when the
remaining parts of the speech were taken into consideration. The king
had recommended that parliament should make provision for carrying on
the public service. The Whigs insisted that parliament should continue
to sit until a bill be carried through, appointing a regency in case
the new king should die before the new parliament could meet--the
heir-presumptive, the infant of the late Duke of Kent, being a minor.
Accordingly, the ministers having moved in both houses an address simply
noting that they would make the temporary provision recommended in the
royal message, Earl Grey in the lords, and Lord Althorp in the co