Guardian, to exercise the King's authority during his illness,
but in the King's name only. We have, I think, not yet entirely
made up our minds as to the degree of power and authority which
it will be right to put into his hands for that purpose. That it
cannot be necessary to invest him with the whole regal
authority, is, I think, quite evident; and we owe it to the
King, both as public men professing allegiance to him, and as
individuals bound to him by many ties of gratitude and honour,
to take whatever steps we can with propriety to preserve to him,
in case of his recovery, not merely his legal rights, of which
he cannot be deprived, but also the political means of
exercising those rights according to the opinions which he
entertains both of public men and public measures. And to this
extent I am inclined to hope that the general opinion will bear
us out; but we must be extremely cautious that we do nothing
which shall bear in the public estimation the appearance of
wishing to establish ourselves under this pretence in the
continuance of our power in opposition to the Prince of Wales,
in whom we are to propose the supreme authority to be vested.
All the precedents, as far as they apply to this case, would
justify the appointment of a Council of Regency, to be named by
Parliament, by the majority of which the Regent would be bound.
And I think it is not clear that in all events we shall not be
obliged, by the strong analogy to be drawn from some of those
cases, to provide some such Council. But it seems now to be
agreed that we ought not to propose their being named by
Parliament, because that would be in effect to propose that the
executive authority should be vested by Parliament in our hands,
instead of those of the Prince of Wales. Such a proposition
would be difficult to carry, and might be seen by the public in
such a light as materially and permanently to affect our
characters. Besides this, what is more important even than these
considerations, is, that on the fullest consideration, we are
persuaded such a proposal ought not to be made, and would, if
carried, be injurious to the country. Examine the provisions of
the last Regency Bill, and you will, I think, be convinced that
the present Government, being joined in such a Council with the
Prince of Wales an