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‘The royal family are those who are in the
order of succession, one after another,’ answered
Bedford, unmasking the malice in which the bill had been conceived.
Richmond wished that, in the doubt, the judges should be consulted.
On this,
Sandwich moved the adjournment.
The king, who had never intended to appoint his mother, was anxious to save her name from disagreeable discussion in parliament.
When, therefore, he
received the report of the occurrence,
Halifax was authorized to use words whose meaning would admit of no dispute.
But before he could deliver his message,
Richmond proposed to include among those eligible to the regency, ‘the princess dowager, and others descended from the late
king.’
The motion was rejected by the ministers; after which Halifax, using the king's authority, renewed the same motion, except that he omitted the princess dowager.
In this way the bill passed the House of Lords.
The ministry had not intended so much; they had circumvented the king, and used his name to put a brand upon his mother.
Bute's friends were thunderstruck, while the duke of
Bedford almost danced for joy. The king's natural affection was very strong; he suffered the utmost agitation, even to tears; and declared that Halifax ‘had surprised him into the message.’
When on the fifth of May, he admitted
Gren-
ville, he colored with great emotion, complained of the mark of disregard shown to his mother as an offence to her which he could not bear; and with the embarrassment of a man who begs a favor which he fears may be denied, entreated its removal.
Grenville obstinately refused himself to make the necessary
