Among the farther acts of this session were two which regarded Scotland ; one for the increase of the smaller church livings, of which none in this part of the kingdom are now under L.150 ; the other relative to judicial proceedings, and reducing the heavy expences caused by the compulsory ex tract of office papers. The Court of Session had been previously divided into chambers by an act passed in 1808 ; and the trial, by jury, in civil causes, was introduced into Scotland by an act of 1815.
The Session opened in November, more early than was intended, in consequence of the mental in disposition of the King. Repeated adjournments, however, took place in the vain hope of a recovery, and it was not till 20th December that resolutions for a regency were moved in both Houses. They formed the chief subject of discussion during the ensuing month. Their principal characteristics con sisted in the restrictions imposed on the Prince for the succeeding year, during which he was not per mitted to confer the rank of Peer, to grant an office in reversion, or even a place or pension, except during the King's pleasure ; while the management of the royal household was vested in the Queen. Resolutions so obnoxious to the Prince called forth a strong opposition, and a motion that the royal power should be conferred- on him without restric tion, was supported by W0 against 224. But the divisions in favour of ministers became stronger after the question of the regency was settled, and great part of the Session passed without any contest be tween Government and the, Opposition; the latter considering the present arrangement as temporary ; an opinion in which they were confirmed by the lan guage of the Regent, who entered on his functions,. by declaring, that he continued ministers in office solely from a feeling of filial respect. Among the successive topics of discussion were the county meetings of the Catholics in Ireland, and the steps taken by Government to repress them ;—an act to apthorize Government to send English militia into Ireland, and Irish militia into England ; and, finally, the reappointment of the Duke of York to his office of Commander-in-chief—a step which excited some surprise, but received the decided support of Par liament; a motion made to censure it being negatived by 249 to 47. But the most anxious topics of par liamentary and public attention were the distress of trade and the state of our paper currency. Towards the relief of the former, an issue of exchequer bills was authorized under certain limitations ; and to support the credit of the latter, a law was passed, which, when joined to former enactments, had near ly the effect of making bank notes a legal tender.
The Session opened on 7th January, and the ear ly discussions related to arrangements for the royal household, and to a motion by Mr Brougham to ex clude the droits of Admiralty from the Civil List. In this he was unsuccessful, and a similar fate at tended a motion by Lord Morpeth, for an inquiry into the state of Ireland, with a view to admitting the Catholics to political rights. The next mea sures of general interest were two acts against frame-breaking,—a practice which the Nottingham workmen, pressed by the loss of the American mar; ket, and the consequent fall of wages, had carried to an alarming length. The public attention was soon after engaged by ministerial changes. Mar quis Wellesley finding himself unable to lead the Cabinet, or to prevail on his colleagues to ex tend the scale of our operations in Spain resigned in February the secretaryship of foreign affairs, and was succeeded by Lord Castlereagh. The restric tions on the power of the Regent now drawing to a close, consistency required an overture for the ad mission into office of the leaders of the Opposition, intimate as they had been in former years with his Royal Highness. This prompted the well known letter of 13th February from the Prince to the Duke of York, professing a wish to unite with the present ministers " some of those persons with whom the early habits of his public life had been formed." The answer of Lords Grey and Grenville explained their reasons for declining a union with an administration differing so much from them in the most important points of national policy,—the claims of the Irish. Catholics ; the Orders in Council; and the over issue of bank paper. With this explanation the corre spondence closed, and the ministry proceeded un changed until the assassination of Mr Perceval; when Lord Liverpool succeeded to the first station, and was directed by the Prince to make an overture to Marquis Wellesley and Mr Canning. This led to nothing; and a motion made in the House of Com mons to address the Regent, " praying him to ap.. point an efficient administration," was carried by 174 against 170. This unexpected vote necessitated a Mond overture to the Opposition, the management of which was committed first to the Marquis of Wel lesley, afterwards to Lord Moira. It now seemed highly probable that the Opposition would come in ; yet the negotiation entirely failed, in consequence partly of existing animosities, partly of the stiffness of Lord Grey, partly, perhaps, of a secret reluctance in the court to admit the Opposition. Lords Liver pool and Castlereagh remained in office with all the benefit of a declared readiness, and of an apparent unreasonableness in the demands of Opposition.