The campaign of 1811 was not distinguished by any other events of importanc9. Lord Wellington had his head quarters at Frenada during the remainder of the year, while the division under General Hill was station ed at Merida.
The Regency Bill having passed the great real, his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was svorn into his office on the 6th of February. The sanguine hopes which were at this time entertained of the king's re covery, and the fear of taking any measure which might in the least degree interfere with that des;rable event, induced the Prince Regent to carry on the executive government by the same ministers that had been ap pointed by his royal father. He accordingly communi cated this resolution to Mr Perceval ;* and, on the 12th of February, the session of parliament was opened by a speech from the Prince Regent, which was delivered by commission. The speech congratulated parliament on the capture of the islands of Bourbon and Amboyna ; on the repulse of the enemy's attacks on Sicily, and on the skill, the prudence, and perseverance displayed by Lord Wellington throughout the whole of the Spanish campaign. The Regent called upon parliament to con tinue the most effectual assistance to the brave natives ci the peninsula, in the support of a contest which they have mantlested a disposition to maintain with unabated perseverance ; and expresses his persuasion, that the best interests of the British empire must be deeply af fected in the issue of a contest on which the liberties and independence of the Spanish and Portuguese nations entirety upend. In alluding to the discussions respect ing America, the Prince Regent expresses his earnest wish that they may be brought to an amicable termina tion, consistent with the rights and interests of the united kingdom. The revenue of Ireland is stated in the speech to have suffered a considerable diminution, while that of Great Britain during the year 1810, was greater than had been known in any preceding year.
The conduct of the Irish Catholics was one of the principal subjects which occupied the attention of par liament at the beginning• of the session. The Roman
Catholics in the different counties of Ireland, were sum moned to hold a meeting for the purpose of electing de lagates to sit in the Catholic committee which was for rated in Dublin, in order to promote the great object of Catholic emancipation. The Lord Lieutenant con sidering these meetings as illegal, and as injurious to the tranquillity of the country, issued a circular letter to the sheriffs and chief magistrates of the counties, " re quiring them, in pursuance of the provisions of an act of the king, cap. 29, to cause to be arrested, and to com mit to prison, all persons within their jurisdiction, who shall be guilty of giving or having given, of publishing or having published, or of causing or having caused to be given or published, any written or other notice of the election and appointment, in any matter of such repre sentative, delegate, or manager as aforesaid ; or of at tending, voting, or acting, or of having attended, voted, or acted, in any manner, in the choice or appointment of such representative, delegate, or manager." This circular letter, which was issued without the previous approbation, or even knowledge, of the Prince Regent or his ministers, excited great dissatisfaction among the Catholics in Ireland, as well as among their friends in England. Lord Moira, in the House of Peers, reprobated such a measure, as injurious to the cha racter of the Prince Regent, as dangerous to the peace of the country, and as contrary to the act of Union. The Larl of Ross contended, that as long as the Catho lic committee confined its attention to the object for which they were avowedly appointed, the Irish govern ment did not interfere ; but that when the regular busi ness of the committee was over, it proceeded to the most alarming lengths. Tice committee, he stated, con sisted originally, of 58 members ; and they had lately determined, that each county of Ireland should send ten members to the committee, which would then consist of no fewer than S58, a covention which he considered highly dangerous to the tranquillity of Ireland.