by the omission; and soon after admitted that there was, by declaring that the measure was adopted in consequence of the charges contained against her in the green bag, which were upon the vilest authority. The noble lord had advised the omission upon those grounds, and then was surprised that her majesty had objected to it. After having used all the circumlocution of which he and his colleagues were masters, to avoid calling her majesty the queen, ministers wondered at her demanding that point of honor, which it would be better for her to yield every thing than for a moment think of giving up. Now he who held a threat in one hand, and a bribe in the other-what was to be thought of him? Her majesty knew nothing of the process which was intended to be instituted against her; but a threat was held out against her, which she naturally, considered a threat against her life. It was, however, conditional. She rejected the condition with contempt. She refused the money which ministers were prodigal enough to offer, and came boldly forward to meet the charge. This was indeed a proof of as great magnanimity as that which had distinguished the conduct of the duke of Wellington, and furnished most powerful presumption of innocence, for she appeared in England under an imputation sufficient to break any spirit. The noble lord denied that a bribe had

been offered. This was something like one of the characters in a play-Foigard, he believedwho was asked by a girl, whether taking money is not bribe, and said, "If you take money first it is a bribe; but if you take it afterwards, it is only a remuneration." Ministers acted on this principle, but her majesty rejected their remuneration. Then they came down with their green bag. Now, if they had made up their minds to pursue the threatened course-if they had advised the king to pursue it, there could be no means of retracting it-there was no possibility of an alternative: for, if there was the possibility of an alternative, there could be no justification. When he considered the misfortunes of this high-minded and unhappy lady, placed as she was in a situation which afforded her no defence, such as other women were able to command, without control of any kind, and broken from almost all connection with her family, he could not hesitate to declare, that if she had misconducted herself in the manner attributed to her, there did not exist a person with the feelings of a man who would not shed tears of pity, instead of pursuing her with an arm of vengeance under the mask of friendship. The king he believed to be incapable of conduct so little calculated to keep up the dignity of the crown. For his majesty there was a variety of excuses. Who

.

could tell what the conduct of those pick-thanks and miscreants might have been, who had collected them from sources as vile as themselves. They might have misled his judgment, and irritated his passions. For his majesty there was great excuse; but what apology was there for ministers? There was nothing to blind their judg ment; and, if they saw that base persons were whispering in the royal ear, their minds were calm, and they had the additional obligation of an oath to speak the truth to the king. If they yielded to his passions, they were the worst of traitors. If ministers had advised his majesty to send down an accusation in the green bag, they should have considered it in all its parts. It was nothing to them whether she was abroad or not. They were bound to pursue one steady, inflexible course. No, they said she might riot abroad as much as she pleased, and they would supply her with the means of doing so. It was only when she should come home that the green bag was to make its appearance. The good sense of the house agreed with him that that bag should never be opened. The moment ministers said the thing was negotiable, there was an end to all inquiry. The honourable mover of the address had said, (but whether that member was in the secret of ministers or not, he could not tell)—that the green bag contained such abominable disclosures of filth