Volume I Part 6 (2/2)
_Copy of a Letter to Caroline, Princess of Brunswick, from her uncle, George the Third._
”1794.
”My dearest Niece Caroline,
”It has afforded me very much pleasure to hear, by the means of my son Frederick of York, that you merit my very best regard. I have no doubt you have frequently heard of my very great and affectionate regard for your dear mother, my sister; and I a.s.sure you I love her daughter for her sake. I am well persuaded that my dear niece will not refuse the pressing request of myself and her mother with respect to an alliance with my son George, Prince of Wales, which I earnestly desire may be arranged to take place as speedily as possible. I promise, most solemnly promise, that I will be your friend and father upon every occasion, and I entreat you to comply with this ardent desire of my heart, that my agitated mind may once more be composed.
”I have explained to my sister the probable difficulties which my son George may mention; but they must not have any weight in your mind and conclusions. I beg you not to refuse this pressing pet.i.tion of your most
”Sincere and affectionate ”Uncle, ”GEORGE R.”
”P. S. Do not delay a reply an hour longer than can be avoided.”
”_To Caroline, Princess of Brunswick,”
&c. &c. &c._
_Copy of a Letter to the d.u.c.h.ess of Brunswick, from her Brother, George the Third._
”MY DEAR SISTER,
”I have endeavoured to excite and promote in the mind of my son George a desire to espouse my dear niece Caroline. _This_, I am aware, he will only consent to as a prudent step, by which his debts may be paid. I will trust to your influence with Caroline that she may not be offended with any thing he pleases to say. He may please to plead that he is already married!--and I fear he will resort to any measures rather than an honorable marriage. But as, in my former letters, I have explained my wishes upon this subject, I therefore need not now repeat them. Tell my dear niece she must never expect to find a mother or friend in the queen; but _I will be her friend to my latest breath_. Give me your support, my sister, and prevail upon my niece Caroline at all hazards.
”Your's affectionately, ”GEORGE R.”
A courier was despatched with these preliminaries of a royal marriage, and the prince again sank into the depths of vice. The queen saw her path was rather difficult, and feared for the consequences; but she resolved to exert every thought to devise the surest plan for future safety. Her majesty did not a.s.sist the prince to any extent, because her purse was of the greatest utility to her personal safety, and therefore _promises_ were chiefly given to the clamorous and ruined creditors, that, as soon as the prince was MARRIED, all debts would be discharged!
The reasons which prompted the parsimony of the queen were obvious to those who knew her plans, though not to the public. She was aware of the slight tenure she held, and the illegality of her marriage; the unaccounted-for death of the king's eldest brother; the uncertainty of the fate of his issue; fears for his future public appeals, and her knowledge of the validity of his claims! Beside all this, the relatives of the legally-married wife of the Duke (Edward) were of more ill.u.s.trious descent than even the queen herself; and from them she stood in doubt, lest the untimely death of this lady and her husband, the unfortunate Duke of York, as well as the privacy of their offspring, should be brought forward in a public manner, or in any way which might reflect dishonour upon the influence of the crown!
How much has guilt to fear from exposure by TRUTH! _Secrecy_ was the ministerial watch-word then in vogue, and though fallacious and destructive, as experience has demonstrated the principle to be, yet the nation was cajoled by its influence, and even induced indirectly to sanction measures the most desperate and ruinous that imagination can depict!
The hireling part of the press, notwithstanding, strove to eternize this awful and barbarous system, and thus a.s.sisted the minister to cherish the growth of Ignorance. Indeed, it is an undeniable fact, that the corruption of government pervaded every branch of Mr. Pitt's administration; but surely this minister must have been sometimes afraid that the people would discover the frauds and impositions practised upon them, and demand satisfaction. Mr. Pitt, indeed, was an _apostate_, who, at the beginning of his career, stood forth as the CHAMPION OF THE PEOPLE'S RIGHTS; but no sooner had he gained possession of power, than he at once threw off the mask, deserted his benefactors, who had trusted and exalted him, maintained, with all his might, the utmost stretch of the royal prerogative, owned himself the unblus.h.i.+ng advocate of influence and corruption, and the decided enemy of the human race! When we reflect on the obduracy, perfidy, and ingrat.i.tude of ”this pilot that _gathered_ the storm,” in whose breast neither shame nor pity seldom found a residence, but as if dead to every n.o.ble pa.s.sion of the soul, he first exhausted the resources of the nation by his imposition of taxes, and then enslaved it by his politics; when we reflect, we say, on the conduct of this man, Seja.n.u.s and Rufinus, profligate and cruel as they were, appear angels of light, and we cannot help feeling disgusted with the age that tolerated such a minister! Secure in his parliamentary majorities and the favours of his queen, he imagined the people at large mere nonent.i.ties, and set them at defiance, while he must have laughed at their tameness and stupidity! Did he not warmly commend the sentences of proscription, imprisonment, and transportation, pa.s.sed against his countrymen solely for attempting to procure a reform of grievances, by the very same means which he had himself previously employed? Did he not, when every really-loyal subject in the realm was deploring the disgraces and defeats of the British arms, insult the people with affected serious congratulations on the successes that had been obtained by the allied powers, and the happy change that had taken place in their favour? Yes, reader, these acts may be taken as specimens of the policy of the ”heaven-born minister, that weathered the storm,” as a certain chancellor once imprudently designated Mr. Pitt.
The courier, bearing the despatches to the Princess of Brunswick, arrived at the court of her father in October, where he delivered his packet, and was entertained with generous and courteous attention. The duke and d.u.c.h.ess retired to peruse its contents, which they read with agitation; and Hope and Fear strove tumultuously to gain an ascendency.
The king's letter was considered, in a certain degree, explanatory of the follies of the prince, though it did not name any vices; and as it also expressed a _confident opinion_, that, united to a person of amiability and worth, like the princess, all good would ensue, the parents of the princess were inclined to hope for a favourable result from the alliance. The good opinion of the king, their brother, was an extra inducement to the fond and indulgent parents of Caroline to plead in behalf of her acceptance of this offer; and all must admit their conduct to be natural and affectionate.
The letter of the prince was soon after delivered by the duke to his daughter, accompanied by the remark, ”I hope my dear Caroline will one day be the happy queen of a free and happy nation. Retire, my child, and, after thinking seriously, decide prudently.” The princess retired, and read the strange epistle written by the prince. She knew not, for some considerable time, what to think, or how to decide. At length, after a few hours of rest and enjoyment, the courier departed. He arrived safely at St. James', and delivered the following reply to the Prince of Wales:
_Copy of the Reply to George, Prince of Wales, from Caroline, Princess of Brunswick._
”MY LORD AND COUSIN,
”I cannot express to your royal highness the feelings of surprise which your letter has afforded me, neither can I rely _entirely_ upon what it contains; because the accompanying letter of the good king, your father, is so very opposite to its meaning. I thought that the ties of relations.h.i.+p which exist between us would have obliged your royal highness to treat with delicacy and honor the princess whom your king destines for you. For my own part, my lord, I know my duty, and I have not the power or the wish to break the laws which are wished to be imposed upon me. I, therefore, have decided upon obeying the wishes of those who have the right to dispose of my person. I submit, at the same time, to the consequences with which your highness threatens me. But, if you could read _that heart_ to which you impart such anguish, you would perhaps have feelings of remorse from this barbarous treatment, in which your royal highness appears to boast. I am now resolved to await from _time_ and our _union_ the just regard I will endeavour to merit; and I trust that your regret for what you have written will, in some measure, avenge the wrongs you have so wantonly committed. Believe me, my lord, that I shall not cease to offer my prayers for the happiness of your royal highness; _mine_ will be perfect if I can contribute to your's.
”I am, for life, your most devoted Cousin, ”CAROLINE AMELIA OF BRUNSWICK.”
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