ntumelious, certainly was not courteous.
When at his death the Duke assumed the Government, his disclaiming
speech was thrown in his teeth, but without much justice, for such
expressions are never to be taken literally, and in the subsequent
quarrel with Huskisson, though it is probably true that he was
aiming at domination, he was persuaded that Huskisson and his
party were endeavouring to form a cabal in the Cabinet, and his
expulsion of them is not, therefore, altogether without excuse. On
the question of the Test Act it was evident he was guided by no
principle, probably by no opinion, and that he only thought of
turning it as best he might to his own advantage. Throughout the
Catholic question self was always apparent, not that he was
careless of the safety, or indifferent to the prosperity of the
country, but that he cared as much for his own credit and power,
and never considered the first except in their connection with the
second. The business of Emancipation he certainly conducted with
considerable judgment, boldly trusting to the baseness of many of
his old friends, and showing that he had not mistaken their
characters; exercising that habitual influence he had acquired
over the mind of the King; preserving impenetrable secresy; using
without scruple every artifice that could forward his object; and
contriving to make tools or dupes of all his colleagues and
adherents, and getting the whole merit to himself. From the
passing of the Catholic question his conduct has exhibited a
series of blunders which have at length terminated in his fall.
The position in which he then stood was this:--He had a Government
composed of men who were for the most part incompetent, but
perfectly subservient to him. He had a considerable body of
adherents in both Houses. The Whigs, whose support (enthusiastically
given) had carried him triumphantly through the great contest,
were willing to unite with him; the Tories, exasperated and
indignant, feeling insulted and betrayed, vowed nothing but
vengeance. Intoxicated with his victory, he was resolved to
neglect the Whigs, to whom he was so much indebted, and to regain
the affections of the Tories, whom he considered as his natural
supporters, and whom he thought identity of opinion and interest
would bring back to his standard. By all sorts of slights and
affronting insinuations that they wanted place, but that he could
do without them, he offended the Whigs, but none of his cajoler