Page:The Marquess of Hastings, K.G..djvu/42

34 Towards the end of 1810 the king had another attack of his old malady, and an arrangement had to be made for the discharge of the Royal functions. It so happened that the party in power then was of the same complexion as that which had been in office twenty-two years before, when the question was first debated, and thus the same arguments were reproduced with the significant exception that the point maintained by Fox (that the Prince of Wales as Heir-Apparent succeeded by right to the Regency) was in this instance abandoned. As a result, however, the proposals of Pitt in 1788 were substantially carried, and the arrangement adopted remained effective. Moira, true to his affection for the Prince, took a prominent part in these proceedings, and supported him to the utmost of his power. Nor did his desire to be of service to the Regent end here, for he also took an active part on his behalf in the investigation of the conduct of the Princess; on account of which he was obliged to defend himself early in 1813 against the allegation that he had secretly attempted to obtain evidence against that unfortunate lady; these charges he strongly repudiated, and whatever might have been his anxiety to serve a Prince whose friendship and confidence he had enjoyed for many years, it is certain he was not the man to stoop to a low office such as had been suggested by his enemies.

His last performance in the political arena at home was perhaps the most important. An account of the interesting negotiations which took place with