Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/157

CHAPTER VIII. FROM THE DEATH OF GEORGE III. TO THE DEATH OF CASTLEREAGH (l82O-l822). THE death of the old King seemed at first to make little difference either to the state of parties in England or to the conduct and progress of political affairs. He had long been withdrawn from all personal share or interest in public events. The son who now succeeded him had been, as Byron said in the bitterest of his verses, " in all but name a king." With him ministers had consulted, by him State documents were signed and State ceremonial conducted ; why, then, should not the old policy be carried out by the same Ministry, under the same authority ? For some time there was no change. When the Houses of Parliament met, which they did on the 3<Dth of January, they had to swear allegiance to the new King, and this formality being completed, they received an address from George IV. instead of one from the Prince Regent. But the speech directly declared that there was to be no alteration in the policy which had been justified by " the experience of the past," and the old advisers of the Crown re- tained their power. The constituencies, as they then existed, were equally averse to change, and at the ensuing election the great Conservative ministerial majority was maintained. Yet, in spite of all these appearances, the death of George III. had a great effect upon the course of English events, which, if not immediate, was not very long deferred. The removal of the personal influence of the monarch was in itself an important matter. That influence had survived the retire-