' Had the Orange conspirators acted with prudence, they would
have sedulously destroyed a number of documents which throw light on the real designs of their confederacy. The drift of the following extract from a letter, written in April 1830, by Colonel FAIRMAN, the Duke of CUMBEIMAND.S confidant, and the Orange Deputy Grand Secretary, is not to be mistaken.
" Some whiverings have also gone abroad, that in the event of a demise of the Crown, a Regency would probably be established, fir reasons which occa- sioned the removal of the next in succession from the office of Lord High Admiral. That a maritime Government might not prove consonant to the views of a military chieftain of the most unbounded ambition, may admits,, ally belief ; and as the second Heir Presumptive is not only a femak, but a minor, is addition to the argument which might be applied to the present, that, in the ordinary coarse of nature, it was not to be expected that Ass reign could be of long duration,—in these disjointed times it is by no means unlikely a vicarious form of government may be attempted. The effort would be a bold one; but, after the measures we have seen, what new violations should surprise us? Besides, the popular plea of economy and expediency might be urged as the pretext, while aggrandizement and usurpation might be the latent motive. It would only be necessary to make out a plausible case: which, from the facts on record, there could be no difficulty in doing to the satisfaction of a pliable and obsequious set of Ministers, as also to the success of such an experiment."
In case his present Majesty had been set aside,—and it seems there was a talk of such a proceeding among the loyal Tories,—and in case a " vicarious form of government" had been attempted,—then, un- doubtedly, the vast physical force of the Orangemen would have been of great service in making their Imperial Grand Master Imperial Grand Vicar of this empire. Is it probable that the design is even now alto- gether abandoned?
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