5 ), ▁and ▁Henry ▁D und as , ▁ 1 st ▁Vis count ▁Mel ville , ▁First ▁Lord ▁of ▁the ▁Admir alty , ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 6 ▁( ac qu itted ). ▁The ▁last ▁attempt ▁at ▁im pe achment ▁occurred ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 , ▁when ▁David ▁Ur qu hart ▁accused ▁Lord ▁Pal mer ston ▁of ▁having ▁signed ▁a ▁secret ▁treat y ▁with ▁Imperial ▁Russia ▁and ▁of ▁receiving ▁mon ies ▁from ▁the ▁Ts ar . ▁Pal mer ston ▁surv ived ▁the ▁vote ▁in ▁the ▁Commons ; ▁the ▁L ords ▁did ▁not ▁hear ▁the ▁case . ▁ ▁Queen ▁Caroline ▁▁ ▁Queen ▁Caroline , ▁cons ort ▁of ▁King ▁George ▁IV , ▁was ▁tried ▁by ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁and ▁acqu itted . ▁The ▁process ▁began ▁as ▁im pe achment ▁proceed ings , ▁but ▁then ▁became ▁a ▁different ▁procedure ▁as ▁a ▁bill ▁of ▁p ains ▁and ▁pen alt ies . ▁ ▁Pro pos als ▁for ▁abol ition ▁ ▁The ▁im pe achment ▁procedure ▁has ▁not ▁been ▁used ▁in ▁modern ▁times , ▁and ▁some ▁legal ▁authorities , ▁such ▁as ▁H als bury ' s ▁La ws ▁of ▁England , ▁consider ▁it ▁now ▁to ▁be ▁probably ▁ob sole te . ▁The ▁principles ▁of ▁" respons ible ▁government " ▁require ▁that ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁and ▁other ▁executive ▁officers ▁answer ▁to ▁parliament , ▁rather ▁than ▁to ▁the ▁S over eign . ▁Thus ▁the ▁Commons ▁can ▁remove ▁such ▁an ▁officer ▁through ▁a ▁motion ▁of ▁no ▁confidence ▁without ▁a ▁long , ▁drawn - out ▁im pe achment ▁(