Volume I Part 116 (2/2)
The chief speakers were Mr R. Cobden and Lord John Russell in favour of the motion, Mr Attwood, Lord Francis Egerton, and Sir Robert Peel against it.
In the course of the evening there was much excitement and animated discussion, in consequence of the speech of Mr Cobden, who is the chief patron of the Anti-Corn Law League.
Mr Cobden with great vehemence of manner observed more than once that Sir Robert Peel ought to be held _individually responsible_ for the distress of the country.[15]
Coupling these expressions with the language frequently held at the meetings of the Anti-Corn Law League, and by the press in connection with it, Sir Robert Peel in replying to Mr Cobden charged him with holding language calculated to excite to personal violence.
[Footnote 14: To go into Committee on the depression of the manufacturing industry. The debate turned mainly on the Corn Laws.]
[Footnote 15: To this attack Peel replied with excessive warmth, amid the frantic cheering of his party, who almost refused to hear Cobden's explanation in reply. Peel, alarmed at the fate of Drummond, thought (or affected to think) that Cobden was singling him out as a fit object for a.s.sa.s.sination.
For years Cobden resented this language of Peel most deeply.
”Peel's atrocious conduct towards me ought not to be lost sight of,” he wrote in February 1846. A _rapprochement_ was effected by Miss Martineau--see her letter to Peel (Parker, vol. iii. p. 330)--and a reference to the matter by Disraeli in the House of Commons led to satisfactory explanations on both sides.]
_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Lincoln._[16]
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _18th February 1843._
The Queen, immediately on her arrival yesterday, went to look at the new Chapel, with which she is much pleased, but was extremely disappointed to find it still in such a backward state. As it is of the utmost importance to the Queen to be able to _use_ it _very soon_, she wishes Lord Lincoln would be so good as to hurry on the work as much as possible; perhaps Lord Lincoln could increase the number of workmen, as there seemed to her to be very few there yesterday.
[Footnote 16: Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests.]
[Pageheading: f.a.n.n.y BURNEY'S DIARY]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
BROCKET HALL, _21st February 1843._
Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He received safely your Majesty's letter of the 18th inst. Lord Melbourne entreats your Majesty that you never will think for a moment that you can tire him by questions, or that it can be to him anything but a great pleasure to answer them. He will be only too happy if any information that he possesses or can procure can be of the least use or pleasure to your Majesty. Lord Melbourne conceives that your Majesty must be surprised at his complaining of sleeplessness. He is much obliged by the suggestion of the camphor. He mentioned it to the gentleman who attends him, and he said that it was a very good thing, and certainly has a soothing and quieting effect, and that in fact there was some in the draught which Lord Melbourne now takes at night. But Lord Melbourne has taken to going down to dinner with those who are in the house, and sitting up afterwards until near twelve o'clock, and since he has done this he has slept better. We expect the Duke and d.u.c.h.ess of Bedford for two nights on Wednesday next. Lord and Lady Uxbridge and Ella and Constance often come over in the morning and eat their luncheon here, which Lord Melbourne takes very kindly of them. George Byng[17] came the other morning in a waistcoat of Peel's velveteen.
Lord Strafford brought the whole piece off the manufacturer, and let George Byng have enough for a waistcoat. It is a dull blue stuff, and the device and inscription not very clear nor easy to make out.[18]
Adolphus is, as Aberdeen says, too rigidly Tory, but there are plenty of narratives of the same period, such as Belsham[19] and others, of whom it may be said with equal truth that they are too Whig....
Lord Melbourne read the _Edinburgh_ on Madame d'Arblay, which is certainly Macaulay's, but thought it unnecessarily severe upon Queen Charlotte, and that it did not do her justice, and also that it rather countenanced too much Miss Burney's dislike to her situation. It appears to Lord Melbourne that Miss Burney was well enough contented to live in the Palace and receive her salary, but that she was surprised and disgusted as soon as she found that she was expected to give up some part of her time to conform to some rules, and to perform some duty. Lord Melbourne is sorry to say that he missed the article on Children's Books,[20] a subject of much importance, and in which he is much interested.
Lord Melbourne has received the engraving of the Princess, and is much pleased by it, and returns many thanks. It is very pretty, very spirited, and as far as Lord Melbourne's recollection, serves him, very like. Lord Melbourne remains, ever, your Majesty's faithful, devoted, and attached Servant.
[Footnote 17: Brother-in-law of Lord Uxbridge, and afterwards Earl of Stratford.]
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