Part 45 (1/2)

I should judge from the language of Tierney on general points, that he thinks the Government stronger and more likely to hold a firm and vigorous language and line of conduct by the introduction of Canning, than it was last year. I believe the latter is to name Frederick Lamb[100] his Under-Secretary, and Lord Clanwilliam to succeed Frederick Lamb.

The appointment of Lord Amherst, taking all things into consideration, is, I believe, as good a nomination as could have taken place; and as far as it regards our Board, I should think the best, for he has no intrigue, and will act straightforward with us.

Canning is gone down to Walmer, and you may rest a.s.sured that it will very soon end in his leading Lord Liverpool; if he can persuade him to get rid of Vansittart, it would be the best exercise he could make of such an influence.

Ever, my dear Duke,

Most a.s.suredly yours,

W. H. FREMANTLE.

Of course you know Sir Henry Wellesley is named to succeed Lord Londonderry; better accounts of the Duke of Wellington's health.

[100] Afterwards, in 1839, created Lord Beauvale; he was for some years Envoy-Extraordinary and Minister-Plenipotentiary at Vienna.

THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES W. WYNN TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

East India Office, Nov. 6, 1822.

MY DEAR B----,

I thought it right to take down the approbation of Lord Amherst's appointment to Brighton myself on Sunday, and was most graciously received.

He [the King] complained much of flying gout, with which he had been extremely unwell during the last week, but was in excellent spirits, and kept me sitting with him more than an hour. He was lame, and moved with difficulty, and told me (at nine P.M.) that he had only been up for two hours. Not a soul in the palace but Lord Conyngham, Lord Francis, and Sir William K----n. His face was deeper sunk in the lines than I have yet seen it, but the colour was better than I expected--a dark brown, instead of the dead, tallowy colour which I have sometimes seen.

The Speaker has made the most stupid and unpardonable mess at Cambridge ever made by man. He wrote to Lord Liverpool, who answered him that he thought his situation created much difficulty, and advised his consulting Lord Sidmouth and Lord Colchester, both of them having, when in the Chair, been intended candidates for Oxford. He asked neither, but talked to the Attorney and Solicitor-General and his own clerks, declared himself a candidate without ever communicating with a single Minister in the House of Commons. As soon as I found that he had declared, I was convinced of the impossibility of his being re-elected Speaker if he vacated his seat, after the decision of the House in 1801 in favour of Pitt's objection to C. Dundas, and therefore went to Canning, who begged me to write to Liverpool, who in return wished Canning to write to the Speaker about it. Canning begged me to go to Peel.

There I met the Speaker, who had not in the least adverted to this difficulty, but allowed that it would be unreasonable to expect the Government to fight his battle against such an authority, and finally agreed to retire from the contest!

Fremantle tells me that he is quite in the hands of a sister of Lady B----, with whom he pa.s.ses all his time, so I suppose Miss H---- wears the willow.

Some suspicion had been excited by the numerous stacks burnt in Ireland, some of them the property of persons by no means obnoxious to the Rockites. A search was therefore made in a small district, in which no less than thirty were found prepared for the flames, the wheat having been threshed out and the straw re-stacked for the convenience of charging the barony for the bonfire.

You will see that Wellesley has, on the authority of the law officers, taken steps to prevent the dressing up Old Glorious on Monday at Dublin. I shall be curious to see the result, which I expect will be only some offensive speeches in the Quarterly a.s.sembly, &c.

Lloyd of Aston, after declaring himself a candidate for Shrops.h.i.+re, has again retired. The only candidates now are Childe and mad Cresset Pelham. I trust that the former will carry it, and that then B. Thompson will come in on Watkins's interest for Wenlock.

Ever affectionately yours,

C. W. W.

THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES W. WYNN TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

East India Office, Nov. 12, 1822.

MY DEAR B----,

There is little at present going on, as everything is reserved till the latter end of this week, when we are to have ten days of Cabinets to consider the various subjects for the next session.

Among others we have the promise of a despatch from Lord Wellesley, on the subject of t.i.thes, by the 15th. C---- is civil (which for him is a good deal), but I cannot say cordial. I seem not to find it out, and mean to allow time for the little irritation which has arisen from the failure of his plan, to subside. No allusion was made to the subject during my visit of last week, and indeed the conversation was chiefly on Stuart Papers, Horace Walpole, &c. &c.