Volume I Part 19 (1/2)

[9] [The two Sumners Dr John Bird Sumner (afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury) had been raised to the see of Chester in 1828 They owed their advancee IV The bishop adverted to in the next sentence was the Bishop of Winchester]

March 29th, 1829, at night {p197}

Dined at Lady Sandwich's, andfor news, and probably very nant

Lieven toldyesterday for four hours She confirmed it after dinner, and said that Halford had told her, but added that he had done no har ho to Constantinople He is a dull, heavy man, and not able, I should think, to cope with the Turkish Ministers, if they are (as the Duke says) the ablest diplo is co home, whether _nolens_ or _volens_

[10] [This was the celebrated interview related in Lord Eldon's 'Meave Lord E a very erroneous account of the transaction, subsequently corrected by Sir Robert Peel in his 'Memoirs']

I have, I see, alluded to Lord Winchelsea's handkerchief story,[11] but have not mentioned the circumstances, which I ht from the House of Lords, and as soon as he had occasion to blow his nose pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket; upon which my Lady exclaimed (she hates perfuet that handkerchief? Send it away directly' He said he did not knohen it was inspected, and the letter _W_ found on it Lord H

said, 'I was sitting near Lord Winchelsea, and it ht holy the next day he sent it to Lord Winchelsea with his co the handkerchief and theit marked _W_, fancied it was the Duke's, and that it was sent to hi him; on which he went to the Duke of Newcastle and imparted to him the circumstances, and desired him to wait on Lord Holland for an explanation This his Grace did, when the matter was cleared up and the handkerchief was found to be the property of Lord Wellesley The next day Lord Winchelsea ca to Lord Holland in the House of Lords, and said he had ies to make for what had passed, but that he really was in such a state of excitement he did not knohat he said and did[12]

[11] [_Supra_, p 192 (March 21st, 1829)]

[12] [Lord Winchelsea was in the habit of flourishi+ng a white pocket handkerchief while he was speaking in the House of Lords This peculiarity; associated with his sonorous tones, his excited action, and his extravagant opinions, gave point to the incident]

[Page Head: DEBATE ON THE CATHOLIC BILL]

April 4th, 1829 {p198}

On the third reading of the Catholic Bill in the House of Commons Sadler failed, and Pal's The Bill has been two nights in the House of Lords

They go on with it this

The Chancellor ht, and the Bishop of Oxford spoke very well the night before, but the debate has been dull on the whole; the subject is exhausted The House of Lords was very full, particularly of women; every fool in London thinks it necessary to be there It is only since last year that the steps of the throne have been croith ladies; forot in, who skulked behind the throne, or were hid in Tyrwhitt's box, but now they fill the whole space, and put thee bonnets, without either fear or shame

April 5th, 1829 {p199}

The question was put at a little before twelve last night, and carried by 105--217 to 112 (a greater uine expected)--after a splendid speech froood one from Lord Plunket Old Eldon was coht at all; his speech retched, they say, for I did not hear it This tre like serious opposition; they will hardly rally again

I dined at Chesterfield House, but nobody came to dinner

Chesterfield and his party were all at the House of Lords I found erald, hom I hadtime before all the circus were known, but when they were it would be seen how great had been the latter, how curious the former; that the day the Chancellor, the Duke, and Peel ith the King they actually were out (all of which I knew), and that he believes if the other party could have , out they would have gone; but that it was put to theed they could not They held consultations on the subject, and the man they principally relied on was the Duke of Richmond; they meant he should be either First Lord of the Treasury or Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland

Lord Winchelsea said to Ellenborough, 'Why, he speaks better than the Duke of Wellington any day' He happens to have his wits, such as they are, about him, and has been quick and neat in one or two little speeches, though he spoke too often, and particularly in his attack on the Bishop of Oxford the other night Last year, on the Wool question, he did very well, but all the details were got up for hie Bentinck,[13] who took the trouble Besides, his fortune consists in great measure of wool, he lives in the country, is well versed in rural affairs and the business of the quarter sessions, has a certain calibre of understanding, is prejudiced, narrow-ood-hu, and a duke There would not have been so much to say about him if they had not excited an idea in thehiton

[13] [It deserves re his singular talents in h he took no conspicuous part in politics until the proposal for the repeal of the Corn Law in 1845]

[Page Head: THE BILL IN JEOPARDY]

Vesey told me that Dawson's speech at Derry very nearly overturned the whole design The King heard of it the day of a Council at Windsor (which I well re ti that Dawson knew nothing of the intention of the Government, and that his speech was not made in concert with Peel and the Duke This it hich caused them such excessive annoyance, because it raised difficulties which well-nigh prevented the accoht well believe this, and although it is very certain that Dawson knew nothing, and that his ht to have been a proof that he was in ignorance, it will always be believed that he are of the intended measure, and that his speech was h that his opinion had been long changed, and that he had intended to pronounce his recantation when Bro did, but as Bro got the start of him he would not For two years after this he persevered in the old course, and when Canning careat field on which he was to be fought, Dawson reverted vigorously to his old opinions, and spoke veheainst emancipation Such is party!

The circumstances that Vesey talked of are in fact pretty well known or guessed at, nor has there ever been any secret as to the 's opposition and dislike to the measure He told me that after Eldon's visit of four hours the Duke reave his Ministers to see and hear of these long and nu declared that he said nothing and that nothing passed calculated to annoy them, which they none of them believed, but of course could make no reply to