Volume II Part 9 (1/2)

[12] [Sir William Napier, author of the 'History of the Peninsular War']

The King is ill I hope he won't die; if he does, and the little girl, we shall have cuood King the other night) that would be a good al office It is reported that they differ in the Cabinet about Reform; probably not true What a state of terror and confusion we are in, though it seems to make no difference

January 31st, 1831 {p109}

At Roehampton on Saturday; Lord Robert Spencer and Sir G

Robinson Agar Ellis had just resigned the Woods, after asking to be ht of anything but O'Connell, and great was the joy at the charge of Judge Jebb, the unani of the Grand Jury Whatever happens, Government are now justified in the course they have taken; and now he has traversed, which looks like weakness, and it is the general opinion that he is beaten; but he is so astute, and so full of resources, that I would never answer for his being beaten till I see hione The subscription produced between 7,000 and 8,000 It is an extraordinary thing, and the most wonderful effect I ever heard of the power of lesey, who has scarcely been out of pain at all for years during any considerable intervals, has been quite free from his complaint (the tic douloureux) since he has been in Ireland; the excitement of these events, and the influence of that excitement on his nervous system, have produced this effect There is a puzzler for philosophy, and such an aamation offor those who are wise enough

Yesterday there was a dinner at Lord Lansdowne's to name the Sheriffs, and there was I in attendance on my old school-fellows and associates Richreat h, and some do weep, Thus runs the world away

Lord Grey was not there, for he was gone to Brighton to lay the Reforham is; he wants to ride his Chancery steed to the Devil, as if he had not enough to do Nothing would satisfy him but to come and hear causes in our Court;[13] but as I kneas only to provoke Leach, I would not let him come, and told the Lord President we had no causes for him to hear He insisted, so did I, and he did not cootten it or have so else to do, and he won't come He is a Jupiter-Scapin if ever there was one

[13] [At the Privy Council, where the Master of the Rolls was at that ti with two lay Privy Councillors to hear Plantation Appeals]

February 6th, 1831 {p110}

[Page Head: THE CIVIL LIST]

Parliaain on the 3rd, and the House of Coreat array on the Opposition benches; nothing was done the first day but the announceht in by Lord John Russell in the House of Coh not a Cabinet Minister The fact is that if a Cabinet Minister had introduced it, it must have been Althorp, and he is wholly unequal to it; he cannot speak at all, so that though the pretence is to pay a compliht forward plans of Reform, it is really expedient to take the burden off the leader of the Governht came on the Civil List, and as the last Governeneral but vague expectation that some wonderful reductions were to be proposed by the new Chancellor of the Exchequer Great, then, was the exultation of the Opposition when it was found that no reductions would be made, and that the measure of this Government only differed fro's personal expenses froes and a _prospective_ reduction in the Pension List There was not much of a debate Althorp did it ill by all accounts; Graha while in office, found all his energies when he got back to the Opposition benches, and made (everybody says) a capital speech

There is certainly a great disappointment that the Civil List does not produce soree the popularity of the Government will be affected by it But they have taken the ton had alreadyand the Governe their whole system After what Sefton had told me of the intentions of Government about the Pension List, and my reply to him, it was a satisfaction to me to find they could not act on such a principle; and accordingly Lord Althorp at once declared the opinion and intentions of Governe of the House of Commons

There is not even a surmise as to the intended measure of Reform, the secret of which is well kept, but I suspect the confidence of the Reformers will be shaken by their disappointment about the Civil List It is by no means clear, be it what it may, that the Government will be able to carry it, for the Opposition promises to be very for the two parties are, as to the first class, pretty evenly divided--Palmerston, the Grants, Grahae, Dawson, on the other; fewer in numbers, but Peel immeasurably the best on either side--but in the second line, and aer ones, the Opposition are far inferior

February 9th, 1831 {p111}

Just got into my new home--Poulett Thomson's house, which I have taken for a year The day before yesterday came the news that the French had refused the noiu come on Sunday The Ministers were _rayonnants_; Lord Lansdowne calee

Met with Sir J Burke on Sunday at Brooks's, who said that O'Connell was completely beaten by the address of theere men--Mahon, for instance (O'Gorman Mahon's uncle)--who had always stood by him I do not believe he is coreat that he will rally again before long, I have little doubt

However, what has occurred has been productive of great good; it has elicited a strong Conservative demonstration, and proved that out of the rabbleocracy (for everything is in _ocracy_ now) his power is anything but unlimited There are 20,000 ht Hunt[14] spoke for two hours last night; his entlenity about it, very civil, good-humoured, and respectful to the House, but dull; listened to, however, and very well received

[14] [Henry Hunt, a well-known Radical, had just been returned for Preston, where he had beaten Mr Stanley]

February 12th, 1831 {p112}

The debate three nights ago on Ireland, brought on by O'Gorman Mahon, is said to have been the best that has been heard in the House of Commons for many years Palood speeches; it was spirited, statesmanlike, and creditable to the House, which wanted some such exhibition to raise its credit I saw the day before yesterday a curious letter froham, which some day or other will probably appear Taylor showed it ham had written to hie or honouring literary ested (I did not see his letter) that the Guelphic Order should be bestowed upon them Southey's reply was very courteous, but in a style of suppressed irony and forced politeness, and exhibited the marks of a chafed spirit, which was kept down by an effort 'You, my Lord, are _now_ on the Conservative side,' was one of his phrases, which implied that the Chancellor had not always been on that side He suggested that it ht be useful to establish a sort of lay fellowshi+ps; 10,000 would give 10 of 500 and 25 of 200; but he proposed the or hiring the mischievous It was evident, however, that he laid no stress on this plan, or considered it practicable, and only proposed it because he thought he ht be desirable to scientific men, as they were so considered on the Continent, and Newton and Davy had been titled, but for himself, if a _Guelphic_ distinction was adopted, 'he should be a _Ghibelline_'

He ended by saying that all he asked for was a repeal of the Copyright Act which took froive them, and this 'I ask for with the earnestness of one who is conscious that he has laboured for posterity' It is a ree Head: THE FIRST WHIG BUDGET]

The Budget, which was brought forward two nights ago, has given great dissatisfaction; Goulburn attacked the taxation of the funds (half per cent on transfer of stock and land) in the best speech he ever ood speech The bankers assailed it one after another, and not a man on the Government side spoke decently Great of course was the exultation of the Opposition, and it is supposed that this will be withdrawn and a Property Tax laid on instead There is aStreet, at which I suspect it will be announced The Budgetbut the circumstances in which they are placed could have justified their bringing it on so soon In two reatest consequence on their hands, they have concocted a Reform Bill and settled the finances of the nation for the next year, which is quite ludicrous; but they are obliged to have money voted immediately, that in case they should be beaten on Reform or any other vital question which may compel them to dissolve Parliament, they may have passed their estimates and be provided with funds Their secrets are well kept--rather too well, for nobody knew of this Budget, and not a soul has a guess what their Reforure than the Government does in the House of Co Opposition may make