Volume II Part 16 (2/2)

Ponsonby had a week's start of his opponent, notwithstanding which it is so severe that they have been for some days within ten or fifteen of each other, and (what is remarkable) the anti-Reforot all the e_, though not of a _reaction_, in public opinion There is no longer the same vehemence of desire for this Bill, and I doubt whether all the efforts of the press will be able to stiain to the same pitch of excitement

Buckenham, October 11th, 1831 {p203}

Came here yesterday; nobody of note, not lively, letters every day with an account of what is passing The Radical press isheaven and earth to produce excite of a mob which marched about the parks, but no mischief done Londonderry and some others were hooted near the House of Lords Never was a party so crestfallen as I hear they are; they had not a notion of such a division

There see about a fair compromise, and to have a Bill introduced next session which may be so framed as to secure the concurrence of the majority of both Houses The finest speeches by all accounts were Harrowby's, Lyndhurst's, and Grey's reply; but Henry de Ros, who is a very good judge, writes me word that Lyndhurst's was the most to his taste

October 12th, 1831 {p203}

The Reformers appear to have rallied their spirits Lord Grey went to Windsor, was graciously received by the King, and obtained the dis's entire good-will to his present Ministers Ebrington's resolution of confidence was carried by a great majority in the House of Commons after some violent speeches from Macaulay, Sheil, and O'Connell, and very moderate ones and in a low tone on the other side

Macaulay's speech was as usual very eloquent, but as infla into what state of confusion the country is thrown, for all they want is atheir talents;[2] but how the Miltons, Tavistocks, Althorps, and all who have a great stake in the country can run the same course is more than I can conceive or comprehend Party is indeed, as Swift says, 'the madness of many,'

when carried to its present pitch In theblunders, which will be fatal to them Lord Harroas to have moved yesterday or the day before, in the House of Lords, a resolution pledging the House to take into consideration early in the next session the acknowledged defects in the representation, with a view to ht be consistent with the Constitution, or so to this effect This has not been done because the Duke of Wellington objects He will not concur because he thinks the proposition should come from Government; as if this was a time to stand upon such punctilios, and that it was not of paramount importance to show the country that the Peers are not obstinately bent upon opposing all Reform I had hoped that he had profited by experience, and that at least his past errors in politics ht him a little modesty, and that he would not have thwarted measures which were proposed by the wisest and reater misfortune at this moment than such a disunion of that party, and to have its deliberations ruled by the obstinacy and prejudices of the Duke He is a great reat hty questions which embrace enormous and various interests and considerations, and to coacity, coolness, and iovern and direct His mind has not been sufficiently disciplined, nor saturated with knowledge and matured by reflection and communication with other minds, to enable him to be a safe and efficient leader in such times as these

[2] This was very unjust to Macaulay, and not true as to Sheil; to O'Connell alone applicable

[In reading over these re them with the opinions I now entertain of his present conduct, and of the nature and quality of his mind, I am compelled to ask myself whether I did not then do him injustice

On the whole I think not He is not, nor ever was, a little reat or sreat political blunders, though with the best and hout the Reforreatest and most unfortunate of thee Head: LORD GREY AND BISHOP PHILLPOTTS]

The town continues quite quiet; the country nearly so The press strain every nerve to produce exciteun an assault on the bishops, who voted against the Bill

Althorp and Lord John Russell have written grateful letters to Attwood as Chair that puissant body There was a desperate strife in the House of Lords between Phillpotts and Lord Grey, in which the forhtily changed when h full of disgust with the other faction, I have a pleasure in seeing hiht of Grey s Phillpotts Even on such a question Phillpotts was essentially in the right; but he lost his teot punished It was ham from the Woolsack, in a strain of the bitterest irony and sarcasuise, attack the bench of bishops I am of opinion that it would have been far better never to have let them back into the House of Lords, but now that they are there I would not thrust theave no handle certainly, for he interposed in their favour, and rebuked Lord Suffield, who attacked them first, and told him he was out of order, and then Phillpotts very foolishly attacked him

October 15th, 1831 {p206}

A furious attack in the House of Commons upon Althorp's and John Russell's letters to Attwood by Hardinge and Vyvyan Peel not there, having hopped off to Staffordshi+re, to the great disgust of his party, whom he never scruples to leave in the lurch They made wretched excuses for these letters, and could only have recourse to the pretence of indignation at being thought capable of fo disorders, which is all very well; but they do foment discord and discontent by everyo on in their reckless course without fear or shame Lord Harrowby made a speech in the House of Lords, and declared his conviction that the ti a Reform, and that he would support one to a certain extent, which he specified In the House he was coolly received, and the 'Tined to notice what he said Parliament is to be up on Thursday next, and will probably notdone will be to bring in the Bill again

What, then, is gained? For as Ministers take every opportunity of declaring that they will accept nothing less efficient (as they call it) than the present Bill, no compromise can be looked for

Lord Harrowby is the only oes further than the bulk of his party would approve of; and yet he is far behind the Ministerial plan So that there see off for less than the old Bill, for the Opposition will hardly venture to stop the next _in limine_ as they did this I do not see why they should hope to amend the next Bill in Committee any more than the last, and the division which they dreaded the other day is not less likely, and would not be less fatal upon another occasion If, then, it is to pass at last, it coht as well have passed at first as at last, and the excitement consequent on its rejection have been spared, as well as the odiuotten or laid aside

The Dorsetshi+re election promises to end in favour of Ashley, and there will be a contest for Caeshi+re, which may also end in favour of the anti-Reform candidate These victories I really believe to be unfortunate, for they are taken (I aard to the first, it is the sa by contrast with the last election) by the Tories and anti-Reform champions as undoubted proofs of the reaction of public opinion, and they are thereby encouraged to persevere in opposition under the false notion that this supposed reaction will every day gain ground I wish it were so with all h there may be fewer friends to _the Bill_ than there were, particularly ariculturists, Reform is not a whit less popular with the hout the unions, and generally ast all classes and in all parts of the country When I see hest birth, of ied talents, zealously and conscientiously supporting this measure, I own I am lost in astonish myself whether it is possible that such ht with all the peril we ascribe to these, whether we are not in reality enerated by habitual prejudices and erroneous calculations But often as this doubt comes across my mind, it is always dispelled by a reference to and couments on both sides, and by the lessons which all that I have ever read and all the conclusions I have been able to draw from the study of history have ier, but that the manner in which they have been introduced, discussed, defended, and supported is erous still The total unsettle into contempt all the institutions which have been hitherto venerated, the aggrandisenition of popular authority, the use and abuse of the King's naovern to sedition and disaffection, that I do not see the possibility of the country settling down into that calm and undisturbed state in which it was before this question was mooted, and without which there can be no happiness or security to the community A thousandup all over the country, each big with his own ephemeral iovern the nation Ast the is less probable than that these spirits of mischief and ness, and retire after the victory has been gained into the obscurity froed

Newmarket, October 23rd, 1831 {p208}