Volume II Part 25 (1/2)

At Stoke from the 22nd to the 26th, then to the Grove, and returned yesterday; at the former place Madame de Lieven, Alvanley, Melbourne; tolerably pleasant; question of war again

The Dutch King makes a stir, and threatens to bombard the town of Antwerp; the French offered to ed they would not, and chose rather to await the effect of o What they find to say to each other for eight or ten hours a day for several consecutive days it is hard to guess, as the question is of the siive up the citadel of Antwerp, nor consent to the free navigation of the Scheldt; the Belgians insist on these concessions; the Conference says they shall be granted, but Russia, Prussia, and Austria will not coerce the Dutchland and France will, if the others don't object A French army is in motion, and a French fleet is off Spithead; so probably soed this Government more than these protracted and abortive conferences

Four days ago there was a report that the King of Spain was dead, accoan speculating as to the succession, but yesterday cauel are fighting at Oporto with souel is the favourite The French Govern and feeble, and nobody is inclined to be Minister

Dupin was very near it, but refused because Louis Philippe would notis deteret nobody to take office on these terms They think it will end in Dupin The present Government declares it cannot meet the Chambers until Antwerp is evacuated by the Dutch and the duchesse de Berri departed out of France or taken This heroine,about in La Vendee and doing rather harh London, when our Queen very politely went to visit her She has not a shadow of doubt of the restoration of her nephew, and thinks nothing questionable but the time She told Madame de Lieven this I talked to Madame de Lieven about war, and added that if any did break out it would be the war of opinion which Canning had predicted She said yes, and that the monarchical principle (as she calls the absolute principle) would then crush the other

[Page Head: CONVERSATION WITH LORD MELBOURNE]

I came up with Melbourne to London He is uneasy about the state of the country--about the desire for change and the general restlessness that prevails We discussed the different reed that John Russell had acted unwarrantably inthe speech he did the other day at Torquay about the Ballot, which, though hypothetical, was nothing but an invitation to the advocates of Ballot to agitate for it; this, too, from a Cabinet Minister! Then comes an aard sort of explanation, that what he said was in his _individual_ capacity, as if he had any right so to speak Melbourne spoke of Brougham, who he said was tossed about in perpetual caprices, that he was fanciful and sensitive, and actuated by all sorts of littlenesses, even with regard to people so insignificant that it is difficult to conceive how he can ever think about them; that he is conservative, but under the influence of his old connexions, particularly of the Saints His friends are so often changed that it is not easy to follow him in this respect Durhah opinion of Sefton! of his judgreat abilities, when one sees the gigantic intellect of Broughao on when little wisdoreat deal of _talent_, which, however, is different froht of Richnorant and narrow- to me, who had known him all my life, in an odd place as a Cabinet Minister He said he was sharp, quick, the King liked him, and he stood up to Durhaether he was not uniredients of this Cabinet seeood for nothing else; because Durha temper, and his father-in-laeak, there must be a man without any other merit than spirit to curb that te the question there, that the Archbishop of Canterbury illing to reform the Church, but not to alienate any of its revenues 'Not,' I asked, 'for the payy?' 'No, not fro to be done but to pull down the edifice and rebuild it He said you would have all the Protestants against you, but he did not appear to differ To this things ly anxious to keep Lord Hill and Fitzroy Somerset at the head of the arladly oust the occasion for the army, and does not wish to tamper with the service or play any tricks with it It is curious to see the working and counterworking of his real opinions and principles with his false position, and the mixture of bluntness, facility and shrewdness, discretion, levity and seriousness, which, colouring his e cohts and his actions

CHAPTER XIX

Foreign Difficulties--Conduct of Peel on the Resignation of Lord Grey--Manners Sutton proposed as Tory Preo on Dutch shi+ps--Death of Lord Tenterden--Denman made Lord Chief Justice--_Tableau_ of Holland House--The Speakershi+p--Horne and Cahton--Lord Howe and the Queen--Elections under the Reforremont--Attempt to reinstate Lord Howe--Namik Pacha-- Lord Lyndhurst's Version of what occurred on the Resignation of Lord Grey--Lord Denbigh appointed Chaham's Privy Council Bill--Talleyrand's Relations with Fox and Pitt--Negro Emancipation Bill--State of the West Indies-- The Reforues--Four Days'

Debate on the Address--Peel's Political Career

London, October 7th, 1832 {p324}

I went to Newer on the 5th, and came to town on the 6th Great fears entertained of war; the obstinacy of the Dutch King, the appointuous conduct of the Allied Courts look like war Miguel has attacked Oporto without success; but, as he nearly destroyed the English and French battalions, he will probably soon get possession of the city It is clear that all Portugal is for him, which we may be sorry for, but so it is The iniquity of his cause does not appear to affect it

October 12th, 1832 {p324}

Lady Cowper told er that Palian question came from Matuscewitz, as insolent and obstinate, and astute inas he had been recalled so settled, for which he came), and Palmerston and some of the others had asked the Emperor to allow hi up the s of the Conference; that Lieven had by no means wished him to stay, but could not object when the others desired it Accordingly he remained, and now he annoys Palmerston to death All this she wrote to Madame de Lieven, who replied that it was not the fault of Matuscewitz, and that he and Lieven agreed perfectly She talked, however, rather reeable diploton, to which he does not object, though she will hardly ever efface the ietting intolerably stupid, and entirely barren of events I would take to miscellaneous and private matters if any fell in my way, but what can I make out of such anied in?

Euston, October 26th, 1832 {p325}

[Page Head: TORY ATTEMPTS TO FORM A MINISTRY]

Went to Downham on Sunday last; the Duke of Rutland, the Walewskis, Lord Burghersh, and Hope Ca; the usual party At Downhaarrulous) of a miscellaneous description, of which the most curious and important was the entire confirmation of (what I before suspected) the ill blood that exists between the Duke of Wellington and Peel; though the interests of party keep them on decent terms, they dislike one another, and the Duke's friends detest Peel still more than the Duke does himself He told me all that had passed at the time of the blow-up of the present Government, which I have partly recorded from a former conversation with hih I think he coment) was not influenced by any e Head: MANNERS SUTTON PROPOSED AS PREMIER]

As soon as the King sent for Lyndhurst the latter went to the Duke, who (as is known) agreed to for that he was to be himself Prime Minister Lyndhurst went to Peel, who declined to take office, and he then went to Baring

Lyndhurst and Arbuthnot sent for Baring out of the House of Commons, and took him to old Bankes' house in Palace Yard, where they had their conversation with hied for time to consider of it, and to be allowed to consult Peel, to which they assented He afterwards agreed, but on condition that Manners Sutton should also be in the Cabinet Lyndhurst had about the sa was finally settled it was understood he would accept them So matters stood, when one day (it erald called on the Arbuthnots, and in a conversation about the different arrangements he intimated that Manners Sutton expected to be Pri him more particularly they found that this was also his own i Arbuthnot went off to Lyndhurst's house, where he arrived before Lyndhurst was dressed, and told hierald, and asked what it could mean Lyndhurst answered very evasively, but promised to have the matter cleared up Arbuthnot, not satisfied, went to the Duke and told him what had passed, and added his conviction that there was some such project on foot (to make Sutton Premier) of which he was not aware The Duke said he did not care a farthing as Preht desirable that Sutton should be he had not the smallest objection, and was by no means anxious to fill the post himself I asked whether the Duke would have taken office if Sutton had been Minister, and was told that nothing was settled, but probably not

The sa at Apsley House, at which the Duke, Lyndhurst, Baring, Ellenborough, and (I think) Rosslyn or Aberdeen, or both, were present, and to which Sutton came, and held forth for nearly four hours upon the position of their affairs and his co into office He talked such incredible nonsense (as I have before related) that when he was gone they all lifted up their hands and with one voice pronounced the i any Govern was then asked why he hadinto office the condition of his own acceptance, and why he had wished him to be Pri himself, and had hardly any acquaintance with Sutton, except that as speaker he was civil to hione to consult Peel, Peel had advised hi Sutton, and to put him at the head of the Government This avowal led to further examination into what had passed, and it came out that when Lyndhurst went to Peel, Peel pressed Manners Sutton upon hi to support the new Govern Lyndhurst to offer the Premiershi+p to Sutton At the same time he put Sutton up to this, and desired hily, when Lyndhurst went to Sutton, the latter said he would be Pri, and Lyndhurst had the folly to promise it to hi at Apsley House, and got hold of as passing, went and told it to her brother, Lord Salisbury, who lost no tih Tory Lords, who all agreed that it would not do to have Sutton at the head of the Government, and that the Duke was the only reat dinner at the Conservative Club took place, at which a number of Tories, principally Peers, with the Duke and Peel, were present A great many speeches werea determination to support _his_ Government Peel was in very ill humour and said little; the Duke spokethat the difference of their positions justified each in his different line The next day soreed that the unani at the head of the Governether with the unfitness of Sutton, proved the absolute necessity of the Duke's being Premier, and it was resolved that a communication to this effect should be ed himself with it and went to Peel's house, where Sutton was at the time Peel came to Aberdeen in a very bad humour, said he saw froht of but the Duke, and he should wash his hands of the whole business; that he had already declined having anything to do with the Government, and to that deter Monday the whole thing was at an end

I am not sure that I have stated these occurrences exactly as they were told me There may be errors in the order of the interviews and _pourparlers_, and in the verbal details, but the substance is correct, and may be summed up to this effect: that Peel, full of ambition, but of caution, animated by deep dislike and jealousy of the Duke (which policy induced hiht to ton, while he was to be another Pitt; he fancied that he could gain in political character, by an opposite line of conduct, all that the Duke would lose; and he resolved that a Government should be formed the existence of which should depend upon himself Manners Sutton was to be his creature; he would have dictated every measure of Government; he would have been their protector in the House of Co moment arrived, he would have dissolved this miserable Ministry and placed himself at the head of affairs All these deep-laid sche contrast to the simplicity and heartiness of the Duke's conduct, and ht froht froood ones The Duke put himself forward, and encountered all the obloquy and reproach to which he knew he exposed hin the power to another Peel endeavoured to seize the power, but to shi+eld hier It is a reat capacity of thethe detection of his practices and his motives, the Tories are compelled still to keep ith him and to accept hiain between hi Governendered by these circumstances will make it extremely difficult to form a Tory Adiven, if not forgotten]

Novee Head: EMBARGO ON DUTCH shi+PS]

Ca to the deive up Antas anxiously expected It arrived on Monday afternoon, and was a refusal Accordingly a Council o on Dutch merchant shi+ps, which are to be sequestrated, but not confiscated The French army marches forthwith, and Palmerston told me they expected two or three days of bombardment would suffice for the capture of the citadel, after which the French would retire within their own frontier