Volume III Part 8 (1/2)

With equal modesty and candour he distrusted his own ability to fill it, and he still more distrusted his oant of caution and prudence, which was his weak point He accepted it, however, to relieve the Government from embarrassment, but he accompanied his acceptance with a declaration to Lord Grey that he would gladly resign his office whenever a better man could be found to fill it It had previously been offered to Mr Abercromby, who refused to accept it without a seat in the Cabinet]

[7] [These details are also far from accurate, as has now been demonstrated by the publication (1872) of Lord Hatherton's own inal correspondence, which proves that the letter to Lord Wellesley ritten at the instigation of the Lord Chancellor, and that it expressed the deliberate opinions of several ed that it ritten without the knowledge of Lord Grey and in opposition to his views The subsequent communication made by Mr

Littleton to O'Connell was h Mr Littleton said more to O'Connell than Lord Althorp had intended--an indiscretion which Mr Littleton hienerous use of the confidence which had been extended to him]

[8] [Mr Littleton had but one conversation with O'Connell]

[Page Head: POPULARITY OF LORD ALTHORP]

The Tories have been ood deal damped within the last twelve hours, for it is now universally believed that Althorp will be prevailed upon to remain, and will hireat in the House of Commons, and there is such a dread of a dissolution, that if this arrangeer, and at this advanced period of the session it may be doubted whether the House of Lords will throw out any of their essential measures I , and they seeood spirits I have no doubt Ellice and Duncannon have had a ed on Littleton to do what he did The House was adjourned till Monday, to afford tihaht, and his statements were at direct variance with Althorp's, the latter declaring that they were all out and the former that they were all still in office, and that Grey and Althorp had alone resigned

July 12th, 1834 {p105}

I went out of town yesterday , and did not return till seven o'clock; in the meanti with a face as long as the pictures of Hudibras, which at once told the tale of baffled hopes

Melbourne's negotiation had failed entirely 'Jack,'[9] as backed at even against the field the night before in the House of Co to say to it I have not yet heard in detail the circumstances of this failure, but it will probably turn out that the King insisted upon some Conservative conditions, or an attempt at coalition, which is a favourite plan of his

Yesterday it was generally expected that Peel would be sent for, or the Duke of Wellington Peel called at Apsley House and ith the Duke a long tih the Park, Ellice, as sitting on his horse talking to Sir Edward Kerrison, said, 'There goes a o' It is expected that Peel, if called upon, will endeavour to forreatly divided as to the support he would get in the House of Commons, and as to the effect of a dissolution, should he be driven to adopt that hazardous alternative I think that al depends upon the course which Althorp takes, as far as the rest of this session is concerned His popularity in the House of Co; it is a proof of the influence which personal characterparts; his reood temper, the conviction of his honesty and sincerity, and of his want of aet out of the trammels and cares of office, have all coard, and to a certain degree greater influence, than any Minister ever possessed in ainst Althorp Some detest his principles, some despise his talents, but none detest or despise the es of such e of the House of Co the bias and disposition of the House If Althorp abstains froh opposition, and endeavours to restrain others, upon the principle of giving a fair trial to those who may have taken his place because he would not continue to hold it, it is probable that the majority will avail the a dissolution, and give a sulky and suspicious assent to the measures of the new Ministry, for a cordial support cannot be expected This, however, must depend upon circumstances which are still _in nubibus_ To-day must, in all probability, decide who is to atte a Government Stanley, it is supposed, if invited, will not join Peel, at least not at present; all, however, is speculation, curiosity, and exciteiven at the time to John, Lord Althorp]

July 13th, 1834 {p106}

[Page Head: LORD GREY AND STANLEY]

All yesterday nothing was done; the King remains very quietly at Windsor, still in communication with Melbourne, and I believe with the Chancellor He declines talking upon the present state of affairs to anybody What he wanted was, that some atte Ministers would not consent to Poulett Thomson called on me at my office in the afternoon, and told me that it was by no means true that Althorp would not on any terms take the Government; but that he would not unless he had _carte blanche_, in which case he could not refuse it; if he did refuse, Thoht to support Peel or _any Tory_ Government He is convinced that if Peel took the Government he would be driven out by the House of Commons _instanter_, unless he could show that he had done so in consequence of the King being deserted by the presentwith Althorp, who told hireeable to hiards Lord Grey, he ht have it put to him in a way that left him no option Lord Grey and his friends and family think that he has been extrenant with all the actors in the Littleton affair, and only burning with desire to expose those who are still concealed Charles Grey talked to ht, and said that Lord Wellesley ought to disclose all that was still secret in the transaction, and produce the private letters he had received froland, and by which his opinions and advice had been influenced Such letters they knoritten, and they believe by the Chancellor; this belief, whether it turns out to be true or false, is, I perceive, very general It is inconceivable what a reputation that man has, and how universally he is distrusted, and despised as reat abilities can be His political character is about on a par with Whittle Harvey'stone in the House of Lords have excited as iven offence in it, and the only excuse for him is--what many people believe--that there is a taint of ht, in his reply to the Duke of Wellington's violent and foolish speech, he chose to turn upon Lord Rolle, a very old reatly exasperated, and after he sat doent up to him on the Woolsack and said, 'My Lord, I wish you to know that I have the greatest contempt for you both in this House and out of it'

While Lord Grey has been very indignant against the plotters in his Cabinet he has been sorely wounded by the seceders, or rather by the chief of the enough to his feelings, but not advantageous, though not discreditable, to Stanley The latter wrote a letter to Lord Grey expressing his deep regret at having said anything to offend hi forth the warratitude, veneration, and attach by an assurance that he would take office under nobody else After the gross attack he y, but it only enhances the folly of his former conduct to find hi a penitential letter Lord Grey replied in corresponding terain as ever, and that Stanley's speech shall henceforward be forgotten; but it will be very long before the effect produced by it will be forgotten, or that the recollection of it will cease to have an influence on Stanley's reputation and prospects His especial friends, the other seceders, were as much annoyed at it as anybody; and the duchess of Richretted it very bitterly It is but justice to Richmond to own that he has acted a fair, open, and manly part in this business, and has satisfied all parties Lord Grey was not annoyed at what passed between them in the House of Lords, and their friendshi+p has never suffered any interruption

July 15th, 1834 {p108}

This interval of feverish anxiety has ended by the for entrusted to Lord Melbourne He refused to undertake it unless Althorp could stay with hi wanted Lord Grey to come back, and spoke to Taylor about it, but he told hi did not propose it, but he has constantly written to hiht be consulted in every step of these proceedings Lord Grey has acted very cordially towards Melbourne, and pressed Althorp so earnestly to stay that he has consented, and last night the announceh and foolish) are down in the mouth, but Peel is himself well content not to have been mixed up in the concern The present conjecture is that Abercroo to the Home Office and Durha, and everybody 'wonders' how Melbourne will do it He is certainly a queer fellow to be Priham are tild chaps to have the destinies of this country in their hands I should not be surprised if Melbourne was to rouse his dorreatness of his position to display the vigour and decision in which he is not deficient Unfortunately his reputation is not particularly good; he is considered lax in ion, and very loose and pliant in politics He is supposed to have consented to measures of which he disapproved because it suited his ease and convenience to do so, and because he was actuated by no strong political principles or opinions

July 17th, 1834 {p109}

[Page Head: LORD DUNCANNON HOME SECRETARY]

Yesterday it was announced that Duncannon is to be Secretary of State and called to the House of Peers; Hobhouse in his place and in the Cabinet, and to stand for Nottingham This completes the concern; Duncannon Secretary of State! Who could ever have thought of him in such a station? His proper element see, zealous partisan and a very good whipper-in; but he cannot speak at all, and though a tolerably candid talker, his capacity is slender; he has no pretensions of any sort to a high office, and nothing but peculiar circumstances could put him in one; but the difficulty has been how to deal with Durha nothing to do with hih there were some feanted to take hi they arrived at the conclusion that Duncannon's elevation was the only solution of this difficulty, but so it is, for I believe he would have preferred to stay in his old place They are all in raptures with the King, and with his straightforward dealing on this occasion In the first instance he desired Melbourne to write to the Duke, Peel, and Stanley, stating his wish that an Administration should be forly to each, and with his letters he sent copies of his own letter to the King, in which he gave his opinion that the formation of such a Government was impossible The Duke and Peel each replied, with expressions of duty, to his Majesty, that they agreed with Lord Melbourne, but did not see any necessity for giving reasons for their opinions The King, however, desired to have their reasons, which have since been sent to hi letter, with a peremptory refusal to form part of any such Govern any intention of connecting hih all the Grey fanant, and by no means silent, at the way the Earl has been treated, he has behaved with great teues his cordial assistance in patching up the broken concern

July 19th, 1834 {p110}

[Page Head: O'CONNELL AND THE COERCION BILL]

Two angry debates in the Lords last night and the night before; I was present at the last, but not at the first On Thursday Lord Wicklow haraceful scene of confusion and disorder arose Melbourne made his first speech, declaration, and explanation, and is thought to have done it very well--a good beginning Last night Wharncliffe moved for the production of Lord Wellesley's letter, by which the opinion of the Cabinet had been shaken about the Coercion Bill Lord Greyhis shi+eld over his old colleagues, declaring he neither complained nor had he been ill-used, and entreated that the new Governht be fairly tried, and not embarrassed without cause in the outset It was certainly the speech of a thorough gentleman, but the case is after all a bad one The dates shohat must have happened It was on the 20th of June that Mr Littleton told O'Connell there was a discussion going on in the Cabinet, and that the Coercion Bill was not yet settled Now on the 20th of June it _was_ settled, but on the 23rd of June came Lord Wellesley's letter, which unsettled it[10] It is clear, then, that a communication was made to Lord Wellesley which it was confidently expected would elicit from him such a letter as would enable the authors of the co able to wait for its arrival, anticipated it, and told O'Connell that the discussion was begun before the cause of it was in operation There certainly never was a ue perpetrated than this, and although no official document, or demi-official will now be produced to reveal the naha Greys make no secret of their conviction that he is thefros and the termination of them (in the reconstruction of this Government, with its additions, and the alteration of the Bill) is the vast increase which must bebeen able tohe pleases, and he will certainly have no difficulty in persuading thes, that he has ousted Lord Grey, introduced Duncannon (who of all the Whigs has been his greatest friend), and expunged the obnoxious clauses from the Coercion Bill, and the fact is that all this is not very far fro himself of circumstances and his betrayal of Littleton, between the folly of some men and the baseness of others, he has appeared the most prominent character in the drama Even now I cannot make out _why_ everybody wished the Bill to be thus emasculated, for there would have been no difficulty in passing it through both Houses

To the surprise of everybody Littleton is suffered to keep his place, probably by the protection of Althorp, who ed about him on this occasion as he was about the Speakershi+p, and as he is considered (on account of his character) so indispensable in the House of Commons, of course he can ain is not accurate It was on the 23rd of June, _after_ the arrival of Lord Wellesley's letter, that Mr Littleton saw O'Connell The question was still under discussion on that day, and the opinions of different members of the Cabinet werethe Chancellor) ere opposed to the renewal of the Coercion Bill in its integrity wished to secure the assent of Lord Wellesley to their views After the receipt of Lord Wellesley's letter of the 21st of June both Lord Melbourne and Lord Althorp declared that 'it was impossible to ask Parliament for an unconstitutional pohich the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland had been led to disclaim'

(See Hatherton's Memoir, p 13) The question was not finally settled till the Cabinet of the 20th of June

Mr Littleton had been distinctly informed by Lord Althorp, on the same day that he saw O'Connell, that the n rather than allow the disputed clauses to form part of the new Bill]

[11] [This was so Lord Althorp positively refused to hold office in the Melbourne Government, unless Mr