At night received a letter from the Duke of Wellington, saying he thought
we might get Courtenay to resign at once and get in Lord Chandos. I am to
see him at ten to-morrow on the subject.
_June 23, 1829._
Wrote early to the Chairs and begged them to come to me immediately. Sent
Loch the Duke's note and told him why Lord Chandos's being brought in was
of so much importance. Saw the Duke at 10. The King was very much out of
humour yesterday. He wanted to make Nash a baronet. The Duke refused. The
King then went upon his Speech, which he did not like and had altered. He
left out the specific mention of the Relief and Franchise Bill, and there
he was right, and he converted the prayer that the measure might
tranquillise Ireland, &c., into a _hope_ that it would--thus making it a
little stronger, but that he did not know.
The Duke of Cumberland, on hearing of Castlereagh's appointment, said,
'Whoever ratted he would not,' alluding to Lord Londonderry, who has been
nibbling at the Cumberland faction. However, Lord Londonderry is much
annoyed at Castlereagh's taking office. He neither likes the expense of an
election for Downshire, nor losing a vote he thought he could dispose of.
Hardinge will not sit again for Durham. Without Hardinge Lord Londonderry
will have trouble enough there.
The King was much out of humour during the Chapter of the Garter, and said
everything was done wrong.
Saw the Chairs. They had just got a letter from Sir John Malcolm, resigning
from December 1, 1830. This would have been in any case a long time for
Courtenay to wait out of office; but they said the idea of his being
proposed had got wind, and several of the Directors were very adverse.
Neither of the Chairs likes him, and if they supported him they would do it
very reluctantly. As Loch goes out of office in April, and we cannot tell
who will be deputy, and six new Directors come in, there really are not the
means of saying to Courtenay, 'You are sure of your election,' and without
this he could not be asked to resign.
I took the Chairs to the Duke. He received them very cordially, told them I
had stated the circumstances to him, and he gave up the point.
We then talked of the legality of the removal of the Supreme Government
from Calcutta. On looking into the acts it seems very doubtful whether any
act done by the Governor-General in Council away from Calcutta would be
valid unless it were one of the acts the Governor-General might do of his
own authority. For instance, 'a regulation' issued by the Governor-General
in Council at Meerut would not be valid, because the Governor-General alone
could not issue one.
The Duke said Lord William did everything with the best intentions; but he
was a _wrong-headed man_, and if he went wrong he would continue in the
wrong line. Other men might go wrong and find it out, and go back; but if
he went wrong he would either not find it out, or, if he did, he would not
go back.
_June 24._
Sat as Commissioner to prorogue Parliament. The King's alteration in the
Speech certainly made it better and stronger. He now expresses his _sincere
hope_ the measures of the session will produce tranquillity, &c. People
thought the Speech rather short and jejune.
Dined at the 'Albion' with the Directors. The dinner was given to Lord
Dalhousie. There were there the Duke, the Chancellor, Peel, Sir J. Murray,
Lord Rosslyn and Goulburn, the Speaker, the Attorney General, Courtenay,
Ashley, and Bankes; Duke of Buccleuch, Lord Camden, Lord Montagu, Lord
Hill, Sir Herbert Taylor, Sir Byam Martin, Sir A. Dickson, Colonel Houston,
Lord Dalhousie, and Sir Sidney Beckwith, and their aides-de-camp; a great
many Directors, and in all rather more than 100 people.
The Duke, in returning thanks, spoke of the cordiality and good
understanding existing between the Directors and the Government, _which was
never more necessary to the Company than now_.
I said the good understanding would always exist while such men as Loch
were in the chair, and while I was at the Board of Control. I paid a high
compliment to Loch, and then congratulated them on the appointments of the
two Generals. Their mildness of manner, their benevolence of character, and
the goodness of their natures would obtain for them the affectionate
devotion of a grateful soldiery, and, educated in a school of continued
victories, they were the fittest leaders of an army which had never met an
enemy it had not subdued. I ended by saying I was sure they would devote
themselves to the maintenance under all circumstances, not only of the
efficiency, but of an object which they would pursue with equal interest--
_of the happiness and well-being of the native army of India_. I spoke
rather well, was attentively heard, and well received. I sat by the Duke of
Buccleuch. We had a good deal of conversation. He seems a fine young man.
Lord Rosslyn complained he could never see a draft till it was a month old,
and that there had been no new despatches placed in the boxes since he came
into office. I told him no one complained more of the same thing than
Aberdeen did when Dudley was in office, and I believe all Foreign
Secretaries had a shyness about showing their drafts till they were sent
off and unalterable.
_June 25._
At the office found a letter with enclosures from Colonel Macdonald, dated
Tabriz April 20. What he has been doing in Persia I do not know.