Dr. Seymour, Fitzgerald's physician, represents him as very ill indeed, and
in _danger_ if he does any business; but Peel, who saw him to-day, thinks
that much exaggerated.
_January 14._
Chairs at 11. I asked them to find out when Rothschild sold out his Indian
stock. It seems (by a note I received in the evening) that he began on
October 15, and at different times sold out 42,000£ stock. I sent the
Chairman's note to Goulburn.
About ten received the promised circular from the Duke. He was an hour and
a half with the King, when he was obliged to leave him in consequence of
his being unwell--and the King afterwards sent to desire he would come
again on Saturday.
For the first hour the King was in a state of irritated and contemptuous
indignation. However, the Duke thinks he brought him to feel he had nothing
to complain of in the conduct of his Government. He finished by getting
into better temper and a good tone; but the Duke thinks he should have
brought away his assent if he had been with him another hour. The Duke
wishes to hear the opinion of the Cabinet upon some points, and we meet at
two to-morrow.
_January 15._
The Duke gave the Cabinet an account of his interview with the King. The
King was with Munster and the Duke of Cumberland when he went; but the Duke
was admitted in about forty minutes, which time he passed with the Lady
Conyngham, who told him he must expect a storm.
The King was in bed, looking very ill. He said, 'Well, what is your
business?' and seemed at first most indignant. The Duke, however, corrected
his misapprehensions--showed him the dates, and proved that he had known
from the first that it was probable Leopold would be proposed by France.
The proposition was made by us to Prince Frederick of Orange on November
13, his final answer received on August 11 (there may be a slight error in
these dates, as I write from memory). In the meantime the King of France
had about November 29, when Leopold took leave of him, told him he would
propose him. This was known here immediately, and Leopold distinctly told
he could not be heard of till our own candidate was disposed of. The
regular proposal of Leopold did not arrive here till January 1, and was
communicated to the King with the _projet_ of a protocol, for it was no
more, on the 9th.
It was still only a proposition, and the Government now come to advise the
King to consent to it.