_April 8._
Cabinet at 2. The Committee on the Bank Charter to be taken out of
Huskisson's hands.
The King was not well yesterday. The Duke recollected Clare's appointment,
and thinks I shall have the warrant in a day or two.
_April 9._
Wrote to Wrangham, begging him to send me the Cabinet box I desired the
Cabinet messenger to take to my house yesterday. I think it contained the
papers relative to Russian projects against India.
I have been so unwell the last two days I have been unable to do any public
business.
_April 12._
Had some conversation with Hardinge. He thinks the Duke will not remain in
office above a year more, and that Peel will then be Minister, and that
Peel looks forward to that now. I said I feared he would be a very Radical
Minister.
Hardinge thinks Sir G. Murray would be very well satisfied to be Master-
General, that he feels the Colonial Office is above him. I doubt, however,
if he would like leaving it. If Peel was Minister he would have all the
Ministers he could in the House of Commons.
From what Hardinge heard from Croker I am inclined to think that foolish
fellow and others imagine they could go on without Peel.
I do not think it impossible we may have a dissolution of Parliament if
there should be a good harvest.
_April 12._
Sent the letter and list of Russian papers about China to the Duke. Wrote
to Aberdeen and told him so. Observed at the same time that I should be
very glad to make some arrangement with the Portuguese for excluding opium
from their Indian ports; but I feared the present state of our relations
with Portugal was not favourable for our doing so.
_April 13._
Found in London the papers I had sent to the Duke. He says he is sorry he
has read them. He had thought better of Sir Ch. Metcalfe. The only one of
the four who writes _common sense_ is Elphinstone.
_April 15._
The King was apparently very ill indeed yesterday.
Received a medal struck for the native troops engaged in the Burmese war
from Loch, and another to be transmitted to the King.
_April 16._
Saw Hardinge, who called upon me at R.
The King has really been very ill, but certainly not worse than the
bulletin made him.
Sir H. Halford does not go down to-day, nor will there be any more
bulletins.
Hardinge seems to be dissatisfied with Peel, who he says is cold and never
encourages any one. All this is very true.
I think Hardinge rather looks to the Colonial Office. He thinks Sir G.
Murray does not do the business well, and that he would be perfectly
satisfied with the Ordnance. Hardinge does not like Ireland, yet, I think,
he will find he goes to Ireland. The Duke certainly wishes it.
The Duke of Clarence is very fond of Hardinge, and tells him all he means
to do when he is 'King William.' This seems much confined at present to
changes in uniforms. He means to make the Blues _red_, and to have gold
lace for all the Line, and silver lace for all the Militia.
_April 17._
Saw Sir A. Campbell at 1. He came about his claim upon the Company. I told
him I transacted all business of that nature in writing. I gave him
information as to the proposal of the Chairs, which is to give him staff
allowances for a year, instead of Batta, by which he would gain about
15,850 R., or about 1,580£. What he wants is about 25,000£, or the
difference between that and the value of his pension of 1,000£ a year--that
is, 15,000£.
Went to the Foreign Office. No news there or at the Treasury of the King.
The report is that he is better.
Read there for an hour and a half.
Polignac offers, if it were desired, to sign a Convention upon the
principles laid down in Aberdeen's despatch as to Algiers.
He seems out of humour altogether with Leopold; Villele seems to have no
great disposition to come in, although his friends have. He says the
Opposition will in any case have 180 votes in the new Chamber.
Spain will withdraw her Minister and have only a Chargé d'Affaires at
Lisbon if Don Miguel will not grant the amnesty.
France does not remonstrate against the abolition of the Salic Law in
Spain, as she precluded herself by treaty from the succession. The law was
otherwise in the old Spanish monarchy. [Footnote: The Salic law was
introduced by Philip V. of Spain, the first Bourbon king, whose own claim
was through his mother, daughter of Louis XIV., who had renounced the
succession.] The abrogation of the Salic law is directed against Don
Carlos, &c., and the King naturally wishes his own child to succeed, be the
child male or female.
Saw Mr. Downie on the part of Mr. Chippendale, the man who was removed by
the Sign Manual from the service of the India Company. The Court and the
Bengal Government did not view his offence in the same light. The poor man
is ruined, but the feelings of humanity must not interfere with the
interests of the public service. His removal was a good hint to the whole
body of civil servants, and did good.
_April 18._
Brought Lord Clare home after church, and showed him my letter to Mr.
Elphinstone respecting the chiefs of Kattywar and the Guicowar. Talked over
the policy to be pursued with regard to them.
He is to leave England in September, and means to go to Marseilles.
_April 19._
Lord William seems to have been much gratified by my letters in May and
June affording the pledges of my support and the assurances of my
confidence. Afterwards, however, he received my letter of July, intimating
censure for the relaxations of the rules restricting the residence of
Europeans, and a difference of opinion as to the Government leaving
Calcutta. His letters are in a very good tone and temper.