The Chancellor was at Windsor yesterday. He did not see the King. The
physicians seemed to think it could not last a week. He is greatly swollen,
and generally.
Lord Bathurst went to Windsor to-day. His account was a little better, but
his expectation did not go beyond a fortnight. In the meantime the
physicians are afraid of telling the King of his danger.
Sir W. Knighton sat up with him last night, and was much alarmed by one of
the attacks, not having seen one before. However, he did not call Sir H.
Halford.
The probability is that the new Parliament will meet in the last week in
July.
The Speaker says the House of Commons is like a school two days before the
holidays. They do not know what mischief to be at.
Lord Rosslyn seems to think all sorts of intrigues are going on, and has
some little doubt as to the Duke of Clarence. I have none.
House. E. Retford again. Wrote to Lord Holland when I came home to call his
attention to the Hickson Nullity of Marriage Bill. I cannot take a part;
but he must do so if he wishes to preserve his grandfather's clause.
_May 11._
Heard from Lord Holland, who is fully alive to the consequences of the
Bill. He thinks I am right not to take a part.
There was an indigo-planter before the Committee to-day. It seems, as I
supposed, to be just as unnecessary for indigo-manufacturers to be indigo-
growers as it is for maltsters to be great farmers. This man took out no
capital and he had no licence; yet he was permitted to reside and take a
lease, and the agency houses lent him money at 10 and 12 per cent.
The judge, Sir T. Strange, was a sensible man. He deprecated the
introduction of English law into the provinces.
The King is getting weaker, which the physicians dread more than his
spasms. It is thought he can hardly last a week.
Read the memorandum on Hyderabad a second time, and sent it with the
proposed letter and alterations to the Duke.
Prepared materials for Lord Stanhope's motion about shipping on Thursday.
_May 12._
Cabinet dinner at Lord Rosslyn's.
The Duke saw the King to-day. He said there was a decided alteration since
Wednesday last. He was now in appearance an invalid, but not a dying man.
His body is very much swollen. They took several quarts of water from his
feet yesterday. He is good-humoured and alive. His eyes as brilliant as
ever. His voice a little affected. His colour dark and sodden.
The Duke thinks he may die at any time; but may live a fortnight or ten
days--Knighton thinks so too. The other physicians think worse of him.
He called for the 'Racing Calendar' yesterday. They were afraid he would
call for the newspaper.
Knighton found he was not aware there were now any bulletins.
Knighton proposed to him the taking the sacrament, as he did not take it at
Easter. He said he would think about it, but to be better before he took
it. His taking it now might lead to the publishing of more bulletins.
He continues to take the greatest interest in the improvements at the
lodge.
After dinner we talked only of the things necessary to be done on a demise.
Lord B. seemed to say we _could not_ have the Duchess of Clarence as
Regent, because there was no precedent. I trust this will be got over.
Leopold has written an unsatisfactory answer to the last letter about the
loan. However, he goes.
The Porte has acquiesced in the arrangements of the protocol, so Leopold is
Prince Sovereign of Greece.
The Duke read Cabell's memorandum to-day. He thinks Cabell proposes doing
more than should be done. He has a strong feeling as to the scandalous
nature of the whole transaction. Lieutenant-Colonel Arabin has been
infesting the Chancellor upon the subject.
_May 13._
Dined at four. Rode to the office and back, and to the House.
Prepared for Lord Stanhope's motion for returns on shipping, &c.
The Duke had a great deal of information, and answered Lord Stanhope. I
spoke, however, afterwards, as I had some new facts. Then E. Retford till
nine.
Read letters from Sir John Macdonald and a paper he enclosed from
'Blackwood's Magazine' in 1827 on the invasion of India by the Russians.
_May 14._
Colonel Briggs called. He is a clever man. He will prepare for me a
memorandum on the composition of the native army. He seems equally
conversant with revenue, judicial, and military matters.
House. E. Retford as usual. The King is much relieved by the draining of
the water from the punctures; but the wounds gave him much annoyance last
night. The fear is they may lead to mortification. Lord Rosslyn and I go
down on Sunday to Windsor to enquire.
_May 15._
Astell has sent to Lord Combermere the letter lately despatched to India in
which the conduct of the several members of Government is commented upon as
regards the Batta question. Lord Combermere only asked, as far as I
recollect, to know upon what grounds his conduct has been censured. I told
Astell to tell him the censure rested entirely on official documents with
which he must be acquainted. The Duke was very angry with Astell, when I
told him of it after the Cabinet, and expects a question in the House of
Lords.
I told Astell the letter ought not to have been given. It reveals what has
been done with regard to the Batta question, and the news may possibly
reach India through the press before the Government obtain it.
Cabinet at half-past four. Not only have the Turks acceded to the
arrangement for Greece, but the Greeks have done so too. Leopold adheres to
his memorandum of March, and wants the power of drawing as much as he
pleases of the loan at any time.
He will be invited to meet the Plenipotentiaries or to send a person to
meet them to discuss this point. The people about him say he means to break
off. If he should, Peel thinks we could not do it upon a better point, and
he is right.
The King is decidedly better. The Duke saw him to day. He was looking more
healthy. He has had some refreshing sleep. He is more likely to live than
to die. The only danger is from mortification in consequence of the
punctures; but his constitution is so good that in all probability he will
avoid this danger. This wonderful recovery quite changes our position. In
all public business we must now calculate upon his living--at least till
the end of the Session.
Lord Morpeth is to make a motion for the repeal of the Banishment Clause in
the last Libel Act. To the repeal of that clause, which is inoperative
against the common libeller, we have no objection, and the Attorney-General
is pledged to it; but the House of Lords would not like, and the King would
not endure, the repeal of that provision without the substitution of some
other security. That proposed by the Attorney-General is the requiring
security to the amount of 500L. from two sureties that the editor shall pay
_fines_ on account of libels. This is reasonable, and would to some extent
prevent the putting up, as is now done, men or women of straw as editors,
who have no means of paying fines. The other proposal of the Attorney-
General, that the types should be seizable to whomever they may belong, is
objectionable and would hardly be carried. Peel is very sorry the question
is stirred at the present moment. The press is generally with us or
quiescent, and the 'Morning Journal,' [Footnote: It had been obliged to pay
heavy damages for a libel on the Duke of Wellington.] a paper instituted to
oppose the Government, has within these few days been given up altogether
from the want of support. Certainly this is not the moment at which it is
desirable to appear to commence an attack upon the Press--and the Attorney-
General can do nothing that will not be suspected by them.
The Duke has written a memorandum on the Hyderabad affair.
_May 16._
Read the Duke's memorandum; he mistakes the law. However, I cannot write
notes upon his memorandum without the Act of Parliament. The King had an
indifferent night, but still feels better. I only met Lord Bathurst, who
told me so. He had not seen the private letter.
Had a long conversation with Lady C. Wood at Lord Camden's about the
Clarences. It seems there has been a great deal of hope excited in the
Spencers.
They expect Lord Holland to be made Minister, and their son Bob or Lord
Darnley to be first Lord of the Admiralty!--_Nous verrons_.
It seems the Duchess of Clarence and the Duchess of Kent were and are great
friends, and the Duchess of Clarence is very fond of the young Princess.
_Monday, May 17._
At eleven set off with Lord Rosslyn for Windsor. We drove to the visitor's
entrance. After a time Sir A. Barnard came. Lord Rosslyn said we did not
presume to ask to see the King, but we were anxious to know how His Majesty
was, and to present our humble duty to him.
Sir A. asked if we would see Knighton? Lord Rosslyn said it would be very
satisfactory. However, no Knighton came, but a message through Sir A.
Barnard that Sir Wm. Knighton had gone in to the King and had mentioned we
were there, and His Majesty had expressed himself very sensible of our kind
attention. This I conclude is Knighton's own message, and that the King
will never hear we have been. Sir A. Barnard seemed in excellent spirits
about the King. He had a good night, and is certainly much better. He talks
of being able to go to Ascot and to stand up in the carriage, though he
could not go up into the stand.
We met the Bishop of Chichester going back to town. I suppose he thinks he
shall not be wanted.
Rode down to the House. East Retford.
The Duke's private account of the King is excellent.
_May 18._
Committee. Examined Colonel Briggs, who gave very good evidence indeed.
Ordered the attendance of six witnesses for Tuesday, whom we shall
endeavour to despatch, and that will enable everybody to go to Epsom on
Thursday and Friday.
The King much better. All his symptoms alleviated.
To-morrow the Duke will get from him his signature to the message for a
_stamper_. There are to be three signatures of Ministers, that is, of Privy
Councillors, to authorise the stamper, who is to be nominated by the King
to affix the royal stamp to instruments in the King's presence.
By the account from Marseilles, it appears that there are 11 sail of the
line and 28 frigates in the French expedition, in all 97 sails--about 350
transports, carrying 75,000 tons. There will be 30,500 infantry, besides a
very complete equipment of artillery, &c., 75 battering guns, 4,000 horses.
The Luke of Angoulême's (the Dauphin's) visit has delayed the expedition
four days. They will probably be on the sea _to-day_.
Rosslyn was talking yesterday of the _danger_ from this expedition, and the
annexation of Algiers to France. I do not fear it--we can, if we manage
well, make it very costly by bringing forward the people of Tunis and
Morocco, not near the coast, but almost from the desert. We must take care
to secure Tunis, and then the French will be no gainers by their move.
Lord Londonderry made a very foolish speech about foreign policy in putting
off his motion, which stood for the 25th. Aberdeen promised the Greek
papers on _Monday next_.
_May 19._
The Duke saw the King to-day and found him looking better than he did at
the last Council.
The drain from the legs is now very small. He was annoyed last night by
them and sent for Halford, who sent off for Brodie; but there was nothing
of importance. They cannot yet say that he will not ultimately die of this
complaint. Knighton thinks he will be an invalid all his life. Tierney says
they cannot tell for a week whether there is any mischief remaining about
the chest. The Duke wished to speak to him about the stamp; but he made an
excuse about his legs requiring some dressing, and the Duke, seeing he did
not choose to talk about business, went away.
It seems clear that Leopold means to abdicate.
The Attorney-General has made his libel preventive measure a poor weak
inoperative thing, ridiculous, and unconciliating.
The French Chambers are dissolved as a _coup de théâtre_ on the sailing of
the expedition, and they are to meet on August 3, by which time they expect
to hear of its success.
A union of parties is expected on the Greek affair. I am not sorry for it.
The Huskissonians and Whigs are drawing nearer together. The Tories, on the
other hand, are rather approximating to us--so that by the beginning of
next Session men will be at last in their right places.
_May 21._
The King had a bad night. The private letter gave a bad account. He has
been _drinking again_, very irritable, _intolerably_ so. Halford says,
would neither sit in a chair nor lie in a bed, &c. Halford at last held
strong language, and I believe told him his life depended on his obeying
his physician.
I am very much disappointed indeed at this. I hoped he was really getting
better and would live.
Aberdeen is to allow the instalments of the loan guaranteed to Leopold to
be paid in four instead of eight years if he can keep him to his
principality by doing so.
The French were off on the 18th. There is a partial change in their
Ministry.
_May 23._
Rode to the Cabinet at three from Roehampton. The bulletin is that the King
had had embarrassments in his breathing.
The Duke waited two and a half hours before he saw him yesterday. The King
signed the two messages, and then said 'the Duke has just caught me in
time!' and in an instant there was a gurgling in his throat. He seized
Knighton's arm. The Duke ran for Halford, went out into the gallery where
he did not find him, then into another room where he was. Halford
immediately took a bottle from the table and gave the King something which
seemed to relieve him.
The Duke thinks the King was in pain three or four seconds; but it was a
minute and a half before he was relieved. He then did not speak; but made a
motion with his hand for the Duke to go.
He had just before been talking of going to Ascot and then to Aix-la-
Chapelle.
The King was perfectly satisfied with the proposed arrangement for the
stamp.
He asked the news, was told Leopold was behaving very ill, and agreed.
As to Algiers he was told the note of the French Minister was
unsatisfactory, and that it was under consideration whether a note should
not be presented. He thought it right.
The Duke's opinion is that if the King should be seized with one of those
attacks when no one was with him, he would die.
The opinion of Halford and the others is that the disorder is mortal; but
he may live six weeks or two months.
The punctures are healed. They are afraid of opening them again for fear of
mortification, and can only proceed by medicines.
The King's state seems distressing. He can neither remain quiet in his
chair or in his bed. He is in a state of constant restlessness.
The Duke of Cumberland was there to-day, but the King had desired he might
not see him.
Leopold has declined. He sent a note to that effect on Friday night at
twelve o'clock--very well written, not by himself. Aberdeen thinks
Palmerston wrote it. He takes popular ground, and cannot impose himself
upon _a reluctant people_. The fact is Friday's bulletin wrote his letter.
The Duke thinks he will be shown up. The papers presented to-morrow will be
no more than it was before intended to present; but Aberdeen will announce
the _evasion_ of the sovereign, and say that that circumstance will render
necessary the production of other papers which will be presented as soon as
they can be printed. The whole discussion will turn upon Leopold's conduct.
Aberdeen will be in the position of the manager of a country theatre who,
just as the curtain is about to be drawn up, is obliged to come forward and
announce that the amateur gentleman who had solicited the part of Macbeth,
who had attended all the rehearsals, and whose only difficulty, which was
about money, seemed to be in a fair way of adjustment, had unexpectedly
intimated his intention to withdraw in a printed address to the galleries.
Forsooth there should have been an appeal to the people of Greece on the
subject of their Government! An appeal to the people of Newgate on the
subject of the new police! [Footnote: This sentiment, however severe,
represents the feeling about the Greeks of many Englishmen at that time,
and especially of those who, as in the case of naval officers employed in
Greek waters, had seen much of them during the war. Their struggle for
independence was undoubtedly disgraced, not only by cruelty, but by a
treachery and disregard of faith which, though perhaps attributable to past
subjection and oppression, was peculiarly odious to English observers. Lord
Ellenborough adopted this view.]
By a letter of C. Capo d'Istria's, dated 25 M., April 6, written
immediately after his receipt of one from Leopold (after his acceptance),
it appears that Leopold had intimated his intention to change his religion.
He must have had about forty-eight hours to consider the point.
Lord Melville had heard that Leopold had consulted Lord Grey and Lord
Lansdowne without acquainting one that he had seen the other.
_May 24._
Rode to the office at four to receive the manufacturers. Mr. Crawford was
there, Finlay being ill. I told them of my plans as to the Indus. I
directed their attention to the point of bringing out in evidence the
effect the stoppage in China had upon the general trade of the East. I
again desired them to show, if they could, why British manufactures did not
go to China by the country trade.
Met Aberdeen. Told him I thought, on consideration, that a reply to Leopold
would lead to an answer from him, to which the Plenipotentiaries could not
reply without entering into an undignified discussion with Palmerston, who
would be the real controversialist.
There should be an answer, but it should be addressed to the Residents, and
what could not be addressed to them might be stated in Parliament, that is,
all relating to letters, conversations, &c.
I dare say Leopold will publish to-morrow. It is unlucky the French have
troops in the Morea. If they had not, I should be disposed to leave the
Greeks to settle their affairs as they pleased, giving them no money. They
would soon become reasonable.