House of Commons, Five o"clock, April 18, 1822.
MY DEAR DUKE,
I should have sent your note to Canning, but I have just seen him and put it into his hands, saying that I had been prevented from attending the meeting of Mr. Plunket, or I should have taken that opportunity of explaining to him by your desire your views on his proposed question: that I could not do it better now than by putting into his hands a note which you had written to me on the subject, and which you had since desired me to show him. He immediately read your note, thanked me, and thus the matter ended.
He was interrupted by persons coming to speak to him, and sitting behind him (which I did at the time), he could not well have entered into any discussion had he been so disposed, indeed there was not much to be said to me upon it.
I came to town purposely at your desire to attend Plunket"s meeting, and had no conception it was a select party till I got a note from Wynn, describing it as such to me.
The King is come to town in bad humour at breaking up his Brighton party, and determined to stay as short a time, and to do as little in the way of public _appearances_, as possible, and which his Ministers are strongly urging him to do. I suppose you will come up for the Drawing-room if you don"t for the Levee. We are in much better spirits, in general appearances and prospects in the House, and though Ireland will create much discussion, and also Londonderry"s agriculture propositions, still there is no doubt we shall get the Session much sooner closed than usual. You shall hear from me, if anything occurs, from day to day, before you come up.
Ever most faithfully yours,
W. H. F.
THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES W. WYNN TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
Whitehall, April 25, 1822.
MY DEAR B----,
It would give me the greatest pleasure to deliver your message to the King, if I could find the opportunity of any other business to desire an audience, but I think, upon consideration, you will think that it might more properly be made the subject of a letter from yourself to Sir Andrew Barnard, as Gentleman-in-Waiting, or directly to the King, than of a note from me.
I am myself such a mere novice in matters of etiquette, that I should not place the least confidence in my own judgment on such a point, but should readily submit to yours, if I had not this morning consulted my uncle Tom, who gave the same opinion which I had previously formed. I have not yet had an opportunity of any conversation with C----, having only seen him last night while I was in labour of a speech, but I shall be very glad to see the paper which you mention.
Grant"s speech was excellent, better than I ever before heard from him, but I do not believe you or any other Lord-Lieutenant would like him as a secretary, as his warmest friends admit his inefficiency and idleness. His total neglect of his correspondence with this country, after repeated friendly admonition, was really inexcusable. We are nearly in the same state with respect to Lord Wellesley, which I trust is only owing to his illness. It is very well for a Lord-Lieutenant or Secretary to say that they act on their own responsibility, but during the sitting of Parliament those upon whom that responsibility really and efficiently falls, have a _right_ to expect to know their views of the situation of Ireland and of the course to be pursued. Upon none of the great points of t.i.thes, Magistracy, Police, &c., have we yet heard a syllable, nor any view of the state of the country, for the last month. Were Lord Wellesley well, I should certainly write to him myself to tell him confidentially the complaint which arises from his silence, but under the circ.u.mstances of his illness I had rather that even if you should write to him you should not advert to what I have mentioned. Adieu. I must go down for Reform in Parliament, which owing to Lord Londonderry"s hoa.r.s.eness, would rest on Peel and me, if Canning does not, as I expect, take the labouring oar, and be the grand reformer of the night.
Ever yours affectionately,
C. W. W.
THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES W. WYNN TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
Whitehall, April 25, 1822.
MY DEAR B----,
I have been to the Drawing-room and brought back for a wonder such a headache that I cannot write to you as fully as I should wish.
The King only asked me how I did, but did not give me an opportunity of making your excuses. He looks well, I think, but I certainly have heard reports of dropsy on the chest, which agree too much with yours. The debate last night was very interesting.
Rice, Grant, and Plunket, full of information and excellent speeches, the rest very indifferent.
Ellis"s furious tirade against the Catholics laid him open to a severe drubbing from Plunket, yet to say the plain truth, I fear that he was but too correct, and that the distinctive feature of the present conspiracy is, that in every part of Ireland it is exclusively Catholic both in its objects and composition.
Ever affectionately yours,
C. W. W.
DR. PHILLIMORE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
Whitehall, April 25, 1822.
MY DEAR LORD,
I take the liberty of forwarding to your Grace a copy of the speech I made on introducing my Bill to amend the Marriage Act, which I have published at the request of Lord Londonderry and others, who I presume think that the facts alluded to, and the cases cited, may essentially a.s.sist the Bill when it reaches the Upper House.
We are, I think, upon the whole going on well in the House of Commons. I confess my mind has been much relieved since the discussion on Sir John Newport"s motion on Monday. Plunket"s speech was everything that could be wished, and set us quite right with the House as to Ireland; it had also had the effect of indirectly giving a lift to the general question respecting the Catholics.
On my return to London last week I pa.s.sed a day at Dropmore. I found Lord Grenville inclined to criticise most severely the Report of the Agricultural Committee, but exceedingly anxious on the subject of Canning"s Bill. I must say I think the Agricultural Report bad in every sense, but as I apprehend Lord Londonderry does not mean to act in conformity with the spirit in which it is drawn up, I trust it will be harmless as to effect.
I suppose Canning"s Bill will pa.s.s our House--it will be a severe blow to the cause if it does not; it is reported that Lambton and Co. are anxious to vote against it, because Canning brings it in.
In the House of Lords, perhaps, it will have more votes than the general question.
I cannot conclude this party communication without expressing the very sincere regret I feel that your Grace should still be suffering from indisposition, but I trust that you now only want to recruit your strength.
Believe me, your obliged and faithful,
JOSEPH PHILLIMORE.
P.S.--The speech would have been out last week, but the proofs were unfortunately sent to a wrong address to me in the country, and I was some days before I could recover them.
Political partisanship at this time sometimes exerted a pernicious influence over well-meaning men, hurrying them into the avowal of sentiments which under other circ.u.mstances they would long have hesitated to express. In this way a distinguished member of the peerage committed himself by some remarks on the conduct of the Duke of Buckingham, which the latter treated with characteristic spirit.
THE RIGHT HON. W. H. FREMANTLE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
Stanhope Street, April 29, 1822.
MY DEAR DUKE,
I have just seen the Duke of Bedford"s answer to your last letter, which leaves you no alternative but to come to town. The whole attack has been a premeditated one, and of the most unjust and illiberal nature. I think the manner you have taken it up is honourable to your character, and what every man who has a proper feeling must commend. The thing does not seem to have been whispered abroad.
I will come to you the moment you come to town, if you will let me know. I shall be in the House of Commons upon Canning"s motion. Sir W---- W---- has acted extremely well on the occasion, and really feels as your kindest and dearest friend ought; solely occupied in the whole proceeding by a regard to your honour, and character, and feeling. Nothing, I think, could have been better than the wording of both your letters.
Ever most faithfully yours,
W. H. F.
LORD GRENVILLE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
Dropmore, May 3, 1822.
I need not tell you with how deep an interest I received my brother"s letter and yours this morning. I think nothing can possibly have pa.s.sed more properly, or more satisfactorily, and I derive the highest pleasure from it. It is no doubt a painful thing to be reduced to this course, but whatever be the objections to it, surely those are alone answerable for them whose wanton intemperance of abuse places men under the necessity of thus acting, in self-defence. The Duke of Bedford"s disavowal, in the conclusion of the business, seems to have been manly and unequivocal, and the only real atonement he could make for the original most unprovoked insult.