The King had proceeded a few days before, on a visit to his Scottish dominions, and the startling news reached him soon after the _Royal George_ had dropped her anchor at the termination of the voyage. His Majesty, fully impressed with the irreparable nature of his loss, hastily wrote to the most influential members of the Cabinet, to deprecate any hasty arrangement. We quote the following:--
THE KING TO LORD ELDON.
Royal George Yacht, Leith Roads, Aug. 15th, half-past eight P.M., 1822.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
I have this moment heard from Liverpool of the melancholy death of his and my dear friend, poor Londonderry. On Friday was the last time I saw him; my own mind was then filled with apprehensions respecting him, and they have, alas! been but too painfully verified. My great object, my good friend, in writing to you to-night, is to tell you that I have written to Liverpool, and I do implore you not _to lend yourself_ to any arrangement _whatever_, until my return to town. This, indeed, is Lord Liverpool"s own proposal, and as you may suppose, I have joined _most cordially_ in the proposition. It will require the _most prudent foresight_ on my part, relative to the new arrangements that must now necessarily take place. You may easily judge of the state of my mind.
Ever, believe me,
Your sincere Friend,
G. R.
The King"s intention to visit the northern portion of his kingdom, made there as great a stir as had been created by his previous one to Ireland. Sir Walter Scott was at the time in Edinburgh, and took a prominent part in the preparations that were making in the Scottish capital to receive its Sovereign, and on the royal yacht coming to anchor in Leith Roads, he was the first Scotsman to venture on board, on a very rainy day (August 15th), to present his Majesty with a St.
Andrew"s Cross in silver, from the ladies of "Auld Reekie." The King, much gratified, invited the novelist to drink his health in a b.u.mper of whisky, which having done, the latter requested permission to keep the gla.s.s as a relic to hand down to his posterity. This having graciously been granted, he put it very carefully in his pocket, and took his leave. On returning home, he found Crabbe the poet, who had just arrived from his English home, to pay a long promised visit; and Sir Walter was so earnest in welcoming his guest, that the precious relic was forgotten, till sitting down suddenly he crushed it to atoms, not without inflicting on himself a severe scratch from the sharp fragments.[91]
[91] Lockhart"s "Life," vol. v. p. 195.
The King delighted his Scottish subjects by wearing the Highland garb, in which he was very carefully dressed by the Laird of Garth, but the pride of the Macgregors and Glengarries who thronged around the royal person, suffered a serious blow when a London alderman entered the circle clothed in a suit of the same tartan. The portly figure and civic dignity of Sir William Curtis gave to the costume too much the appearance of a burlesque to pa.s.s unnoticed either by the Sovereign or his loyal admirers, and it was some time before they recovered their gravity. On the 24th, the magistrates of "the gude town" entertained the King with a banquet in the Parliament House, in the course of which his Majesty gave as a toast, "The Chieftains and Clans of Scotland, and prosperity to the Land of Cakes." The King did not quit his Scottish dominions till the 29th, when he embarked from Lord Hopetoun"s seat on the Firth of Forth, previously directing a letter to be written to Sir Walter Scott by Sir Robert Peel, expressing his warm personal acknowledgments for the deep interest he had taken in every ceremony and arrangement connected with his Majesty"s visit.[92]
[92] Lockhart"s "Life," vol. v. p. 215.
THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES W. WYNN TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
East India Office, Friday.
MY DEAR B----,
I have only time to write one hurried line to say that I am in town, but know nothing. Lord Liverpool very cast down, and depressed in the extreme. No arrangement or preparatory discussion to take place till after the King"s return, and till we are collected from the different quarters in which we are at present scattered. The Duke of Wellington is expected back to-night or to-morrow, and is immediately to be dispatched with the instructions which had been prepared for Lord Londonderry, to Vienna.
I think that though nothing can absolutely be determined in the absence of Peel, Lord Harrowby, and Lord Melville, there still must be something substantially understood before the Duke will turn his back on England, and this something _must_, I am convinced, be Canning. What other changes may take place cannot yet be foreseen, but from a word which Lord Liverpool dropped, I think he antic.i.p.ates more than simply a new Secretary.
The funeral takes place on Tuesday, by Lady Londonderry"s particular desire, in the Abbey!!! I think it most unwise to run the chance of the insults of a London mob on such an occasion.
THE RIGHT HON. W. H. FREMANTLE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
Stanhope Street, Aug. 20, 1822.
MY DEAR DUKE,
I came to town last night for the funeral, and am returning this instant. I find Wynn has written to you, and I hope you will go to him at Broadstairs; he is _quite satisfied_ with the prospect, though of course nothing is or can be arranged till the King"s return. I was at Dropmore; your uncles both think it would be worse than nothing to attempt a Government without Canning, and such seems to be the opinion of everybody, such was the language of _all_ the official men this morning. But after all, I fear we shall not, even with Canning and Peel, and even Grant in addition, be altogether so well off as with Londonderry. His rank, his long standing, the sort of authority and power he possessed, all contributed to his advantage and that of the Government.
Ever most truly yours,
W. H. FREMANTLE.
THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES W. WYNN TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
East India Office, Aug. 20, 1822.
MY DEAR B----,
The formal determination transmitted to the King is, that there shall be not only no arrangement but no discussion till his return.
Tho real effect of which is only to enable Lord Liverpool to lock himself up, and decline talking to those whom he wishes to avoid, among whom I must reckon myself. I have, however, seen the Duke of Wellington and Frederick Robinson, and had much conversation with both of them, and the result of the whole is very satisfactory to me so far as it goes. Neither of them seems to antic.i.p.ate the possibility of any other arrangement, but that of Canning succeeding to the lead of the House of Commons, and the Duke of Wellington expressed much anxiety that he should also succeed to the vacant seals.
He showed me, however, the King"s letter, which seems distantly to allude to objection to Canning for that particular department.
This, however, he thinks, can be overcome, and I am therefore the more pleased that he remains till after the King"s return, instead of proceeding immediately to Vienna. I should I believe myself, if Canning could be induced to accept the Exchequer (which at one time he certainly was ready to have done), with the lead of the House of Commons, like to transport Nic Van to India, send Lord Bathurst to the Foreign Department, Robinson to the Colonial, and Huskisson to the Board of Trade.
The strongest proof to me of the universal impression of the necessity of consigning the lead of the House of Commons to Canning, and that the No Popery party will not venture to propose Peel, was, that I found Westmoreland, with whom I was a.s.sociated in the funeral this morning, quite of that opinion. Now, if the Chancellor were intriguing for Peel, would he not have secured Westmoreland.
I concur very much in your view of the impropriety of remaining in an Administration, _both_ the leaders of which are the most decided opponents of the Catholic question, and intimated as much to Robinson, who appeared to feel the similarity of his own situation.
I have had much conversation also with an intimate personal friend of Peel"s, whose opinion it was that Peel would be by no means desirous of undertaking the lead, as independent of other objections, his health was not sufficiently strong to admit of his a.s.suming functions so laborious and incessant.
The King has mentioned his intention of leaving Edinburgh as on Sat.u.r.day next. Poor Liverpool"s bridal ideas have been quite driven out of his head, and I do not yet hear of a fresh day for consummation being fixed. I am very sorry for the public effect of the visit to Bowood at this time, but it had been fixed I believe before Lord Londonderry"s death, and Lord G---- does not feel any necessity of extending to Opposition any of that coyness he shows towards Government. Both my uncles are fully satisfied of the absolute necessity of Canning"s leading the House of Commons, and probably the more so from his having lately paid a visit of two days to Dropmore.
Ever most affectionately yours,
C. W. W.
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
London, Aug. 21, 1822.
MY DEAR DUKE,
I have received your letter, which, according to your permission, I have communicated to Lord Liverpool. When the deplorable event occurred which gave reason for your writing it, Lord Liverpool requested the King not to consider of the measures to be adopted to fill the situation in H. M."s Councils which had been held by Lord Londonderry, till H. M. should return to London, and he a.s.sured the King that he likewise on his part would take no step whatever on the subject till he should have the honour of seeing his Majesty.
This matter then stands exactly as it did on the day of the fatal catastrophe, and so will remain till the King"s return.
Lord Liverpool is very anxious that your Grace, and those who wish well to the Government, should take no step and make no declaration previously to his Majesty"s return, which might embarra.s.s the Government or themselves. He hopes that you will so far confide in him as to be certain that he will do what he ought upon this occasion, and you may rely upon his taking the earliest opportunity of making you acquainted with the steps which he will have taken.
Believe me, my dear Duke,
With the most sincere respect and affection,
Ever yours most faithfully,
WELLINGTON.
THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS, K.G., TO THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.