A Political Diary, 1828-1830, Volume IIEllenborough, Edward Law, Earl of
History
A Political Diary, 1828-1830, Volume II
Ellenborough, Edward Law, Earl of
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1820-1830
He wished to establish stipendiary magistrates in every county, the effect
of which would have been to disgust all the gentlemen magistrates, and to
lead them to the abandonment of their duty. He wished too to unite in all
cases the inspectorships of police with the office of stipendiary
magistrate, to avoid collision; but the duties of inspector are of a mere
ministerial and inferior character, and would not agree well with those of
a magistrate.
I must read to-morrow all the late protocols and despatches. The Russians
and French have agreed to make Leopold Prince of Greece, but the King
cannot endure the idea. Aberdeen thinks he has made a great conquest in
carrying the point of Leopold's election. I confess I cannot understand the
great advantage we derive from it. What an extraordinary scene! Those
monarchical states, the most adverse to revolution, combine to assist the
rebellion of a people against its sovereign, a rebellion commenced by
murder and continued by treachery, stained with every crime that ever
disgraced human nature! [Footnote: The massacres by the Greeks at
Tripolitza and Athens, the latter in direct breach of a capitulation, had,
according to a not unfavourable historian, cast a dark stain on the Greek
cause and diminished the interest felt for it in foreign countries.
(Alison, _Hist. Europe_, 1815-52, iii. 150.)] They destroy the fleet of an
unoffending Power in a time of profound peace in his own port. They thus
facilitate the attack of an enemy, and in the extreme peril of the defeated
sovereign they increase their demands in order to form a substantive State
out of the ruins of his Empire. They then elect a Prince unknown to the
people over whom he is to reign, and support him by equal assistance in
ships and money! Those monarchical states set up a revolutionary government
and maintain it in coparcenary! It was reserved for these times to witness
such contradictions. I do not think any one is very well satisfied with
them but Aberdeen. He is charmed.
_Sunday, January 10._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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