Memoirs of the Court of George IV. 1820-1830 (Vol 1): From the Original Family DocumentsBuckingham and Chandos, Richard Plantagenet Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos Grenville, Duke of
History
Memoirs of the Court of George IV. 1820-1830 (Vol 1): From the Original Family Documents
Buckingham and Chandos, Richard Plantagenet Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos Grenville, Duke of
Great Britain -- History -- George IV, 1820-1830
Nothing, my dear B----, could be more satisfactory than the result
of last night. The triumph of Plunket was complete. He addressed a
House evidently unfavourably disposed to him, and for the first
hour we could scarcely raise a decent cheer to encourage him. It
then became evident that he was making progress, and he proceeded
till the applause fairly rung from every part of the House, and his
adversaries, who had every reason to expect a majority, found it
impossible even to venture on a division. On his account I wish
more confidence had been placed in the effect of his speech, and
that it had been determined to meet the motion with a direct
negative, but the extreme reluctance of the majority of the friends
of Government to pledge themselves beforehand to any course more
decided than the orders of the day, would have made it too
hazardous. In one respect the line adopted is fortunate, as it
enables us the better to resist Burdett's motion for inquiry on
Tuesday.
Canning's speech on Monday would have been a very good one for an
independent member who spoke his own sentiments only, but ill
suited the character of a Minister for Foreign Affairs. Such a
speech in the Chamber of Deputies from Chateaubriand with regard to
England, would at some periods disable an English Administration
from maintaining neutrality. I conclude that the discussion of the
papers in the House of Lords, of which Lord Grey gave notice, will
bring you to town.
Ever affectionately yours,
C. W. W.
THE RIGHT HON. W. H. FREMANTLE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.
East India Office, April 16, 1823.
MY DEAR DUKE,
I find you do not come till Thursday or Friday, I therefore send
you a few lines to say how triumphantly the business went off
yesterday. Brownlow made a very eloquent and able speech, but
Plunket's explanation was perfectly satisfactory and convincing to
the House, and the general feeling was decidedly in favour of
crushing all further discussion upon it. The friends of Government
had been summoned in the morning by Canning, and then a very calm
and friendly communication took place, in which the violent
Orangeists, I mean Sir George Hill, Dawson, &c. &c., all concurred
in the propriety of preventing, if possible, any decision being
pronounced upon the question, which could only go to the increase
of the irritation and violence now existing, and could be of no
advantage, but on the contrary the greatest disadvantage, to
Ireland; and accordingly the motion of Courtenay's was suggested
and unanimously approved; I must, however, do Peel the justice to
say, that he distinctly stated that if the result of the debate was
to be an opinion on Plunket's conduct, he should not hesitate one
moment in giving his heartfelt and sincere opinion in favour of the
proceeding he had adopted.
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