When you mentioned that you had communicated your letter to Nugent to me in my _ministerial_ capacity, I certainly concluded that it conveyed a clear authority to have extended it to Lord L---- or C---- at my own discretion, but fortunately I had not exercised that power, and certainly shall not. I am not surprised that Mr. C---- should coax you, even if you had turned your head aside from his daughter, and passed on the other side like the Levite; for he is under a charge of illegally making a loan to the Rajah of Vizianagum, and of having derived therefrom exorbitant interest. Of the merits of the charge I can say little, but common report is by no means friendly to him. The proposed grant to Lord Hastings has been lost in consequence of an equality of votes, eight to eight, five present but refusing to vote, and three absent--two of the latter hostile. Objection was taken to praise of his integrity or disinterestedness by one of those who refused to vote, stating at the same time he would have supported it if moved on the ground of his poverty. Canning has shown me the last despatches, by which it appears that there is much schism in the French Cabinet, Villele supporting the Duc d'Angouleme, Chateaubriand the Allied Powers and the Spanish Regency. Magnanimity has instructed Pozzo de Borgo to consider all communications from the latter as if they emanated directly from himself. Metternich takes also strongly the same line, recommending an amnesty, excepting all those who were active in forcing the acceptance of the constitution on Ferdinand. I do not at present apprehend any dispute relative to the blockade, as the French are very scrupulous in keeping the law on their side, and have not yet done anything more than they were clearly entitled to. Ever affectionately yours, C. W. W. THE RIGHT HON. CHARLES W. WYNN TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. Wynnstay, Sept. 10, 1823. MY DEAR B----, Canning told me that he had insisted that Huskisson should at all events be taken into the Cabinet at the end of the last Session, whether any vacancy occurred or not, and that the persuasion of Lord Maryborough to make room for him was a subsequent consideration. Lord M---- is much out of humour at his change of office; which he may well be, as the Mint is 3000_l._ clear, and the Buck-hounds under 2000_l._; indeed, they are said not to exceed 1300_l._ My own belief is that the only real and efficient Cabinet upon _all_ matters consists of Lords Liverpool and Bathurst, Duke of Wellington, and Canning, and that the others are only more or less consulted upon different businesses by these four. Huskisson will, I think, be equally in the confidence of Liverpool and Canning. Ever most affectionately yours, C. WILLIAMS WYNN. END OF VOL. I.