Lists the different parties retire and strike off names from each list until they get it down to 15; and that’s the Committee. Now this, Lord Melbourne said, is found to be partial,[483] and a new mode must be devised. [Illustration: _Don Fernando Prince of Portugal from recollection P.V. del. Ken. Palace. April, 1836._ H.S.H. PRINCE FERDINAND OF SAXE-COBURG, AFTERWARDS KING CONSORT OF PORTUGAL. From a sketch by Princess Victoria.] Lord Melbourne said Lord Redesdale[484] brought him the Duke of Wellington’s letter yesterday. Lord Melbourne had seen Lord John this morning, who thinks we shall only have a majority of 11 to-night, and that Mr. Hobhouse said we should have more in order to delude us into security. _Wednesday, 16th May._—Got up at 10 and heard from Lord John that on a Division _we_ had a majority of 19, which he said was more than he expected. How thankful I am and feel! Lord Melbourne said he heard that Ferdinand was annoyed at our pressing the Portuguese Government about the Slave Trade; and that it would be well, if I were to state to Ferdinand that the feeling was so strong in this country about Slavery, and we were so pressed about it, that it was impossible for us to do otherwise. I spoke to Lord Melbourne of these Resolutions relative to the Irish Tithe Bill, which I thought excellent, but which he said a very great number of people were against. I observed that Lord John had told me at Windsor that he thought we should not carry it, but that it might be compromised. Lord Melbourne then again repeated that the Established Church was _generally_ kept up for the Poor, as the rich could afford that themselves; whereas in Ireland, 700,000 are Roman Catholics, and the Established Church is _only_ kept up for the Protestant feeling in the United Kingdom, and not for the Poor who are almost all Roman Catholics. I then asked about who should stand Sponsor in my place at the Christening of Col. and Lady Catharine Buckley’s[485] little boy, who is to be christened down in the New Forest where they lived. I said the child was to be called _Victor_, which I thought an ugly name; he did not, and said laughing that “Sir Victor Buckley” would sound very well.... _Friday, 18th May._—We spoke of various things; I asked him if he liked my headdress which was done in plaits round my ears,[486] for I know _in general_ he only likes the hair in front crêpé in 2 puffs. He said, looking at me and making one of his funny faces, “It’s pretty; isn’t it rather curious—something new?”