The Greville Memoirs, Part 1 (of 3), Volume 3 (of 3): A Journal of the Reigns of King George IV and King William IVGreville, Charles
History
The Greville Memoirs, Part 1 (of 3), Volume 3 (of 3): A Journal of the Reigns of King George IV and King William IV
Greville, Charles
Great Britain -- History -- George IV, 1820-1830; Great Britain -- History -- William IV, 1830-1837
Last night the qualification clause was carried against Government
by an equally large majority, or nearly so, and this time
Government does not seem disposed to take it so patiently. It was
well understood that a qualification would be imposed, and many of
the supporters of the Bill said they did not object thereto, but
they had no notion of such a qualification as Lyndhurst proposed
and carried last night, and the Duke of Richmond (whom I met at
Crockford's) told me that it would be fatal to the Bill. He saw
Lord John Russell after the division, who told him so, and that
the Commons would never take the Bill with such an alteration as
this. Richmond himself goes entirely with Government in this
measure, and I was rather surprised to hear him say that 'it had
been urged that Lord Stanley was opposed to this part of the Bill,
but that if this were so a man must judge for himself in so
important a matter,' which looks a little as if he meant to back
out of the dilly, and I should not be very much surprised if he
came into office again with these people, if they stay in. I asked
him what in his opinion would happen, and he replied that he
thought the House of Lords was nearly done for, that he expected
the Commons would reject their amendments and pass some very
strong resolutions; he should not be surprised if they refused to
pass the Appropriation Bill. I said they would hardly do that,
because it would be a measure against Government, and would compel
these Ministers to resign. This he admitted, but he went on to say
that he expected it would throw the House of Commons into a
ferment, that they would adopt some violent course, and then there
would be a 'row royal.' What astonishes me most in all this is
that Lyndhurst, a man of great abilities, and certainly, if
wishing for anything, wishing for the success of the party he
belongs to, should urge these desperate courses. He it was who
proposed the fatal postponement of Schedule A, which led to such
utter ruin and confusion, and now it is he who manages this Bill,
and who ventures to mutilate the Ministerial measure in such a
manner as will in all probability bring down all the wrath of the
Commons on him and his Conservative majority. I am not at all sure
but that the Government is content to exhibit its paltry numbers
in the House of Lords, in order that the world may see how
essentially it is a Tory body, that it hardly fulfils the
conditions of a great independent legislative assembly, but
presents the appearance of a dominant party-faction which is too
numerous to be affected by any constitutional process and too
obstinate to be turned from its fixed purpose of opposing all the
measures which have a tendency to diminish the influence of the
Conservative party in the country. It is impossible to look at the
disposition exhibited by this great majority and not admit that
there is very small chance of its acting harmoniously with the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account