The Greville Memoirs, Part 2 (of 3), Volume 1 (of 3): A Journal of the Reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1852Greville, Charles
History
The Greville Memoirs, Part 2 (of 3), Volume 1 (of 3): A Journal of the Reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1852
Greville, Charles
Great Britain -- History -- Victoria, 1837-1901
in that neglected spot is laid
A heart once pregnant with celestial fire.
[2] [Upon the receipt of the intelligence of the
Declaratory Act, Lord Durham at once announced in
Canada his determination to resign. The disallowance of
the Ordinance and his official recall crossed this
intimation on the road.]
[3] [Norman Court was at that time the seat of Mr. Baring
Wall. After his death it passed to Mr. Thomas Baring.]
November 8th, 1838 {p.134}
At Newmarket, and at Euston for a day (probably for the last
time), and to London on Monday. The stillness of the political
atmosphere has been rudely broken in upon by Lord Durham's
astounding Proclamation: for once the whole of the press has
joined in a full chorus of disapprobation, and this may be
considered conclusive as to public opinion. Indeed there can
scarcely be two opinions on the subject, for such an appeal to
the people of the Colony over whom he is placed from the acts of
the Government and the legislature of the mother country is as
monstrous as it is unexampled.[4] It seems incredible that he
should not have been deterred by the men who are about him, who
are not deficient in capacity, from taking this desperate step;
but as there is little doubt that Turton advised him not to issue
the Ordinances, and got into disgrace with him for so doing, it
is possible that they none of them were consulted, or if
consulted did not dare, or did not choose, to give him any advice
whatever. The dignity of the Government now demands that his
insolence and misconduct should be visited with the severest
expression of disapprobation and reproof, and the harshest
measures, even an impeachment, would be fully warrantable, if
harsh measures did not generally defeat their own object. But if
the Government mince matters with him, and evince any fear to
strike, if they do not vindicate their own authority, and punish
his contumacy with dignity and spirit, their characters are gone,
and they will merit all the contempt with which their opponents
affect to treat them.
[4] [Lord Durham's conduct was arrogant and highly
injudicious. On the 9th October he issued a
Proclamation in Canada, in which he censured the
conduct of the Home Government. It is printed in the
'Ann. Reg.' for 1838, Chron. p. 311. In fact his vanity
was wounded, and his mission, of which so much was
expected, had failed. But it will be seen further on
that the first impression produced by his violence was
considerably mitigated. Mr. John Stuart Mill defended
his policy in the _Westminster Review_, and a certain
amount of reaction took place in his favour.]
November 18th, 1838, Wolbeding {p.135}
[Page Head: WELLINGTON IN BATTLE.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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