Panic in the Money Market--The Bank Act--Sir Robert Peel's Authority--Suspension of the Banking Act of 1844--Death of the Archbishop of York--Meeting of Parliament--Irish Coercion Bill--Opinion of the Lord-Lieutenant--Weakness of the Irish Measures--Sir Robert Peel on the Bank Charter Act--The Duke of Wellington on the Defences of the Country--English Catholic Affairs at Rome--Illness of Lord Chancellor Cottenham--Bishop Hampden's Appointment--Chloroform--Lamartine's 'Girondins'--The Hampden Dispute--Death of Lord Harrowby--Taxation--Leadership of the Opposition--The Hampden War--Scenes in Spain--Visit to Lord Melbourne--Lord Melbourne at Windsor--Burnham Beeches--Letter to Cobden--Leadership of the Opposition--Views of Sir James Graham on the Colonies--Archbishop Sumner--Baron Alderson--Diplomatic Relations with Rome--Weakness of the Government--Bad Effects of Lord John's Speech. _London, October 23rd, 1847._--After many weeks, or months, during which from idleness or unexplainable repugnance I have never written a line, I at last resume my pen, less for the purpose of writing the history of these past weeks than to begin again to record what occurs to me. Stirring weeks they have been, and full of interest of the most lively and general description. In the midst of all the agitation that has prevailed at home and abroad, intrigues and quarrels and wars begun or threatened in various countries, we have been absorbed by the great panic in the money market, which is still at its height, and of which no man ventures to predict, or thinks he can see, the termination. There never was a subject on which such diversified opinions prevail. Men are indeed pretty well agreed as to the cause of the present distress, and in admitting that it is the result of over-speculation, and of the Railway mania which fell upon the country two years ago. But the great contest is as to the share Peel's Bill of 1844 has had in aggravating and keeping up the state of distress and difficulty in which trade and commerce are involved, and whether this Bill ought to be presently relaxed by the authority of Government or not. On these points the greatest disputes and varieties of opinion exist. Charles Wood has, however, been stout and resolute from the first, and quite determined not to consent to any interference. There have been some different opinions, and some shades of difference, some doubts, amongst the members of the Cabinet, though I do not know the particulars of them; but yesterday the Cabinet broke up, having terminated their deliberations, and resolved _as matters now stand_ not to do anything. My own belief is that this will prove a sound resolution, and that they would only have aggravated the evil by interference. I shall not, however, write anything more now on this subject. I have nothing secret or curious or interesting to record, and the details of it will be found in a hundred publications.