hich was not to be
discussed, but which he was at once to assent to. It appears
difficult to know which to believe, and at first my impression
was that they had probably not treated Herries with as much
consideration as he was entitled to as Finance Minister, and that
he had been prone to take offence and touchy from old recollections,
which were probably not effaced. But a circumstance I heard
afterwards convinced me that Herries has been all along full of
ill-will towards his colleagues, and not a little desirous of
breaking up the Ministry. When he found, too, with what
difficulties they would have to contend in Parliament and the
weakness of Goderich, he probably thought they would never be
able to go on, and was not sorry to find an opportunity of
accelerating their dissolution. The circumstance is this:--In the
old business of his appointment to the Chancellorship of the
Exchequer, when he thought he was _not_ to be appointed, he wrote
to Arbuthnot telling him how ill he had been treated, and
promising to send him all the correspondence on the subject.
Subsequently he _was_ appointed, when he wrote again to A.,
saying that as it was settled and he was appointed, he did not
think it would be right to send him the correspondence, which he
was sure he would understand; that there he was, and he should do
his best to act cordially with his new colleagues; but he
finished, 'I shall hail the day which brings all of you back
again.' Such an expression to a man who was the bitterest enemy
of the Government of which he was a member did not evince much
cordiality towards his colleagues.

[Page Head: MR. HUSKISSON'S POSITION.]

The first thing to be done by the Duke was to negotiate with
Huskisson. He sent forthwith for his own friends, Peel, Lord
Bathurst, and Melville, and for many days the great question was
whether Huskisson would join or not, the Whigs of course most
anxious he should refuse, the new Government ready to make great
concessions to tempt him to join them. He has acceded, however,
but much to the disgust of many of his friends, some of whom
think he has behaved shabbily in abandoning the Whigs, who
supported him, and who had supported Canning at his utmost need.
Some think he was pledged never to act with the men who they
consider to have behaved so ill to Canning, and some think he has
compromised his dignity and independence by not insisting on
higher terms, particularly the lead in the House of Comm