nd this they debated Bill in
hand in Lady Jersey's room yesterday morning. O'Connell was in a
great fright when he went up to the table. He got, through the
necessary forms in the Steward's office by means of the
Commissioners whom Duncannon provided, and who were, I believe,
Burdett and Ebrington. He ought to be allowed to take his seat,
but probably he will not; it is a very hard case.[16] The Duke of
Orleans is come, and his son, the Duke of Chartres; the latter
was at the opera to-night in Prince Leopold's box.

[16] [O'Connell was excluded from taking his seat as member
for Clare, for which he had been elected before the
passing of the Relief Act, because it was held that he
was bound to take the oath which was required by law at
the time of his election, and not the oath imposed on
Roman Catholics by the recent statutes. He presented
himself to be sworn at the table of the House of
Commons on the 15th of May, and there refused to take
the former oath, which was tendered to him by the
Clerk. The House divided 100 to 116 against his
admission without taking the oath of supremacy on the
18th; Mr. O'Connell having previously been heard at the
bar in person in support of his claim.]

May 29th, 1829 {p.208}

O'Connell is said to have made a very good speech at the bar of
the House, and produced rather a favourable impression. He has
done himself this good, that whereas it was pretty generally
thought that he was likely to fail in the House of Commons as a
speaker, he has now altered that impression. There is but one
opinion as to the wretched feeling of excluding him, but the
saddle is put upon the right horse, and though the Government are
now obliged to enforce the provisions of their own Bill,
everybody knows that the exclusion was the work of the King.
O'Connell goes back to Clare (as he says) sure of his election;
there will be a great uproar, but at present nobody expects any
opposition, and all deprecate a contest.

[Page Head: PRINCESS VICTORIA AT A CHILD'S BALL.]

Yesterday the King gave a dinner to the Dukes of Orleans and
Chartres, and in the evening there was a child's ball. It was
pretty enough, and I saw for the first time the Queen of
Portugal[17] and our little Victoria. The Queen was finely dressed,
with a ribband and order over her shoulder, and she sat by the
King. Sh