RCH.]

After much conversation with Duncannon, Sefton, Mulgrave, and
others, I have acquired a tolerably correct understanding of the
history of these inconvenient proceedings. The speech of Lord John
Russell, to which all this hubbub is attributed, may have somewhat
accelerated, but did not produce, the crisis. The difference has
long existed in the Cabinet on the subject of the Irish Church,
and was well known, for Althorp stated as much last year. Stanley
and Graham were both vehemently opposed to any Parliamentary
appropriation of the surplus revenues of the Irish Church, but not
exactly on the same grounds. Stanley denies the right of
Parliament to interfere at all; that is, he asserts that
Parliament has no more right to deal with the revenues of the
Church than it would have to deal with his estate. Graham does not
deny the right, but contends that it is not expedient, that the
connexion between the two countries is mainly held together by the
Protestant Church, and that any meddling with the Establishment
will inevitably lead to its downfall. He stands upon religious
grounds. I confess myself to be lost in astonishment at the views
they take on this subject; that after swallowing the camel of the
Reform Bill, they should strain at the gnats which were perched
upon the camel's back, that they should not have perceived from
the first that such reforms as these must inevitably be consequent
upon the great measure, and, above all, that the prevalence of
public opinion, abstract justice, and the condition of Ireland all
loudly call for their adoption. However, such are their opinions,
and doubtless very conscientiously entertained. Upon Ward's motion
being announced, it was proposed in the Cabinet that the
difficulty should be waived for the present by moving the previous
question, and to this the dissentients agreed; but on further
investigation they discerned that if this was moved, in all
probability it would not be carried, and under these circumstances
Stanley proposed at once to resign. In the Cabinet some were for
accepting and others for refusing his resignation, and matters
remained unsettled when Althorp went down to the House of Commons
on the night of Ward's motion. It was strictly true (as he said)
that he was informed while Ward was speaking that they had
resigned. The King accepted their resignations at once, and
appears to have expressed his opinion that they adopted the proper
course, but he told