o bolster up the old concern again, and
that Hardinge had told me the Tories were all ready to make any
sacrifices or postpone their claims, so that such a course as we
suggested need not have been difficult. I told him of Barnes's
letter, and of his fears, and what he said of the effect produced
by the composition of the Government. He said the 'Times' had
behaved admirably to them, and the Government were under great
obligations to me for what I had done in that matter. I told him I
was glad to hear they were on such good terms, as having been
instrumental to the connection, which I had no doubt had entailed
an immediate loss on the proprietors of the paper.

He asked me if I thought the Opposition meant to refuse the
Supplies. I said I had no doubt they did. 'Then we must go.' But
he still expects they will have 300 votes in the House of
Commons, and with that he calculates that they may struggle on
with one-half of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, the
King, and a large proportion of the wealth and respectability of
the country. It would be difficult, but he thought they might get
on; but that the fact was, there was _no going on_ after the
transfer of power to another class, which the Reform Bill had
effected. I said there was no doubt of that, and that the Reform
Bill had produced virtually a complete revolution in this
country. 'Aye,' said he, 'much more than that of '88.'

January 9th, 1835 {p.191}

[Page Head: THE MOVEMENT AT HOLLAND HOUSE.]

Dined at Holland House; they are satisfied with the elections.
Mulgrave said that, out of the present return, they had to add
thirty to their list and to deduct thirteen of their original
calculations, giving them seventeen more than they expected. There
is a small gain to the Tories, but nothing like enough. It cannot
do; all the moderate Whigs (for it is not a question of Tories)
are beaten in the metropolitan districts. Spankie's admirable
addresses have ensured his defeat. Duncombe, immediately after an
exposure of the most disgraceful kind, will be returned by a
majority doubling that of any of the other candidates; and it is
not a little remarkable that Duncombe is supported by all the
Dissenters, even the Quakers, with whom austerity of morals and a
decent behaviour are supposed to have weight--but the rabid spirit
of disaffection to government and rule bears down every other
consideration, and these 'enlightened electors' (as their
flatterers alway