r the augmentation
of their own.'

March 13th, 1836 {p.348}

It was only yesterday that I read the report of the Committee and
O'Connell's complete acquittal.[2] It is very singular that he
does not seem to have known his own case, or he might have
rebutted the accusations in the first instance; but it has turned
out lucky for him, as it has afforded him a great triumph and his
adversaries an equally great mortification. It is now time for
the Tories to give up attacking him--that is, making him their
grand political butt. They do not lower him; on the contrary,
they raise his importance everywhere, and make his sway in
Ireland more absolute. They are abominably sulky at this result
of the Committee, which, however, was fairly constituted and
unanimous in its decision. I must say I never expected they would
make out much of a case. Yesterday I dined with Ben Stanley in
Downing Street, and met Lytton Bulwer and Fonblanque, the latter
a very agreeable man.

[2] [The proceedings of the Committee on the Carlow
election are here referred to. A Mr. Raphael had been
returned for Carlow, chiefly by the influence of
O'Connell. He was unseated on petition, and it was
supposed that the evidence taken by the Committee would
incriminate O'Connell, but the reverse was the case.
O'Connell was wholly acquitted of any illegal or
improper practices.]

May 2nd, 1836 {p.348}

[Page Head: LORD ALVANLEY'S PLAN FOR IRELAND.]

Many weeks without a single line. I have been at Newmarket, and
have known nothing of any sort or kind. All seems quieter in the
political world than for a long time past. There was a meeting of
Peers at Apsley House a week or ten days ago, to consider the
course they should adopt about the Corporation Bill. After the
discussion Alvanley rose and asked the Duke if there would be any
more meetings. He said he was not aware that there would be, when
Alvanley said that he was of opinion that the majority of the
House of Lords, while dealing with the Government measures, were
bound to give notice to the country of the measures of relief
that they were themselves prepared to offer to Ireland, that in
his opinion the only real relief that could be given was some
system of poor law, and the payment of the Catholic clergy,
bringing that body under the control of the Government, and
making it penal to draw contributions from their flocks, a