no decision can be taken without
a previous reference to the responsible advisers of the Crown."

When the Lord Lieutenant had concluded reading the above answer, he
immediately commenced bowing the deputation out. As they were about to
withdraw, O'Connell made an observation about distilleries. Lord
Heytesbury, not condescending to mention him by name, said, that the
observation _of the gentleman who had spoken_ was one deserving of much
consideration, and one which had not been overlooked by the Government,
when it had the matter under discussion; and again began bowing them
out, "which," writes one of those present, "was _distinctly_ understood,
and the deputation forthwith retired."

Although there is clear evidence in Sir Robert Peel's memoirs of
himself, that Lord Heytesbury immediately submitted the views of the
deputation to the Cabinet, His Excellency's letter, which no doubt
accompanied them, is not given, neither is the address itself; nor does
the Premier or Home Secretary discuss these views, or in any way allude
to them in subsequent communications. The evidence we have, that they
were in the hands of the Cabinet without delay, is contained in a letter
of Lord Heytesbury himself, dated 8th of November, given in the Peel
Memoirs, the name of its recipient, contrary to his usual practice,
being suppressed by Sir Robert Peel. The Lord Lieutenant's address to
the deputation was evidently found fault with, at least in one
particular, at head quarters--and he is on his defence in this letter.
"It is perfectly true" writes His Excellency, "that I did, in my answer
to the Lord Mayor, say there was no immediate pressure on the market;
but you must not give too wide a meaning to that observation, which had
reference merely to his demand that the exportation of grain should be
prohibited and the ports immediately thrown open. My meaning was that
there was nothing so pressing as to require us to act without waiting
for the decision of the responsible advisers of the Crown. But the
danger may be upon us before we are aware of its being near; for, as I
said in a former letter, the sudden decay of potatoes dug up in an
apparently sound state sets all calculation at defiance. Some
precautionary measures must be adopted, and adopted promptly, for there
is danger in delay."

It is worthy of remark, that the only part of the Viceroy's answer to
the deputation, that could weaken the arguments in favour of Free Trade,