had been particularly recommended to him by Mr. Pitt, and that he
should hope to do something for him. The Duke of Leinster, being
very hungry, has swallowed the office.

With regard to coalition here, or the slightest appearances of it,
there are none. Parnell is the only old servant of the Crown who is
at all consulted, and he only so far as concerns his situation. The
whole is very strange. The Ponsonbys are all-powerful, and appear
to direct everything. I know not at all what measures are intended,
or whether an opposition will start up; but the giving up all the
powers of the State to one family does not please.

The idea of removing all the remaining restraints from the
Catholics is not relished; the worst is, that an appeal has been
made to the Catholic democracy, and I know they are not to be
depended upon; they look to the abolition of tythes and a reform of
Parliament on numerical principles. Ever since the first movements
of the Roman Catholic Committee, the lower classes have been in a
state of fermentation, and they continue their disorders and
insurrections.

I write this _confidentially_, and beg your Lordship to accept my
best acknowledgments for your kind sentiments.

Ever most respectfully, your Lordship's most faithful and obedient
servant,

E. COOKE.

The result of Lord Fitzwilliam's vigorous attempts to force upon the
Cabinet a line of policy which reason and justice alike rejected, is
well known. A Cabinet Council was called on the 19th of March, for the
purpose of taking the whole subject into consideration, when it was
unanimously resolved to recal Lord Fitzwilliam "as a measure necessary
for the preservation of the empire." The most remarkable incident
connected with this proceeding was the fact that the Duke of Portland,
upon whose "system" Lord Fitzwilliam had based his operations, and who
was supposed, all throughout, to have supported him in them, was present
at this meeting of the Cabinet, and concurred in its decision.

But Lord Fitzwilliam had not done with Ireland yet. On his return to
England, he brought the subject before the House of Lords and demanded
an inquiry, which was refused. On this occasion some letters which had
been addressed by him to Lord Carlisle were published, and in one of
them "imputed malversations" were attributed to Mr. Beresford. In
consequence