bad cold. The opinion seemed to be that the
press of the session would be upon domestic matters, for the reduction of
establishments and taxation.

The King wrote to the Duke and _grumpily acceded_ to Leopold's appointment.
Leopold is very _uppish_ upon the subject. He was at Cobham to-day and
yesterday.

I am to see Peel on Sunday at half-past one on Indian matters.

_January 22._

At one, Privy Council to consider the petition of the E. I. C. for the
recall of Sir J. P. Grant. The Lord President, Lord Chief Baron, and Lord
Chief Justice of Common Pleas present. The committee reported that they did
not consider themselves warranted at present in advising Sir J. P. Grant's
removal, but they thought it right he should be directed to proceed home
that the several matters objected to him might be investigated.

I took the opportunity of the presence of two judges to get a legal opinion
as to Sir J. Malcolm's conduct in resisting the service of the Habeas
Corpus _ad testificandum_.

I took the opportunity likewise of laying before the two judges the change
of circumstances since the institution of the Supreme Court, and the
present reasons for making their jurisdiction without the limits of the
Presidency the exception and not the rule.

The judges seemed to enter into my view. The Lord Chief Baron suggested
that there might be a previous enquiry before the Country Court, which
might for that purpose be a sort of grand jury. [Footnote: _I.e._ when the
case was to be transferred to the Supreme Court.]

Lord Hill showed me a letter from Sir F. Watson addressed to Sir B. Taylor,
as the King's first aide-de-camp, and directing him as such, by the King's
command, to intimate to Lord Hill the pleasure it would give His Majesty to
know that Lord Hill had given Captain Scarlett, the son of the Attorney-
General, an opportunity of purchasing a majority. Captain Scarlett is a
very young captain--and Lord Hill feels the thing asked cannot be done. He
was going to see the Duke of Wellington about it. Not very long ago the
King gave away a regiment without asking Lord Hill--however, that was
settled; but it is clear that, unless Lord Hill is allowed to exercise the
fair patronage of his office, he will resign.

_January 26._

Cabinet. It seems the French have acceded to the proposals of the Pasha of
Egypt, and finding 50,000 men would be required to take Algiers, prefer his
operating with 40,000 of his own. He pretends to