Tunis, and they enter into a scheme for conquering both as stepping-stones
to Algiers. Tunis in their hands would be more dangerous than Algiers.

Hardinge told me he had had a long conversation with Peel the other day on
the state of the country. He thought Peel seemed to have apprehensions, and
to think that if the King, through some intrigue of the Brunswickers, got
rid of the Duke, things would go very ill indeed; that the authority of the
Duke alone kept things quiet. England is in a bad state, because the
country gentlemen have ill-paid rents; but Scotland and Ireland do very
well, and the trade of the country is not depressed.

Cabinet dinner at the Chancellor's. The Duke of Montrose there, as it was
to have been a dinner for the sheriffs. I told the Duke of my notion of
altering the law of succession to property in India, and enabling all
existing proprietors to leave their estates as they please.

_January 28._

The 'Times' publishes my letter to Malcolm to-day, with comments.

Upon the whole I am glad the letter has been published. I think no one can
read it without seeing I am actuated only by public views, and that I am
determined to do my duty.

The editor of the 'Courier' called at the Indian Board and saw Bankes, and
asked whether he should say anything. Bankes said he would see me before he
gave an answer. I do not care about the publication, and the letter will
defend itself.

_January 29._

Chairs have received very bad accounts of the temper of the Madras army,
which has no cause of complaint. Lord W. Bentinck has been at last obliged
to lay his hand upon the press, and, as might have been expected, is much
more abused than if he had done so at first. The Radicals had begun to
consider him one of themselves, and so think him a traitor when he refuses
to go any further with them.

I went to the Duke and told him what they said. He is, as usual, sanguine,
and thinks it will blow over.

I told the Duke I thought he had better look out for a Governor-General,
for it might be necessary to recall Lord W. Bentinck. The objection to
making Malcolm provisional successor is that he would stay till he died in
order to be Governor-General one day. Otherwise his provisional appointment
would strengthen the local Government very much.

At the Cabinet they had all read my letter in the 'Times,' except the
Chancellor. I told him to read it.

Peel was indignant at the publication. Lord Rosslyn said J