t is necessary to take the declaration
again upon any new patent, and the Board of Admiralty should have taken the
declaration as well as Castlereagh--the Board of Control as well as me.

The Chancellor continues to have no objection to reducing the salaries of
the Supreme Court Judges.

_March 5._

Chairs at 11. I got rid of them as soon as I could, as I wished to go to
the Committee.

Loch showed me a letter from Lord William Bentinck, by which it appears
that the officers of the Cawnpore division of the army wished to have a
general meeting for the election of delegates to England. Sir J.
Whittingham forwarded their request to Lord Combermere, highly disapproving
of it. Lord Combermere directed the Adjutant-General to write a letter
coinciding with Sir J. Whittingham's opinions, and adding that he would be
the advocate of the army both in India and in England. Lord William
(Bentinck) is going up the country with the _Government_ and wishes to take
Lord Dalhousie with him. He expects very uncivil treatment, and says the
discontent is deep-seated. The same account is received from other
quarters.

The debate was adjourned last night. R. Grant made a speech in a moderate
tone, but disingenuous. Lord Ashley spoke good stuff apparently, but Henry
says he could not hear him. Lord Graham was unembarrassed and did well; but
the 'Times' hardly gives him ten words.

I sent a note to Peel to-day observing upon the disingenuousness of Grant's
speech. He told me he had been reading the papers, and saw it was no
question of judicial independence, but of judicial aggression, and he
thought the tone of the Governor who was in the right much better than that
of the Judge who was in the wrong. So I hope he will make a good speech.

_March 6._

Read letters from Sir J. Macdonald. They came by Constantinople. The only
news they contain is that the Russians certainly have the intention of
conquering Khiva and Bokhara. This comes from Chasanes Murza. I told the
Duke, who seems disposed to make it an European question.

I showed the Duke a most atrocious libel on royalty which has been
published in the 'Calcutta Gazette.' If the King saw it he would recall
Lord William by the Sign Manual. A letter must be written immediately in
the press. It is in such a state that our Government cannot stand if it be
permitted to go on uncontrolled.

I asked the Duke as to taxation. He said he thought it could be done
without income tax. T