ing when we
went in, and hardly looked up. He heard the Address which I read, and
approved of it; but he hardly took any notice of us or of it. He seemed
really ill, and quite broken down.

Called on Hardinge. We had some conversation respecting the state of the
Government. His idea is that the strength of the Government in the House of
Commons is much injured by Peel's being in a subordinate situation to the
Duke. That if he was Chancellor of the Exchequer and First Lord of the
Treasury, things would go on better, the Duke taking a secretaryship of
State. This would do very well in the House of Commons, but very ill in the
Cabinet. He is for getting Mr. Stanley, and suggests (or Rosslyn did, or
both, for having talked to both on the same subject I may confound them)
that Lord F. Leveson should be made a peer. I think that a good idea. He is
of no use in the Commons, and his peerage would open a place which Mr.
Stanley could fill.

Rosslyn thinks Aberdeen's notions upon foreign politics have, together with
his assumption of independence which is of recent date, made the Duke
rather sore, and that he would not be sorry to have another Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs. Lord Rosslyn wants to have Lord Grey in, and
says he would as soon be First Lord of the Admiralty as Foreign Secretary.
Rosslyn would, I think, like to go to Ireland as Lord Lieutenant. He would
willingly give up the Privy Seal to Aberdeen. He thinks Sir G. Murray would
make an excellent Governor General. I fear he would be too indolent. He
said he knew, if there was a vacancy, the Duke would be glad to make him
Master General.

I had said I believed Lord Beresford would go to Portugal as Minister, if
Miguel would be on good terms with us. It seems Goulburn would be glad to
be Speaker. That would open a proper office for Herries, and his offices
might be divided, Lord Althorpe having the Board of Trade.

I really think some arrangement must be made to give us strength in the
House of Commons. Saw the Duke at two. He approved of the address. Rosslyn,
was with him. I told him how ill Peel seemed. He said he would go to see
him.

House. The Duke moved the Address. He gave a character of the late King as
one of the most accomplished, able, and remarkable men of the age. I saw
Lord Grey smile a little, but the House generally was grave and formal.
Lord Grey assented to the Address, but _laissait entrevoir_ that he should
be hostile to the Address to-m