e Commons appear without a summons
by their clerks, and the Chancellor merely desires the proclamation to be
read. However, as it is held, _improperly,_ to be the first day of the
sitting of Parliament, the return of the Scotch peers is laid on the table.
All this is sanctioned by precedent, but contrary to reason.

_September 20, 1830._

Wrote a long letter to Hardinge upon the political consequences of
Huskisson's death, [Footnote: He was killed, as is well known, at the
opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.] urging the introduction
of Palmerston and Stanley. The latter to Vent the junction of the Whig
aristocracy with the Radicals.

I am sure, if measures are not taken immediately, we shall have all the
Huskissonians, Whigs and Ultra-Tories (the last are insane), united against
us.

Received from Sir J. Malcolm a letter with some enclosures about suttees.
He has reluctantly and fearfully abolished suttee, making it culpable
homicide to assist, and murder to force the victim. He has done it, I
think, wisely by a repeal of a clause in one regulation and an amendment.
Thus not putting it vainly forward as Lord William did in a pompous
document.

He has abolished the Military Board, I believe, very wisely; but there may
be a difficulty with the Duke, if I cannot do it without talking to him
about it. I believe Sir J. Malcolm is quite right, and that there would
have been no hope of preserving a system of real economy had the Military
Board been permitted to remain.

I am curious to see his measure of checks on expenditure, that if it be
good it may be adopted at the other Presidencies.

Received some letters from Lord W. Bentinck. Lord Dalhousie has been very
ill, and the command of the army would fall, Lord William says, into the
weakest hands, if anything happened to him.

The spirit of the army was becoming better, I gather from Lord William's
letter, but it required much attention. I have been thinking all day of
what measures may be adopted for improving it.

_September 21._

Office. Read to Cabell my memorandum on the alterations which might be
introduced into the army, which I wrote hurriedly this morning. He was long
in the military department, and can be of much use. Cabinet room. I think
the result of Lord Stuart's dispatches is that the moderate party are
gaining strength. I should say the facts we see in the newspapers lead to a
different conclusion.

The Ministers and the old lea