All we could
admit was that the claims were such as should be submitted to examination,
and their validity decided upon just principles.

Astell wished to go back again and recommence the discussion. I said he
knew I could decide nothing without the Cabinet, and he nothing without the
Court; all he had to do now was to bring the subject before them.

He asked whether they were distinctly to understand that the Cabinet had
decided upon the termination of the monopoly? I said that the question not
having yet been before the Cabinet I could not give an answer officially;
but when the First Lord of the Treasury and the President of the Board of
Control desired to know what the course of the Court would be in the event
of its being proposed that the Court should administer the Government
without monopoly, I thought it was not difficult to draw an inference.

_October 19._

Sent to the Duke a memorandum on his letter. Read at the Cabinet room. The
King of the Netherlands is much annoyed at the desertion, as he thinks it,
of his allies. He now proposes a Congress of the Four Powers and _France_
at Breda or Cleves. He admits France very unwillingly, and by no means
acquiesces in the reasoning in favour of the advance we made.

Sir Ch. Bagot seems to think the Prince of Orange will be losing the
affection of the Dutch without gaining the Belgians.

The German Confederation is arming in the neighbourhood of Hanau for the
preservation of the peace. They have put 6,000 or 7,000 men in motion, and
have a reserve of 15,000 or 18,000.

The excitement against Polignac and Peyronnet increases, and the Ministers
run the hazard of their places by attempting to save them. I fear that is
hopeless. The Spanish Radicals seem to find it would be dangerous to pass
the frontier.

_October 20._

Office. Cabinet room. The Prince of Orange has written a most offensive
letter to the King of the French, almost insinuating that the troubles in
Belgium are fomented by France, and saying that by a declaration against
the Belgians France would show her good faith, and secure the recognition
of Russia. The French Cabinet is much offended at the silence of the King
of the Netherlands, and Count Mole is going to write to the Dutch Minister
upon the subject.

Nesselrode seems to see great difficulties in the intervention of France in
the settlement of Belgium--the union of Belgium and Holland having been
made _against_ France. The Russian Mini