thinking of, the Duke of Richmond outed with it
in an offensive manner, and he is the last man who should have done so. The
Duke made his explanation very well. Lord Grey afterwards spoke in a very
bad temper, with personal civility, however, to the Duke. The Duke replied,
which prevented my speaking at all. Lord Grey had spoken 'of measures
tending to bring this country into the situation in which France was the
time of the late Revolution;' words which should have been taken up, but
the Duke's rising after him prevented it.

Upon the whole I think the measure is considered right, and people are very
glad; indeed, the danger is no longer hanging over their heads. I hear that
in the Commons Peel did admirably, and that he was cheered by the whole
House when a Colonel Davies _sneered_ at the letter from the Lord Mayor to
the Duke. Brougham made as mischievous a speech as he could.

The Chancellor gave notice of the Regency Bill for Friday.

I do not think our friends see our danger, and they will never forgive us
if we go out of office without absolute necessity.

_November 9._

Looked into the Salt question in the morning. Cabinet at two. There was
last night a meeting at the Rotunda; about 2,000 people within, and 3,000
or 4,000 without. About half-past ten they dispersed, and from 200 to 600
ran down to Westminster, first going to the House, which was up, and then
to Downing Street. The police licked them well, and sent them off. They
came so quick that a man who headed them, and brought information to the
Home Office, where Peel and the Duke were, could not, by hard running, get
in advance above a minute, and they had passed the Horse Guards before the
Duke, who went there by the back way from the Home Office, had got into the
courtyard. He was going out at the door when the porter told him the mob
was passing. One man was taken, in whose pocket was found his will, leaving
his body to form a rampart against the troops, &c.

It was determined to endeavour to induce the mob to disperse as soon as the
Rotunda was full, and then to read the Riot Act as soon as the law
justified it, and to disperse them by police. There will be common
constables there besides. Mr. Chambers will be there; and if he sends for
assistance to the Horse Guards, two bodies of fifty each, each headed by a
magistrate, will go over Westminster Bridge, one by Stamford Street, the
other by the Blackfriars Road, to the Rotunda.

There will be