,
and defends everything of course.

O'Connell is gone rabid to Ireland, having refused a silk gown
and resolved to pull down Lord Anglesey's popularity. Shiel
writes word that they have resolved _not_ to give Lord Anglesey a
public reception, and to propose an ovation for O'Connell. The
law appointments there, made without any adequate reason, have
been ingeniously contrived so as to disgust every party in
Ireland, and to do, or promise to do, in their ultimate results
as much harm as possible. So much for the only act that the
Ministers have yet performed.

I had some conversation with Lyndhurst yesterday, who thinks the
way is already preparing for Peel's return to office, and that he
must be Prime Minister. I told him that I thought Peel had a fine
game to play, but that his own was just as good, as Peel could do
nothing without him in the other House; to which he replied that
they should have no difficulty, and could make a Government if
the Duke of Wellington did not interpose his claims and aspire
again to be at the head; to which I said that they must not
listen to it, as the country would not bear it; he said he was
afraid the Duke's own set and his women were encouraging him in
such views. Now that it is all over his own Cabinet admit as
freely as anybody his Ministerial despotism. Lyndhurst partakes
of the general alarm at the state of affairs, and of the
astonishment which I and others feel at the apathy of those who
are most interested in averting the impending danger. Yesterday
Mr. Stapleton (Canning's late private secretary) called on me to
discuss this subject, and the propriety and feasibility of
setting up some dyke to arrest the torrent of innovation and
revolution that is bursting in on every side. All the press
almost is silenced, or united on the other side. 'John Bull'
alone fights the battle, but 'John Bull' defends so many
indefensible things that its advocacy is not worth much. An
anti-Radical upon the plan of the Anti-Jacobin might be of some
use, provided it was well sustained. I wrote a letter yesterday
to Barnes,[7] remonstrating upon the general tone of the 'Times,'
and inviting him to adopt some Conservative principles in the
midst of his zeal for Reform. Stanley told me that his election
(at Preston) was lost by the stupidity or ill-will of the
returning officer, who managed the booths in such a way that
Hunt's voters were enabled to vote over and over at different
booths, and that