rtley, and expressed a desire
that some compromise could be effected between the Government and
the Opposition leaders, which John imparted to Lord Harrowby and
his father. The overture was so well received by them that Stanley
went to Sandon, Lord Harrowby's place in Staffordshire, in his way
to Ireland, with Lord Grey's consent, to talk it over with Lord
Sandon. After this Lord Wharncliffe went to Sandon, and the two
fathers and two sons discussed the matter, and came to a sort of
general resolution as to the basis on which they would treat,
which they drew up, and which Wharncliffe read to me. It was
moderate, temperate, embraced ample concessions, and asserted the
necessity of each party refraining from demanding of the other
what either was so pledged to as to be unable to concede without
dishonour. On Wharncliffe's return to town he again saw
Palmerston, and communicated to him Harrowby's concurrence in an
equitable adjustment of the Reform question, and then suggested
that if Government really desired this, it would be better that he
(Wharncliffe) should see Lord Grey himself on the subject.
Palmerston told Lord Grey, who assented, and gave Wharncliffe a
rendezvous at East Sheen on Wednesday last. There they had a long
conversation, which by his account was conducted in a very fair
and amicable spirit on both sides, and they seem to have come to a
good understanding as to the principle on which they should treat.
On parting, Grey shook hands with him twice, and told him he had
not felt so much relieved for a long time. The next day Lord Grey
made a minute of their conversation, which he submitted to the
Cabinet; they approved of it, and he sent it to Wharncliffe to
peruse, who returned it to Lord Grey. In this state the matter
stood yesterday morning, apparently with every prospect of being
arranged. Wharncliffe had already spoken to Dudley, Lyndhurst, and
De Ros, the only Peers of his party he had seen, and to the
Archbishop of Canterbury, who were all delighted at what had
passed. He had written to the Duke of Wellington and Peel, and he
is busying himself in consulting and communicating with all the
Peers and influential Commoners of the party whom he can find in
town. The terms are not settled, but the general basis agreed upon
seems to be this: the concession of Schedule A, of representatives
to the great towns, and a great extension of the county
representation on one side; the abandonment, or nearly so, o