the Waverers--Minute drawn up--Bethnal Green--The Archbishop of
Canterbury vacillates--Violence of Extreme Parties--Princess
Lieven's Journal--Lord Holland for making Peers--Irish National
Education--Seizure of Ancona--Reform Bill passes the House of
Commons--Lord Dudley's Madness--Debate in the Lords.

January 24th, 1832 {p.237}

Yesterday morning Frederick Lamb came to me and told me that the
question of the Peers was again in agitation, that the King had
agreed to make as many as they pleased, and had understood
Wharncliffe's conversation with his Majesty not to have contained
any distinct assurance that he would vote for the second reading
of the Bill. Our party in the Cabinet still fight the battle,
however, and Stanley (on whom all depends) is said to be firm,
but circumstances may compel them to give way, and Lord Grey (who
is suspected to have in his heart many misgivings as to this
measure), when left to Durham and Co., yields everything. Under
these circumstances I went to Wharncliffe last night, to persuade
him to declare his intentions without loss of time. He owned that
he had not _pledged_ himself to the King, and he was frightened
to death at the idea of taking this step, lest it should give
umbrage to the Tories, and he should find himself without any
support at all. We went, however, together to Grosvenor Square,
and had a long conference with Harrowby, whom I found equally
undecided.

[Page Head: PLANS OF CONCILIATION.]

In the meantime the Tories are full of activity and expectation,
and Lord Aberdeen is going to bring on a motion about Belgium on
Thursday, on which they expect to beat the Government, not
comprehending that a greater evil could not occur, or a better
excuse be afforded them for an immediate creation; still they have
got it into their heads that if they can beat the Government
_before_ the Reform Bill comes on they will force them to resign.
I found Harrowby and Wharncliffe equally undecided as to the
course they should adopt, the former clinging to the hope that the
Peerage question was at last suspended, that Lord Grey was
compunctious, the King reluctant, and so forth--Wharncliffe afraid
of being abandoned by those who are now disposed to consult and
act with him, and indisposed to commit himself irretrievably in
the House of Lords. After a long discussion I succeeded in
persuading them that the danger is imminent, that there is no
other chance of avoiding it, and