nd it must be
proposed, though he would gladly have waived it, but that was
impossible; upon which Harrowby and Wharncliffe gave in and agreed
to support it. One of them (Haddington, I think) suggested that
Wharncliffe ought to communicate this intention to Lord Grey, to
which, however, Lyndhurst objected, said that the Tories were
suspicious, had already taken umbrage at the communications
between Wharncliffe and Grey, and that it must not be. To this
prohibition Wharncliffe fatally submitted, and accordingly not a
word was said by anybody till the afternoon of the debate, when
just before it began Wharncliffe told the Duke of Richmond, who of
course told Lord Grey. Wharncliffe at the same time had some
conversation with John Russell and Stanley, who strongly
deprecated this intention, but it was too late to arrange or
compromise anything then. The debate came on; the proposition was
made in a very aggravating speech by Lyndhurst, and on its being
carried Lord Grey threw up the Bill and the Government in a
passion. It is the more remarkable that they should have taken
this course at once, because they certainly had very strong reason
to doubt whether the King would consent to a creation of Peers,
though they probably thought he might be bullied upon an occasion
which they fancied they could turn to great account; but he was
stout and would not hear of it.

[Page Head: POSITION OF PARTIES.]

The day after the debate Grey and Brougham went down to Windsor
and proposed to the King to make fifty Peers. They took with them
a minute of Cabinet signed by all the members except the Duke of
Richmond. Palmerston proposed it in Cabinet, and Melbourne made
no objection. His Majesty took till the next day to consider,
when he accepted their resignations, which was the alternative
they gave him. At the levee the same day nothing occurred; the
King hardly spoke to the Duke, but he afterwards saw Lyndhurst
(having sent for him). I do not know what passed between them,
but the Duke of Wellington was soon sent for. The Duke and
Lyndhurst endeavoured to prevail on Peel to take the Government
upon himself, and the former offered to act in any capacity in
which he could be useful, but Peel would not. Some communication
also took place between Lyndhurst and Harrowby, but the latter
declared at once he would support the new Government, but not
take office. When Peel finally declined, the Duke accepted, and
yesterday at three o'clock he