Castlereagh and
Lord North, viscounts, and Sir Robert Walpole (all Commoners) had
blue ribands!

London, April 28th, 1833 {p.368}

Came to town last night from Newmarket, and the intervening week at
Buckenham. Nothing but racing and hawking; a wretched life--that is,
a life of amusement, but very unprofitable and discreditable to
anybody who can do better things. Of politics I know nothing during
this interval, but on coming to town find all in confusion, and
everybody gaping for 'what next.' Government was beaten on the Malt
Tax, and Lord Grey proposed to resign; the Tories are glad that the
Government is embarrassed, no matter how, the supporters sorry and
repentant, so that it is very clear the matter will be patched up;
they won't budge, and will probably get more regular support for the
future. Perhaps Althorp will go, but where to find a Chancellor of
the Exchequer will be the difficulty. Poulett Thomson wants it, but
they will not dare commit the finances of the country to him, so we
go scrambling on 'du jour la journee.' Nobody knows what is to
happen next--no confidence, no security, great talk of a property
tax, to which, I suppose, after wriggling about, we shall at last
come.

May 2nd, 1833 {p.368}

The Government affair is patched up, and nobody goes but
Hobhouse,[4] who thought fit to resign both his seat in
Parliament and his office, thereby creating another great
embarrassment, which can only be removed by his re-election and
re-appointment, and then, what a farce!

[4] [Sir John Hobhouse, who had consented to take the Irish
Secretaryship a month before, resigned now because he
felt unable to oppose a resolution for the abolition of
the window duties; and resigning office he resigned his
seat for Westminster also, and was not re-elected. See
in the 'Edinburgh Review,' April 1871 (No. 272), an
account of this transaction.]

[Page Head: EMBARRASSMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT.]

There were two great majorities in the House of Commons the night
before last. The King was all graciousness and favour to Lord
Grey, and so they are set up again, and fancy themselves stronger
than before. But although everybody (except the fools) wished them
to be re-established, it was evident that this was only because,
at this moment, the time is not ripe for a change, for they
inspired no interest either individually or collectively. It was
easy to see