hether, as "that foundation
is now withdrawn," a change of ministry was expedient.[123] It also
appears from a letter placed by the king in Melbourne's hands that a
"very confidential conversation" took place between them at Brighton, in
consequence of which the king resolved to send for Wellington.[124] In
the course of this conversation Melbourne informed the king that, in the
opinion of the cabinet, Lord John Russell should be selected for the
leadership of the house of commons. The king, incensed by Lord John's
action on the Irish Church question, would not hear of this arrangement,
especially as he thought Lord John "otherwise unequal to the task," and
disparaged the claims of other possible candidates.[125] He also
strongly resented the recent conduct of Brougham. In the end, he parted
kindly and courteously from Melbourne, who actually undertook to convey
the king's summons to Wellington. Another memorandum by the king, of the
same date, proves that a fear of further encroachments on the church was
really uppermost in his mind, and that he anticipated, not without
reason, "a schism in the cabinet" on this very subject.[126]

Wellington acted with his customary promptitude, and with his customary
obedience to what he regarded as a call of public duty. A certain degree
of mistrust had existed between him and Peel, arising, in part, out of
circumstances preceding the duke's election to the chancellorship of
Oxford University. This suspension of cordiality had now passed away,
and Wellington strongly urged the king to entrust Peel, then at Rome,
with the formation of a new government. Hudson, afterwards known as Sir
James Hudson, delivered the despatch recalling him on the night of the
25th. Peel started from Rome on the 26th and, travelling with a speed
then considered marvellous, reached Dover within twelve days on the
night of December 8. He was in London on the 9th, and, without
consulting any one else, immediately placed his services at the king's
disposal. In the meantime, Wellington had stepped into the gap, and
actually held all the secretaryships of state in his own hands, pending
the arrival of Peel.

The king had been encouraged to hustle his ministers unceremoniously out
of office by a paragraph which appeared in the _Times_ of November 15.
On the previous evening Brougham had been informed by Melbourne in
confidence that the king had accepted his suggestion of resignation, and
he carried the news to the