ainst him.' They pacified him so far
as his vote was concerned; but Sheil naturally enough observed
that it was a very unwise thing to neglect people's little
vanities and self-love so wantonly and carelessly.

April 30th, 1839 {p.194}

Le Marchant told me yesterday that there is a great change come
over the spirit of the Reformers, and undoubted evidence of a
reaction. Joe Parkes, who recently went on a tour through the
country, and who, before he went, in an interview with Ben
Stanley, Gore, Anson, and Le Marchant, was full of menace and big
words about the necessity of concession and the strength of the
movement, returned quite crestfallen, and has since confessed
that he found matters no longer in the same state, and a general
lukewarmness, in many cases an aversion to the movement. Le
Marchant has since been in communication with the editors of the
'Sun' and of the 'Daily Advertiser,' both of whom are engaging
themselves in the service of Government, and they have owned the
same thing, that in the districts in which the Chartists have
appeared, their excesses have produced a regular reaction and
aversion to reform, and elsewhere that reasonable people, without
giving up their principles, are satisfied that the moment is not
come for enforcing them, and are for leaving things alone. This
information, which appears worthy of credit, is very important as
regards the condition of the country, and if it is acted upon by
the Radicals in the House of Commons, may still prolong the
existence of the Government. Nobody can well make out what Peel
is at with his Jamaica amendment, and though he says it is no
party question, they are whipping up in all directions to fight
another battle.

May 2nd, 1839 {p.194}

[Page Head: DISMISSAL OF THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE.]

The Duke of Newcastle has been dismissed from the Lieutenancy of
Nottinghamshire, as he ought to have been long ago. I met the
Duke of Wellington at the Ancient Concert, and asked him the
reason, which he told me in these words: 'Oh, there never was
such a fool as he is; the Government have done quite right, quite
right, they could not do otherwise.' There was a correspondence
between him and the Chancellor about the appointment of some
magistrates: he recommended two gentlemen of Derbyshire as
magistrates of Nottinghamshire, and the Chancellor told him he
meant to appoint likewise two others, one of whom was a Mr.
Paget. The Duke replied that he objected to