ing of parliament
the king and queen had promised to honour the lord-mayor's feast at
Guildhall with their presence: great preparations had been made by the
citizens on the approach of that civic festival, and all London was on
tip-toe expectation of the splendid procession. On the 7th of November,
however, all their expectations were disappointed: the lord-mayor
received a note from the home-secretary, stating that his majesty had
resolved, by the persuasion of his ministry, to postpone his visit to a
future opportunity, because, from information recently received, "there
was reason to apprehend that, notwithstanding the devoted loyalty and
affection borne to his majesty by the citizens of London, advantage
would be taken of an occasion which must necessarily assemble a vast
number of persons by night to create tumult and confusion, and thereby
to endanger the property and lives of his majesty's subjects; and it
would be a source of deep and lasting concern to their majesties were
any calamity to occur on the occasion of their visit to the city of
London." This announcement filled the metropolis with doubt and alarm.
Men conceived that some atrocious conspiracy had come to light--that
a new gunpowder-plot had been discovered--and that the crisis of the
constitution and of the country had arrived. The funds fell three per
cent.; and in the country every man expected that the next mail would
bring intelligence that London was in a state of insurrection. All,
however, remained calm; and ministers were naturally called upon to
explain the grounds on which they had acted. It appeared that the
principal foundation of their proceedings was a note from some person
in private life, stating that he was apprehensive the Duke of Wellington
would not be very favourably received. Mr. John Key, lord-mayor elect,
wrote to his grace informing him that "in London, as well as in
the country, there was a set of desperate characters," fond of every
opportunity of producing confusion, and that, according to information
received by him, some of these desperadoes intended to make an attack
on his grace's person on his approach to the hall; and, therefore,
suggesting that his grace should come strongly and sufficiently guarded.
The Duke of Wellington stated in the house of lords, and Sir Robert
Peel in the commons, that on receiving this letter it was considered
an imperative duty to recommend to his majesty the postponement of his
visit to a f