A Political Diary 1828-1830, Volume II | Page 7

that Herries might take the
Governorship of Bombay. It did not seem to have occurred to him. He
said he thought Herries would not go; but he evidently thought it would
be a very good thing if he would.
The Duke said he wanted to have the places of Courtney and Sir G. Hill,
and to bring in Lord Chandos and M. Fitzgerald. We mentioned Ashley.
I suggested Ashley's going to the Treasury, and Sir J. Graham taking
his place. This would, I dare say, be done, if we could get the place at
the Treasury.
I have not as yet heard a surmise as to the new Lord Privy Seal.
Lord O'Neil has signed the Duke of Richmond's protest against the
Franchise Bill. It is very hostile to the Government, and Lord O'Neil
will probably be put out.
The Duke of Richmond has been very imprudent. Had he taken a
moderate line he probably might have been Privy Seal. His time is now
gone by.
_April 17._
Went by appointment to see Lady Jersey. Found there Duncannon and
Lord Sefton. Duncannon talked big about O'Connell's power, and in the
same sense in which he talked to Fitzgerald, wishing to induce the
Government to let him take his seat. I said we could not. It depended
not on us, but upon the law.
Lady Sefton came in afterwards for a few minutes, and Lord Rosslyn.
Lady Jersey talked a great deal about the restoration, and feared the
Whigs would imagine they were never to come in, and would form a
violent opposition. She mentioned Mr. Stanley as being much annoyed,
he having made a laudatory speech in favour of Peel.
I told her it would have been very harsh to have eliminated those who
had taken office under the idea that the Government was rather against
than for the Catholics, certainly neutral, and that it was a little
unreasonable to expect others to be turned out to make way for new

friends.
_April 18._
The Duke thinks he could not offer the Privy Seal to Lord Grey, but he
would be conciliated by having a friend--that is, Rosslyn--in. If we
could get Lord Beresford out, Lord Rosslyn would go to the Ordnance.
The Duke says the King would make it a point of honour to resist the
introduction of Lord Grey, though in reality he was in communication
with Lord Grey in 1820-21, after the Queen's trial, and then intended to
bring him in and to turn out the then Ministers for the Milan
Commission, he having been himself at the bottom of that Commission.
The Duke, the only member of the Cabinet who was not mixed up with
the Milan Commission, induced the King to give up his idea of making
a change.
Bankes received a letter from the Duke of Cumberland, very long, and
against his acceptance of office; but he begged Bankes to go down to
see him and talk it over. He did so. Bankes told him he would not
accept if he on consideration objected, but he was determined not to
join any other Government. The Duke of Cumberland spoke of himself
as having been ill-used by the Duke of Wellington. This was explained.
The conference ended by the Duke of Cumberland's acquiescing
entirely in Bankes's acceptance of office. Bankes saw the Duke of
Wellington and detailed the whole to him.
_April 21._
Called on Sir H. Hardinge at Richmond. He told me the Duke had at
first great reluctance to have anything to do with the Whigs. By his
account he must have principally contributed to lead the Duke to adopt
that view which he has now of admitting Rosslyn, &c.
_April 22._
The Duke of Norfolk called, and, not finding me, left a note begging
me to ascertain privately from the Duke of Wellington whether the
King would be pleased if the English Catholics presented an address to
him thanking him for the Relief Bill.
Received a letter from the Duke of Wellington expressing a decided
opinion against any address from the Roman Catholics. He says,
'Everything has been done that is possible to efface all distinctions
between the King's subjects on the score of religion, and this with a
view to the general benefit, and not to that of a particular body. I

confess I shall think that this measure has failed in attaining its object if
there should be any general act of a particular body.
'In respect to the King himself I am certain that the most agreeable
thing to him would be that all should remain quiet.
'We must have no distinct body of Roman Catholics except in the
churches and in affairs of religion. The less we act inconsistently with
the principle the better.'
I so entirely agree in opinion