East India Office, Feb. 1, 1823.
My dear B——,
I have not myself the least idea that a wish for the admission of Lord Colchester into the Cabinet exists in any mind except his own, or that Lord Harrowby has any idea of retiring at present.
It is perfectly true that France still continues to say that it must be six weeks before any blow can be struck or a shot fired, and to beg us to continue our good offices, though she cannot admit any mediator between Princes of the House of Bourbon and near neighbours, but she still urges the necessity not so much of any real or efficient change being made, as of its emanating directly from the authority of the King—in short, that because they had a charte, two chambers, and an amnesty, Spain shall have them all likewise.
I have seen no symptom whatever of division among Ministers on this point.
The Lord Chancellor had viewed the introduction of Mr. Canning into the Cabinet with more discontent even than he had bestowed upon the admission of the Grenvilles; but an arrangement that brought him another popular statesman as a colleague, he regarded with so much ill feeling that it amounted to the expression of a desire to resign. "The Courier of last night," he writes, "announces Mr. Huskisson's introduction into the Cabinet. Of the intention or the fact I have no other communication. Whether Lord Sidmouth has or not, I don't know, but really this is rather too much. Looking at the whole history of this gentleman, I don't consider this introduction, without a word said about the intention, as I should perhaps have done with respect to some persons that have been or might be brought into Cabinet, but turning out one man and introducing another in the way all this is done, is telling the Chancellor that he should not give them the trouble of disposing of him, but should (not treated as a Chancellor) cease to be a Chancellor. What makes it worse is, that the great man of all has a hundred times most solemnly declared that no connexions of a certain person's should come in. There is no believing one word anybody says, and what makes the matter still worse is, that everybody acquiesces most quietly, and waits in all humility and patience till their [his] own turn comes."[107] ]
A recollection of Mr. Huskisson by another political cotemporary of eminence, may here be put forward by way of contrast to the preceding. "Besides possessing considerable abilities, and upon some subjects extensive knowledge, he is cheerful, good-natured, and obliging—a man of the world of the best sort. When you come to converse with him upon other topics than those to which the purpose of your first interview limited you, you will find that nothing can be more rational and agreeable than his conversation."[108] ]
Though an able man, his subsequent political career was short and unsatisfactory. His known devotion to Mr. Canning, who had long endeavoured to bring him forward, after the demise of that eminent statesman, exercised a prejudicial influence over his fortunes, and the first opportunity that presented itself was eagerly seized to get rid of him.
About the end of January, Lord Grenville had a serious attack of illness—a paralytic seizure—that caused considerable alarm among his relatives and friends; but Sir Henry Halford having been summoned to the assistance of the ordinary medical attendants at Dropmore, an improvement shortly took place, and in a few days he was pronounced out of danger.
The proceedings going on in Ireland, arising out of the alleged conspiracy and rebellion, were regarded with as much interest in England as the threatened invasion of Spain by France.