The Duke does not mean to resign to-morrow, but to request, if he should not succeed (which Aberdeen thinks he will not do), that the King will allow the Cabinet to put their opinions in writing-which the King cannot refuse. We shall then meet on Friday and decide what we shall do.
The Chancellor took me aside and said it would be a foolish thing to go out about Leopold. So it would; but if we allow ourselves to be beaten in this, we may be beaten round the whole circle of public questions.
When the Duke has proved the proposition was not made by us, that it came from France, the King will say, 'Well, if you did not think it worth while to propose him, why should you not reject him? Why adhere to him?'
I feel very indifferent about the result.
Dr. Seymour, Fitzgerald's physician, represents him as very ill indeed, and in danger if he does any business; but Peel, who saw him to-day, thinks that much exaggerated.
January 14.
Chairs at 11. I asked them to find out when Rothschild sold out his Indian
stock. It seems (by a note I received in the evening) that he began on
October 15, and at different times sold out 42,000£ stock. I sent the
Chairman's note to Goulburn.
About ten received the promised circular from the Duke. He was an hour and a half with the King, when he was obliged to leave him in consequence of his being unwell—and the King afterwards sent to desire he would come again on Saturday.
For the first hour the King was in a state of irritated and contemptuous indignation. However, the Duke thinks he brought him to feel he had nothing to complain of in the conduct of his Government. He finished by getting into better temper and a good tone; but the Duke thinks he should have brought away his assent if he had been with him another hour. The Duke wishes to hear the opinion of the Cabinet upon some points, and we meet at two to-morrow.
January 15.