Sir Henry Hardinge delivered No. 5. to the Earl of Winchilsea, and was referred by his lordship to the Earl of Falmouth. The following memorandum is the substance of the communication made by Sir Henry Hardinge to Lord Falmouth.
(6.) MEMORANDUM OF SIR HENRY HARDINGE.
“March 19, 8 o’clock, evening.
“Lord Falmouth having expressed a desire to know the extent of reparation that would be expected, two suggestions, of what appeared to Sir Henry Hardinge to be the most natural mode of reparation, were drawn out, upon the distinct understanding that they were not made with a view to confine Lord Winchilsea’s explanation, either as to the terms or manner therein stated, but as suggestions as to the course which might be pursued in bringing the matter to a satisfactory conclusion. Sir Henry Hardinge, therefore, on the part of the Duke of Wellington, expects one of the two following alternatives:—Either that Lord Winchilsea should forthwith write to the Secretary of the King’s College, and express his desire to withdraw his public letter, as one which attributed motives highly offensive to the Duke of Wellington, and stating also that, upon reflection, he was not justified in attributing such motives to his grace, and therefore expresses his regret at having done so; or, that Lord Winchilsea should write directly to the Duke of Wellington himself, and make the same acknowledgments to his grace, with a similar expression of his regret for having attributed motives highly offensive to his grace, relating to the occasion of his grace having presided at the meeting of the King’s College in ——, last, —— [which motives he is now sensible he was not justified in imputing to his grace]. In either case, it is expected that a letter, so written, should be published by the Secretary of the London College in the Standard, being the same paper as that which contained Lord Winchilsea’s original letter.
“Thursday, half past nine o’clock, evening.”
“Friday morning, March 20. The paragraph within crotchets was not desired to be retained in the last interview with Lord Falmouth last night.
H. H.”
(7.) MEMORANDUM OF LORD WINCHILSEA.
“March 19.
“Whether I may determine to give an explanation of my letter published in the Standard on Monday last, will depend upon the correctness of my belief that I had grounds for the opinions complained of by the noble duke, as therein supposed. I am ready to allow that I was mistaken in my view of the noble duke’s conduct, as expressed in my letter to Mr. Coleridge, on the 14th instant, and to state my regret at having so expressed it, provided the noble duke will state on his part, that at the time he came forward to preside at the meeting for the establishment of King’s College, London, he did not contemplate the measures which are now in progress for Roman Catholic emancipation; or, to use Mr. Peel’s words, ‘for breaking in upon the constitution of 1688;’ but without some statement to that effect from the noble duke, I cannot withdraw the expressions contained in the above letter.