Burr laid the whole plot open to our Minister, and asked the assistance of England; Merry transmitted the communication to Ld. Mulgrave,[254] who, as usual, returned no answer.
Ld. Grenville calls the American a Mob Government, and one too weak to carry its own measures into effect.
The Scotch Peers elections have gone well; Ld. Melville was cruelly disappointed, he expected to carry four, and only carried Ld. Aberdeen. Kinnaird behaved imprudently and foolishly; however, Ld. Lauderdale’s dexterity and activity carried him through. Till the very moment before the election, Lord Melville reckoned upon carrying four.
Deliberations in the Cabinet upon an attack on Mexico; Ld. Grenville sent to Ld. H. Sr. Arthur Wellesley’s plan.[255] Sir Arthur Wellesley appears to have obtained all his information with respect to the accessible points for attacking S. America, New Spain, from a Mr. Frazier.
18th December.—Lauderdale entertains no doubt whatever that the note so very offensive in its language to him was written, and also that it was written by the Emperor himself; and, moreover, that the Ministers, to avoid a severe reprimand from him for having ventured to suppress it, have thus impudently ventured to publish it officially. The other speculation is that the order for the publication of the correspondence was sent from Berlin, and the clerks published all, brouillons included. This is the most probable.
The melancholy year of 1806 died with another loss: the D. of Richmond[256] died at Goodwood of suppressed gout and a liver complaint, discovered only after death.
News of the recapture of Buenos Ayres believed by the Government. It rests upon the declaration of a Portuguese Captain, who reached Lisbon in 43 days from Pernambuco; he says a Spanish schooner came in there dismasted, who was the bearer of dispatches to Old Spain, giving an account of the retaking of the town after a severe contest. It must be highly gratifying to Ld. Howick that he should have made his manly exposition of Sr. Home Popham’s improper conduct before this news, when the shabby people will be as ready to cry against the business, as they have been ready to praise it. An instance of the money-getting spirit of Sr. Home came to my knowledge lately. He wrote to the merchants at Manchester advising the exportation of certain goods, but to his own agent he bid him send him, upon speculation, a large quantity of silk stockings, with a hint that this order should not transpire. B. Frere assured me he was acquainted with the silk-stocking merchant who supplied the articles.
LORD ELDON AND THE KING
The business of the Princess,[257] which is now before the Cabinet, is highly perplexing, and from the answer given by the K. to the Minute of the Cabinet, there is good reason to suspect he has some secret advisers. The style is much too business-like, and shows too much knowledge of law to be his own. This suspicion is confirmed by the line of conduct taken in the H. of Lds.; it is quite distinct from Canning’s in the H. of Commons, as they did not move the Address. Ld. Eldon had for many years the management of the D. of Portland’s estates; in consequence of which, he had frequent access to him, and thereby acquired considerable influence over his mind. The King has appointed the D. of Portland his Master of his own private Monies. Thus upon pretence of his private affairs, the K. has a channel of communication with Ld. Eldon, which Ministers can in no way get at or interfere with.
There are avowed schisms amongst the Opposition; Canning is distinct from Perceval, and from Castlereagh. If the great man of all does meddle in the H. of Lds., those in the Commons are not entrusted with the secret of his benign influence.