The jokers say that the K. reigns upon the sense of taste and touch, having outlived the others. On Saturday he had a lucid interval; he asked what had been done, for ‘I know my situation!’ Poor, wretched man, these returns of reason are most melancholy. Ld. Moira was hurt and angry at not being sent for; he wrote up to C. H. to know the reason. He was answered that the P. had neither written nor sent to anybody. Such is Court favour! For who so favoured as he was? Ld. Grenville says he knows that the K. was ill several days before it was imparted to Perceval, but who knew it, or who caused it to be kept secret, he does not know. The D. of York is behaving ill to the P., taunting him with old allusions, and when there is a favourable symptom exulting in a manner which denotes his joy that they have a chance of escaping his dominion. The sending for Reynolds and Willis was without the knowledge or consent of the R. family. Ld. Grey shakes his hopes by his fears as to Portugal; he considers the case as desperate, and Ld. Wellington’s army quite ruined. This belief is grounded upon Ponsonby information, and none of that family can be credited, especially Snouch[368] and Ld. Ponsonby.
On the 15th Parlt. met in the Lords. The Chancellor and Ld. Liverpool held out great hopes of a recovery. Ld. Grey worked skilfully upon very tender ground, no other than in plain English saying that if the King recovered it was only to a state of dotage, and that the loss of sight and hearing disqualified a man, without even the loss of reason, from fulfilling the functions of a sovereign.[369] The Ministers were not in spirits, else they might have replied and done him great mischief in the country. Ward, who is a friend, sneeringly observed that the Whig earl would make few proselytes to the doctrine deposing the Monarch. Ld. Grenville spoke, but, I was sorry to hear, in a feeble, disorganised state. Ld. Moira took a line of his own in favour of adjournt., affecting to speak the language of the P. Indeed, with much affectation, he told Lds. Grey and Lansdowne that his speech he was conscious was bad, but that was always the case when a person spoke contrary to their own opinion; but he was compelled by instructions from a quarter he was bound to obey, designating as distinctly as possible the Prince. In the Commons Burdett provoked a division, in which persons voted as they liked. Grey, Lauderdale, Ld. Ponsonby, Jersey, and Tierney came here after the debate and dined. The King is certainly worse, and the Ministers are puzzled.
27th Nov.—Ld. Grenville quitted town the day after the adjournt., oppressed by the recollection of his former opinions delivered when Speaker; but since, whether the continued illness of the King or other equally cogent reasons have convinced him that he may relax, it seems he has written to Ld. Grey, to inform him that upon reflection he does not feel the necessity so imperious of urging these opinions, for tho’ he maintains the same principles, yet expediency qualifies them at present. It is expected that the summons for the convoking the Privy Council will be issued this evening indiscriminately to all Councillors.
AFFAIRS AT CADIZ
Mr. Adair, alias the melancholy Jaques, arrived here a few days ago, and still continues our inmate in his way from Constantinople. He stopped at Cadiz, and brings very interesting accounts of the first meeting of the Cortes.[370] Arguelles, Capmany, Gallego, Torneros are the leading speakers. I know very little upon these matters, but it strikes me that they have been guilty of great impolicy in excluding the Grandees from their body, as it must make them feel irritated at the slight. Were I one of that class, shut up upon that dreary causeway, my sole occupation would be to quit them and join any party where my territorial influence would be considered; for these Grandees, with scarce any exception, fled with the Patriots, and sacrificed their all to what they considered was the common cause, but which to their consternation and mortification they now find was only the cause of a few; not to say that it would be some satisfaction to assist in overthrowing the patriotic Junta, created upon principles far different from the former practice when the Cortes used in ancient times to be assembled. By this scheme of exclusion they create in the heart of the little community a strong interest against themselves. Formerly the bravo Militar, which was the nobility, were an integral part of the Cortes; now they are not called. Mr. Stuart, of Lisbon, and Ld. Wellington write home against them as having a Jacobinical tendency, and being merely a réchauffé of the French Revolution.
The latest Governt. accts. are to the 12th from the Tagus, Sr. Robt. Wilson[371] en debite news of the 15th, with the story of Drouet having joined with 15 bataillons, which makes about 9000 men. Sr. Robt. is greatly and justly offended at having been dismissed officially the Portuguese service; this naturally enough tinctures all his opinions and disposes him to view au noir both Wellington’s and Beresford’s campaign. The enemies of Wilson accuse him of having taken great credit to himself for resistance in the Puerto de Baños after the battle of Talavera, whereas Ld. W. has recently discovered that he did nothing whatever there.[372] Also there is another charge, which, if substantiated, is serious, but from his general reputation is considered as highly improbable, viz., peculating in his transactions about raising the Lusitanian Legion. He is a very active officer, and whatever blemishes he may have in rhodomontading, I know from experience, having been in the country at the time, that when every other English officer took to his heels, he alone remained, and by setting a good face upon matters kept in check at Salamanca a French corps of 6000 men, when he was in Ciudad Rodrigo with only a few half dismounted cannon and some of his miserable Legion.
Bulletins bad; Ministers defer till the latest hour issuing the summons of the Privy Council. Great failures at Liverpool. Huskisson’s pamphlet upon the report of the Finance Committee, a very general topic of conversation.[373] L., a little jealous, accuses him of stealing some of his own best observations and disfiguring them for concealment.
28th.—Hurrah! Huzza! A long and delightful letter from Charles, and a copious journal of all that has occurred since he sailed from Cadiz Bay, 7th August! He writes from Gibraltar Bay, 5th November, then in quarantine on acct. of symptoms of fever. Inquires if the ex-pigs are likely to have a little suck. Seems not so keen for Navy as before; thank Heaven, if he should at the end of a year sicken of it! Oxala!
The Privy Council is called to-day for the examination of physicians. Baillie remains at Windsor to attend the K. during the absence of the others, but comes for examination to-morrow. Great rumours of adjournt. being again intended.
29th, Thursday.—Evidence of the medical men favourable as to amendment, but nothing said as to the time for recovery.