A Political Diary, 1828-1830 Part 30

Committee. Examined Mr. Elphinstone. He gave very good evidence.

House. A flat discussion on the Kentish pet.i.tion.

_March 26._

We had two to one last night. The House not very full. It seemed by no means the wish of the House to have a property tax; quite the contrary.

Mr. Elphinstone re-examined by Lord Lansdowne and others. He gave a very good evidence, and quite knocked up colonisation.

_Monday, March 29, 1830._

Office at 2. Looked over regulations, &c., relative to the half-castes and considered their question. Came to a decided opinion against their admissibility to offices which can be held by natives.

When Lord Carlisle presented the pet.i.tion I said very little, expressed compa.s.sion for their situation, and a wish to relieve it in any manner consistent with the conservation of our empire and the well-being of the great body of the native population. I said what they asked was not equality of rights, but privilege.

Lord King's resolutions on the Corn Laws. A dull debate which lasted till nine--no division. The Duke did not speak well, and it was unnecessary for him to speak at all.

_March 30._

Committee. Examined Mr. Chaplin, who gave a very good evidence. He is decidedly against the employment of half-castes.

I told the Duke at the Committee that I had written to the King immediately on Clare's appointment, and afterwards to Sir F. Watson, when I sent the warrant and had got no answer. The Duke said he would enquire about it. He thought he should have spoken to the King _before_. However, he would settle it.

_March 31._

Committee at 1. Examined Mr. Ricketts, the half-caste, when Lord Carlisle had examined him in chief. Mr. Ricketts did not seem to know much about the law. It was odd enough to observe him looking round to me after every answer.

We had afterwards Mr. Baker, a strong contrast indeed with Mr. Ricketts. He gave very curious evidence relative to the trade of the Arabs of Malabar with Scinde, the Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea.

_April 2._

Cabinet. Question whether the French should be allowed to hire 9,000 tons of transports now in the river for the expedition against Algiers. The Duke was strongly against it. The French had behaved so ill to us, concealing their objects from us, and revealing them to other Courts, besides intriguing with the Pasha of Egypt.

Aberdeen was for giving the permission. He thought the French would consider it quite a hostile measure if we refused permission. However, permission will not be given.

Leopold is still negotiating about the money, and it seems doubtful whether he will not resign at last.

_April 3._

The Company have got into an awkward sc.r.a.pe. It seems they have not made out their account of the prime cost of their tea as merchants do, that they have charged all losses whether from fixed rate of exchange or other causes, whereas merchants in general state prime cost on a calculation of the price in the place where the article is purchased, the other calculations going in diminution of profit.

I begin to think the maintenance of the monopoly will be impossible. I have long thought it very inexpedient. It would leave a sullen, settled feeling of discontent in the minds of the manufacturers and merchants of England.

_April 6._

Wrote to the Duke to tell him I had not yet received the Duke of Devons.h.i.+re's memorandum respecting Sir W. Rumbold, and that in the meantime I was getting into as small a compa.s.s as possible the information he desired.

I added that the liberation of the Nizam changed our position with respect to Sir W. Rumbold, and I should be glad to speak to him about it.

I reminded him of Lord Clare's appointment, not yet approved by the King.

_April 8._

Cabinet at 2. The Committee on the Bank Charter to be taken out of Huskisson's hands.

The King was not well yesterday. The Duke recollected Clare's appointment, and thinks I shall have the warrant in a day or two.

_April 9._

Wrote to Wrangham, begging him to send me the Cabinet box I desired the Cabinet messenger to take to my house yesterday. I think it contained the papers relative to Russian projects against India.

I have been so unwell the last two days I have been unable to do any public business.

_April 12._

Had some conversation with Hardinge. He thinks the Duke will not remain in office above a year more, and that Peel will then be Minister, and that Peel looks forward to that now. I said I feared he would be a very Radical Minister.

Hardinge thinks Sir G. Murray would be very well satisfied to be Master- General, that he feels the Colonial Office is above him. I doubt, however, if he would like leaving it. If Peel was Minister he would have all the Ministers he could in the House of Commons.

From what Hardinge heard from Croker I am inclined to think that foolish fellow and others imagine they could go on without Peel.

I do not think it impossible we may have a dissolution of Parliament if there should be a good harvest.

_April 12._

Sent the letter and list of Russian papers about China to the Duke. Wrote to Aberdeen and told him so. Observed at the same time that I should be very glad to make some arrangement with the Portuguese for excluding opium from their Indian ports; but I feared the present state of our relations with Portugal was not favourable for our doing so.

_April 13._

Found in London the papers I had sent to the Duke. He says he is sorry he has read them. He had thought better of Sir Ch. Metcalfe. The only one of the four who writes _common sense_ is Elphinstone.

_April 15._

The King was apparently very ill indeed yesterday.