Duke of Clarence has resigned. I did everything in my power to avoid that result, excepting to give up Cockburn; and I was in hopes that the King, who I knew wished that he should stay, would have prevailed upon him to take back his resignation. But I suspect that he had pledged himself to Captain Spencer. I know that the King thinks so. It is not unlikely that when he found the King and the Lord Chancellor anxious that he should remain, he renewed the demand that Sir George Cockburn should be removed. I have not written to Lord Melville respecting the office of First Lord of the Admiralty, nor communicated with anybody on the subject excepting yourself, and talked of the arrangement generally to the Chancellor, who approved of it. Having asked the Duke of Clarence to continue to hold his office till I could make an arrangement for the performance of its duties which would be satisfactory to the King, and his Royal Highness having consented, I have time to hear from you again before it will be necessary to write to the King, which must be the first step. Before Lord Melville left town, he told me that, in case of a vacancy in the Admiralty, he did not wish to fill it if the office could be made a convenience to the arrangements of the government; but that he should not like to see the office given to a person who would not add to our strength. Then in respect to Lord Ellenborough, I entertain no doubt whatever that he will quit us, if advantage is not taken of such an opportunity of putting him in an office of business. He was very sore when Lord Aberdeen was placed in the Foreign Office, and he so expressed himself to me. Lord Ellenborough was probably not very useful to us in the last session of Parliament; but he may be necessary to us hereafter, and he would be very disagreeable in opposition. This is the Chancellor's opinion. I think, likewise, that if Lord Ellenborough had something to do he would be less indiscreet and more useful in the Cabinet. Under these circumstances, I don't think I could well do otherwise than appoint him to an office of business when the first opportunity will offer. In my opinion, it would be better that he should go to the Board of Control than to the Board of Trade. He would be permanently less troublesome at the former; and I must add that I think Mr. Courtenay is not a very advantageous head of a department in the House of Commons. Lord Ashley and Bankes would do the business of the India Board very well. I propose to keep the office of Privy Seal vacant, because I am under the necessity of looking forward to future misfortunes. I consider you not pledged to anything, but I cannot but look to the not impossible case of your finding yourself obliged to leave us to ourselves. In this case I must have the command of all the means possible to make an arrangement to carry on the King's service; and if I could keep other offices vacant I would. Believe me, &c., WELLINGTON. To the Earl of Aberdeen. MY DEAR LORD ABERDEEN, Cheltenham, 16th August, 1828. I return your box by the post. everything as usual. Every little fact is of importance to enable one to form a judgment of what is going on; particularly when we have such ticklish people to deal with as the French and Russians. You are certainly right about their plan of operations, but I don't think we could interfere with the mode in which they should perform the service with which we have charged them. But have you observed the paragraph in the Journal des Débats'? Its object is to vilify us. It contains the announcement of the same design which Fagel was authorised and commissioned to communicate to the King of the Netherlands. The Journal des Débats' is Châteaubriand's paper, and has great influence in France. I think you should speak to Polignac again upon the subject of their expedition; founding what you will say upon the appearance that Ibrahim Pacha is coming away; and tell him that we rely upon the promise of the King of France that the French troops will evacuate the Morea as soon as that chief will have come away. You might write Lord Stuart an ostensible despatch to the same purport, directing him to show it; and in that despatch quote the words of the Protocol, and of any despatches from Paris or notes from Polignac in which this promise has been made. I suspect that they will stay in the Morea and employ themselves in getting the better of the rebellious Greeks for Capo d'Istria. The French government will do anything that the news [987.] [ 988. ] papers will suggest which we will allow them to do, which will I don't mind their running after popularity in relation to WELLINGTON. To the Right Hon. Henry Goulburn. MY DEAR GOULBURN, Cheltenham, 16th August, 1828. I have received your letter respecting the claims of Spanish creditors. As I understand, the arrangement with the Spanish government is that they are to pay 900,000l. to British creditors in the specie of Spain, including in that sum 200,0007., which it is supposed the King of England owes to subjects of the King of Spain; how, or when, or where, I am sure I cannot tell; but I conclude that this claim is as well founded, if not better founded, than that of the subjects of Spain upon England. I understand that this sum of 900,0007. is to be given at certain periods to the creditors, to be divided amongst them by their own agency. We can do nothing, therefore, to obtain delay in the way of enquiry, liquidation, &c. We have no choice excepting either to conclude this bargain and pay the money; or to leave the matter to be liquidated in the manner pointed out by Mr. Canning's treaty. We shall adopt this last-mentioned line with great disadvantage at present, having brought the creditors and the Spanish government to an agreement, and the consequences of omitting to carry that agreement into execution being additional clamour out of doors and renewed complaints and violence in Parliament, which will end in war, as Mr. Canning's treaty is unexecutable; and we shall have to bear the blame of this war, as we break off this arrangement. I know of no remedy excepting to adopt every arrangement in our power between this and the next sessions to save expense and increase our means; and I entrea: your attention again to those measures which I suggested when I last saw you. Believe me, &c., WELLINGTON. The Earl of Aberdeen to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. MY DEAR DUKE, London, 16th August, 1828. There has been no arrival to-day, and I have little or nothing to send you. I wish, however, that you would look at the notes of my friend Itabayana. The first I answered shortly, but it has brought a repetition of the demand, which perhaps it may be proper to answer a little more at length. Do you think this a proper occasion to announce our understanding of Don Pedro's abdication? It seems to me that we ought now to accustom ourselves to talk of the Queen Donna Maria II., and that we should no more hear of Pedro IV. Itabayana made an application the other day for permission to send certain stores and provisions, free of duty, on board the Brazilian frigate at Falmouth, which, as a matter of course, was granted. It turns out, however, that gunpowder and muskets are amongst these articles; and although he says he means to send them to Brazil, of course Madeira is the place of their destination. I shall wait your answer before I apply to the Treasury for permission to embark these arms and ammunition. Lieven has been with me this morning, and has read to me a despatch from Nesselrode on the subject of the part which has recently been taken at Constantinople by M. de Zuylen, the Netherlands minister. They complain loudly, as they say it tends to confirm the Porte in error, and to encourage the Turks in their attempts to disunite the Allies. The copy of the questions put by the Reis Effendi to M. de Zuylen, and his answers, is very different from what we possess, and certainly much more unfavourable to Russia. I gave him a copy of our paper, and told him that M. de Zuylen was a frank and honest man, and only actuated by his zeal to promote the common object. Indeed, Stratford Canning told me that he was highly satisfied with his co-operation. Lieven also read the despatch of Nesselrode to the Russian Minister at the Hague, in which, after pointing out what was objectionable in the proceedings of M. de Zuylen, he says that if a Russian minister, placed in similar circumstances, had acted in such a manner, he would have been instantly recalled, but that the Emperor leaves it to the wisdom of the King of the Netherlands to do as he thinks proper. After some talk about Greek matters, Lieven said that he thought it possible some jealousy might exist, or be created hereafter, about Capo d'Istria, as President of Greece, from his connection with Russia. He protested that he was thoroughly a Greek, and no Russian; and he said that he would assure me in confidence and upon his honour that the instant the Treaty was executed and the independence of Greece decided, he would lay down his office and quit the country. On the whole he seemed very well satisfied with us, and confident that everything would end well. I mean to propose a Conference on Monday, for the purpose of sending instructions to the admirals to procure transports wherever they are able, to convey Ibrahim to the Port of Alexandria; and that they should not wait for the Egyptian transports, which it is not clear the Pacha will ever send. If you should approve of it, I could make a proposal at the same Conference on Monday to do something about the purchase of the Greek slaves. The fact is that the English consul, and not the French, has already obtained the consent of the Pacha for the return of those in his possession. If it is any object to prevent the French from taking the whole of this matter into their hands, the proposition may come from us; but I shall do nothing in it, unless I should hear from you about it on Monday morning. Believe me ever most sincerely, I have just received the enclosed note from Croker. ABERDEEN. The Right Hon. Robert Peel to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. MY DEAR DUKE, Whitehall, 16th August, 1828. Just look at the answer which Lord Anglesey has given to the Presbyterians of Ulster. They come to him with a loyal and perfectly contented address; and contented they well may be, for they have been on a better footing as to eligibility for office than any other class whatever of the King's subjects. The Protestant of the Church of England was subject to the Sacramental Test; but for the last half-century the Protestant dissenter in Ireland has been subject to no test. Lord Anglesey informs them "that it is pleasing to observe men who appear to forget their past privations in the present enjoyment of equality of rights." He informs them also that "they have long and zealously, yet patiently, sought the attainment of their just privileges." Ever most faithfully yours, ROBERT PEEL. You may direct your letters to me, Whitehall, and they will be forwarded in my box. The Right Hon. J. Wilson Croker to Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington. MY DEAR DUKE, Admiralty, 16th August, 1828. His Royal Highness had been so decisive in charging what had happened as the result of a personal opposition on the part of Cockburn, that the latter felt it to be due to himself to cause the Duke of Clarence to be informed that he did not stand alone. He therefore told Captain Spencer yesterday that he might acquaint the Duke that Sir George Clerk, Lord Brecknock, and myself, concurred in his principles, and would have felt it necessary to have gone out with him. This Captain Spencer told his Royal Highness on his arrival in town this morning, who immediately sent for Sir George Cockburn, told him that he had not the least suspicion of this fact, that it made a great difference in his view, and that he had no longer any enmity against him, and begged to shake hands with him. After the business of the Council, at which his Royal Highness attended as usual, he desired Cockburn, Owen, and Brecknock, to attend him into his private room, leaving me alone in the Council-room. In his private |