I trust His Majesty will make the necessary allowance for the freedom of a letter which was not intended to meet his eye, but in which there was not a sentiment expressed which was not dictated by a sincere attachment to His Majesty's person. The point respecting which you state His Majesty to have made up his mind in relation to the renewal of the East India Charter is one of very great importance, and certainly requires the most careful consideration. I do not pretend to anticipate the advice which His Majesty's servants may eventually find it their duty to submit to His Majesty on this subject, as it has not yet been brought under their consideration; and I do not feel that I am yet possessed of sufficient information to offer a decided opinion upon it; but I assure myself that His Majesty will not be indisposed to receive with his usual indulgence, when the time comes, the views which His Majesty's servants may find it their duty to lay before Him. I shall be anxious to see His Majesty to-morrow, if he is pleased to allow me that honour, at any hour that he will have the goodness to appoint, of which I shall be much obliged to you to inform me. I do not propose waiting on him to-day on account of the drawing room. I am, &c. GREY. (Private.) No. 423. Earl Grey to Sir H. Taylor. Downing Street, May 7, 1832, My dear Sir, This accompanies the very painful communication which I have to make to His Majesty of the result of to-night's debate and division.* The whole plan was evidently concocted by Lords Harrowby and Wharncliffe, with Lords Lyndhurst and Ellenborough, and I have no doubt sanctioned by the Duke of Wellington, though I do not see how it is possible for his Grace to consent to the plan of Reform announced to the House after the division by Lord Ellenborough. He stated that it would be the object of his amendments to add to the great towns and counties 113 members, to be made way for by a disfranchisement with Weymouth nearly equal to Schedule A., but to put an end altogether to Schedule B. and Schedule D. The 107. franchise he meant to preserve, but objected to its uniformity, which he meant to correct by retaining all the present scot and lot boroughs. He took care not to let his plan be known to the House before the division, which would, I believe, have been very dif ferent if it had been previously announced. I make no remark on this proceeding, or on the conduct of Lords Harrowby and Wharncliffe in concerting it after * Lord Lyndhurst had moved in the Committee on the Reform Bill, that the clause disfranchising the boroughs enumerated in the Schedule A. attached to the Bill should be postponed; and this motion had been carried against the Government by a majority of 151 to 116. their communication with me, and without giving me any notice of it. The only point we shall have to consider to-morrow would be whether we should propose a creation of Peers, or at once tender our resignations to His Majesty. I will send a messenger as soon as the Cabinet breaks up, and perhaps His Majesty will allow me the honour of a personal communication with him as soon afterwards as may be convenient to His Majesty. The Bishop of Worcester and the Archbishop of York voted against us: four Bishops for, viz. London, St. David's, Chester, and Chichester. I am quite knocked up. I am, &c. GREY. No. 424. Earl Grey to the King. Downing Street, May 7, 1832. 12 P.M. Earl Grey has the honour of enclosing for your Majesty's information a list of the Peers present, of the speakers in the debate, and the numbers of the division on the motion of Lord Lyndhurst for postponing the clauses of disfranchisement. A Cabinet is summoned for to-morrow at eleven, to consider the situation in which your Majesty's Government is placed by so large a majority having voted against them, the result of which Earl Grey will have the honour of communicating to your Majesty. All which, &c. GREY. No. 425. Sir H. Taylor to Earl Grey. (Private.) Windsor Castle, May 8, 1832. My dear Lord, I have read to the King the letter your Lordship addressed to me, with the report of last night's debate in the House of Lords. It is, indeed, a painful communication, and I own that it has surprised me as much as it has distressed me. The King has ordered me not to delay sending back your messenger, and I will therefore now only add, that I shall not be out of the way this afternoon in case you should come here. The King is quite alive to the importance of what you may have to submit to him. I have, &c. No. 426. The King to Earl Grey. H. TAYLOR. Windsor Castle, May 8, 1832. 9.45 A.M. The King has received, with very sincere concern, Earl Grey's communication of the proceedings in the House of Lords last night on Lord Lyndhurst's motion for postponing the clauses of disfranchisement, and of so large a majority against his Ministers. His Majesty cannot disguise from himself the serious and embarrassing position in which his Government is placed by this event, and will await Earl Grey's further communication with great anxiety. His Majesty will be prepared to receive Earl Grey at any hour in the course of this day. WILLIAM R. Your Majesty's servants having been assembled to consider the situation in which they are placed by the vote of the Committee of the House of Lords last night, beg leave humbly to represent to your Majesty, that they find themselves deprived of all hope of being able to carry the Reform Bill through its further stages in a manner that would be for the advantage of your Majesty's Government, or satisfactory to the public. So circumstanced, your Majesty's servants would naturally be led at once to tender to your Majesty, with every sentiment of respect and gratitude, the resignation of the offices which they hold from your Majesty's favour, if they did not feel it to be a paramount duty, not to withdraw themselves from your Majesty's service in a moment of so much difficulty, so long as they can contemplate the possibility of remaining in it with advantage to your Majesty and to the public interests, and without dishonour to themselves. They, therefore, feel themselves bound humbly to |